Erin Bried &Holly Bemiss
The Prospect Park Audubon Center at the Boathouse
June 28, 2008
Erin had given Holly’s birthday present considerable deliberation: “The people at the jewelry store thought I was crazy because I went back five times to look at the same ring!” Erin was sure of her decision, but as she handed Holly the gift, she became nervous. “I was covered in sweat,” Erin recalls, laughing. “She was so earnest,” Holly says. “Erin gave me the ring and said, ‘I don’t exactly know what this means, but I do know I want to be with you forever.’” Eventually, they decided to exchange vows in Prospect Park. “We wanted to do it here, not hightail it out of New York, even after the directive [recognizing same-sex marriages performed out-of-state]. We will travel to get the papers though. However meaningful this was for us, it’s really important to us to be protected and recognized legally as a couple.”
THE DETAILS
Erin’s Gown: Laundry by Design
Holly’s Gown: Teri Jon
Hair & Makeup: Thora for Art House Management
Caterer & Cake (In-House):The Movable Feast
Ceremony Music: Jay Rodriquez
Reception Music: D.J. Momotaro
Invitations: Swayspace
Officiant: Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
Erin Bried & Holly Bemiss “We didn’t know what to wear, so we asked a stylist I work with; she said, “Black dresses, fabulous shoes, sparkly earrings.’”
“So in a way, we were dressed more traditionally than most.”
“For our favors, we decided to brew our own beer. We went to a place in New Jersey called The Brewer’s Apprentice and made a Summer Weiss. Holly made labels that echoed the design of our invites, and she named the beer Two Brides Brew.”
“The party started as soon as everyone arrived”we served cocktails before the ceremony. We wanted everyone to know that it was a celebration.”
“We kept it very loosey-goosey so people could circulate.”
“Our D.J. played funky fifties lounge music. We discovered him through a flyer at a bar in Park Slope. He plays a lot of burlesque shows; we had never been to one before, so we went to see him at the Slipper Room” and loved him.”
“We also had food stations”at one, we served 25 pounds of fish that Holly’s dad had caught in Lake Erie”and cocktail tables with no assigned seating.”
“Some guests took boat rides while hors d’oeuvre were served.”
