A Wedding Happened
A Wedding Happened
Jump to RecipeWell, it happened. I finally convinced a pretty lady that it was a good idea to marry me. I got some requests to post photos from the wedding and even though my brain is still kinda fried from a week of busy planning and heavy drinking, I’m happy to oblige.
It should go without saying that this was a very special day for both me and Betsy. We had a fantastic day out on a farm just outside of Nashville, Tennessee. The weather was perfect. The food was delicious. The music was outstanding (as was the dancing).
Here’s a few of my favorites so far in the photos I’ve sifted through (which is a fraction of them honestly).
Preparation
Betsy and I tried to keep this day pretty low key, but her friends did throw here a little party to celebrate prior to the ceremony.
She got ready and drank champagne with her girl friends and had a grand time. Here’s the polished bride having fun.
And yes, since the event was so casual, she didn’t want to do a normal wedding dress. She looked beautiful though.
Meanwhile, out at the farm I was trying to A) remember my vows (we wrote them ourselves) and B) get everyone gathered for the ceremony.
The Ceremony
We tried to keep things short and sweet for the ceremony. Betsy’s sister, Joyce, actually married us which was really special and my friend Zander played guitar for the ceremony which was cool.
Oh. And I dropped the ring. It happens.
Our ceremony clocked in at almost exactly 8 minutes (even with the ring fumble), which was definitely short and sweet!
Then there was the obligatory cheering!
And yes… I’m wearing jeans.
The Party
Basically, after the ceremony was over, Betsy and I planned out a 6 or 7 hour party with games, dancing, eating and drinking. At one point, one of the attendees said to me, “Nick, don’t take this wrong way, but I don’t even feel like I’m at a wedding.” And that’s what we wanted honestly, so it was a compliment.
We did have a first dance though! We danced to Ray Charles’s Come Rain or Come Shine.
And our parents (and Betsy’s brother) gave some really outstanding speeches. They were actually hysterical.
See?
We thought it’d be fun to set up a bunch of lawn games that people could play while they were drinking or taking a break from the dance floor. There was that bags game (which I customized with a big BRIDE and GROOM lettering), ping pong, Foosball, and some other random stuff.
The games were kind of a hit I think.
One of the things Betsy and I really wanted to spend our money on (besides food as you can imagine) was a really fun band. We succeeded I think. This was us cutting a rug to Dixieland Delight, a Tennessee classic.
We were also subjected to the chair thing even though we aren’t Jewish (a number of my friends are). It was super-fun and extremely scary.
The Food
The food at our wedding was very delicious. I wish I could share it with you via recipe, but the Chef wouldn’t tell me too many secrets (although I did get one or two out of him.) For example, he wouldn’t tell me how he carved any of this stuff!
Since we were in the South it seemed appropriate to do kind of a meat and three thing. We were lucky enough to get our hands on some fantastic organic chickens and two locally farmed pigs which were the center of the meal.
I was very impressed with the food because I know how hard it can be to cook for a lot of people. This was one of the two pigs that the chef smoked for us. So good.
One of the reasons why I think the food was pretty good is that the chef had this enormous grill that he parked right next to the festivities. Everything was cooked right on site and then immediately served up. It made everything really fresh and super-delicious. The smoked chicken was especially good. (Neither of the two men pictured are the actual chef of the day. Although one of them is my father.)
Want to know how good the chicken was?? This photo wasn’t staged.
For dessert, we didn’t want a traditional wedding cake really so we lit up the fire pit outside and had S’mores!
And we had a few relatives and friends help out with a big dessert table. Betsy’s mom, Mary, made magic cookie bars and angel food cake. Betsy’s sister, Anne, made brickle. And, Dorothy, a family friend helped out with a bunch of cookies. George our caterer made the pies and I made those red velvet cupcakes you see there (recipe tomorrow).
The Venue
The venue and weather really made this whole day very amazing. It was such a gorgeous day. Here’s the patio outside during the beginning of the celebration.
And here’s one of my absolutely favorite shots which I swear isn’t photoshopped at all. It was really that beautiful.
The Happy Couple
We tried to keep our staged shots to a minimum but we took a few that turned out pretty good.
So anyway, that was the day! I think it would’ve been a fantastic day for me no matter what but it was exceptional because we had a LOT of very talented people help us. I don’t think that any of the vendors we used knew that I run a food blog, but I give my absolutely highest recommendation to any of the following vendors in the Nashville area which basically made our wedding go off without a hitch.
Venue – Tap Root Farm (Thanks Susan). It was a wonderful venue and the staff there made everything fantastic.
Food – Awesome Catering by George. George is a fantastic cook and also a good entertainer. He cares a lot about the food he serves and it shows. He also owns the City Cafe East in Nashville.
Music – Live Revival. Amazing band. Amazing singers. I have a lot of favorite parts about the band, but maybe my favorite was when a friend requested “Rocky Top” because it’s one of Betsy’s favorite songs and they looked it up on an iPhone and nailed it first try.
Photography – One of our mutual friends, Yasmin, offered to take our photos and we happily accepted. She has a great eye for catching emotions. She took almost all of the above photos.
So there you have it! Our wedding day! We really had a blast.
Check back tomorrow for that red velvet recipe!
Congratulations! May your life together be long and delicious.
I echo everyone else, but I really just want to suggest you submit this wedding to http://www.offbeatbride.com. It's perfect. (And I in no way am endorsed by OBB. I just think other people would love to see your pictures!)
Also, thank you so much for sharing your wedding with us. Even in the pictures, there was so much love that came through. Betsy is beautiful and I adored her dress and vintage jewelry. Swoon. Swoon. Swoon. Congrats, you guys!
Wow!! What a fun night!! Very happy for you two -and I LOVE Betsy's outfit (and hair & jewelry), wowee what a gorgeous bride!! Congrats to the groom!
congrats to you both!! Thanks for sharing the photos of such a special day. (& Betsy is stunning!!)
Congrats and may you have many many years together with lots of kids….get busy!
Congratulations! Your wedding looks so fun, and both of you look so happy.
Thanks for indulging your overseas 'guests' in some of the pics and details from the weekend… we've heard rave reviews thus far about the party you all pulled together, wish we could have been there to sing some karaoke! It's a good thing we didn't try to come, though, as a minor volcanic eruption would have interrupted our flights :) HA. Can we plan on a slideshow and some Yuengling when we're back in the area this August? Love you guys, CONGRATULATIONS! XO
lovely! congrats and best wishes for the future!
Congrats on your new union and partnership. Thanks for sharing the photos — so nice to see you and Betsy so relaxed and happy.
Best of Luck, Kevin
I really enjoy your blog, and this is such a wonderful way to share with complete strangers a piece of your life! Congratulations!
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing your photos. Mush happiness to you both!
Congratulations Nick and Betsy. A beautiful wedding and couple.
Thanks so much for sharing. Looks like you all had a lot of the most important ingredient — fun! Wishing you the best and many good years together. Jeanne
Congratulations! I was smiling the whole time I was reading the blog and looking at the pictures….thank you for sharing such a special part of your lives with your readers.
Best wishes for many, many years of happiness together.
I always tell young men that if they find someone who is way to good for them, who is willing to sleep with them, that they should “lock that up”. Your Betsy is clearly way too good for you, so you have done well. ( And you didn’t even need my advice!)
Cherish her and grow old together. Health and Happiness! Mazel Tov!
So true! ;)
Excellent recap! Congratulations on a beautiful day!
Congrats Nick. Looked like a great day. Many, many happy years to you both.
Congratulations!!! Looks like everything was amazing and fun. What a success!
Wow this is a great story!I definitely admired you about this exceptional ceremony and celebration. You are very nice bride and groom. I love the idea that you wore casual clothes, we did the same 3 years ago, so thank you for reminding me of ours. And I must add that Betsy looks so beautiful, she has such a nice smile. Wish you many happy years together!
Wow, Nick!
1. both your outfits are amazing
2. holy crap, betsy is SO CUTE
3. i love all your non-traditional touches (games, on-site chef, s’mores)
4. the look on both your faces during the chair thing is PRICELESS!
looks like such a fun wedding :)
Nick, Thank you to both you and Betsy for turning me into a blubbering sap all weekend! I think I cried a dozen times to about as many friends and acquaintances. It was such a magical weekend.
My gchat message right now is "Missing Nashville."
Wow. Thanks for all the kind words everybody!
oh you two seriously look like you’ve been married for a long time (and I mean that in a good way as you two just match perfectly, and the love is just shining thru!)
congrats to you both!
Congratulations and best wishes for many happy years together.
LOVED the bride's shoes.
Thanks again for the awesome party, and congratulations
Congratulations and wishing you both all the best! Thank you for sharing such a joyous (and delicious!) occasion. 8-)
Looks like an amazing day, and exactly how a wedding should be. Thank you for sharing the photos, you both look incredibly happy (and who wouldn’t be with that menu?!) Congrats!!
Mazel tov! This is truly a dream wedding, I love how happy you both look in all the photos. And of course the good looks great too :)
congrats you guys!!! It seemed like you had such a blast :)
yayy, congratulations nick & betsy! that looks like a wonderful wedding- especially all the food! best wishes for lots of fun in the kitchen together.
Congratulations! Lovely wedding :)
I like that you are with jean :)
Many happy years together!
Congratulations! Lovely wedding :)
I like that you are with jeans :)
Many happy years together!
Betsy and Nick, best wishes again. Thanks for sharing the lovely wedding pictures with us. May you have many, many happy years together in your new life.
Congratulations to you both! You guys look so, so happy in those photos. And the pigs! Yum.
PS, Is there any way Betsy will tell me where she got those shoes? I'm getting married in October and looking for something greenish like that…
I think they were from Anthropologie…
Nick…you forgot to mention in your recap, that during the 8 minute ceremony you guys accomplished ruining 100% of the girls' mascara. Water works!
Awesome wedding, awesome weekend…glad i was there.
Long time reader, first time poster…
Congratulations on your wedding. Awesome pics. :)
That was such a cute wedding! Congratulations! I loved the food choices too.
Congratulations!!!!
You both looked gorgeous in your "casual" clothes. Betsy made a beautful bride. Congratulations!
Congratulations! That sounds like an awesome day.
The gentleman and I are planning an elopement, with just our parents, then we're going to throw a 'shit, we got hitched' party at home that we hope will be as easygoing and enjoyable as yours looked.
LOVE Betsy's shoes, too!
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who questions whether true love still exists, tonight is your answer.
It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time, this love must be different; that their love could be that difference.
It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It’s the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.
It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what Nick and Betsy did on this day, with this marriage, at this defining moment, change has come to America.
Thanks Mr. President. Glad to see I'm still in your RSS reader.
If microwaves were a form of shipping, I would microwave you guys some cake.
Congratulations!
Congrats! The pics are lovely and looked like a fabulous party and celebration.
In Indy we call the bean bag toss "cornhole".
Wow. I love everything about your wedding. It was what I think weddings should be – a celebration of the joining of two lives. It should be one of the very happiest days in your life, and judging by the smiles in those pictures, I feel certain it was! Betsy is so pretty, and she made a gorgeous bride. What a fun day!!!! Congratulations – I wish you a lifetime of happiness and joy.
WOW …YOU BOTH LOOK GREAT..(DRESS & JEANS TOO; WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TO WEAR A TUX).
NICE TO SEE FACES…
YES, AGAIN……..MAZEL TOV FOR ALL ETERNITY
Just beautiful! I love the whole casualness of it!! Congratulations to you both. And you couldn't have had better weather this past weekend here in TN!
BTW…Betsy's shoes are AWESOME! ;-)
Mazel tov! Thanks for sharing these great photos with us . . . so fun to see what we've known was going on in the background there! And really, who needs a tux when you have a whole roast pig? Dreamy. Best wishes to you both for a long and happy marriage!
Congratulations!! This looks like such a perfect wedding :)
Congratulations to both of you! Looks like an amazing time was had by all. Thanks for sharing the pics with all of us. Many happy years ahead!
what a wonderful-looking wedding! you really know how to put together a feast. congrats to you both!
Congrats to the both of you. Looks like an amazing time and a great wedding. Seriously, 8 minute ceremony and 7 hour party? You two rock!
That was a great wedding! Congratulations to you both! I echo the vote that you send it to "Offbeat Bride" – it's another one of my favorite blogs (Along with Macheesmo, of course!) and you have a great wedding to highlight!
That sounds like an amazing time! Congratulations Nick (and Betsy!).
I think I'll borrow some of your ideas for whenever I nab a guy to marry–but I might add a three-legged race to the list of events. :P
Mazal Tov from TelAviv to the both of u.
Congratulations to you and Betsy!
So glad to read that you had the wedding you wanted!
Wow, I don't know how I missed this post in "real time", but it brought a tear to my eye; lo these many months after the fact. And yes, I can be happy for you heterosexuals and your arcane practice of marriage… (ha! jealous teasing). But really I am here to say: I want that vest when you are through with it. Though I predict you will never, ever be through with it. Lucky man that you are. GREG
I've been following your blog for awhile and just happened upon this post – you guys are totally invited to the Bosque. :) Come on down some day; website here: http://bosquevillage.com/en — great photos, beautiful wedding! :)
I just re-read this post (via the link in today’s post) and noticed that you guys had Yuengling at your wedding! So, three cheers from the native Pennsylvanian for the excellent choice in lager! ;) Now that I’m in Maine, I really miss those tan cans…..can you get them in Colorado?
Nope! Can’t find it here. Devastating, but luckily CO has lots of other good beers to keep me busy. :)