Bridal 2015: Jeanine Thompson and Fred Peel
Photos by Shane Wynn
“I Dos”: Sept. 5, 2014. The wedding was at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, and the reception was at Papa Joe’s. The couple also hosted a reception at their home in Arizona on Nov. 16, 2014.
Highlight of the day: Being able to spend time with our family because we don’t get the opportunity very often, due to the fact that we live in Arizona.
Hardest part in planning the wedding: Planning it from Arizona took the most effort and organization. We knew we wanted to be married in Ohio at Stan Hywet. Once we decided that, we made two trips to Akron earlier in the year to meet with vendors. Most of our immediate family members live in Ohio, and we wanted to bring our celebration to them. For us, it was worth all of the effort to share our day with our loved ones.
Our guests are still talking about … The post-ceremony events. We had high tea in the Drying Yard immediately after the ceremony. The ladies wore fascinators and garden hats. It was a sunny Ohio day in a delightful venue with delicious sandwiches and scones. Our guests loved it.
The dress: I bought an “off the rack” dress and had it altered to my tastes. I fell in love with the back of the dress but was less than thrilled that it was strapless. The seamstress used material from the train to make the halter top straps. It is uniquely mine.
If the shoe fits: I bought my shoes at a local thrift store, and they were so comfortable I wore them the entire day.
What made your day unique: Fred and I each wore a piece of jewelry from a departed family member. Fred wore his father’s watch, and I wore a diamond-and-aquamarine ring that my aunt had given me a few years before she passed away.
The post-toast: After the toast, we stood up and said a few words about how we felt about each other and how we were destined to meet. We met in Arizona but discovered that, as children, we lived only a few miles apart. It took many miles and many years, but we finally met.
Family bonding: The style of wedding that we wanted didn’t include dancing. We wanted an intimate family-only ceremony with a family-style dinner. It was more important to us to be able to spend time with each family member in attendance.
The cake: We had individual servings of tiramisu from Papa Joe’s, which our guests raved about. When we returned to Arizona, we had a reception at our home with about 60 family and friends. My close friend, Lyndee Tisinger, baked cakes in different shapes and sizes using a classic layered carrot cake recipe. The day before the reception, she brought them to our home, and we frosted each cake. The morning of the reception, I bought fresh flowers and decorated each cake with them.
Motto for marriage: Always respect your spouse and the sanctity of what marriage brings to your lives together as a whole. You won’t always agree, but it’s best to be truthful with each other.