Jeanna (Bowen) & Jamie Brochu

July 3, 2010 - Capitol Plaza Hotel & Conference Center - Montpelier, VT

Primary vendors for this wedding event:

Reception and Catering
Capitol Plaza
Hotel & Conference Center

Wedding Gown
Fiori Bridal Boutique

Limo
Burlington Limousine & Car Service

Tuxedos
Needleman’s Bridal & Formal

Bride's Maids Dresses
Needleman’s Bridal & Formal

See complete vendor list page 67 of the Spring 2011 issue of Vermont Bride Magazine

---

He caught my eye the first time he came in cruising with a couple of wingmen by his side. He was dressed nicely, his hair was clean cut, and he had gorgeous eyes. I tried, unsuccessfully, to get his attention. He didn’t even make eye contact with me, and I was really offended! I thought, “What a snob!”

How they met:

Jamie and I met in a dark, dingy, smoke-filled, underground bar in Lyndonville, Vermont. It’s definitely not the type of place where you would picture a fairytale romance taking shape, but it was a popular hot spot for the local college kids and twenty-somethings.

He caught my eye the first time he came in cruising with a couple of wingmen by his side. He was dressed nicely, his hair was clean cut, and he had gorgeous eyes. I tried, unsuccessfully, to get his attention. He didn’t even make eye contact with me, and I was really offended! I thought, “What a snob!”

Life went on. I wondered about him, though I always thought I would run into him at the bar again. I would see his buddies on occasion but never Jamie. I became friends with his “wingmen,” and we stayed in touch over the years. I wrote off the idea of Jamie after a while and figured he didn’t live around here.

Four years later I had gotten out of a bad relationship, and one day out of the blue I came across Dana’s – one of the “wingmen” – MySpace page. I sent him a message, and he wrote back inviting me to his upcoming housewarming party. I decided to go for the adventure of doing something new and making new friends.

The directions he’d given me were a mess, there was no cell phone service, and it was an area I’d never been to. I drove in several wrong driveways and got directions from a general store clerk, which landed me nowhere. I was so close to giving up, but I finally saw a house with a bunch of cars and all the lights. Jackpot!

It was a little awkward at first as I didn’t know anyone there except Dana. The later it got, the more people arrived. We were gathered around a bonfire when another pair of headlights flashed into the driveway. I immediately recognized one of my pool playing buddies, Jason. I was excited to see someone else that I knew. Trailing in the distance behind Jason, there was the man I thought I would never see again! I was feeling a mixture of shock, a little resentment, and happiness to see that he was still real. I didn’t know how to act, so in my infinite, somewhat drunken wisdom, I decided I would act like I didn’t know who he was. I figured he would still be a snob and ignore again me anyway.

He was friendly and charming; we had a blast and joked around. We ended up kissing by the fire after everyone else had gone back inside. I definitely had his attention that time around!

We exchanged numbers and I gave him my business card. He told me I probably wouldn’t hear from him for a couple weeks because he would be gone to deer camp. “Sure,” I thought, “he’s just blowing me off.” It wouldn’t be the first time a guy told a girl he’d call her and never does.

To my surprise, I got a text message from him shortly thereafter wanting to make dinner date plans! We went out to eat at the Trout River Brewery for our first date and clicked so well. It was just the beginning of many more dates and adventures. We spent winters tearing up the snowmobile trails and summers mingling with friends and four-wheeling! We fell in love and became best friends at the same time. Our friends quickly nicknamed us the “Power Couple,” and two and half years later we tied the knot in Montpelier. What a spectacle it was!

Jamie and I had the perfect place in mind for our wedding! We had attended a friend’s wedding at the Capitol Plaza in Montpelier and were so impressed with the beautiful ballroom, service, and incredible meal. The bride and groom raved about their experience and gave it their highest recommendation.

We felt that the Capitol Plaza would accommodate our fairly large crowd, provide our guests with the convenience of reserving a room on premises for after the party, and the wedding packages had all the little details already built in. The catering, included in the package and located onsite, was fabulous! If you want to sample the food, you can visit J. Morgan’s Steakhouse which is located in the Capitol Plaza building.

The flower arrangements for the tables, table linens and napkins, limo service, champagne toast, cheese platter, and accommodations for the bride and groom the night of the wedding were included in the package! In my opinion, the most valuable advantage included at the Plaza was the wedding coordinator, Brian Cain. He participates, guides you through the process, thinks of all the tiny details, and puts together a finished product that you never imagined would fall together so perfectly.

One thing I want to give Brian huge credit for is arranging a very special grand entrance to the reception. The date we chose was the same day as Montpelier’s 4th of July festivities, including a parade. Timing was a big issue. We wanted the ceremony to begin at 4:30, but the parade was set to start at 6:00 and the street would be blocked to traffic at 5:45 which would cut into our formal photo time. Brian stepped in and solved the dilemma. He approached parade officials and got clearance for our limo to enter the parade from the church’s driveway and follow the travel path which went right past the Plaza!

The ceremony was beautiful. Afterward, the guests dispersed to enjoy cocktails in the Governor’s Ballroom at the Plaza. We took photos on the grounds of the church for an hour and loaded into the awaiting limo. We entered the parade in front of a marching band and waved to the crowd. The spectators went absolutely crazy! It was so touching to see all the excited faces in the crowd. They shouted and waved all the way to the steps of the Capitol Plaza.

Nearly every guest was standing on the street when we got out of the limo, jumping up and down and congratulating us! The band played a powerful song as we entered our crowd of loved ones into a frenzy of hugs, kisses, and excitement for the first time as Mr. and Mrs.!

The night went off without a hitch! We partied and celebrated late into the night and even got a front row seat to watch Montpelier’s fireworks display which went off right outside the ballroom doors! It was a truly magical ending to a perfect day.

Featured Vermont Bride Magazine wedding professionals:

Reception Venue:
Capitol Plaza
Hotel & Conference Center
802-223-5252 | Montpelier, VT
www.capitolplaza.com

Catering:
Capitol Plaza
Hotel & Conference Center

Wedding Gown:
Fiori Bridal Boutique
802-872-9663 Essex Jct., VT
www.fioribridal.com

Limo:
Burlington Limousine & Car Service
888-666-3471
www.burlingtonvtlimo.com

Bridesmaids’ Dresses:
Needleman’s Bridal & Formal
800-924-Gown (4696)
www.needlemansbridal.com

Tuxedos:
Needleman’s Bridal & Formal

Additional wedding professionals:

Cake: Made by bride’s mother
DJ Service: DJ Livewire, Island Pond, VT
Engagement ring: Goodfellows Jewelers, Barre, VT
Florist: Jerome the Florist, Barre, VT
Hair/Make-Up: Shear Sensations, Lyndonville, VT
Necklace & Earrings: Lubiana’s Bridal
Wedding Bands: Kay Jewelers, South Burlington, VT
Photographers:
Kingdom Wedding Photography - kingdomweddingphotography.com
Around the Bend Photography - aroundthebendphotography.com

Vermont Bride Magazine - Vermont's Most Trusted Wedding Resource Since 1990

• HOME
• ABOUT
• PLANNING
• ADVERTISE
• MEDIA KIT
• SITE MAP
• CONTACT