They met in July, 1996, in Montgomery, VT. Bonnie’s parents lived in the mountains adjacent to where one of Randy’s co-workers and himself were building a camp. They met one sunny Sunday afternoon at her parents. Bonnie’s father was helping Randy cut a log into a beam for his hunting camp.
The two chatted during the day and that evening Randy had asked her to go to dinner the next weekend – they’ve been together ever since.
How they got engaged
Over the period of the next 7 years, Bonnie and Randy enjoyed many wonderful times together. They spent countless days in Montgomery with family and friends throughout the construction of camp, including; ATV’ing, camping, horseshoes, snowmobiling, maple sugaring, going to concerts, NASCAR races to name a few. Another thing they both loved was the Eagles band. Bonnie had always dreamed of seeing them in concert and finally in July 2003, the Eagles were on tour and coming to Boston, MA. They we’re so excited that they purchased tickets several months in advance. Bonnie had no idea that Randy had made some additional plans – plans to propose to her at the concert. He was hoping the band would play the song that Bonnie had dedicated to him so many times over their 7 year relationship, “Desperado”. They went and had a great time at the concert. It was a dream come true for Bonnie to be there - she had no idea that the best part was yet to come. At the end of the concert the very last song the Eagles played was “Desperado”, the end of the song states “You better let somebody love you before it’s too late…” and at that very moment Bonnie looked over at Randy and there he was with a ring in his hand and he said “will you marry me”? Oh my, Bonnie was thinking, she started to cry and said; Yes!
Length of engagement: July 2003- September 2004
How they decided upon their wedding date:
They knew they wanted a fall wedding and chose the date according to the honeymoon they were looking into - an Alaskan Glacier cruise. They decided to go with the last available cruise – September, 18th, 2004
Ground work:
A few details surrounding the planning process:
The groundwork began with them choosing where the ceremony and reception would be. They had to choose
the wedding attendants, music etc. and decided on a heart theme for their special day. They wanted a more personable touch and feel to their special day and thus decided to make a lot of the items on their own. They chose St. Francis Xavier Church for the ceremony, as that is where Randy’s grandmother would have wanted them to marry.
Most Memorable Details
Bonnie herself hand made her satin trimmed mid length veil, the ceremony programs and along with Randy’s Aunt, Susan Turner, made all the wedding flowers including corsages, boutonnieres and the attendant’s bouquets. The centerpieces were designed and made by Bonnie’s father, the wrought iron double heart candle holder held three white votives. One of their unique aspects was a beautiful white satin guest quilt with heart blocks for the guests to sign upon arrival to the reception, this was a special gift sewn by Randy’s mother. Randy along with family and friends made maple syrup, which was filled in heart nips for wedding favors. There was a special feature at the reception provided by their Photographer - Walt Erickson, from North Country Photography. He set up a slide show on his laptop of the pictures he had taken during the ceremony and at the reception; the guests really enjoyed viewing this throughout the event. Bonnie and Randy’s entire wedding had many personal and unique touches. One of the memories that is very dear, was towards the end of the reception when Randy’s Uncle Dave dedicated a song to their guests and the newlywed couple. The song was “We are the world” the entire roomful of guests joined them on the dance floor in a “circle of friends” It was a very touching moment for them. “The honeymoon was incredible” a 7-day Alaskan Glacier Cruise, including; horseback riding, kayaking, Norah Jones concert, and more...
Update:
Since their joyous event, Bonnie and Randy have returned to their normal lives, working and visiting with family and friends, along with keeping busy with Bonnie’s 11-year-old son Jimmy. They are presently in the process of implementing plans to add an expansion to their home in Fairfax, VT - hoping to have the project completed in time for the addition of a new family member. Bonnie and Randy are proud to announce that they’re eagerly awaiting the arrival of their new baby, due to arrive in late November (just after hunting season).
Some Planning Advice to Future Brides and Grooms
“try not to worry to much over the planning process, yes it can and will have it’s moments of stress, but as you’ll soon see first hand, it is all very worth it in the end”. “The best thing you can do, when your big day arrives, is to really take a few serious moments to sit down and see what’s happening around you, check out all the hard work you have done to prepare for your special day. Like ourselves you may get caught up in all the excitement of the day and realize on your honeymoon that the day went by so fast that it’s actually a bit hazy to you, even the next day”. Additionally, they wanted to extend their best wishes to all the newly engaged couples planning their special event.
The Particulars
Ceremony: ............. St Francis Xavier Church
Ceremony Music: ... Performed and Sung by Donna Foster
Floral Design: ........ Sue Turner and Bonnie Cutter
Entertainment: ........Larry Brett’s Jukebox
Reception/Catering:..Hampton Inn, Colchester (www.hamptoninnburlington.com)
Cake: .................... John Bessette, Friend of the Bride and Groom
Photographer:.......... North Country Photography (www.northcountryphotography.com)
Bridal Gown: ...........Needleman’s Bridal and Formals (www.needlemansbridal.com)
Bridesmaid Dresses: Needleman’s Bridal and Formals
Tuxedos: .................Needleman’s Bridal and Formals (www.needlemansbridal.com)
