Mike Uncorked: The Wedding!!!
By Mike Butler
On July 14, 2018 at 2:00 in the afternoon, I married the most wonderful man on the planet! It was a day (and a process) that was beyond perfect. The support Ian and I have received since day one of our relationship leading up to the wedding day is so profound and overwhelming and I thought I would dedicate this Mike Uncorked to our special day for everyone to read about and be a part of.
How it all began …
I’m a sappy romantic at heart and I believe in time and place, and serendipitous pitter-patter of the heart (and so does Ian!), so when Ian brought his resume into Atlantic Lighting Studio ten years ago, we both caught each other’s eye and both kind of thought … “gee, he’s cute!†We worked together for two years and then starting dating, and it’s been a joyous, roller coaster ride of fun ever since that Sunday, that summer we decided to become a couple.
What makes us work is that we’re so different in personality, habit, and background, but find beautiful common ground and compatibility when it boils down to it all. We make each other happy and in our eight years together, having never had an argument, never compromised our interests for each other, and living very busy lives all the while supporting each other to the fullest, Ian and I decided that marriage was the next step. We both agreed that we didn’t need a piece of paper to tell us how much we loved each other, but filling a room with those who love and support us the most did. It’s been a terrific journey with never a moment of discrimination or struggle. Ian and I have had nothing but the utmost support and love from our families, friends, community, and beyond, and many times we’ve been rendered speechless by the generosity of those around us. Yes, we are from a small town but that small town has a big, inclusive, welcoming heart that beats for everyone who lives and visits here.
Acadia University and its Chaplain, Rev. Tim McFarland, both mean a lot to Ian and I so it was a no-brainer that we selected both the Manning Memorial Chapel and Tim to be part of our special day. The chapel is stunning and Tim is a brilliant speaker who knows us both very well and he exceeded all our expectations for the service. In Tim’s 11 years, we are the first same-sex marriage to be performed at the chapel, which made the day very special. Tim’s perfect delivery and gentle nature made our service welcoming and inclusive, and our guests included Muslims, Catholics, Anglicans, Baptists, members of the gay community and more. Ian and I will forever spend our marriage thanking Tim for his friendship, spirit, and warmth.
Our wedding party was made up of Ian’s best friend Ian (with Ian’s wife Zanne giving the toast at the reception), and my three nephews, Ethan, Tanner, and Luke standing by my side. My fourth nephew Ben was absent, playing football in Guelph as part of Team Nova Scotia (I couldn’t be prouder!), but he was in my thoughts the entire day! The wedding party was rounded off by my beautiful niece Abby walking Ian and I down the aisle, taking us to Tim and offering us to each other for marriage. There was not a dry eye in the church and she stole the show!
Ian and I refused to spend heaps of money on our big day because we wanted the finer details and the people to be our priority, so we went with simple decorations, beautiful flower arrangements from our friend Robert, a four-tier carrot cake (heaven!) created and given as a gift by my former landlord and great friend Danny, and our family and friends all chipped in to decorate, run errands, and assist with props for the photo booth. My friend Ashley, fresh off the plane from Alberta, even ironed the tablecloths for me.
Ian and I have moderately-sized families and we have lots of friends and acquaintances. Narrowing down the guest list was the toughest part of the process but in the end, we were so pleased with those who shared in our day. Family and friends travelled from Alberta, Ohio, PEI, Ottawa, and within the province to be with us, and included some of Ian’s family that I’d never met and friends of mine that I hadn’t seen in close to eleven years. It was an amazing crowd of crying, smiling, and thunderously applauding fans of the giddy grooms up front!
One of our main objectives when planning our wedding day was to support local businesses. Our wine was purchased at Domaine de Grand Pre where Ian and I got engaged. The food was catered by the incredible Tammi Matthews, owner of Bryanna’s Cafe in New Minas (an hors d’oeuvres buffet to die for!), and our keepsake truffles were supplied by Hilary Webb and the team from Hill’s Grills in Kentville. They were delicious! Decorations and photo booth were courtesy of Centrestage Theatre, Quick as a Wink Theatre, and many friends and family, and our custom-made pride purple beeswax candles were supplied by L’Arche Homefires! Our photographer, this very important component of our day, was my very special friend Claire Colville of Two Crows Joy Photography, and her photos perfectly captured the love and excitement of the day. We couldn’t be happier with her work! The last piece of the adorable puzzle came in the form of a rainbow bench made by The Flower Cart in New Minas, which was the scene of many photos that evening.
The reception and dance took place at the Lion’s Hall in Wolfville and was a grand success. There were many laughs, tears, hugs, and exchanges of love and best wishes and, upon reflection Sunday morning, the day was absolutely perfect!
A special note to close. Both mine and Ian’s parents are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversaries this year, so we wish our biggest supporters all the best with much love.
Thank You,
The Newlyweds
Photo Credit: Claire Colville, Two Crows Joy Photography
