Real Wedding: Anne & Dan
Although Anne Carabillo and Dan Aspell originally met through Match.com, they were ultimately brought together in more ways than one. After making plans for their first date, Anne noticed Dan while riding the subway to work one morning, though she kept to herself, not wanting to spoil their plans by meeting for the first time unexpectedly: “He didn't see me, so I hid my US Weekly and hoped he didn't see that,” she says. After their successful first date, the couple began to see each other regularly and eventually became inseparable. It seemed that they enjoyed each other’s company no matter what venture they chose to embark on, whether it consisted of skiing, traveling, beach trips, or just watching sitcoms together. What ultimately convinced Anne it was meant to be was the couple’s attendance at a friend’s wedding in which a dance-off between Anne and Dan and another couple ensued, leaving the two victorious. As Anne puts it, “Let's just say that Dan's "air keyboard" is legendary.”
The couple’s engagement story is nothing less than magical. After making plans to see the Boston Pops perform in downtown Boston in December 2007, the couple met outside the T station, the very place Anne had first glimpsed Dan, and began to walk to a restaurant before dinner. Although Anne had a feeling Dan might be thinking of popping the question, she didn’t let on as the couple strolled through the Boston Garden and stopped to admire the “Make Way for Ducklings” statues, at Dan’s suggestion. Finally on their way out of the gardens, Dan swept Anne into his arms and she suddenly knew what he was going to say, prompted by the swiftness of his beating heart. Dropping down to one knee amidst swirling snowflakes, Dan asked Anne to be his wife.
The subsequent wedding took place in on June 27th, 2009 in East Falmouth, an easy choice for the bride and groom. Dan’s family had vacationed in Falmouth for many years and purchased a summer house just two short blocks from the beach. The location was perfect and nicely accommodated each of Anne and Dan’s interests, his being an outdoor wedding and hers being something unique and different. “I feel blessed that we had a wedding that wasn't just another day at a function hall, at a place where hundreds of people get married every year,” she says.
The choice of the home for their wedding proved to be a great one. Overlooking a tidal pond and with picturesque views of the Cape Cod sunset, the ceremony was an elegant affair featuring of lots of crisp shades of blue and khaki and full of personal details. Table names consisted of memories the couples shared, from ski resorts they had visited, to places they had traveled, where they had met, even the name of the prophetic subway ride on The Red Line. Anecdotes were written on the back of each card detailing what each name meant to the couple. Guests were also provided with custom made maps in the invitations and programs, helpfully printed by Amanda at Distinctive Directions. Personal touches like these proved to be worth the extra effort, “It was a fun way to give people more insight to us,” says Anne.
True to his character, Dan showcased some of his favorite moves on the dance floor, and many guests ended up grooving alongside him to some great tunes, their favorite being “Shout”. Following the wedding, several guests recall the bride and groom smiling joyously throughout the day, even when an unexpected power outage and a stray dog created slight inconveniences during the event. Anne insists that despite these small hiccups, the day was all that she could ask for, “I just didn’t want it to end,” she says.
Floral Design: Hobarts Fine Florals
Cake Design: Cape Cod Cakes
American Tent, United Site Services, Old Barnstable Trolley, First Student
Invitations/Menus/Placecards: Weddingpaperdivas.com (Invitations); Distinctive Directions (Map); Menus/Placecards self-made with products from Paper Source