An Ocean of Love For Sarah & Frank

February 2024 | Celebration Stories

Seacoast Science Center | 9.16.23

A seafoam-colored celebration

Sarah, Frank and I bonded instantly over our love for coffee, dogs, and the ocean! With a vision and a creative touch Sarah was excited to take on wedding planning and we were excited to step in with Wedding Management with guidance along the way and flawless execution.

Sarah and Frank’s wedding weekend was a whirlwind of emotions. The days leading up to their wedding we watched the weather intently, waiting and anticipating how Hurricane Lee may impact their tented seaside wedding plans. The day before the wedding we had to deliver the heart wrenching news that based on current weather conditions they would have to move their wedding inside the Seacoast Science Center. Though she understood the severity of the hurricane and the need for safety measures, Sarah was still heartbroken. By some miracle, the weather shifted greatly overnight and early the next morning we were on a mission to make Sarah and Frank’s oceanside wedding dreams a reality.

Love Story

Sarah & Frank met on an online dating app when they lived in the Boston area. Their first date was in October 2015 at Rockbottom Brewery in Boston’s theater district! They quickly bonded over pumpkin beers and nachos, swapping stories about their lives, from childhood memories, to recent events. They continued dating, exploring different bars and restaurants in the city, until they decided to move in together two years later, settling down in the suburbs!

Engagement

In June 2022, Sarah & Frank took a mini weekend vacation to Cape Cod to relax and spend some time at the beach together in Chatham. They stayed at the Chatham Wayside Inn, where they had a wonderful dinner Friday night and a proposal first thing Saturday morning! Frank curated a sweet private proposal right in the hotel room, with Sarah’s love of penguins in mind. She woke up in the morning to a pebble on her bedside table and said (as anyone would), “why is there a rock on my phone?”. Frank began to tell her that when penguins find the one they want to spend the rest of their life with, they present them with the smoothest pebble they can find. Sarah was touched, but the moment got even more exciting when Frank got down on one knee and presented her a ring, as well!

Wedding Planning

According to Sarah, wedding planning was “definitely a lot more work than expected!”. With Hurricane Lee on the horizon on their wedding day, they were relieved to have had Angela’s help. The couple said the AMW team surprised them by:

“Pulling all our details together and making the tent look absolutely stunning! And of course, moving furniture back under the tent and coordinating all the back and forth changes! It was a huge relief having Angela communicate with all the vendors on the day-of to make the day perfect. She didn’t involve us in the smaller details, so we could enjoy the morning with our bridesmaids and groomsmen.”

Sarah also found it difficult to balance work and wedding planning! She said:

“It was hard because I felt there was always something to do for the wedding. I think the hardest part was making decisions. it comes to the point there’s just too many decisions to even keep track of and you need to prioritize what means the most to you!”

The Wedding Venue

Sarah’s love for the ocean triggered a New England-wide search for the very best venue along the coast! The couple started in Cape Cod, moving all the way up to the seacoast of Maine. They looked at nearly twenty venues by the water and struggled to find a tent setting that was also unique. After attending many friends’ weddings, it was important to them to make their day different. When they saw the Seacoast Science Center, they say that they knew right away that it would be their wedding venue! Not only did it provide the seaside tent that they desired, but they were getting the aquarium to bring a little something extra. It was the perfect combination!

Target Acquired!

On her search to find the perfect glassware for the wedding, Sarah fell in love with a blue water glass in the Bullseye’s Playground section of Target! Good news: it was just what she had been hoping to find. Bad news: you can’t order online from Bullseye’s Playground. That means that all of their friends and family were out on a wild goose chase to every Target in the area, buying out the store of their whole selection (which was never more than ten at one time!) until they had finally collected 150 blue glasses!

An Unforgettable Moment

For both newlyweds, the best moment was the first look and private vows! After getting ready separately, Sarah & Frank met at Prescott Park in downtown Portsmouth, in the colorful walled garden. Sarah had never seen a bigger smile on Frank’s face. Frank was genuinely so happy to see his bride and loved finally getting to see the beautiful dress! As soon as they saw one another, they felt they were able to relax. After all the moving parts due to Hurricane Lee and not seeing each other all morning, it was amazing to be together again. They say that they both immediately felt at ease in each other’s presence.

Then, sitting down in the park reading private vows to one another was definitely the most special part. The couple said:

“We laughed, we cried and made promises to each other, and it was a moment we’ll never forget.”

Advice from the Newlyweds

Sarah had some fantastic advice for the DIY bride: trust your vision! Here’s what she had to say:

“Start the little things early! If you care a lot about details and you’re a DIY bride, go with your gut at the beginning and just start right away! Don’t wait on any of your craft projects. Your first idea is the best- a better one won’t come along! Just have fun with it! Try not to take every decision too seriously and don’t ask for too many opinions. At the end of the day, it’s your wedding, so make decisions based on what the two of you really want, not what everyone else thinks. Don’t be afraid to tell family members no on their ideas.”