{Gallivant} Martha's Vineyard in 72 Hours

We're back! It's been a wild few months, and I am looking forward to cultivating some much-needed margin in the next month as we get ready for our move. I've missed blogging frequently and can't wait to catch you all up! As always, thanks for checking in--I know you all have busy lives as well and it means so much that you take the time to check in with The Gallivant.

At the end of August I headed up north for one of my best friend's (Lindsey) weddings in Westport, MA. The weekend was lovely, and it filled my heart to watch our sweet friends become husband and wife. John made it up for the night, and we spent the evening dancing under the stars, next to the sea, with all of my family and closest friends from childhood. Pure magic. (Also, definitely stalk #joshandlusayido on instagram...gorgeous.)

John unfortunately had to head home bright and early the morning after the wedding, but I was lucky enough to get to tack on a few days of vacation. After taking a quick dip off the dock with the happy couple, my brother, Blair, and I hopped into the car and headed off to catch the afternoon ferry to Martha's Vineyard!

Growing up we spent many a week of family vacation on the Vineyard, and I also went to summer camp on the island all through high school. I worked at that camp, FOCUS, for entire summers in College, and met John during a middle-school week that we were both leading. (And the rest is history...) To say it's a special place to us is an understatement.

The island is full of wonderful beaches, pastoral scenery, amazing restaurants, shops, and farm stands, and I wanted to be able to get a little taste of all my favorite spots over the three days I was there. If you are thinking about making a trip over to Martha's Vineyard know that there is enough to do and see to fill up weeks of time, but you can also get a good overview and be utterly enchanted by the Vineyard in just a few days. I get asked for recommendations all the time from people visiting the Island for the first time so I put together a little list of the places I would recommend to someone who only had a few days to explore.

1. Beach

The beach is a no- brainer while on the Island. Depending on the time of year the beaches can be crowded, but there are plenty of options if you prefer a little more privacy. Some great ones open to the public are South Beach, Menemsha Public Beach, and Great Rock Bite (This one is for the adventurous but so worth it--the hidden beach is quiet and private, and if the tide is right you can swim out to the great rock and spend the afternoon jumping off.)

If you are lucky enough to be either renting or staying with someone in West Tisbury or Chilmark then definitely head down to Lambert's Cove (West Tisbury) or Lucy Vincent Beach (Chilmark.) These private gems are only open to residents of their respective towns but are among the nicest beaches on the island.

2. 7a Foods

I love 7a for their breakfast sandwiches and selection of local coffees. My mom and I popped in one morning and got the home-made biscuit, bacon, egg and cheese with fresh greens and it was delicious--flavorful without being super greasy. Peruse their small local grocery and dry-goods section and pick up a pie for dessert made by the Pie Chicks. (We did, and we think it may be the best pie on the Island.) Also, pop into Alley's General Store next door, and peruse their whimsical selection of art supplies, home goods, stationary, food, toys, candles, and more.

7a Foods, 1045 State Rd., Tisbury, MA 02575

3. Menemsha Harbor + Larsens Fish Market

Menemsha is "up-island" from a lot of the main action but well worth the drive. The working fishing village is quintessentially New England with it's coastal cottages and fishing vessels, surrounded by lush greenery and tall coastal marsh grasses leading down to the waterfront. Come mid-day and head to Larsen's Fish Market for a lunch of the freshest lobsters, oysters, or clams. The lobster comes straight out the steamer and onto your plate, and is served simply with drawn butter--exactly as it should be. On your way out grab a few containers of smoked blue fish paté, a Villa family favorite. We love it served on crackers as an appetizer, preferably sitting outside with a cold drink.

Larsens's Fish Market, 56 Basin Rd, Chilmark, MA 02535

4. Morning Glory Farm

Morning Glory is a local produce paradise, and conveniently about 10 minutes from where we stay. Everything is grown in their fields all over the island, from the freshly cut flowers and herbs, to big red red tomatoes, to berries that fill pies and pastries. When my family stays on the Vineyard we embrace shopping in the euro-fashion, picking up fresh ingredients at Morning Glory each day for that night's supper. While there I also picked up a copy of this beautiful cookbook.

Morning Glory Farm, 290 W. Tisbury Rd., Edgartown, MA

5. Juliska Outlet

I have a major crush on Juliska's tableware (and just on tableware in general) and love perusing their store in Vineyard Haven. The best part? They have an upstairs that is chock full of seconds (pieces with slight imperfections) that are hugely discounted, and many of them are barely noticeable at all. They have many of the classic french-inspired patterns, and I especially love their serving dishes and bakeware. This time around I made a Christmas wish-list because (hopefully) by Christmas we will be moved and have a new kitchen. (Wherever that may be...more on that soon.)

Juliska lovers--the outlet ships, so if you have a favorite pattern or piece then give them a call and they can put you on a list for when it comes in stock!

Juliska, 23 Main St., Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. (508) 562-4010

6. The Port Hunter

The Port Hunter is my favorite place on the island for drinks and oysters, and hipster-prep ambiance. We love the big Gulf oysters down here in Pensacola, but there is just something about the smaller and brinier cold water New England Oysters that hit the spot on a mid-summer evening, especially accompanied by one of the Port Hunter's craft cocktails. On my last night my friend Jen and I headed to Edgartown to catch up over drinks, the lavender vodka concoction for her and smoky mezcal margarita for me, both fantastic.

The Port Hunter, 55 Main St., Edgartown, MA

If I had had one more day I would have loved to have stopped by Chilmark Chocolates (the best chocolate ever. End of story.) and have dinner at State Road (my favorite restaurant on the Island, and definitely one of my favorite in general) but there just wasn't time. Hopefully next summer! I am so grateful for the time I had on the Island--Even though it was quick there is just something about the Vineyard that works wonders on my heart.

Now you know my favorites, but I'm curious about yours! Have you ever been to Martha's Vineyard? What were your favorite spots?

xoxo,

Emily

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{Gallivant} Bantam Cider | Boston, Massachusetts

While John and I were in Massachusetts in January we headed into Somerville, (along with my brother and cousins) to check out my cousin Antonia's art, which is on display at Bantam Cider's taproom. We spent the afternoon tasting cider and admiring Antonia's work as well as the gorgeous space that it hangs in.

My brilliant Antonia next to one of her pieces.

Antonia, who was a double math and art major in college, has been working on a series based on fractals. She begins with "carefully calculated mathematical processes that evolve into something chaotic and unpredictable. The images portray a physical representation of abstract mathematical concepts, including chaos theory and the fractal sets." (Read more on her website here.) Her work is different than anything I have ever seen, and so striking. I am so not a math person, so to be able to bridge my world (arts, literature, creativeness, etc) with the math world totally blows my mind and fascinates me. Her paintings completely elevate the (already lovely) Bantam space, and also serve as a unique conversation point for people who are tasting.

Given our passion for all things locally owned and sourced, we loved checking out Bantam and everything we tasted was delicious. My favorites were the "Wild One," made with wild yeast which lends it a sour taste with tons of funk, and the ginger beer, which was super spicy without being too sweet. I followed up with Suzi, a former pastry-chef who is now a member of the Bantam team, to learn a little bit more about Bantam and cider in general.

Where did the name "Bantam" come from?

The name Bantam means "small and mighty" and ultimately this embodies a couple of things about our company. First, we think it speaks to our home market of Boston - a small city that has the heart of a place five times the size. Also, we're a woman-owned and managed business navigating a heavily male dominated industry with big money brands. We take pride in the fact that we're forging full steam ahead.

Where do your apples come from?

We source our apples from orchards across Massachusetts. Beginning around Harvard and Stow and extending into Western Mass in towns like Colerain and Hawley.

What are your favorite cider/food pairings?

Wunderkind: ideal with oysters or any type of shellfish, cheese: double creams or a hearty cheddar: Moses Sleeper from The Cellars at Jasper Hill VT

Rojo: duck, pork or other white meats, dark chocolate and berries, cheese: Kunik from Nettle Meadow Farm is delicious

Smoked Saison: any sort of barbeque or dark red meats/steaks, cheese: Reserve Gouda from Uniekass Holland

What is your favorite variety/flavor of Bantam?

It is hard to choose among all of the ciders because they are all good at different times and settings but the one not to miss out on would be the recently launched Smoked Saison. The smoked-roasted apples blended with the Saison yeast has the perfect balance of smokiness and juicy apple character. It is limited edition and available in stores for the next month or so.

Ciders really seem to be having a moment right now--what should drinkers be tasting for in a good cider?

That's a tough question, because what it really gets down to is whether a person connects with a particular product or not. Some of our ciders are incredibly crisp and clean (Wunderkind) while others are deliberately not, and in fact are funky and sour (our Wild fermented varieties). Though for us, what we think speaks to a good cider is the balance and nuance of flavors. It's something that is difficult to describe, but you know it when you taste it.

Where are you distributed?

Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut - and soon to be Rhode Island and New York. To locate a bottle shop, customers can access a list of retail locations on our website.

Do you host events in your space?

Yes. Outside of our standard taproom hours (Thurs/Friday 4-7pm, Saturday 1-7pm) we allow for private events. We've hosted corporate and civic events as well as birthday parties, anniversaries, engagement parties, etc.

Thank you so much Suzi for chatting with us! We had such a fun afternoon and can't wait to stop by next time we are in town to see what is on tap.

Bantam Cider Company, 40 Merriam St, Somerville, MA 02143, (617) 299 8600

xoxo,

Emily

P.S. Like what you are reading? Go ahead and subscribe by entering your email address into the form on the left-hand side of this page so that you never miss a post! Or, you can follow me on Bloglovin. Also, follow along with The Gallivant on pinterest, instagram, and Twitter!

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Jeremy Sewall's Tips for Holiday Cooking + The Perfect Christmas Gift For the Foodie In Your Life

#thenewenglandkitchen #HFTHBoston

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending Wayfair and Boston Bloggers Home For The Holidays event in Boston. The whole day was amazing, comprised of a key note session with Christiane Lemieux and Heather Armstrong (Dooce.com), as well as a banner session with my bestie Lindsey (who had a huge hand in plannning the whole event,) a crafting session with Kate (Domestikated Life,) and a holiday strategy session with Alison (Long Distance Loving.)All of the sessions were inspiring and practical, but the one that did the most to banish my mild holiday anxiety was the session on holiday cooking and entertaining, led by Chef Jeremy Sewell of Boston's Island Creek Oyseter Bar, Lineage, and the new Row 34.

If you know me than you know that I love to cook and entertain. This year we are hosting Thanksgiving for fifteen friends though, and I have been feeling just a hint of trepidation. I have always helped out at Thanksgiving, but never have I cooked a turkey alone or overseen the whole operation...and there is just a bit of pressure associated with the whole ordeal! As soon as Jeremy started speaking, though, I knew that he was the one to emulate as I prepared for our Thanksgiving feast--He was approachable and down to earth, and placed an emphasis on fresh and local ingrediants. (Not mention he is one of Boston's best chefs, and has overseen his fair share of holiday meals...) No sweat, just a plan. Any other holiday hosting newbies out there? Read on for my favorite tid bits of advice from Jeremy's session.

Chef Jeremy Sewall's Tips for Holiday cooking:

Keep it simple: Don't do anything that stresses you out, like something you have never cooked before, or something that you know is tough.
Use the microwave to your advantage! The micro is a great place to warm up sauces and gravy, melt chocolate, or reheat that desperately needed cup of coffee ten minutes before your guests arrive.
Get as much done ahead as you can: Ie. Roast veggies for crudite. ("Who really eats raw celery anymore?", make sides and pies.
Find a place that does a couple things really well, like pies or fresh bread, and let them do those for you.
Practice: We have run out of time for Thanksgiving, but there is still time before Christmas! Why not try out a few dishes that look yummy so that you can have them totally down pact by the time the holiday rolls around?
Read your recipes thoroughly.
On timing: Cook Turkey early in the morning so that is it done an hour ahead (at least-- you can always throw it back in to warm it up.)
Be savvy with your appetizers: Throw together plates of amazing cheese, bread, jam, and other appetizers that you don't have to manage.

Finally, Jeremy's Turkey tip: Brine, and then brush w/butter using a bundle of fresh thyme as a brush!

Jeremy just published his first cookbook, The New England Kitchen, and it is available for purchase now! I grabbed one for both myself and my parents, and we love it. All of the recipes are classic New England fare, elevated by Jeremy's signature style, with an emphasis on seasonal cooking. I already made the apple cider donuts and they were to die for...A New England Kitchen would make a perfect Christmas or Thanksgiving hostess gift for the foodie in your life, and I made it so easy for you...just click the picture at the beginning of this post and purchase today!

Cheers!

Emily

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{Gallivant} Russell Orchard | Ipswich, Massachusetts

I had the most amazing weekend in Boston last weekend, attending the Home for the Holidays Event hosted by Wayfair and Boston Bloggers. I learned so much and can't wait to share, but before we dive headfirst into the holidays I wanted to highlight a quintessential Autumn destination: the apple orchard. More specifically, Russell Orchards, in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

There seems to be a point around mid-October, when the leaves begin to turn and the temps begin to drop, that one starts to crave fresh still-warm-from-the-oven cider donuts. This point typically coincides with the arrival of (my beloved) sweater weather. We made the autumnal pilgrimage to Russell Orchards at this point in the season countless times during my childhood, and spent afternoons running around the barnyard greeting all of the farm animals, picking out the perfect pumpkin, and finally heading inside to grab a bag of freshly picked apples and a dozen or so delicious apple cider donuts.

When we left church on Sunday morning the weather was glorious and the air was crisp. We (my parents, best friend Emily, and I) piled into the car and headed over to Russell for the afternoon.

Owned by Doug and Miranda Russell, the orchard boasts 29 apple varieties, as well as various stone fruit, berries, and veggies. They offer pick your own options throughout Spring, Summer, and Fall--depending on what is currently in season. They also have a large store chock full of season produce, fresh baked goods, their own fruit wines and cider, as well as local cheeses, cookbooks, and gifts.

Probably the biggest pig I have ever seen...He was quite the character.

We hopped on the wagon for a tour of the property. Although I have been coming here for years, my parents and I had never taken the tour. We were amazed by how much bigger the property is, and the variety of crops that they grow--rows upon rows of peaches, plums, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, and currants, just to name a few!

The entire property is gorgeous, but my favorite part was the rows of apple trees. As Emily said, "They look like they have souls." I just love the way Apple trees grow--all gnarled and twiggy, with tons of branches that would be lovely to perch on for an afternoon and read. At this time of year many of the trees had been harvested, but there were still a few that were laden with plump fruit, waiting to be picked.

After our tour we headed inside and had the pleasure of chatting with the lovely Miranda about the business and how she balances the farm with her music career. Her passion for the farm was obvious, and it was so neat to hear her talk about why they do things the way that they do. It is evident that she and her husband take great pride in welcoming the public onto their property to catch a glimpse of what modern farming looks like, as well as indulge in delicious local produce and products.

Before leaving I couldn't resist grabbing a bag of warm donuts, as well as a bottle of Russell Orchard's own Middle Ridge Hard Cider. The donuts were just as good as I remembered, but the cider was the real treat--deliciously crisp and dry, and different than any cider I had had before. Definitely all the more reason to make the pilgrimage next Fall when we are home in Boston!

If any of you are in the area in the next few weeks than make sure to check out Russell Orchards. I can think of tons of yummies from their shop that would make amazing hostess gifts or additions to the Thanksgiving table--local cheeses, apples for apple pie, and their cider, just to throw a few ideas out there.

What are some of your favorite seasonal traditions? I would love to hear!

Russell Orchards Farm Store and Winery, 143 Argilla Rd, Ipswich, MA, (978)-356-5366

Happy Monday!

xoxo,

Emily

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Happy Friday + Quick Trip to Boston

I have a been a little naughty this week in neglecting the blog...The truth is that I have been busy getting ready to head up to Boston to attend Wayfair's Home For the Holidays Blogging Conference! I cannot tell you how excited I am to attend the event, which is being hosted with Boston Bloggers, and meet some of the faces behind the amazing blogs and companies from my hometown. It is also such a treat to be up in New England at this point in the season. It isn't quite freezing yet, but the foliage is amazing--the collection above is from my run this morning.

Right now I am sitting in my parents office while sipping a hot cup of coffee, and looking out at the brightly colored maple trees that line our driveway-- bringing back lots of nostalgic feelings of when I used to come home occasionally on the weekends from boarding school and do homework in this very spot, just as Autumn is about to round the corner into the holidays. We aren't able to make it up for Thanksgiving this year, so I am beyond grateful for this time to touch down and soak up the season for a few days. I would love to talk about the idea of "Home" and how it shifts in marriage, is complicated and a little confusing sometimes, but I think that deserves a whole post of it's own. All I can say is that I am happy to be here, and will be happy to go home to my husband on Monday.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend! Expect a full round of posts next week, and in the weeks to come--I have so many ideas brewing. As always, thank you so much for stopping by.

xoxo,

Emily

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{Adventures in Film} July in Newport and North Shore

Happy Tuesday! If you follow me on instagram (@evr_thegallivant) than you may have noticed that I have been dabbling in film photography recently. And by dabbling I really mean dabbling--I am a total novice. My cousin Antonia gave me the analog bug when I was home in Massachusetts in July, and we spent a whole morning driving around to local CVSs and Walgreens trying to find disposable cameras to mess around with. I finally got the film processed last week and these are the results!

It was pretty fun to play with disposables, and it definitely brought me back to childhood when we used these things all the time! Can you believe they are still available? My Aunt Heather and Uncle Denny had the best idea for their wedding reception--they put two or three disposable cameras on each table so that guests could take their own pics throughout the night! I was only 11 or so when they got married, but I have never forgotten that, and still think it would be an awesome idea for a wedding today. Although we can #hashtag pics into an album for everyone to see, it would be such a sweet thing for the Bride and Groom to be able to gather up all the cameras at the end of the night and have them developed while they are away on their honeymoon. That way, when they returned, they would have tons of wonderful (and some very silly, I imagine) photos already printed out and ready to be used in all sorts of creative ways to remind them of their special night and all the people who love them.

We live in an age of constant documentation via smartphones and digital cameras, but there is just something about the intentional yet surprising and mysterious nature of film that still holds so much appeal. I snagged a Canonet 28 and Canon AE-1 off Ebay last week for next to nothing, and am excited to start experimenting and learning with them.

Do you shoot film? Feel free to comment in the comment space below with any tips+tricks!

xoxo,

Emily

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{Gallivant} North Shore, Massachusetts

Happy Monday everyone! I made it back safe and sound to Pensy yesterday afternoon and was so excited to see John, and ofcourse, Flynn. Other than missing those two terribly, I really did have the most wonderful time at home with my family and friends in Massachusetts. We spent the most wonderful three days in Newport, RI, and then were just home on the North Shore for the rest of the time. New England is beautiful this time of year, especially on the water, so it was such a treat to be able to spend some time at the beach, on boats, and harborside, as well as enjoying all the luscious greenery. I was so lucky to grow up in a place that is characterized as much by a coastal vibe as it is by woodlands and fields, and this time of year tends to be magnificent. Not many things make me happier than taking an outdoor shower at my parents house, after a day at the beach, and enjoying their beautiful view. Heaven.

On Thursday night my parents, brother Blair, and I headed up to Rocky Neck in Gloucester for dinner at the new Studio restaurant. My parents had been once and were so excited to take us for our last dinner all together before Blair headed to London for his summer course at LSE.

If you ever visit the North Shore or are just in Boston than the trip up to Rocky Neck is totally worth it. The small art community sits right on the harbour and is full of galleries, cute little houses, and some great restaurants. The Rudder has always been one of our favorites, but now I would definitely add The Studio to the top of the list. Our food was amazing--my mom and I both had the Bouillabaisse and thought it was fantastic. Also, the grilled corn appetizer is insane. I am now fully on board with the mexican street corn trend, and so excited to replicate this dish at home. The studio also has a cool cocktail menu (try the Mojo-- a fun fusion of mojito and grapefruit marg) and a great wine list. Finally, our service was fantastic--our waitress even lent me her sweatshirt when she saw that I was a little chilly.

On Friday my mom and I headed up to Newburyport to check out a few shops up there. Neither of us had really explored the lovely little coastal city in years, and we were so pleasantly surprised by how fun it was! There were tons of cute shops and restaurants, but we were particularly impressed by the Tannery Marketplace, a renovated mill turned marketplace. We had headed there in search of Chococoa Baking Company, home of the most delicious mini whoopie pies known to man. We happily grabbed an assortment to try later, (the coconut turned out to be our favorite, although the salted caramel and raspberry were fantastic too) and were also wow-ed by their tomato and feta mini quiches. Now that I know about Chococoa I think I am going to have to make it a mandatory stop every time I am in the area. Made with only natural ingredients, their whoopies are just the most perfect little three bite delight--I would happily give up the cupcake trend for them. Such a treat.

On our way to Chococoa we stumbled upon Wish Basket, and boy were we glad we did! The gorgeous home store is full of everything from antique furniture to Linnea's Lights and Lafco candles, small batch perfumes, french soap, beautiful lamps, linens, and assorted Cavallini wall calenders.

How great is that desk? Definitely belongs in my dream office. So pretty yet functional.

We could not get enough, and could have perused forever, all the while exclaiming over this and that. The whole store felt a bit Anthropologie-esque, but with more of a sophisticated edge and a boutique attitude.

Whether Christmas shopping or decorating a new home, Wish Basket, and their sister store right next door, Red Bird, should be high on your list of places to check out on the North Shore. I cannot wait to come back in the fall to grab some stocking stuffers (and, if I am lucky, the Rosemary and Eucalyptus Lafco Candle) as well as absorb more design inspo!

For the rest of the weekend we just kicked back a bit. I spent friday night with one of my best friends Cyrena, relaxing in Adirondack chairs in her back yard while we sipped rosé and caught up late into the night. Cys has been working all summer helping to manage one of our local farms and farmstands, and I loved hearing all about life in the fields and her passion for the slow food movement and eating locally, as well as the epic cross-country road trip that she and her boyfriend are planning for the Fall when the harvest is done. There really isn't anything quite like getting to catch up with one of your best friends, especially when you have the luxury of enough time to get to the bottoms of each others hearts and laugh till your ribs hurt.

Saturday was spent at the beach, alternatively tanning, jumping into the freezing Atlantic, and hanging out with my cousin Alexandra and one of my other best friends Lindsey, who came out of Boston for the day. Linds and I braved the freezing water to swim to the raft, where we promptly solved the all the worlds problems before coming back in just in time to pack up and head home to shower before we all reconvened at my wonderful Godmother Hopie's house for dinner. After a wonderful dinner, someone popped in some old videos of us all as babies and toddlers and we all couldn't resist waxing nostalgic for a while. My favorite moment was watching my first birthday party and my parents blowing out my candles with me. My dad had come home from work early so that he wouldn't miss it. So sweet--I might have shed a little tear.

All in all, a lovely and refreshing visit. The only thing missing was my wonderful husband, and it truly was so nice to leave knowing that I was heading back to him and our life in Pensy. Although the place and people I grew up in and with are still a huge touchstone for me, and something I hope to return to often, the idea of "home" is has definitely changed as John and I cleave more and more to each other in our marriage. The places near and dear to our heart are special for a reason, and deserve to be missed at times, but at the end of the day I wouldn't trade our wild life together for anything.

Have a great week friends!

xoxo,

Emily

P.S. Like what you are reading, want to keep up with our latest gallivants, or looking for fun things to do in the Pensacola area? Go ahead and subscribe by entering your email address into the form on the lefthand side of this page so that you never miss a post! Or you can follow me on Bloglovin. Also, feel free to check out my instagram and pinterest.

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{Gallivant} Native Habitat

Happy Monday! Although I miss John terribly, I have had such a great weekend back up in Massachusetts with my parents and friends. My first night home my mom threw a party for my brother and I, and it was so special to hang out with so many of our favorite people in my parent's gorgeous back yard.

Yesterday we took a long walk on the beach and just chilled out, and this morning my cousin Alexandra and I had the best run around our big loop. It was in the 60s and sunny, perfect running weather, and we couldn't beat the scenery. Makes training to be the next Villa marathoners that much better!

One beautiful cousin took the plunge!

"Dad's Chair"

My mom, Blair, and I headed down to Newport today to spend a few days with my godmother and her family. It is so wonderful to be here as this is a place and group of people so dear to my heart. I am excited to catch up with everyone, enjoy the gorgeous weather, and sleep with the sounds of the sea right outside my window.

Hope everyone, no matter what they are up to, is having a lovely week!

It is good to be home.

xoxo,

Emily

p.s. Gallivant with me on instagram @evr_thegallivant

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{Marriage} Six Months Later...Our Wedding!

Happy Sunday! I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend! Yesterday marked six months (!) of marriage for John and I, so we went out on a super fun date, and then popped a little champagne!

Instead of the usual monthly update, I thought that this month I would finally post about our wedding. I have held off partially out of busy-ness, but also because our wedding still felt so fresh and in a sense sharing it meant that it really is over, which was a little bittersweet. Jemwed (as we affectionately call it) felt like this incredible season that culminated in a spectacular day, and we were so blessed by everyone who shared and supported us in it and through it --from the engagement parties, showers, our reception in Fredericksburg, to our wedding weekend in December.

All the photos in this post were taken by our amazing photographer, Leah Haydock, and her assistant Audrey. A big shout out and thank you to this dynamic duo for capturing our day in such a beautiful and authentic way.

I spent the morning of the wedding at M. Lekkakos, in Wenham, being completely pampered and beautified by Maria and Lyssa. I have known both these incredible ladies for years, adore them, and truthfully feel as thought they are the best of the best in the Boston area.

Lyssa, my beloved stylist,worked wonders in taming my mane.

Meanwhile, the boys were all primping over at Tupper Manor--putting on shoulder boards, tying bow-ties, practicing sword arches, and shooting some pool.

John designed custom bow-ties for all the guys with our great friend Mike, from Dogwood Black, and they rocked! DWB even did little ones for our ring bearers, which were precious.

I had a very handsome stand-in at this point...

When I was done with hair and make-up I headed home to my parent's house to meet my lovely bridesmaids so we could all finish getting ready together.

(My dress was from Bella Rosa Bridal, in Richmond, Va. I worked with Camberly, and both my mom and I loved her--so helpful and kind, and she really knew her stuff when it came to picking THE dress.)

Back at the house my dad, always the gentleman, popped some bottles for us.

Toasts were made, presents were opened, and a few sweet tears may have been shed....

I just adore each of these women so much.

And then it was time to get into our wedding clothes!

Scout didn't quite understand why for the first time in his life everyone was fussing over someone else.

My mom and Godmother helped me into my dress...

And then we let my Dad in for a quiet moment with his little girl.

Who am I kidding--we are both suckers!

My beautiful ladies in red waited downstairs for their first look.

My (not so) little brother, Blair, popped in for some family photos before heading back to John and the other groomsmen.

I was lucky enough to get to wear the veil that my mom, aunts, granny, and great-granny had all worn before me.

All the flowers, including our gorgeous bouquets, the boutonnieres, flower-girl crowns and baskets, and the reception flowers, were done by Kerianne Steele and her team at Les Fleurs, in Andover. We were going for wintry without being overly Christmas-y, (since it was after Christmas, not because we don't love Christmas!), elegant yet whimsical, and a little different. I wanted lots of greenery, touches of dark vampy reds, berries, pinecones, lots of gold and white and birch for the reception. Even with limited availability due to the time of year, Kerianne completely understood my vision and totally took it to the next level. I cannot say enough great things about Les Fleurs-- if you live in the Boston area than their store is totally worth a trip, especially if you are planning a big event or looking for a florist.

Love these people.

My beautiful Godmothers, Libby and Hope.

The boys and John's family made their way to the church for some of their own photos.

John tied his nephew and ring-bearer Draper's bow-tie.

John and Drake, best-man and groom, Richey bros.

There was some silliness.

Oh, and adorableness.

And then it began!

Oh, I love you.

Our Pastor, Dori, gave an amazing message a how and why we love and serve in marriage and in life--because Christ first loved and served us.

Soon enough, we were husband and wife!

Had to make a quick pit-stop on our way out to kiss our little Goddaughter, Callie.

Off to Tupper Manor we went!

I got a little love from my handsome godson and ring-bearer, Will.

We took some pics...

So handsome.

And then we joined the party!

Our sword detail prepared to announced us...

But first--the rite of passage was a kiss!

And another...

And another!

Our AMAZING band, Nightshift, played a killer rendition of Coldplay's Yellow for our first dance.

We sat down for dinner and some wonderful toasts...

Jenny, from Jenny's cakes, did our cake. Wasn't it beautiful? We chose pumpkin spice, white cake with lemon, rasberry, and passionfruit, and chocolate cake with chocolate truffle, expresso buttercream, and toffee. They were INSANE.

Have I mentioned that our band (quite literally) rocked? For the rest of the night we had the time of our lives with all the people we love.

It was incredible.

Brother-sister jam sesh.

A huge thank you to my parents for not only making this all possible, but for being such a beautiful example of marriage to John and me. It was a joy to see you enjoy the night as much as we did.

How cool/beautiful is my mother in law? Not only does she have serious moves, but she also threw us the most special rehearsal dinner the night before.

The love of my life.

One of the most special/hilarious parts of the night was when all the Navy guys sat me down on the dance floor and serenaded me with "You've Lost That Loving Feeling," inspired by this. Watching this on our video seriously brings tears to my eyes because I love these men so much, and am so grateful for how they have adopted me since John and I first started dating.

Oh hey, party people.

These pictures speak for themselves. It was a glorious day.

Johnboy-- I cannot believe that you became my husband six months ago. I know it's not a real anniversary, but I still want to tell you this-- I love you even more today than I did that day. Neither of us are perfect, but I am honoured to go through the sanctification that occurs in marriage with you. Thank you for letting me be me, encouraging me, inspiring me, pushing me, making me brave. I am so proud of you. I love laughing with you. You are a man after God's own heart, thank you for continually pointing me towards Him.

Finally, a big thank you to Marie, Colby, and the rest of the team at Tupper Manor. You all are so talented and organize--you made our planning painless and our night amazing. Rockstars.

Here is the line-up of our dream team of venders:

My dress: Bella Rosa Bridal

Bow-Ties: Dogwood Black

Photography: Leah Haydock

Videography: Boston Wedding Films

Hair + Makeup: Maria and Lyssa at M. Lekkakos

Band: Nightshift Entertainment

Cake: Jenny's Cakes

Venue: Tupper Manor

Hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for reading!

#jemwedforever.

xoxo,

Emily

P.S. I already shared our incredible video on the blog, but if you haven't seen it than you can check it out here :-)

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