Real Wedding: Kristen Correia & Tim Quagliaroli
July 17, 2015
The Barn at Gibbet Hill
Groton, Massachusetts
Photo by JLM Studio
THE STORY
College sweethearts Tim Quagliaroli and Kristen Correia can trace the beginning of their relationship back to a random yet life-changing elective economics class. Tim and Kristen, who are originally from Connecticut and Massachusetts respectively, finally crossed paths after enrolling in that fateful course at Keene State College in February 2010.
Kristen was a junior while Tim was a sophomore, but before then the two business management majors had never shared an overlapping class. At the time, Tim was a pitcher on the college’s baseball team, and because he was busy with the spring season, he had to miss many classes. Kristen took Tim’s absences as a chance to talk to him, so she went out of her way to contact him with what he missed.
“I even took a step further and at the beginning of the semester I showed up five to ten minutes late to make sure I could walk right by him,” Kristen admits. “And here we are now so it obviously worked!”
Still, the two didn’t officially start dating until the fall because Kristen was studying abroad in Italy for the summer. The duo kept in touch overseas and finally got together the following semester.
The couple had been dating for four years when Tim proposed during a weeklong cruise in the Caribbean. He had to jump through a few hurdles before the big night, like making sure the TSA didn’t ruin the surprise when his bag holding the engagement ring was checked at airport security.
Tim waited until the very last night, when he dropped down on one knee on a balcony of the ship at sunset. Thrilled, Kristen said yes.
The wedding took place at the Barn at Gibbet Hill in Groton, Massachusetts, which felt perfect for the rustic and charming vibe the couple was going for. Tim and Kristen booked the venue for a Friday in the middle of July, a move that worried them until the day of the wedding. Luckily, come the ceremony, the temperature was in the high 70s, with zero humidity, a light breeze, and only a few clouds in the sky.
“It felt like a spring day, despite it being in the middle of July,” Tim says.
With exactly 150 guests in attendance, the intimate and joyous celebration went underway.
THE DETAILS
Photo by JLM Studio
Kristen took to planning the wedding straight away, but between the guest list, table designs, and more, the small things started to add up. “I just went back and forth a million times, those little things were the most stressful,” says Kristen of the planning process.
Photo by JLM Studio
Tim and Kristen held their wedding at the Barn at Gibbet Hill. The choice was a no-brainer. “Like when you know ‘He’s the one,’ I knew it was ‘the one,’” Kristen says. The two booked the venue a day after viewing it in person.
Photo by JLM Studio
The lace around Kristen’s bouquet was from her mother’s wedding dress, while the pearl necklace belonged to her late grandmother. For Kristen, this made the arrangement not only beautiful, but also meaningful.
Photo by JLM Studio
After a morning Tee Time and long lunch, the men headed to one of the venue’s bars for a pre-ceremony toast. “It wasn’t relaxing, I was very nervous,” Tim confesses.
Photo by JLM Studio
A standout memory was when Kristen’s father saw her in her wedding dress for the first time. It was an emotional moment for the two with Kristen being his youngest daughter.
Photo by JLM Studio
Kristen and Tim wanted the first time they saw each other to be when Kristen was walking down the aisle. Not wanting to spoil the first look, the couple opted for a “first touch.” “As soon as I was able to grab his hand, I felt so much better. My nerves went away,” Kristen says.
Photo by JLM Studio
“Pinterest and Etsy became my best friend,” says Kristen, who relied on the websites throughout the wedding planning process. The ring bearer sign was purchased from SophiasSignBoutique on Etsy.
Photo by JLM Studio
Instead of writing their own vows, Kristen and Tim wrote letters to each other. During the ceremony, their mothers placed the letters, along with a pre-selected bottle of wine, into a customized wooden box with their initials. On the newlywed’s first anniversary they will sit down, drink the wine, and read the letters.
Photo by JLM Studio
After they were announced husband and wife, the newlyweds walked out to “Love Never Felt So Good” by Justin Timberlake and Michael Jackson. Afterward, the bridal party had a quick photoshoot on the property. “I remember thinking, ‘This day is flying by—how is that possible?” Kristen recalls.
Photo by JLM Studio
Kristen aimed for a rustic-romantic theme, topping guests’ place settings with burlap napkins and opting for simple yet elegant centerpieces on the tables.
Photo by JLM Studio
The couple’s first dance was to Lee Brice’s “I Don’t Dance.” “We wanted something more ‘us,’ and this song was pretty much us in a nutshell,” Kristen says.
Photo by JLM Studio
The cake was decorated with real flowers and a “lovebirds” topper Kristen found on Etsy. Refreshing for summer, the layers alternated between a lemon raspberry and a white chocolate champagne filling.
Photo by JLM Studio
With no “horror stories” or crazy moments, Tim and Kristen say their wedding day went better than they could have imagined. “All I know is my family and a lot of my friends were saying that it was one of the best, not only weddings, but parties in general,” Tim says.
THE FILE
Venue The Barn at Gibbet Hill
Photo JLM Studio, Jessica McHale
Video McElroy Weddings
Coordination Sara Lin McCay at the Barn
Florist Floral Arts
Boutonnieres RosieTahoeCrafts (Etsy)
Decor The Barn
Bride’s Dress The Couture Collection, Alexandra’s Boutique in Fall River, MA
Bridesmaids Dresses Bill Levkoff
Hair and Makeup Petal Blush Beauty
Groom’s Attire Men’s Wearhouse, Vera Wang
Music DJ Sonney
Cake Konditor Meister
Invitations Wedding Paper Divas
Programs CreativeUnionDesign (Etsy)
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