My niece’s wedding is over and we are back home. Although the venue was an hour 20 minutes away, for old folks like us, we’d rather stay over than drive home in the dark.
It was held in the area of Connecticut I love most, the northeast corner for the state, better known as “the quiet corner”. It happens to be the area where my college was located before it closed in 1980, so no wonder I love it!
We drove up to the hotel in Dayville, a Comfort Inn & Suites which was a very nice hotel and 10 minutes from the venue, checked in and headed off to Putnam to join my family from Maine at lunch. Putnam has gone from a New England mill town, to a rundown town with a K-Mart when I was there, to a destination for antique shopping, biking, hiking, and leaf peeping. There are 5 or 6 restaurants to choose from right in the main area of town, and plenty of parking, and the lots were filled when we arrive at 1pm!
After lunch we all headed back to the hotel to get ready. I had showered in the morning and had my hairdresser wash and dry my hair at her salon. That isn’t something I normally do, but I thought about it far enough in advance and she had time to do it.
We left for the venue – Pinecroft Estate with plenty of time to spare. They wanted everyone there at 3:30 to have everyone gather in the heated tent and proceed to the outdoor area for the ceremony. Being mid-November in Northern Connecticut it was chilly, and I was glad I had my coat!
It was a beautiful, and short, ceremony. My sister and her husband escorted my niece down the aisle and her sister was her matron of honor. We all got teary-eyed.
After the ceremony, the photographer had everyone, wedding party and approximately 90 guest, stand in front of the barn for a group picture. I stuck my head next to my sister so we look like conjoined twins in the picture!
Everything about the reception was perfect. The tent, connected to the reception barn, was beautifully heated and, of course, had sides to it. Inside was a couch and chairs, metal outdoor tables and chairs, and one of two bars. The hors-d’oeuvres table was here along with servers passing food.
Once we got into the barn, the festivities began! The wedding party and parents were introduced, the first dance was danced, and the speeches completed.
The efficiency of the staff was incredible. The servers blended in and were never in the way. The food was prepared in the house next to the barn and delivered 4 or 6 plates at a time. My husband and I had pumpkin raviolis in Sage butter sauce.
The wedding cake was a small one that the bride and groom cut, but for the guests there was a cookie table along with coffee and tea.
Once the dancing started, my son, his wife, and my nieces and nephews never left the dance floor! I don’t know how they do it! We especially enjoy watching my niece and her husband and told her it’s evident where her 6 year old daughter gets her theatrical nature.
We were there from 4pm to 9:30pm and we couldn’t believe how it felt so much longer! But the end rolled around and we got our coats and left. Some family members continued on in the hotel lobby, but my husband and I headed to our room.
We saw most of the family in the lobby for our hotel continental breakfast before we all headed home. It was so nice to be together and we will see most of them again at our family Christmas party next month.
Thoughts From The Passenger Seat 