The Details
The threads: Bride’s dress: Handmade by the bride. Bridesmaids: Rent the Runway, www.renttherunway.com. Groom and groomsmen: Men’s Wearhouse, www.menswearhouse.com
The beauty: Plum Salon and Spa, Lancaster, www.plumsalonandspa.com
The rehearsal dinner: Federal Taphouse, Lancaster, www.federaltaphouselanc.com
The ceremony: St. Joseph’s Church, Lancaster, www.stjosephslanc.com
The wedding planner: Planned Perfection, Lancaster, www.plannedperfectionpa.com
The reception and food: Cork Factory Hotel, Lancaster, www.corkfactoryhotel.com
The blooms: Sullivan Owen, Philadelphia, www.sullivanowen.com
The stationery: Minted, www.minted.com; Hand calligraphy Written by Danielle, www.writtenbydanielle.com
The wheels: Trolley by Premiere #1 Limousine, Middletown, www.premiere1limousine.com
The images: Alison Conklin, Emmaus, www.alisonconklin.com
Meant-to-be: Jennifer and Weston worked in the same restaurant. She wanted nothing to do with him. He was busing tables, smooth talking over her hostess headset, when he dropped 100 dinner plates. That broke the ice. They became friends and then started dating. Broken plates were “a good foundation to start on,” says Jennifer. The 10-year wait: In the 10 years they knew each other, Weston had a brief bout with cancer. Plus, they managed their relationship long-distance for a time. “It was just us trying to figure out how to make ourselves work together,” says Jennifer.
The serendipity: A hard December rain. They married in December for the style and feel of winter and the jolliness of the season. Pouring rain added to the intimacy and made the whole day perfect.
The find: The couple lives in New Jersey. Searching for the right venue, they visited the Cork Factory. Jennifer’s heart fluttered at the sight, but Weston had warned her not to show their cards before negotiations. Within minutes, he told the rep they would take it.
The dress: Jennifer, a professional lingerie designer, had always wanted to design and make her own wedding dress. Weston learned to navigate the sewing room without looking. Seeing her come down the aisle in the dress “was my wedding gift,” he says. “I couldn’t breathe looking at her.”
The hitch: In her hotel room, ironing her dress the night before, Jennifer heard a pop. The lights went out, and she smelled something burning. In a panic, she called Weston. He came and calmed her down. The iron wouldn’t cool down, so he carried it out with him. He walked around the hotel with it in hand, until he finally parked it in the middle of his bathroom floor.
The unique touches: Jennifer collected old wooden thread spools for placecard holders. Weston, a San Francisco 49ers fan, had guests sign two jerseys, numbered 12 and 06 for their wedding day.
The memorable moment: At the request of the flower girl, who was Jennifer’s goddaughter, the DJ played “Let It Go” from Frozen. Every guest got on the dance floor and sang along. The little girl was in her glory. She had walked down the aisle. She had a crush on the ring bearer. She wore a fur wrap just like Jennifer’s and, of course, Elsa’s. It was, says Jennifer, like “her mini-wedding day.”
By M Diane McCormick / Photography by Alison Conklin