Mallory (George) & Steve Shepard

June 12, 2010 - Edson Hill Manor - Stowe, Vermont

Steve and I were high school sweethearts. We met at the beginning of our junior year through a mutual friend.

At first we were just good friends, we would hang out occasionally outside of school and would always find a way to bump into each other in the hallways. He would borrow my car to go out for lunch and once in a while I would join him. We finally made it “official” toward the end of our junior year, on New Year’s Eve and have been inseparable ever since.

[Below: Photo by (Thom Combes from) The Portrait Gallery, the Cover Bride spread, pages 68-69, from the Fall 2011 issue of Vermont Bride.]

Primary vendors for this wedding event:

Bridal gown
Fiori Bridal Boutique
802-879-9663
Essex, VT
www.fioribridal.com

Ceremony and Reception
Edson Hill Manor
1-800-621-0284
Stowe, VT
www.edsonhillmanor.com

Flowers
Juliet O’Neil
1-800-621-0284
Stowe, VT
www.edsonhillmanor.com

Photography
(Thom Combes) The Portrait Gallery
802-286-4418
So. Burl., VT
www.portraitgallery-vt.com

Resource
Vermont Bride
802-879-3157
www.vermontbridemagazine.com

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Our engagement

The day that Steve proposed I went to a wedding show at the Sheraton with my best friend who was recently engaged. I’m sure that Steve could tell I was a little bummed to be going to see all the great wedding vendors without a ring on my finger but he didn’t say anything, just “have a great time and I’ll see you later this evening.” I went and had a good time regardless of the fact that I wasn’t the lucky lady. When I got home Steve asked how it was and I told him that it was fun and that there was a lot of really nice vendors there. In retrospect he was acting a little off but I didn’t really notice at the time. That evening we got ready for bed the same as every other night, I crawled into bed, gave him a kiss and said goodnight. A few minutes went by and he looked at me with a strange expression on his face then said, “Is there something under your pillow?” “What do you mean?” I replied, but instantly I knew. I reached under and felt a box––I hadn’t been able to feel it through my Memory foam pillow when I was lying down. I picked up the pillow and saw a small blue box. I quickly put the pillow back down and looked at him. “No way! What is that?” “What is what?” he said with a grin. I reached under and picked up the box. I opened it and tears instantly filled my eyes. It was the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. “Will you marry me?” he asked. I couldn’t respond, I just started crying and hugged him. “I take that as a yes?” Finally I respond, “Yes, of course I will. I thought this day would never come.” Seven years for a ring, eight and a half until we were married, but it was well worth the wait!

Our Wedding

We had our wedding rehearsal at Edson Hill Manor in the early afternoon, and our rehearsal dinner was held at The Shed Restaurant and Brewery in Stowe. We invited all of our family and out-of-town guests for an evening filled with food and fun. The food was excellent and the company was even better. There were several lovely speeches made, and my aunt recited a hilarious poem about the first time that I had brought Steve home to meet the family. It was Christmas, so Steve got to meet the whole gang on the first visit. Long story short we were both nervous and my family did a wonderful job of embarrassing me. Her poem brought lots of laughter and it meant a lot to us that she took the time to write it, remembering many details from an event that happened nearly nine years ago. After the rehearsal dinner we drove back to Edson Hill Manor, partied with our friends and family for a bit and then Steve and I went our separate ways for the evening, not to see each other again until we met the following day at the altar.

We were married on a perfect June day at the Edson Hill Manor, in Stowe. We had a beautiful outdoor ceremony, the temperature was great, and although it did rain, it held out until we were nearly finished with post-ceremony pictures (actually the slightly overcast skies made for some wonderful photographs). The aisle was lined with dried purple and green hydrangeas placed in silver buckets, which I arranged myself. We had a pianist playing as the guests arrived and Steve anxiously awaited my arrival under a beautiful cedar arch built by my father.

During the ceremony we had the pianist playing softly in the background. Our justice of the peace was Sheila Dodd, a longtime family friend whose charm and kindness made the ceremony extra special. Steve’s dad read a beautiful poem that he had written for us, which was both humorous and loving. All the personal touches made it a fabulous ceremony, we could not have asked for a more perfect day. After the ceremony, Steve and I had some formal pictures taken while our guests enjoyed some hors d’oeuvres and music during cocktail hour. Thom Combes, from The Portrait Gallery, did an amazing job with our photos and all of our guests loved him. He was very easy to get along with and made the picture taking process very fun.
One of the most exciting parts of the day was when the DJ announced us for the first time, as Mr. and Mrs. Steve Shepard. Our guests stood and applauded, congratulating us as we entered the reception site. After a short speech given by my new husband, thanking everyone for joining us, and a special thanks to our families for all their love and support, we had our first dance as husband and wife. After our parent dances, we ate a delicious dinner prepared by Edson Hill Manor, followed by a delicious, (and beautiful) cake made by our family friend and neighbor, Sharon Winn.

The day went off without a hitch, and we celebrated with our guests late into the night. Our DJ, Nik Shukla of New Hampshire DJ and Live Music, did a great job of keeping the crowd dancing and entertained. Many of our guests said it was the best wedding that they had attended in many years! This made us very happy to hear, especially after the year and a half of hard work and planning that was put into our special day.

Over all it was a magical day, filled with family and friends. From the time that I woke that morning until my head hit the pillow that evening my smile never faded. It was a day that will be with me forever and I wouldn’t change anything about it. It’s important to mention that we couldn’t have done it without the help of our families and close friends. The day was everything we hoped for and a beautiful start to our lives together, as husband and wife.

Advice

A bit of advice to future brides: try not to stress too much. While it is inevitable that there will be some stress while planning, just remember that stressing only makes the process harder on yourself. The key is to enjoy every moment of it, as it’s only going to happen once. It is a really exciting time in your life; just realize that no matter what your day is going to be great! Even if the details aren’t perfect, you will still be married to your love at the end of the day. Have fun!

 

Read more love stories online here.

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