A Week of Weddings
By Paul Morrone CFP®, CPA, MSA
It’s a rarity that any working individual looks forward to Monday, especially after a holiday week. Surprisingly, however, I found myself in that position after a blitzkrieg Fourth of July week that included two weddings and a road trip that took us halfway up the Maine Coastline. The prospect of getting back on a normal schedule sounded quite appealing after repeatedly indulging in lavish meals, open bars, lobster rolls and dance parties. Not quite the babymoon that Jill and I had envisioned, but it was a great time with friends and family.
The festivities started on Tuesday with my cousin, Michelle’s, wedding which was held at venue here on the Connecticut river. Despite the crazy heat and humidity that we all suffered through last week, she took it in stride and was even able to make her hair stay perfectly intact throughout the night. Luckily, the AC was blasting for the reception and the scorching temperatures outside were soon forgotten. Even more exciting, however, was the fact that she had chosen to use the same band that Jill and I had at our wedding who delivered yet another knock-out performance that kept everyone on the dance floor until the last song.
Fast forward to the next morning and poor Jill, now 7 months pregnant, felt like she was the one that had been drinking all night instead of me. Even more daunting was the thought of doing it all over again only a few days from now. Our original plan was to pack and relax the rest of the day, as we had to leave for Maine early Thursday morning. Knowing it was a 5-hour drive up north, we called an audible around 1pm and decided to leave on the Fourth and drive to Portland, Maine for the night. It was really an unexpected treat, and we got to Portland with more than enough time for a fantastic seafood dinner right on the harbor. Even though it was the Fourth of July, plenty of restaurants were open and we were able to explore the city as night rolled in and the heat dissipated. We also saved ourselves from sitting in traffic all day Thursday as Portland was only an hour from our final destination in Maine, Boothbay Harbor, for wedding number 2.
It was hard to find even on a map, but once we arrived we realized how beautiful Boothbay is. Nestled into Maine’s rocky coastline it definitely felt off the beaten path, but the town had a lot to offer in terms of shopping, dining and we explored the town and, of course, had our fair share of lobster. It was a spectacular spot for a wedding and once the heat broke, our friends had probably the nicest day of the year to get married. With the ocean in the background, they exchanged vows and we all celebrated as the sun went down. Sunday came all too quickly and it was time to head home. It was a long week, but one filled with some amazing memories thanks to some very lucky newlywed couples!
