A Playful Boston Museum Wedding with Lobster Rolls and Donuts
Boston shows up everywhere in Meghan (she/her) and Brenna’s (she/her) wedding day. From a first look in the Public Garden to their celebration at the Museum of Science overlooking the Charles River, the day quietly nods to the city that has shaped their story. Photographed by Photos by Annalee, it unfolded with soft summer colours, pastel florals, mini lobster rolls, Boston cream donuts, and a tuxedo-clad dog named Ollie making the rounds. Elegant but never too serious, it felt exactly like them.
Love at First Scrum
We met through rugby at Boston College. Meghan was a few years older and volunteered with the team while Brenna played. After Brenna’s sophomore season, we started talking and spending more time together, and it quickly blossomed into something more. A few months into dating, Brenna went to study abroad in Amsterdam for a semester, but we didn’t let the distance slow us down. Meghan visited often and we took the chance to travel around Europe together.
When Brenna returned, the pandemic had just begun. Students were not allowed to stay on campus, but Brenna needed to remain nearby for nursing classes, so we ended up moving in together for a few months while she waited for a sublease to start. Living together through that time gave us a lot of confidence in our relationship. It showed us that we could get through anything together.
Fast Track to the Try Line
We knew pretty early on that neither of us wanted a long engagement. Once we decide to do something, we usually just go for it, and getting married was no different. We didn’t want the wedding to feel like this big thing hanging over us for years.
A year felt like the perfect amount of time. We had a few weeks to enjoy being engaged before jumping into planning and getting everything moving.
Game Plan and Strategy
Wedding planning definitely came in stages. At the beginning there were lots of big decisions, then a quieter stretch in the middle, and finally a wave of small details to sort out as the day got closer.
To stay organized, we created a joint email account so all wedding communication lived in one place and we could both respond whenever we had time. We also used Zola to track RSVPs, vendors, and our registry. The built in tools made everything much easier to manage.
Picking the Dream Team
Brenna did a lot of our vendor research through Instagram, looking for people whose work matched our vision. It also gave us a chance to do a quick vibe check before reaching out. We made a point to look for vendors who had LGBTQ+ content on their pages so we knew we would feel comfortable and supported on our day.
We focused first on the vendors who book out the fastest, like our venue, catering, DJ, florals and photographer, then worked through smaller details like hair, makeup and cake. We always knew we wanted to get married in Boston, but not in a traditional hotel ballroom. When we found the Museum of Science and went for a tour, we knew right away it was the perfect fit. It reflected us and our playful nature.
Our Matchday Squad
Our wedding had about 75 guests, and it was really important to us that it truly felt like our wedding. Brenna doesn’t keep in touch with much extended family, while Meghan does, so we worked to find a balance that felt right for both of us.
When it came to building the guest list, we focused on connection rather than obligation. We wanted the people there who really mattered to us, the ones who had been part of our lives and our relationship along the way.
Playing in Team Colours
We didn’t set out with a specific theme. We just wanted the day to feel like us. Elegant, but also playful and light. Instead of leaning into fall tones, we chose summer colours and brought them through the florals by Viana Floral and our bridesmaids’ dresses.
A lot of our inspiration came from Instagram, which helped us explore different ideas until we landed on something that felt right. Our relationship has always been rooted in Boston, so we made sure that showed up in the details too, like mini lobster rolls during cocktail hour and Boston cream donuts for dessert.
A Quick Kickoff
We kept our ceremony short and sweet so we could spend more time celebrating. Meghan’s dad officiated and shared a few stories about us and our relationship, which made it feel really personal.
We each wrote our own vows and read them to each other, said our I dos, and then headed back down the aisle to an instrumental version of Pink Pony Club to get the party started.
The Pre-Match Warm-Up
We got ready separately with our moms and bridesmaids in two hotel rooms while hair and makeup artists from Ali Lomazzo Beauty helped us get ready for the day. Our bridesmaids even coordinated the timing so we could leave for the buses without accidentally seeing each other.
Our photographer Photos by Annalee planned a first look in the Boston Public Garden, which gave us a quiet moment together before everything began. We did most of our portraits there with friends and family, and our dog Ollie joined us too, dressed in his own little tux from Tuna & Bear. After that, we headed to the Museum of Science for a few more photos before the ceremony.
Highlights from the Match
Honestly, the whole day felt pretty perfect, but a few moments really stand out. Our dog Ollie joined us for portraits in the Boston Public Garden, arriving in his little tux with his dog walker from DZ Petcare. When Brenna called his name, he sprinted over with the happiest butt wiggles and soaked up attention from us, our guests, and even random people walking through the park. Later, he walked down the aisle with a bridesmaid and seemed completely convinced the whole wedding was actually for him.
Another unforgettable moment happened during the ceremony. Brenna had already been emotional all day, and walking down the aisle with her dad, who was also crying, didn’t help. After a few attempts to pull it together, she turned to our guests and said, “Guys, I’m fucked,” which got a huge laugh from everyone. And later during the cake cutting, we realized neither of us actually knew how to cut a tiered cake. We ended up laughing and asking the crowd how it worked before our catering lead Sage from MAX Ultimate Food stepped in to help. The slice was still a bit of a mess, but at least our photographer got the shot.
The Real MVPs
The entire staff at the Museum of Science were incredible. From the first meeting through our tasting with MAX Ultimate Food, we clicked right away and felt like we could truly be ourselves with them. On the wedding day we even took a photo with the whole team because we had gotten along so well.
Before the ceremony we also wandered through a few exhibits taking photos, which ended up being both stunning and really fun. At one point we had to cross a bridge over the atrium while guests were arriving, so we ducked behind our coordinators and shuffled across quietly singing “don’t be suspicious, don’t be suspicious.” It was one of those little moments that still makes us laugh.
Our photographer, Photos by Annalee, was also amazing from the very beginning. During our consult, she shared that she has two moms herself and was excited to photograph a same sex couple. It meant a lot to know the person capturing our day was such a genuine ally. We had an engagement shoot with her before the wedding and were both nervous since we had never done a professional shoot before, but she made it feel relaxed and fun and helped us just be ourselves.
Photography by Photos by Annalee
Cake Montilio’s Baking Company
Catering MAX Ultimate Food at Museum of Science
DJ Meritage Entertainment
Dress Vows Bridal
Florals Viana Floral
Hair & Makeup Ali Lomazzo Beauty
Pet Care DZ Petcare
Rehearsal Dinner Venue Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant
Rings Laura Preshong
Transport JR Limo Car Service
Venue Museum of Science
Wedding Party Attire Tuna & Bear, Revelry & The Black Tux
