Terry and Dawna were married on September 26th with a ceremony and reception at the Essex Resort & Spa.
When Terry proposed, he planned a special dinner at Leunig’s on Church Street for New Year’s Eve 2014 (that was one of their favorite restaurants). They were late leaving their home and got pulled over (!!) on the way, but thankfully, they got off with just a warning.
Once they got to the restaurant and were eating dessert, Terry asked, “So, how long have we been dating now?” When Dawna responded that it had been three years, Terry pulled out the ring and said, “I think that’s long enough, don’t you?” Terry had been working with Perrywinkle’s for months designing the ring, and she loved it!
Terry told me about Dawna’s reaction:
She couldn’t even look at it and closed the ring box, holding it tightly. Her eyes were sparkling, and she was so happy. She eventually took out the ring and put it on, still shaking and so happy.
On the day of the wedding, I started out at Terry and Dawna’s home. The men were grilling lunch and playing horseshoes.
After Terry and Eric got dressed, I headed over to the ladies, who were getting their hair and makeup done. (Special thanks to Mirror Mirror—they did a great job with the makeup prep!)
Dawna’s shoes were to die for and amazingly she lasted all night in them! And I love this photo of Terry’s daughter checking out the progress at the ceremony site!
Dawna was so radiantly happy all day!
Dawna donned her beautiful gown, and then I headed downstairs to capture the guests arriving.
I caught this sweet moment as Terry greets his future Mother in Law as she arrives.
During the ceremony, a friend of Terry and Dawna’s sang two beautiful songs.
I think my favorite image of the day was right after the ceremony, when Terry and Dawna were greeting their closest family and friends. Everyone was blowing bubbles around them, and there was just so much happiness!
Terry’s close friend, Jason Spivey, did a phenomenal job with the planning and event designing. The room looked spectacular!
The decor was a nod to Terry and Dawna’s love of all things Disney, with a Cinderella theme. The light fixtures were covered in delicate parasols (the lighting was done by Green Mountain Lighting & Sound and the gorgeous flowers came courtesy of Village Green Florist).
The DJ, Ultrasonic Sounds, had everyone out on the dance floor all night long, but not before Terry and Dawna wowed everyone with their moves—they had been practicing!
Terry and Dawna were an absolute hoot the entire day—from their loving cake smash to the bouquet/garter toss.
I loved Dawna’s fluffy garter—she kept losing feathers all night long and didn’t want Terry to know, so I followed her and would stealthily pick them up to tuck them into my bag! 
I especially loved the wedding dance tradition (a Pennsylvania classic) where the maid of honor collects donations that people give to be able to dance with the bride. In the meantime, the guys hang out at the bar while the groom tries to break into the circle of people dancing around the bride to try to claim her! The guests did their best, but Terry eventually broke through the rescue his bride.
Terry & Dawna—what a fun day! Thank you so much for welcoming me into all your excitement. It was a pleasure to be there—congratulations!!
