Everyone imagines that one perfect day. When two hearts become one. There’s a picture in every mind of what it should be like. For Jessica, her special day included grass under her feet, beautiful fall foliage surrounding her, her best friends by her side, and the man she wanted to spend forever with standing at the end of the aisle outside Hillstead Museum. It did not, however, include rain! The sky was clouded over, which wasn’t unusual for New England this time of year. It didn’t have to mean a storm was coming. At least that’s what she kept telling herself.

Her bridesmaids gave the last oohs and ahhhs her honey colored curls and stood back with anxious hesitance, waiting for Jessica to make the call on whether the ceremony would take place inside or outside. She decided on outside but, at the final minute, the clouds decided to pour all their love down on everyone and it began to rain. Everyone gathered their things and everyone made their way to the barn. Standing at the end of the aisle, ready to start the ceremony, Jessica gave her bridesmaids a nudge forward, even as thunder rumbled in the distance and the rain poured outside. She may have wanted that ceremony outside but, really, all that mattered was that she would soon start forever with the man at the other end of the aisle. The man, Paul, who earlier that day said “I want whatever Jess wants. If she wants to get married outside in the rain, I’m ok getting married in the rain”. And it was that kind of sacrificial love that Jess saw over and over in him through the years and, for that, she could not wait to spend the rest of her days with him.

Ceremony Venue: HILL STEAD MUSEUM

Reception Venue: BELLE TERRACE

Photographer: ALICIA ANN PHOTOGRAPHERS

Videographer: THE SILENT PARTNER MARKETING

Dress: MARIELLA CREATIONS

Florals: JUST FOR YOU

Beauty: SIMPLY GORGEOUS BY ERIN

DJ: JEFF LADD

Cake: CAKES BY DONNA