Colby College is a long way from Rockefeller Center—around 400 miles, in fact—but for a brief moment this past December these disparate places shared two things in common: they both 1) saw large amounts of snow and 2) attained landmark status in the lives of our bride and groom, Emily and Peter (aka “Rummel”). It might have taken, in Emily’s words, “ten years, 560 miles of separation and a few windy roads” to get the couple from a cinder-block dorm to The Rainbow Room, but the journey sure seemed worth it to everybody who attended their wedding.

Of course there are some things that may never change. You can take the girl out of Maine, but can you ever really take the Maine out of the girl? While many of our brides can’t wait to start their Big Day by slipping into their Louboutins, Emily was nonchalant about the early snow storm and hit the town for her First Look wearing a pair of LLBeans. We love a good sport—and so does Rummel, who greeted his gorgeous and game fiancée i

 

n front of Rockefeller Plaza’s famous Christmas tree. With all the holiday lights and swirling snow, it almost seemed as if the couple were inside their own snow globe.

The wintry cityscape was soon exchanged for the more elegant environs of the Rainbow Room and the literal joining together of hands—and families. Lest the proceedings grow too solemn, ever-adventurous Emily interrupted the wedding to let the audience know that her mother had written the ceremony. “People laughed pretty hard,” she remembers. “In a very loving way, Rummel looked at me like of course you wouldn’t be able to keep quiet for the ceremony.”

But who would want to keep quiet for such an amazing event? Not many, as witnessed by our photos of the lively reception, which featured a commensurate number of break-out moments, including (but not limited to) an impromptu guest-performed version of “Love Shack,” swing dancing, a limbo contest and definitive proof that the Rainbow Room’s dance floor rotates.

All of which goes to say that on this special night, everyone was ready to Rummel.

Location
The Rainbow Room
Date held
Sat Dec 9th
Q1

How and when did you meet? What were your first impressions of each other?

Emily: We met on Rummel’s first day at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. He was a freshman, I was a sophomore and I was his dorm’s RA and next door neighbor. I gave him his room key. While Rummel recalls this first encounter in great detail, his strong first impression wasn’t exactly reciprocated. Nevertheless, the friendship quickly grew. The romance blossomed that spring over late-night conversations and long sessions of watching episodes of “Lost.” Ten years, 560 miles of separation and a few windy roads later, we finally decided to get married and live in the same city!

Q2

What was the wedding planning experience like for you?

Emily: To be honest, my mom did most of the planning. I was busy with the first semester of business school and Rummel had just started a new job after his move to New York. My mom did a great job of spearheading the planning and giving us a limited list of options to choose between because she knows I am an overthinker (in particular) while Rummel is very flexible.

Q3

Did planning your wedding teach you anything new about yourself or each other?

Emily: It reinforced for me that Rummel is very flexible. My guess is it reinforced for Rummel that, as he already knew, I am very type A.

Getting ready it was important to have people around me from all stages of my life.

Emily

Q4

Who did you choose to get ready with on your day? Why was it important to have those people with you?

Emily: Getting ready it was important to have people around me from all stages of my life: two friends from 3rd–12th grade, one cousin, Rummel’s sister, two college friends, one friend from Teach for America (my previous job) and one from life in New York. Rummel had his two brothers, my two brothers, one friend from K–12th grade and three college friends. Family was important for us on the big day.

Q5

How did it feel to be married on a snowy day in New York?

Emily: It was a dream come true. When we picked December I said “I hope it snows.” People laughed at me and said it was too early and wouldn’t snow yet. I said I wanted to wear my snow boots in the wedding pictures. It all worked out! We were also hoping to give our guests a true New York experience with the venues we picked. Knowing that a Christmas time in the city is spectacular, I think the snow added to that.

When we picked December I said ‘I hope it snows.’ People laughed at me and said it was too early and wouldn’t snow yet. I said I wanted to wear my snow boots in the wedding pictures. It all worked out!

Emily

Q6

What song did you choose for your first dance? Why?

Emily: Sara Barreilles’s “I Choose You.” The lyrics called to us and we were debating between that and Christina Perri’s Song “A Thousand Years.” Once we realized it was from Twilight that song was no longer an option!

Q7

What are the moments from your day that stand out the most?

Emily: I interrupted the wedding ceremony to let the audience know that my mom had written the ceremony and people laughed pretty hard. In a very loving way, Rummel looked at me like of course you wouldn’t be able to keep quiet for the ceremony. Rummel’s family friends took over from the band for the song “Love Shack.” That was epic. I got to spin Rummel for the first dance and then my Dad for the father-daughter dance. Rummel twirled willingly while my Dad not so much. Parent and brother speeches were on point. And just looking around the room and seeing everyone have so much fun. One of our friends also did a bridge from the dance floor to the regular floor to prove that the floor was rotating. That was pretty entertaining.

Ten years, 560 miles of separation and a few windy roads later, we finally decided to get married and live in the same city!

Emily

Rummel’s family friends took over from the band for the song ‘Love Shack.’ That was epic.

Emily

Q8

If you could keep only one memento or souvenir from your day, what would it be?

Emily: We kept one of the vases of flowers for more than a month after the wedding. They still looked great when we finally got rid of them.

Q9

What are some of the qualities you admire most about one another?

Emily: We are each other’s opposites in pretty much every way imaginable but we have the same taste in food, travel and fun.

Q10

What has been fundamental to the success of your relationship?

Emily: Passion for one another.

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Credits

  • Photography

    Joanna Toto for The Day

The Day