Sydney Dionne
- Oct 10, 2021
- 4 min read

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Mack!

September 3rd 2021 was the best day of our lives so far; it was our wedding day! Here, I’ll share all the details of the day-gifts, decor, allllll sorts of photos, vendor love & more!

September 2nd, 2021

I woke up at 5am for no reason other than...JITTERS. Luckily, my now in laws are early risers. The three of us sat in the living room together until my now husband woke up. It was a pretty quiet morning until it was time to pack up and head to our hotel (which was also the venue), The Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth Hotel in Portsmouth, NH.

Ryan & I arrived around lunch time, and our suites weren’t quite ready yet. So we went and had lunch at one of our favorite spots, Poco’s Cantina. Coincidentally, we went there too on the night of our engagement! It was a ‘calm before the storm’ lunch with just him & I.

After lunch, we went back to the Sheraton to meet with our coordinators, drop off our decorations, and check into our suites (we got two so we’d each have one to get ready in on the big day). Once that was done, we had a little time to freshen up before the rehearsal & dinner!

REHEARSAL TIP: have your wedding party order written down & songs timed for walking purposes ahead of time! Many people will need this information, so it’s best to have it worked out well in advance.

The rehearsal went smoothly & quickly, so we took a few quick pictures before heading to our dinner at The Gaslight Grill, also in downtown Portsmouth!

Once at dinner, it was time to eat, drink & laugh! After dinner, I gave my bridesmaids & family their gifts!

Bridesmaids: Navy satin robe with their name on it, a hair piece to be worn on the wedding day, a bracelet with their initial on it & a card written from me with my favorite parts of friendship with them!

Dads: Dusty rose ties with a message on them

Moms: Necklaces with a card

Groomsmen (from Ryan): Monogrammed Yeti Can holders

After dinner, we went back to my suite & hung out on the large deck that overlooked the harbor, and after that, it was time to call it a night to rest up for the next day!

September 3rd, 2021 - wedding day!!

8am: Alarm goes off; it’s here! It’s wedding day! After a shower I was ready for the day ahead! My maid of honor & one of my bridesmaids were on their way to my suite with breakfast & coffee! Shortly after, the rest of my bridesmaids arrive in their robes, eager to start getting ready!

Hair & make up arrived & starting setting up around 10am! TIP: Have a plan of who is getting hair/makeup done when, especially if you have a bigger wedding party. This way, it keeps things moving along & more organized.

Around lunchtime we ordered room service (perks of having everything at a hotel!), and in our true style, it was chicken wings & truffle fries. One of the two photographers arrived & started taking details & getting ready pictures, too!

Brett Alison Photography

Don’t worry-our photographer got some of the guys, too!

Brett Alison Photography

Hair & Makeup concluded around 4pm, which gave us about an hour to get into dresses & get situated before the ceremony at 5pm (which included mimosas & champagne!) We utilized the deck for more pictures, too!

Brett Alison Photography

Just before 5pm, the coordinator came to get us to line up, and then it was go time. It was time to get married!!

The ceremony was short, simple & sweet-just as we requested it be. ’I now pronounce you husband & wife!’

Brett Alison Photography

After the ceremony, it was everyone’s favorite part - formal pictures! The wedding party & parents were rallied up & outside we went.

Brett Alison Photography

After pictures & some food in our cocktail room, we were lined up to go into the ceremony! The parents & wedding party were introduced while “Hey Brother” by Avicci played. Then, Ryan & I entered to the end of “Levels”, also by Avicci (see a music trend, here?)

Brett Alison Photography

After intros, we went right into first dances, toasts & dinner!

Our first dance song: ‘Dance With Me’ by Morgan Evans & Kelsea Ballerini

Brett Alison Photography

Father/Daughter: ‘My Little Girl’ by Tim McGraw

Brett Alison Photography

Mother/Son: ‘My Wish’ by Rascal Flatts

Brett Alison Photography

Then, we cut the cake! That cake was probably the best cake I’ve EVER had. After that, we danced the night away!

Brett Alison Photography

Just before 11:30 pm, which was when the ceremony was to conclude, we had our last dance to “Can’t help Falling in Love” by Ingrid Michaelson. After that, our wedding day had come to an end, and it was everything & more. It was truly the best day. We are so fortunate for so many family & friends that were able to be there & celebrate with us!