PaC Man & Wife: Ring of Fire

Whose idea was it to give inebriated guests giant sparklers? And encourage them to wave the lit wands enthusiastically at the bride and groom at an uncomfortably close distance?

Our sparkler display.

Oh. That would have been us.

We should have known better. Earlier in the night, a guest (who still remains anonymous) decided to test out the flammability of the sparklers and the lobby's interior by lighting a sparkler. WTH. Linda, our venue coordinator, has eyes in the back of her head because she was on it in moments. The bucket of sparklers and conveniently placed lighter (my bright idea) were hidden away until the grand sparkler exit. Not in the lobby. Outside.

(guest photo)

Mr. PaC and I realized we never gather the whole sparkler exit much logistical thought until we were standing in the foyer peering out at the guests... gleefully waving their unlit sparklers, one in each hand, with such zest that I began to question our sanity. A kitchen torch was produced and a succession of sparks zipped up the parallel ranks of the guests. This was it.

 

 (above two images: guest photos)

We stood at the beginning of the gauntlet and listened to the sparklers crackle and fizz. I was going to go up like a dried Christmas tree in February with all this hairspray. I emphatically motioned for everyone to step the hell back. Mr. PaC grabbed my hand tightly... and ran!

Woah, wait! We're running this thing?

We hurtled toward end of the line, slowing to a trot as we approached our getaway vehicle - one very fast convertible, idling in wait. I handed off my bouquet to my new husband, scooped up my voluminous gown, and hopped into the car. We glanced over our shoulders to our cheering friends and family still vigorously waving those sparklers. In this fleeting moment, all was perfect. 

The engine revved. Mr. PaC threw it into gear and I threw my hand triumphantly into the air, just as I did at the end of our ceremony, as we disappeared into the darkness. 

The warm summer night swirled all around us as we zoomed through chateau country past stone walls and old estates and chased us down into the valley over hills and summer fields. Intoxicating smells of sweet grass, the meandering Brandywine River, and finally the cool, green canopy of the park marked our ascent back into reality.

The night, and our adventure, was far from over, but this convertible ride concludes the Pain au Chocolat wedding recaps. Many times during that night, Mr. PaC and I remarked how much fun we were having, the speed at which the night was passing, and how we'd do it again next year... and the year after that! My one wish for every bride is to feel this way. To have so thoroughly enjoyed her wedding that she would do it again in a heartbeat. To feel the support of family, friends, and fellow bees. And, most importantly, love - the really good kind... heart-swelling, swoon-worthy, conquer anything kind of love - for her beloved.

(all photos by Heather Fowler Photography, unless otherwise noted)

Catch up on our PaC recaps!

Days Before

• In the days leading up to the wedding, I wanted to be sedated.
• I walked the line between calm and stressed for the better part of our rehearsal day.
• "Don't panic" and its friends were what Mr. PaC kept telling me on the way to our rehearsal dinner.

Wedding Morning

• Best wedding morning advice: wake up slow and tackle the day at your own pace.
• Once at our venue, our DIY projects were assembled with our own two hands.
• The girls get ready with champagne and chocolate-covered potato chips.
• The guys are ready... and waiting.
• She's mine! All mine! (The dress that is.)
• Brown-eyed girl (and guy) portraits.
• Something old and new, borrowed and blue.

Portraits

• My sneaky groom has a secret heart when it comes to surprises.
• A first look for the two of us plus more couples portraits in the garden.
• With brother and sister standing by, we took our bridal party and family portraits.

Ceremony

• After fretting about rain, the sun came out just as our guests arrived for the ceremony.
• Maybe I was just a little amazed at how beautifully our ceremony had started.
• After waiting 19 long months, here comes Mr. PaC's girl!
• We spoke of love and some verses in our ceremony.

Reception

• Cocktail hour began with a rockin' start.
• That silly "Mahna Mahna" song we used to introduce our important people.
• Our first dance shows that we are truly better together.
• The parent dances allow us to appreciate the important people in our lives.
• Jammin' the first half of the night away.
• Our siblings made sure we were toasted and roasted!
• Wildflowers, escort cards and other details didn't go unnoticed.
• I request a moonlight serenade for my grandparents.
• We noshed the night away.
• We'll still feed each other cake when we're 64!
• I turned my camera on for some DIY photo booth fun.
• We danced and danced to the end of love (and the night).