My Perfect Nor’easter Outdoor Wedding
As I sit here 1 week from the day I got to say “I Do” I am still in awe and at a loss for words at just how magnificent last Saturday turned out. If you don’t live in Hampton Roads Virginia you may not understand so let me explain (sit back and grab a coffee because the story is worth it). Last week Hurricane Ian hit Florida and its storm path was taking it right up the east coast, set to hit Hampton Roads, Virginia at its worst on Saturday…. My wedding day. Now I’m not completely shocked that a hurricane was set to hit my wedding weekend because of our luck and that October is in the middle of hurricane season however, I was not expecting a category 5 hurricane double the size of the last major hurricane to follow this particular path which took place back in 2004. When we booked our venue back In January 2021 Chuck had discussed with us all of the possibilities and options regarding backup plans for inclement weather. From the beginning, Chuck and his assistant Geoff have been straight with us, something we valued and wanted from a venue host. When planning our wedding we kept in mind that if the guest count was small enough we would be able to move our outdoor wedding inside and still have a beautiful event so we kept our guest count small enough to be able to move inside JUST IN CASE. Knowing Chuck was flexible and more than willing to rearrange his whole great room so that I could get married inside gave me peace of mind and so, as we followed the storm and vendor calls started to flood in I didn’t panic as much as I would have and that was the first of many comforts Chuck was able to give to me. He called me Tuesday and very calmly said look I just don’t see it happening outside but rest assured we will make sure you have a beautiful day inside and you will love it. He reassured me that everything would be okay and that he would see us Friday for the rehearsal dinner. Friday was a full-blown Nor’easter, winds hit 30mph it was cold and rain was just being dumped on the area. Having the most amazing family and friends a couple could ask for everyone showed up to the rehearsal dinner at Wiseacre where Chuck and Geoff welcomed us with open arms. During dinner, the house lost power but due to Chuck's Planning he had a generator ready and the whole house was back on and ready to party in less than a minute. He has the best generator in the neighborhood I swear because the other houses around with one weren’t so lucky. Now I don’t know if it was prayers, people's tears, or the numerous rain dances that may or may not have taken place around midnight to the rain gods and any other weather god that was watching but when we woke up Saturday morning the weather was perfect. The sun was shining, the sky was clear and the temperature was spot-on. At 11 o’clock – noon, I nervously went to Chuck and my coordinator and asked if there was any possible way the (4:30 pm) wedding could be moved outside. They went outside where the ground was by some miracle, not a mud pile Chuck said give me an hour. Next thing I knew Geoff had a rake in hand and Chuck was on a riding lawnmower clearing the 3-acre outdoor lawn without any hesitation. By the time the guests arrived, you would’ve never known a nor’easter as hit the day before. My wedding took place outside just as I had dreamed and it went magnificently. This was a long, wordy review to tell you that I have never worked with a venue so willing to bend over backward just to ensure an event went as dreamed. Chuck was prepared for literally everything and for the things out of his control he had backup plans and solutions. He kept a smile on his face the entire time, went above and beyond to make sure my vision came true, never said “no” to me, and looked mighty fine in his suit too! If you’re searching for a dependable venue then your search can stop here because this is the place you need to be. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Chuck and Geoff for all of your hard work, I can not wait to hold another event at Wiseacre! Xoxo Kaila and Daniel