Elizabeth (Tobin) & Kevin Eddy

July 19th, 2009 at the Echo Lake Inn Tyson, VT | Photographer: Ayer Photography

How We Met

I knew that I wanted to marry Kevin the moment that I saw him. I didn’t feel lightheaded or like I had been hit by lightening. I felt a comfortable sense of calm when I saw Kevin. It was as if the thing that I had been waiting for was finally here. I just knew and I felt safe and quiet and happy. Kevin says that he knew I was his future bride when I stood in line for hours at an autograph signing and never complained.

The summer we met I was working at a local restaurant in downtown Rutland. Kevin’s best friend, Jeff Cassarino, was one of the bartenders. Kevin and Jeff and been friends since childhood and were coaching high school football together. Kevin would frequently come in on nights when Jeff was working. He always sat at the end of the bar, quietly chatting with folks he knew. Eventually Jeff helped us to start talking. I was excited to have finally met such a kind and handsome man, but when Jeff and Kevin went on vacation, my employment at the restaurant ended. A few weeks later I was walking my dog and Kevin happened to pull up to me. I was shocked and thrilled to finally see him again. Kevin gave me his number and I tried to play it cool by waiting a day or two before calling him. After that the rest is history.

The Proposal

Kevin proposed on December 18th, 2007.

At the time, I was living with my parents in Rutland and Kevin was living in an apartment in Proctor, only seconds away from his sister, her husband and their children Nathan (then 2) and Catherine (then 4). Kevin called that evening and I was exhausted. Only 4 hours earlier I had finished my nursing final exam for the semester. I was stressed, anxious and very, very tired. My younger sister was expected to arrive home from college in a few hours and I was looking forward to spending time with her and decorating the Christmas tree with my family. When Kevin called he insisted that I come to his sister’s house. Catherine had a special Christmas present that she needed to give us immediately. I told him I wanted to stay home and relax and decorate the tree – maybe I would see him tomorrow.

I eventually called Kevin to tell him I was on my way and I few minutes later I arrived at Kelly’s house in Proctor. I sat on the couch and Kevin came around the corner. He was holding Catherine and she was dressed as an angel (for Halloween that year my mother-in-law made her a wonderful angel costume that came in quite useful). Kevin came towards me and said, “Catherine has something she would like to ask you.” He got down on one knee. I had no idea what was happening. He handed me a small wooden box. I still had no idea what was happening. Despite Kevin being on one knee and me holding a box perfectly designed to hold a wedding ring, I still had no idea what was happening.

Finally, Kevin and Catherine said together, “Will you be my Auntie?” I still had no idea what was happening. Kevin told me to open the box and then I finally realized that this was it. Kevin was finally proposing. He had me convinced it was never going to happen. So before I could Yes! or I love you, I said, “I hate you, you jerk,” and a few other choice phases. I was laughing and crying and telling Kevin I hated him. And then in between my tears and laughs, I said yes. I can still hear Kelly squealing and prancing around in the background. I of course did not hate Kevin. He just had me believing he wasn’t ready. For that moment to finally be happening was just unbelievable to me.

The proposal was special for so many reasons. Kevin had gone the traditional route and asked my father for his permission. Catherine was my special Christmas angel and helped Kevin to give me the best present ever. December 18th also marked a significant time for the Eddy family. Many years ago, Kevin’s father passed away in a tragic car accident. Kevin wanted to bring something special and positive to the day. Instead of remembering it as the day they lost someone so dear to them, they now could remember it as a day they gained another family member. I am so happy that so many people were involved in the proposal and am so proud of Kevin for being able to create a unique and memorable story for us to share.

Special Details

Our wedding ceremony and reception were full of personal touches. It is one of the many reasons our guests had such a wonderful time and why our wedding was so memorable. The ceremony was performed in front of a wishing well at the Echo Lake Inn. At the end of our ceremony we tossed pennies into the well. Each penny was created in the year that we were born. The penny represented the hopes and dreams that we had for ourselves and the wish for a long and happy marriage together.

We were able to combine some of our favorite things to make our reception personal and meaningful. I chose to have blue, pink and green as the color pallet, all of my favorite colors. I chose to incorporate the wedding colors into the cake, and as a special cake topper, we had Irene create a buck and a doe. Kevin enjoys hunting and it was a special way to bring his passion into the wedding. I also love animals and rather than provide cheap gifts for our guests, we decided to make our wedding favor more meaningful. In honor of our guests, Kevin and I donated money and pet care items to the Addison Country Humane Society. It was a great way to give back to the community and do something special for our guests.

Kevin loves collecting sports memorabilia and meeting famous athletes. We used sports teams as our table numbers. Our guests had to look at the team roster to discover which team they had been drafted to. In order to get us to kiss, our guests and to say the name of a player on their team. Our guests loved the idea and had a great time trying to get us to kiss.
The most special and personal touch to our wedding was the slide show presentation. I collected pictures from our childhood, pictures of our friends, pictures of our family, and pictures of our parents as young people. The slide show was set to some of our favorite songs and was projected onto the ceiling of the tent. At the end we dedicated the presentation to Kevin’s father, Alan Eddy, who passed away unexpectedly. I remember looking around at my family, watching their faces as they saw the pictures, and seeing the wide similes on their faces and tears in their eyes. It was a very special moment.

An Unexpected Thing

I never expected to see my daddy cry. He has always been such a strong and important figure in my life. My dad is kind, strong and loving. I always feel loved in his presence, but thatday I felt like I was his world. My dad escorted my mother to seat, and when he returned to escort me, there were tears in the corners of his eyes. Seeing the emotion from him touched my heart. We walked down the aisle together, arm in arm, towards a new chapter in my life. My dad read the Irish Wedding Blessing during our ceremony and near the end, he was choked with tears. To see him so emotional made me realize how much he loved Kevin and me. It was a special moment that I will never forget.

Advice for Other Brides

As you prepare for your wedding day, surround yourself with people you can trust. This includes your vendors and your family. You need to know that when you can’t pick up the invitations, you have someone that can handle the task. Look long and hard at vendors. Listen to other brides and pay attention to their recommendations. I was very lucky to have wonderful vendors and strong family support.

Finally, as you prepare to walk down the aisle to your future husband, take a moment to stop. Look at your dad and tell him how much you love him. This is the last moment you have together before you are no longer his little girl. Relish the moment.

Favorite Things About Our Day

Our favorite part of the wedding was seeing everyone share our joy. The vendors helped to make the day so special. From the music to the food and the ambience, our guests enjoyed every minute of the experience. The day was full of smiles and tears of happiness. The evening was magical and everyone knew it.

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