Located within an easy walking distance of hotels, restaurants, and shopping, Mystic Aquarium is a great location for a green wedding. There is plenty of room for a large wedding party, as you can see from these Mystic Aquarium wedding photos.
Mystic Aquarium is about a mile or so from Mystic Seaport, two of the best places to get married in Mystic, Connecticut!
The ceremony took place immediately in front of the Arctic Coast exhibit's huge glass-walled tank (you can see the waterline in some of the Mystic Aquarium wedding photos). The whales kept the flower girls and ring bearers from being bored, and fascinated the guests before and after the ceremony.
Seating in front of the glass-walled tank is stadium style. All of Elizabeth and James' guests had a good view of the ceremony. There is a ramp which gives mobility-impaired people easy access to the area.
Elizabeth and James brought sand from a place special to them for their Sand Ceremony. They added sand from a beach at their honeymoon destination, building their collection of sand as they built their collection of memories. There is more information on the Sand Ceremony Page.
The whales seemed to enjoy the wedding as much as the humans! Perhaps it was Faith Leitner playing the harp that enchanted them. Faith was a joy to hear and work with. She and I communicated with just a glance. Whether you have live musicians or a DJ provide music for your ceremony, I will meet with them before your ceremony and go over your wedding ceremony details.
(Did you ever have the feeling that somebody was looking over your shoulder?)
Jessica and Stephen wrote their own special vows in addition to their "I do" vows. They made many of us misty-eyed. Seeing the love shining from brides and grooms is one of the best rewards for a Justice of the Peace who helps them have the ceremony of their dreams.
Jessica and Stephen chose perfect colors to contrast and harmonize with the blue water and gray rocks. You, too, can get locally-grown flowers to help keep your wedding green.
One of the whales was so interested in the wedding ceremony that it actually bumped its nose against the glass. Maybe it wanted to say "Can I be the best whale, please?"
Please keep in mind that the above photos were not taken by professional photographer! Sandi is a talented amateur, and I very much appreciate her taking pictures. These photos are probably similar in quality to the pictures your guests will take at your wedding.
The advice I give at the beginning of every wedding at Mystic Aquarium is to avoid the reflection of the camera's flash in the wall of the tank. The easiest way to avoid having a problem is simply not to use flash. (This will also help the professional photographer!) Even on an overcast day, there is plenty of natural light. If your guests must use flash, have them stand slightly to one side so that they can't see their own reflection through the camera.
After the wedding ceremony pictures, the photographer took Janet and Richard to several other places inside and outside the Aquarium for more photos. All of these photos were taken by the Aquarium's professional photographer. She and her assistant were a pleasure to work with.
When it comes to backgrounds for your wedding photos, there are many displays of colorful, lively fish and other creatures. If you have children at your wedding they will not be bored for a moment; they will be fascinated by all the swimmers on parade, from jellyfish to whales.
All of the Aquarium staff are very helpful and I would highly recommend the Mystic Aquarium for a very memorable ceremony, especially for a destination wedding. There are plenty of hotels and motels nearby, and more than enough local attractions for you and your guests to enjoy during your stay. Please visit WWW.IFE.Org for professional photographs, full descriptions, and other details. (And, of course, I'd love to be your New London County wedding celebrant there!)
Copyright © 2011 Ernest Adams All rights reserved.
Version 4.4 13 November 2011
