Dawn & David's Boat Club Wedding

11/19/2018

Working with Dawn and David on their wedding plans and then being there to make sure it all came together was SO much fun. They had their priorities straight: they really cared about having a special event with their closest family and friends and a great party. The rest of the details were just gravy! And everything was awesome in how it all came together.

Photos shared for their story below by the talented Chris Paine of Todd Wilson Images. Check it out!

The morning of the wedding, Dawn and her closest gal friends got their hair and makeup done at Element Day Spa in Charlestown. The looks were classic and chic – perfect for an early summer wedding on the water. The girls then headed around the corner to the Charles Hotel for the final getting ready touches, including Dawn slipping into her Catherine Deane dress.

In the meantime, lots of friendly vendor faces arrived at the reception location, the Cambridge Boat Club. The Club is able to be rented out by anyone, but Dawn and David are members, so they had special insights into the historic building. The catering team at Cuisine Chez Vous arrived and started setup right away. The amazing floral team at Derby Farm placed the centerpieces and strung bistro lights above the dance floor to provide a warm and welcoming space.

As setup was underway, Dawn and David arrived for their first look. They took some emotional photos together and with their bridal party, before we all headed ½ mile up the road to the ceremony.

The ceremony location is truly a hidden gem in the middle of busy Cambridge. Friends Meeting is a Quaker gathering space. In the Quaker tradition, they open their doors to any member of the community, and it was the perfect space for Dawn and David’s nuptials. Reverend Heather Janules led the ceremony while friends and family sat on the benches around the bride and groom. Guitarist Jeremy Milligan played prelude music and then the processional. The ceremony was certainly emotional – Dawn had warned us at the rehearsal the night before that she might not be able to keep it together – and the laughter and tears led to an incredible warmth in the room. As the ceremony progressed, the sun popped out and shone right on the beautiful couple. Their personal vows were sealed with a kiss, and they headed out of the meeting house and started walking directly to the reception. Many guests chose to follow, as the sun shone down on their walk along Memorial Drive, while others hopped on the waiting LocalMotion bus.

At the boat club, everything was set up for a perfect cocktail hour, including the view overlooking the Charles River. DJ Seth Wolfman was spinning the tunes and the floral team moved the decorative hoops from the ceremony to make the perfect backdrop to the dinner room. Once everyone had a chance to grab a drink, it was time to start the party. Dawn and David opened with a dance to “That’s How Strong My Love Is” by Otis Redding, and then David shared a sweet dance with his mom to Louis Armstrong’s classic “What A Wonderful World.”

Everyone took their seats for dinner, and the sweetest toasts followed. We heard remarks from Dawn’s Maid of Honor and Dave’s Brother. David stood up to say a few words on behalf of the newly married pair as well. Cuisine Chez Vous swept in at the end of toasts to serve dinner, and guests happily enjoyed their meal. A cake cutting followed and then the dance floor was officially open and full for the rest of the night. Guests were served cake, but they mostly danced the night away.