A Traditional Summer Wedding at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts

Meredith Mitchell (42 and works in sales) and Tom Civitenga (41 and works in sales) met entirely by chance. They were both vacationing with friends in Barcelona, Spain and happened to bump into each other in the lobby of the W Hotel, where they were both staying. “We found it funny that we both spoke English and struck up a conversation about our adventures in Europe. Little did we know at the time that we both lived in Boston, only about a mile away from one another!” says Meredith. They pair got their friends together that evening for a drink and made plans to meet up once they were back in Boston. “After going out as a group a few times back in Boston, I said to Tom, ‘It's okay if you take me out by yourself sometime!’ From there we started dating and the rest is history,” says Meredith. Four years later, Tom surprised Meredith with a trip to New Orleans and popped the question in front of St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square.Living in the heart of Boston, Meredith and Tom decide to give their family and friends a taste of all that the historic seaside city had to offer. Guests were greeted with bags overflowing with locally made treats and all of the wedding’s events were strategically hosted at venues that showed off city’s history and beautiful waterfront setting. The ceremony took place at the stately St. Leonard’s Church in Boston’s North End neighborhood, a hub of Italian heritage and cobblestone streets bursting at the seams with to-die-for restaurants and pastry shops. After exchanging vows, the couple hit up Mike’s Pastry — an iconic Boston bakery — for a cannoli. The reception took place at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf Hotel, which offered a sophisticated ballroom and terrace with breathtaking views of Boston Harbor. Timeless elegance was the theme of the day, the couple opting for classic stationery, lush arrangements of roses and hydrangeas and classy, formal attire. A color palette of navy, blue and coral reflected the summer season and waterfront setting. Good music was important to the couple, who often go out see live music in the city, so a rockin’ live band was a must. Honey Train churned out hits from their favorite ‘80s bands, keeping guests out on the dance floor all night long. Once the reception ended, the newlyweds moved the party over to Hennessey’s bar in Faneuil Hall, the very spot where Meredith and Tom had their first kiss.