Wedding Blog
Ok, so we have established that the theme or general feeling of our wedding is New England Coastal. So now I am really going to throw a wrench in the mix.
Our wedding is being held at Fort Adams State Park, a Civil War era fort on a peninsula just off of Newport with gorgeous views of the Narragansett Bay. As you may recall, I was able to get the date I wanted, and a discount on the rental, because it was the same weekend as the Civil War reenactment weekend.
The reenactment takes place all weekend long - the fort is open to visitors until 5:00pm on Saturday, but after that the reenactors stay in the fort overnight and then the fort re-opens in the morning. Our wedding ceremony starts at 5:00pm on the North Lawn which is outside the fort and on the complete opposite side of the fort from the entrance gates. I am not too worried about noise from the reenactors, because, well, they won’t have much to make noise with if they are truly reenacting, which I believe they are based on what my site contact tells me and based on photos from prior years.
So…what is my actual point you ask? Well, on top of the New England Clambake concept, Mr. Corn and I have decided to have some of the reenactors participate in the wedding. Specifically, since my father is handicapped and the walk for me from the fort to the wedding ceremony area is about 50 yards, we have decided to have some of the reenactors escort me from the fort to the top of the aisle where my dad will meet me. We are also going to have them act as ushers since Mr. Corn only has his BM and 1 groomsman (his brother and father). Lastly, we have decided that at the moment we are announced as husband and wife, we are going to have the reenactors light a cannon.
Yup.
A cannon. Oh…and to really make the whole thing as circus-esque as possible, we are using Revolutionary war reenactors…you know…because their uniforms are prettier. Here are some pics from a wedding last year at the fort where the bride and groom did the same thing. They actually walked over to the cannon and lit it, but Mr. Corn and I are just going to stay where we are and let the professionals deal with the firearms!
**Pictures by Ron Heroux
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Share this post: And Now For Something Completely Different
Maybe I’m weird, but I think that as a guest I would be really confused as to what is going on. Are you planning to make a note of the plans in the program?
IMHO I think it will be strange. Of course that is just my opinion, but I think I would walk away saying What the heck was that about, unless I read about it in the program.
Like I said, just my opinon.
Wow!! You took this to a whole other level!!!
I love using pipe and drums in new England Weddings.
This was quite creative.
Nancy Swiezy
A Newport Affaire
COOOL!!!
Boy, I wish I were going to your wedding! 
I.want.to.come! that sounds AWESOME! I am so jealous! wow Wow WOW! this is something you’ll be able to tell your grandkids about!
I don’t agree with Angie, I totally don’t think it’s strange. i think you are successfully incorporating the history of your venue into your ceremony and will effectively make it a memorable event.
I’m getting married in a historic home and we will have people familiar with the history of the home at the cocktail hour to answer guests questions while family photos are going on and people are waiting around. we are offering a house tour for guests that are interested (house is small and i’m an architect).
I think it’s really really cool. It’s a historical related event, so not everyone single one of your guests may share our enthusiasm, but whatever, it’s your day!!! 
I think it’s fantastic and such a great way to tie the venue going-ons with your wedding.
It is fun to see a regional theme played out so well.
Not all weddings have to be Pink and White.
In Newport its Hot Pink and Lime Green, Blue and White OR even red white and blue!
I did a pirate theme Rehearsal dinner for the Trump family a few weeks ago.
We did a in door clambake, a pirate flag, 5-tier red velvet cake grooms cake, with a river of ships and fighting pirates.
We held it in a boat building school.
It was so much fun.
Nancy Swiezy
A Newport Affaire
I thought your wedding was already going to be amazing, but you just made me super jealous!
I think with all the re-enactments going on around you, it’d be odd to just not even acknowledge them going on. This is such a wonderful way to do that-and definately will make for a memorable wedding! (memorable good, not memorable “what the heck was that?!”. You made me jealous….
I want to clarify a bit. I wasn’t saying it’s a bad idea in my opinion. I was just saying that if it wasn’t noted in the program or something I might not put 2 & 2 together. I think it’s great you are bringing it into your wedding, and I really think it would be weird to ignore what’s going on around your day. I guess I was saying that if I didn’t know that there was a reenactment going on (which, unless you mentioned it on your website/invite/std I would be totally clueless), I would be confused.
Do your guests know about the reenactments?
Very unique! Glad you are incorporating them.
If we guests didn’t know before, we know now but i knew before ’cause i’m cool like that!
I still want to sing the Continental Soldier song, but Miss Corn won’t let me.
That sounds like so much fun - your entire wedding party will have a blast with those special twists.
Can’t wait to see the pictures and find out how everything went. Perhaps you can provide sound clips of the drums and cannon going off! Fun stuff!
If I were a guest at your wedding, I would think this very, very cool, and so New England. (Weird would kick in if you were dressed in period costume.) I would enjoy having all this going on at the fringe, too.
Would not ruin the surprise for the rest of the guests, but — if any of your guests is heart-attack prone, you might want to give him/her a heads-up that there will be a loud noise after the I-Do’s.
Wow!!! I totally want an escort!! That is sooo cool and unique!
i think it’s a grand idea! i wanted fireworks at my wedding, but if it made sense to light a cannon like you are, i sooo would! and people sure aren’t likely to classify it as a run of the mill wedding!
Wow, I so want to come to your wedding!
doooooode. can i come? lol. that sounds like a great idea and i’m sure the reenacters would be game too. what a great way to incorporate a lot of history in your venue and such a fun way too. i mean, if they’re already there, why not use them? i can’t wait to hear about this recap.
hee hee…no worries, Angie. The reenactment will be inside the fort, and most of our guests won’t even know that it is going on since the entrance to that part of the fort is WAY far away from where the wedding will be. We do plan on putting a big hairy note in the program that says to expect a cannon salute after we are announced as husband and wife. As for the escorts, I think our guests will be able to connect the dots between the fort and the reenacters being there.
But you are right…without the warning for the cannon we really could scare the bejesus out of people
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Mrs. Corn, Newport, RI
Age and Occupation in '07: 31, HR for public accounting firm
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Consultant for public accounting firm
Engagement Date: October 7, 2006
Wedding Date: September, 2007
Blogging Since: June 1, 2007
Venue: North Lawn of Fort Adams State Park
About Me: I am a lazy scrapbooker who loves the instant gratification of making cards and I am very easily distracted by all things shiny. In honor of my childhood nights spent hibachi BBQing on the beach with my family, we are hosting a traditional New England Clambake for our reception.
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