The ceremony is on Sunday, but I’m spending the whole weekend. What should I do with my Saturday?
Come join us on a private 30 acre farm in Marshfield, VT from 9:30am to 4:30pm to play the Vermont way! There is a pond with fishing, paddle boats, and kayaks, a petting zoo, woods and pastures to enjoy ATVs, a zip line, and even a horse drawn carriage ride. If you’re feeling less rambunctious, just take in the fall foliage from the porch and share in a BBQ lunch. We are excited to spend the day enjoying your company!
Fantasy Island Ranch
396 Cree Farm Road
Marshfield, VT 05658
(44.355438, -72.360881)
We are having a small “rehearsal” dinner with just parents and siblings between 6:30 PM and (approximately) 9:00 PM at NECI on Main in Montpelier, and we welcome you, if you’re of a mind to raise a glass, to join us at the NECI Bar after 9:00 PM. From there, we may visit the fine, and the few, drinking establishments in Montpelier.
NECI on Main
118 Main St.
Montpelier, VT 05602
(44.260858, -72.574833)
What would be fun to do Saturday after Fantasy Island, or Sunday before the Ceremony?
Tour the Ben & Jerry’s Factory
Sample Cheeses at the Cabot Creamery
Responsibly Taste Local Beers and Fine Spirits
Learn How Maple Syrup is Made at Bragg Farm (don’t miss out on enjoying a Maple Creemee!)
Morse Farm is pretty darn good too.
Get a great view of Montpelier by climbing up Hubbard’s Tower
Or, for a bit more adventure, hike Up Owl’s Head Trail in the Groton State Forest
See if there’s a film you’d like at the Savoy Theater
Try one of our favorite restaurants:
Which hotel should I stay in?
If you’re asking this, you really missed the point of our Save the Date back in February! Due to a relative scarcity of options, and the popularity of this time in Vermont, it was impossible for us to arrange lodging for everyone, and therefore, we do not have a block of hotel rooms reserved. If you’re coming in from out of town, and you haven’t already done so, please make sure to book your lodging ASAP and contact us if you need help.
There’s some more, probably outdated, information about this on the Lodging Information page.
Do you have a gift registry?
I’m sure it won’t be a surprise to hear that our needs aren’t exactly like what you might expect of a newlywed couple. Many of the people in attendance, likely yourself included, have been generous over the past few years as we get our house in order, so we’ve already got most of the trappings of a well-stocked home.
That said, we will gratefully accept monetary gifts to go toward our honeymoon, and there are probably some odds and ends that we’re looking for. Check the Gifts page for more information.
Why did you choose to be handfasted?
That’s easy: because we love each other immensely!
If you’re curious about why we chose a handfasting ceremony instead of a wedding, it’s a slightly longer explanation.
We view our relationship as a partnership. Not so much a business partnership (though that’s clearly also true), but more like police officers: we have each other’s back to the end, whatever it may be, and, importantly, we stand on equal footing.
While a wedding has many fine qualities, it also derives from some historical practices that we find problematic. While this may be an oversimplification, historically, a wedding was a ceremony in which a transaction took place, whereas a handfasting was a ceremonial declaration of intention to move forward in life together.
The invitation also says that you’re getting married. How does that work?
It’s simply a matter of terminology. When you have a wedding, if you do all the right paperwork, and everyone is on board, at the end you’re married. When you have a handfasting, if you do all the right paperwork, and everyone is on board, at the end you’re married.
What should I wear to the ceremony?
Weather in Vermont in October is highly variable, so if you’re visiting from out of town, please pack in such a way that you can dress for the weather, safe in the knowledge your hosts want you warm and comfortable and take no offense at your clean jeans. The farm is near the top of a hill, so it tends to be slightly cooler and a lot more windy than the conditions you’ll find in Montpelier and Barre. It would not be unusual for it to be 50 degrees, overcast, with a 30 MPH wind on the farm for that time of year, nor would it be unusual for it to be 75 degrees, sunny, with a 10 MPH wind (“no wind” is a rare thing).
Consider the terrain: It’s a working horse farm, and there’s no pavement to be found for miles, so low, medium, and high heels are downright dangerous. Consider it a good reason to clean your favorite fall boots. While there may be a few people present that are qualified to set a broken ankle, this is our party, and we want people fawning over us, not you. (And if you’re thinking about those cute wedges, think about them in mud. Or horse manure. We really mean it, save them for the reception.)
If you wish to gussy up, we suggest changing from your outdoor clothes to your party clothes either at the reception hall, or at your place of lodging if it’s near enough. We’ll have a costume change at that point ourselves.
Will anyone be changing their name?
Nope. We both like our names just how they are.
Will you be exchanging rings?
No. As it turns out, the process of planning a wedding involves a lot of communication. When we finally sat down to talk about it, we realized that we didn’t really want rings. Who knew!?
So, are children next?
Probably not, to be honest. We already have two inner children that we’re trying to raise, along with the dogs, cats, chickens, and fish, so the house is already pretty crazy.
