♥ local love
LAURA and CALEB
June 3, 2017 // Olivia Gird Photography
“ I
a lway s k n e w i wa n t e d t o
spend my life with a strong and supportive
person,” says Laura. “But, before getting
engaged, I wasn’t one to daydream about my
wedding day.” Fortunately, Laura found her dream
partner in Caleb at a young age while attending
summer camp at the Episcopal Conference Center
(yes, the very same place where they wed). Fourteen
years later — of which they only spent the latter
seven dating — Caleb presented Laura with a raw
sapphire ring during a romantic sunset walk in the
Boston Esplanade along the Charles River.
From there, the couple embarked on a two year
engagement which gave them time to carefully
plan an enjoyable day that genuinely celebrated
their relationship. However, one of their favorite
parts of the preparation was actually less about
the event and more about their union. “We really
enjoyed our premarital counseling,” Laura reveals.
“We learned a lot about ourselves, each other, our
relationship and how we want to grow together in
our local and global community.”
Still, there were other details to sort out. For one:
To look or not to look before the ceremony? She
and Caleb quickly decided that they didn’t need to
surprise each other at the altar. “Our outfits were
just another expression of the specialness of the
day, not the reason why our day was special,” says
Laura, who rocked a unique gown complete with
a floral patterned skirt at the ceremony and later
changed into a sleek navy number for the reception.
“Plus, we help calm each other so it was fitting for
us to pause before the ceremony and take a deep
breath together.” This allowed the couple to relax
and enjoy themselves as the ceremony unfolded.
The ethereal stone altar setting, the woodsy
atmosphere and the reverberating acoustic music
weaved together to create a moment that she says
felt inexplicably sacred.
As for the reception, the couple relied heavily
on the venue’s natural beauty but still made sure
to show off Laura’s more whimsical side with
pops of color (like elegant blue glassware and
a splattered paint-style cake). So while Laura
may not have always had a set vision in place for
her big day, we think it’s safe to say that she and
Caleb had the wedding they were meant to have.
“The day did not go by in a flash,” she reflects. “It
felt full. It felt whole.”
106 | RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY'S ENGAGED 2018