Blog a la Cart

Two weekends ago, James and I celebrated our wedding anniversary and his 30th birthday with a Barnyard Dance.

We needed some happy celebrations after a very challenging summer. These milestones – James’ 30th birthday and our 5 year wedding anniversary (marking 10 years since the day we met) – needed celebrating. We needed time, together, with people we love, to reflect on the past decade. All the joy and heartbreak, challenges and triumphs.

I’m so very glad we did.

We used this invitation from Paperless Post to invite friends and family. We decided to host the party on a Sunday so that our dear friends from Darlingside could be involved. We knew this meant that the crowd would mostly be local (given that people would have to work on Monday morning), but it was fun to be surrounded by the new friends that we’ve made since marrying five years ago. It was a lovely reflection of what we’ve built during this time.

Geraldine and Joe (Kaki’s FGPs) graciously allowed us to use their outrageously amazing barn to house the festivities. Seriously, that space is incredible. These photos give you a taste of the awesomeness, but it’s hard to do it justice. What a special venue!

It was particularly meaningful that my parents and Maja and Lars could take part in the evening. My parents will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary next year, and they have been a constant source of support, love, and role-modeling for me and James ever since we met. We are so very lucky to have them in our lives. And Maja, the woman who made my wedding dress, who celebrated on that mountain with us five years ago, who met her own partner during that time in America five years ago, was with us, which was so gloriously fitting and special.

^^We decorated the barn in twinkly lights, and stars, and candles and freshly picked apples and sunflowers. Two of my favorite Williams College students were our bartenders, offering up Kir Royals and Dark n’Stormies and local brew. We even used our custom cocktail napkins from our engagement party, and then wedding that spotlighted the recipe for Kir Royals from moi and Dark n’Stormies from James – finally finishing the last of that cute supply. ^^

^^The ice cream cart was back in action, complete with a candy topping bar so that our guests could enjoy the local SoCo sweets.^^

^^We turned a chocolate fountain into a caramel fountain and sliced apples that we picked from a local orchard the day prior for dipping.^^

^^Our favorite cider donuts were among the treats. ^^

^^Sara Miller created these adorable and delicious cupcakes and cake, themed appropriately in James’ favorite flavor, carrot cake.^^

^^A huge thanks to Andrew and Laura for helping execute set-up and take down. Andrew had more than earned that drink. We are so very lucky to have such generous friends!^^

^^James’ parents were traveling overseas, so they provided the champagne and this hilarious and festive champagne cork stool that everyone at the party was able to sign as a memento of the evening. Also, see the cocktail napkins above.^^

^^Darlingside entertained us all with their amazing tunes. And I want to thank my colleague’s sweet boyfriend, Eric Balcanoff, for snapping some photos of the festivities, since I didn’t pick up the camera once after our guests arrived. You can check out his portfolio here.^^

^^I rocked an insanely awesome white dress (ironic since I didn’t wear white to my own wedding ceremony – though I changed into a white dress at the reception) by Lida Baday. I need to do a separate style post on this beauty – complete with the incredible story behind it – but for now, know that it was quite the conversation piece.

^^James surprised me with a serenade, the song that he sang during our wedding ceremony: “Fire and Ice” by Garth Brooks. Thanks, Harris, for making that possible with your guitar accompaniment, and Eric for capturing my swooning!^^

It was a very very special night. Made even more special by this song that Dave (from Darlingside) sent to us that day. He wrote and performed the song that James and I walked down the aisle to at our wedding. We asked him to adapt the passage “On Children” from Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, and what he created exceeded all expectations. As a anniversary gift to us, he and Harris and our friends Dan and Ruth recorded a professional version for us to have always.

Enjoy!