Anne-Marie & Chris - Wedding at Isla Mujeres, Mexico

The 15 Minutes of Fame Returns! Anne-Marie & Chris were married at Zama Beach Club in Isla Mujeres, Mexico on April 30, 2007. The island is off the coast of Cancun, and they decided to leave their northern Washington home for a destination wedding because they wanted to elope and have only close family and friends at their wedding. Once they started their wedding planning, they decided that they wanted to go to a tropical location where they could scuba dive - making Isla Mujeres ideal!

Anne-Marie & Chris met on April 30, 2005, Chris proposed to Anne-Marie with an absolutely stunning ring designed by one of Tiffany’s former lead designers, Ritani, on April 30, 2006 - so picking April 30, 2007 as their wedding date was the perfect choice!

Chris’s brother is a monk, and he performed the ceremony for them. They had a cellist play for the ceremony on the beach.

Once they selected their destination, they planned a scouting trip to Mexico to check it out. While there, they met with Juliette of Papillion Weddings and hired her to be their wedding planner. This made the planning easier for Anne-Marie, who was planning from a distance while running a large successful business at the same time. The rest of the planning was done via email, making it a breeze!

Anne-Marie & Chris hired Wendy Kromer, Martha Stewart’s cake designer, to create 8 mini-cakes for them, designed to match the sash on Anne-Marie’s dress in the photo above. The cakes featured orchids that were simply stunning, and Chris carried them on the flight from Washington to Mexico! He actually made two trips to the airport before they left to make sure that they could make it onto the plane with him - once to make sure the would fit as a carry-on, and again to make sure that the wires in the cakes wouldn’t pose a problem with security. If planning something special like that that is that crucial to your wedding day plans, it is always wise to make sure that everything will work out well in advance!

Their fabulous wedding day photography is by Cecilia Dumas of Cancun and the Maya Riviera, and Anne-Marie and Chris truly loved working with her - they said that they can’t get enough of looking at their wedding photos!

August 15, 2008 | Filed Under 15 Minutes of Fame, Destination Weddings, Mexico | 3 Comments 

Getting Maui’d!

Karen & Scott were married in Makena, Maui, Hawaii and shared their wedding story with WM! Considering getting married in Maui? Share your story with us too!

Why have a destination wedding on Maui? Very simply, we decided on a destination wedding to avoid both the politics and the over inflated expenses that goes with hosting a nice wedding affair in California, and to bring the wedding to “neutral grounds” for all of our guests.

We knew we wanted something special; a private wedding in a beautiful location and to be surrounded by people we love the most. But we realized quickly that was going to be a challenge as neither of us have any family living in California, yet this is where our life and most all of our friends are. To host a wedding here meant a great deal of traveling for our relatives. In all likelihood, only a few would be able to attend due to the high cost of traveling to California. And the same issue would be true for our friends if we didn’t host a wedding locally. So we quickly realized no matter what location we picked we were not going to have everyone we care about the most attending.

We ruled out having a wedding in our area quickly. The Bay Area of California is rated as the second most expensive region in the world to marry, (New York being first), and we quickly discovered how true that was! And on top of that many places wanted to control your event, from the food, drink, decorations, music and more. At every location we looked at there were restrictions and rules that didn’t fit into our plans or budget. No thanks!!

This left us with one option and a very simple solution; take the wedding to neutral grounds (where we can have a wedding exactly the way we want), then host some celebrations when we return. My father was the first to suggest we forgo the formal affair and instead marry in Hawaii, and the idea really just clicked. We were fairly sure we were going to honeymoon on Maui, so why not just get married there too?? Dad said he would be there, and for me that was most important.

We did some checking and realized you can have a beautiful wedding in Maui, hire a coordinator to set everything up for you just the way you want, and for no more then a song compared to a wedding in California. And Maui is rated the number one island to visit in the world! This was our perfect solution. From that moment on we knew we were not only going to get married, we were going to get “Maui’ed”! We notified everyone, set the date, and on June 29th we exchanged our marriage vows ocean-side in Makena, Maui. (Visit their website.)

July 24, 2008 | Filed Under 15 Minutes of Fame, Destination Weddings, Hawaii | Leave a Comment 

15 Minutes of Fame Returns!




With the relaunch of Wholly Matrimony, we are proud to announce the return of the 15 Minutes of Fame feature! On the 15th of each month we feature a new and magnificent wedding! This is more than just a weekly “best site” contest with a link to the couple’s wed-site. We will take you through the entire wedding process…from the planning, to the actual event, and everything in between…including details which made each big day special.

Are you a bride or groom that is interested having your wedding day featured as an upcoming 15 Minutes of Fame Wedding? Check back for our submission form so that you can submit your wedding for consideration!

Meanwhile, you can check out the original 15 Minutes of Fame features!

July 7, 2008 | Filed Under 15 Minutes of Fame | 1 Comment 

Jennifer & Jim - Gloucester, Massachusetts




On the 15th of each month we feature a new and magnificent wedding! This is more than just a weekly “best site” contest with a link to the couple’s wed-site. We will take you through the entire wedding process…from the planning, to the actual event, and everything in between…including details which made each big day special.





Nothing would make sense if I had never met you…
Jennifer and Jim met on October 2nd, 1999 while she was shopping at Wilson’s Leather. Jim was a manager there and approached Jennifer to look at the tattoo on her back! Jennifer gave Jim her number after a bit of encouragement from a friend, and they had their first date that very evening. Jim proposed on March 12, 2000, in the couple’s living room after Jennifer returned from a business trip to Miami, FL. The couple then set their wedding date for just over a year later on May 19th, 2001.

Jennifer attended Boston University and is employed as a Forensic Chemist for the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab. Jim is employed as a manager at Autozone, pursuing a career in law enforcement. The couple currently resides in Massachusetts.



I will feel aglow just thinking of you…
The bride wore a gothic-style dress made by Pronovias. It featured an embroidered bodice with flowy, floorlength arms. The gown included multiple layers of chiffon on the bottom. The bride’s attendants wore burgundy dresses with empire-waists and short-illusion sleeves. The waists were accented by a thin white decorative-band. The flower girl wore an ankle-length dress with lace neckline and illusion sleeves.

Jennifer and Jim’s gothic ceremony was held at the Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Their reception immediately followed at the Hammond Castle Museum. The festivities were held inside the Great Hall, dining room, and courtyard of Hammond Castle - and outside in the backyard that borders the ocean. Guests were free to explore the castle, as well as enjoy the beautiful ocean view.



And then then spell was cast…
The couple added several elements to the ceremony and reception that made the day “uniquely theirs” - including the castle location. They chose to break away from several traditional aspects seen at most weddings. Jennifer and Jim each selected two attendants and a flower girl. Musical accompaniment for both the wedding and reception was provided by a harp, flute, and cello trio called The Gilded Harps. The wedding cake featured a chocolate coating, with each layer wrapped on the sides with thin chocolate shavings. Large milk chocolate flowers decorated the top and sides of the cake, accented with dark chocolate leaves. The cake had layers of tiramisu with mascarpone mousse, chocolate cake with chocolate mousse, and banana. The reception had amazing gourmet food selections, including a pasta station, a grill and carving station, a salad station, and a “make-your-own” sundae station for the kids.



For more information about Jennifer and Jim’s wedding - please visit their website.
Don’t forget to check out all of the “Fifteen Minutes of Fame” features in the category.
And to submit your own wedding site for its Fifteen Minutes of Fame, just leave a comment here.

September 15, 2001 | Filed Under 15 Minutes of Fame | Leave a Comment 

Joseph & Amber, Lexington Kentucky




On the 15th of each month we feature a new and magnificent wedding! This is more than just a weekly “best site” contest with a link to the couple’s wed-site. We will take you through the entire wedding process…from the planning, to the actual event, and everything in between…including details which made each big day special.






‘Til the One Day When the Lady Met this Fellow…
Joseph and Amber met in 1997 at their church’s college Sunday School class. Joseph proposed on October 14th, 2000, at Cumberland Falls in Kentucky. Wedding plans quickly fell into place after that, and their wedding date was set for July 28th, 2001.

Amber is a fifth grade elementary school teacher, and Joseph is a C.P.A. for Arthur Andersen. They both attended the University of Kentucky, and they currently reside in Kentucky. Joseph and Amber’s wedding ceremony was held at Porter Memorial Baptist Church in Lexington, and their reception immediately followed at the church.

There’s a Party Goin’ on Right Here…
The couple had several pre-wedding celebrations — including two bridal showers, an afternoon tea, bachelor/bachelorette parties, bridal luncheon, and a rehearsal dinner held at the Lexington Green Hilton Suites.



Bells Will Ring, the Sun Will Shine…
The ceremony began at one-thirty in the afternoon. Reverend William Crawford officiated. Hymns and music selections were played by violin and piano. The bride selected three attendants and a matron of honor, and the groom selected three groomsmen and a best man. The bridesmaids wore a two-piece ensemble in “kiwi” with bateau necklines and a-line skirts. The groom and groomsmen were suited in black five-button vests and tuxedos.

The bride wore a wedding gown designed by Forever Yours. It featured an intricately embroidered and corded bodice with a square neckline. The full matte satin skirt displayed an embroidered corded band of circles on the front of the skirt and near the hemline of the cathedral-length, detachable train. The back of the corset had a deep square cut lined with buttons. Five satin rosettes accented the back waist. Amber recalls the day she tried it on, “Everyone agreed that it was just me.”

Joseph and Amber’s reception immediately followed the wedding. It was held in the Porter Memorial Baptist Church gym. Umbrella tables held the food buffet. Some of the guest tables were also covered by umbrellas with floral centerpieces. A floral archway adorned the entrance to the gym, and the hallway into the reception area held the couple’s engagement portrait and a photo screen filled with photos of the couple growing up. The guests blew bubbles as the newlyweds departed the church.

It’s the Little Things…
The couple added several elements to the ceremony and reception that made them “uniquely theirs”. Most noticeable were the flowers. The bride selected vibrant, bold colors — including bright pink, ivory, and coral roses, purple, gold, and ivory stock, and purple irises with yellow accent. The program was a booklet made by the Matron of Honor. It had the couple’s engagement picture on the front and ribbon on the seam. Tissue pouches inspired by Martha Stewart were also distributed for the ceremony. For the reception, the couple chose hurricane lantern centerpieces with mirrors underneath. Each table was also scattered with votive candles. The wedding cake featured three tiers of basket weaving with flowers in between each layer. The cake was topped with flowers. The groom’s cake represented something special to both the bride and the groom — it was topped with a University of Kentucky logo.



For more information about Joseph and Amber’s wedding, please visit their website.
And to submit your own wedding site for its Fifteen Minutes of Fame, just leave a comment here.

August 15, 2001 | Filed Under 15 Minutes of Fame | Leave a Comment