Getting married four months after getting engaged, during a pandemic, and in the midst of grad school, new jobs, and financial pressures is no easy task. We would like to start off by thanking everyone who supported us emotionally and physically. Without the loads of support we received there was NO WAY we were in a place where we could have afforded to have a wedding that was both safe and a dream come true.

PLEASANTVILLE CEREMONY

It was never our intention to make our wedding a multi-day affair. We had planned our dream wedding in Jackson but COVID and other health concerns disallowed multiple important people from traveling to Jackson for our special day. Seeing that we could not imagine getting married without Dave’s mom (Julie) or our officiant (Carly’s Grandpa Michael) we decided to have a simple legal ceremony with just our parents and grandparents before heading off. With only a few days notice Grandpa Michael hopped in his car and drove from Maine to Pleasantville to be there for us!

On December 20th, 2020 Grandpa Michael officiated our legal ceremony. Our marriage license was signed, we shared first dances around our kitchen island, celebrated over the delicious food from our friend Michael’s restaurant (Vela Kitchen), battled a snowball fight against Carly’s siblings, and even had our two fur-children (Brooklyn and Jazzy) as flower girls! This day was so unexpected and so meaningful to share with the people we love.

JACKSON CEREMONY

Jackson is a place so special to the both of us that we could not have imagined getting married anywhere else. It’s the place Carly grew up skiing and climbing, the place we can never passover on any road trip, the place we helped celebrate the love of Robbie and Sonja, the place we got engaged, and the place we strive to one day move.

After quarantining and negative covid tests Carly’s family traveled all the way from Kenya and Boston to be there for our big day. We felt so lucky to not only have a wedding day but a wedding week in our home away from home. The secluded cabins we stayed in were nestled between the National Elk Refuge and Grand Teton National Park. To say the views were spectacular is an understatement. Throughout the week we were able to enjoy skiing, snowshoeing in the Tetons, explorative walks, star gazing, and lots of Christmas festivities.

When it comes to our actual Jackson wedding I think it is safe to say that it was more perfect than our wildest dreams. On the morning of December 26th, 2020 we got up and were pampered by Tanya and her crew of awesome ladies. After Carly put on her dress and Dave his suit, the entire family headed out for a magical sleigh ride throughout the National Elk Refuge. What is so cool about Jackson during this time of year is that it is home to one of the largest elk herds on Earth! We were so fascinated by the elk that we must have asked our guide Bridger at least 100 questions.

Despite the skeptics of the bunch, the bride and groom knew the best way to warm up from single digit weather was to order the worlds best Mint Chocolate Chip milkshakes and cheese fries at Jackson Drugs before heading back home for the ceremony.

Although we imagined getting married in the shadow of the Grand Tetons a giant snow storm made it so they could not be seen. Instead we had the amazing pleasure of getting married over a fresh blanket of powder and snowflakes gently falling from the sky. Robbie, Carly’s brother, officiated the wedding while every other family member blessed us with a reading meaningful to them. We found it so special to have such an intimate ceremony with each person playing an equal role. A few tears were shed all around when we read the vows we wrote to each other but it was balanced out by the laughter that we shared as Robbie read off some of the funnier aspects of our relationship from surveys he had sent us earlier in the week. The rest of the wedding night was spent by sharing toasts, good food and music, and a roaring fire!

HMU-Hair and Makeup by Tanya

Photography– Erin Wheat