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HOW THEY MET: Emily had a crush on John in seventh grade, which was unrequited until senior year of high school, when John called Emily out of the blue and blurted out, “So… I think I like you.” She responded with nervous giggles (“obviously,” said the bride), and the two have been together ever since. THE PROPOSAL: John popped the question on a North Carolina beach and filmed the whole thing under the guise of taking a self-timed photo. THE “I DO’S:" Emily and John planned a ceremony at the US Coast Guard Academy (Emily's Dad is retired military and walked her down the aisle in dress uniform) and an oceanside reception in the garden of a historic theater. After a long search, John found the latter on a random scroll through Google Maps! A WALK TO REMEMBER: Though Emily and John chose to do a “first look,” it took no emotion away from the bride’s walk down the aisle. In fact, the bridal processional was by far the most emotional part of the day, with the bride and groom, their bridal party and guests so worked up that their pastor had to remind everyone to take a deep breath before he could begin. SWEET CEREMONY: For readings, the couple pulled from their past: Colossians 3:12-17, an excerpt from C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity" and an excerpt from "The Little Prince," which Emily had included in a letter to John years before. They also chose to serve communion to their guests as their first act as a married couple, which the pair found deeply symbolic. SOUTHERN COMFORT: Planning their CT wedding from NC wasn't always easy, but the support of family in the north and Southern Weddings' readers in the South made it enjoyable! Emily and John also carefully chose pieces of their new life beneath the Mason-Dixon to share with their New England guests, including Cheerwine, deviled eggs, pulled pork and biscuits at cocktail hour. Their pastor, who traveled up to perform the service, brought a thick Southern accent! PICNIC FOR TWO: The newlyweds chose to skip cocktail hour, opting for a private picnic on a blanket down the hill from their reception tent. JUST DESSERTS: In addition to a homemade cake, Emily and John served a variety of petite sweets, including their moms' specialties: chocolate peanut butter balls from Emily's, and chocolate gingerbread cookies from John's.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
SOUTHERN WEDDINGS MAGAZINE | iloveswmag.com
TANJA LIPPERT