Y’all…this wedding rocked! Katherine & James’ wedding was classic with a twist, with details sprinkled throughout that reflected their personalities perfectly. From their venue at the Museum of Science in Boston (where they took the BEST photos in front of the exhibits) to Katherine’s dress (with glistening pebble-like fabric that was perfect for a geologist bride), we’re obsessed with every single moment from this day.
Katherine & James | July 3, 2022 | Washburn Pavilion at the Museum of Science – Boston, MA
Photographer: Cara Totman Photography
How did you and your spouse meet?
James and I met online – thanks OkCupid! We had a 98% match, which is almost unheard of. We exchanged long letters about TV shows and life plans and everything in between. I was smitten to say the least. Well, I completely forgot to tell James that I was going out of the country for a week on a geology field trip without cell reception. He thought I had ghosted him! Thankfully he forgave my absence (after a couple days of “ghosting” me back) and we met for our first date at a sushi restaurant. The rest of the date was spent exploring my college campus, looking at rocks, and watching Adventure Time. Nine fantastic years later we tied the knot!
What did you love most about your wedding celebration? What are some of your favorite details or special moments?
We loved that we made it our own. Though the skeleton of the wedding was “traditional” – a ceremony, reception, dancing – we wanted to be as true to ourselves as possible. We said our vows over Oathing Stones that we found on a hike as our unity ceremony. After the ceremony we threw them in the river, signifying our journey into the tides of life together. James wanted to partake in a 19th Century New England tradition of “telling the bees” – this would be done at any major life event such as a birth, marriage, or death. We convinced the museum staff to let us tell their onsite beehive that we got married! And finally, instead of cutting a cake, we decided to cut a blueberry pie!
There were quite a few special moments that we hadn’t planned for. Many of our family and friends were in the lobby at the hotel while we were doing our First Look, it was so emotional seeing them before the ceremony. One of the Boston River Boats was parked right behind our ceremony location, which made for great pictures. At the end of the ceremony, when we had our first kiss, a bunch of boats on the river honked their horns! Just goes to show you that surprises can happen, and that they can be so fun!
What advice do you have for brides looking for their wedding dress?
YOU WILL FIND IT! Don’t give up and settle for something you don’t absolutely love! I didn’t think I had a “dream” dress, I thought I would go dress shopping just to get it over with. But, when I saw the gorgeous fabric from Dear Heart’s “Arya” I knew it was for me. As their website says: “The #dearheartbride is a rough and tumble wanderlust, independent with strong convictions, and celebrates modern romance with a nod to the past.“ I felt that connection to my dress immediately. The wonderful folks at Gilded told me they could put in a custom order to swap out the bodice for a v-neck. My dream dress was born!
How would you describe the vibe of your wedding?
James and I had very few guidelines for our wedding. We came up with an idea to use Art Deco as inspiration, but not a solid theme. Seeing the Washburn Pavilion at the Museum of Science solidified that idea. The pavilion is beautiful, with intricate Art Deco styled iron pillars and a soaring ceiling. It looks out at the Charles River and the Boston and Cambridge skylines. To balance the industrial nature of the venue, we opted to have a natural, soft floral design. Our florist came up with a beautiful mix of locally grown wildflowers, blueberry stems, and mosses that wound around our tables. We are very “go with the flow” sorts of people, and our wedding truly reflected that.
What song got everyone on the dance floor?
“Don’t Stop Me Now” – Queen
Vendors
Venue: Washburn Pavilion at the Museum of Science
Photographer: Cara Totman Photography
Florist: After All Floral
