Samuel and Rachel's Wedding in Chichester, New Hampshire

On the only weekend of 2023 that Rachel didn’t ask, Sam delivered the sweetest surprise. Squirming on the couch while indulging Rachel by reviewing hundreds of Megan’s wedding photos, Sam waited for Rachel to notice the new and out of place book on the bookshelf - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Wondering why he would bring her a book that she, of course, already owned, Rachel briefly questioned Sam but quickly dropped it. Moments later, the book had relocated to the top of the bookshelf. Curious, Rachel flipped open the front cover. She discovered light pink rose petals. Underneath, carved down to the chapter, The Unbreakable Vow, Sam had hidden a wand necklace, the key to the golden snitch sitting in his pocket. Shaking and on one knee, Sam opened the snitch and asked Rachel to marry him. The obvious response: of course I will, yes! Rachel and Sam both cherish the special ring he designed for her; the ring holds many Bushell family diamonds that will be passed along, always. (Rachel's wedding band would later hold Rachel's great-grandmother's diamond - over 130 years old. The heirloom rings continue!)

The wedding day was the perfect fall day. The leaves were at peak foliage. The bridal party and family members popped with the lush green lawns and colorful trees. And of course, Rachel and Sam were beaming.

After taking their engagement photos at a library and saving the date with a bookmark, Rachel and Sam had to incorporate books into their love story. Rachel designed a seating chart bookcase: she wrapped each book, assigned one to each guest/couple/family, and labeled the spine with each name and table number. It was a labor of love and there were so many compliments. The bookshelf really looked beautiful and everyone loved it! We also added books to our center pieces.

Another special touch adorned Rachel's bouquet: her necklace with Papa's ashes. It was so special to carry him down the aisle. Also, a lifelong family friend made Rachel straw flowers (a childhood inside joke) and surprised her with them - she added them to her bouquet too. A special detail that she was not expecting but filled her with so much love.

The wedding day was perfect! Our private vows following our first look was the best way to kick off our day of celebration. So many nods to our love story in our vows, our ceremony officiated by Sam's sister, and the speeches! Our flower dude hyped our guests up for our ceremony, where Sam's dad read a blessing and Rachel's mom sang. The dance floor was packed, the cake was delicious, and the drinks were flowing as we celebrated the most magical day!