An ankle broken a few weeks before the wedding didn’t stop Katie from dancing like crazy with Walter on their wedding day! Their first dance was to “We Go Together” from Grease, no less!

Brimming with personality from cover to cover, Katie and Walter’s Boston Public Library reads like a book we’d never want to put down. While you’re perusing all their gorgeous photos, get the scoop from Katie about how Walter proposed and how their day came together!

How did your sweetie propose?

“It was a series of surprises! Walter had driven me to the Boston airport through horrible traffic to fly home to California for Thanksgiving. Little did I know, he had a flight out of the same airport just a few hours later. He had planned to go home to pack before heading back to the airport, but he realized halfway home that he would miss his flight if he drove all the way home…so he turned around on the highway and went back to the airport without any luggage! He bought clothes at the airport and flew out to California with nothing but the ring (which he had secretly shipped to his medical school).

He showed up at my house, and I was so surprised (and a little suspicious) to see him, but I reminded myself that he couldn’t propose because there’s no way he had a ring—he didn’t even have a toothbrush! But then, two days later, we went on a hike and he popped the question.”

wedding dress: Lea-Ann Belter Madeleine via Lace & Bustle | photographer:  Snap Weddings | scroll down for full vendor list

How did you choose your gown?

“I went to eight different bridal shops all over New York City and the Boston area without finding anything I loved, and I was starting to feel discouraged. I wanted a dress that wasn’t strapless and didn’t have lace on it, but those were impossible to find! I had just put down a deposit on a dress I wasn’t in love with when I flew home to California for a visit. My mom set up a few more appointments at some local shops, and I fell in love with the Madeleine dress in the window of Lace & Bustle, an adorable shop in my hometown of Lafayette. Luckily, it was the last day I could cancel the other dress and get my deposit back. I loved the Madeleine as soon as I put it on. It was exactly what I was looking for: elegant and timeless, but with those beautiful beaded straps! I never wanted to take it off.”

Can you tell me a little about your day? Did you have a theme or style in mind?

“We really wanted the wedding to reflect who we are, both as individuals and as a couple, so we tried to add a lot of personal touches to the day. We wanted lots of music throughout the weekend because we are both musicians and met singing in a choir, so we filled our ceremony with music and hired a killer band for the reception. I surprised Walter with a trumpet fanfare at the end of the ceremony, and he surprised me by singing the first song with the band to kick off the dance party.

We named the dinner tables after our favorite authors, and one of our closest friends, Megan Amram, wrote us a crossword puzzle to put on the back of our dinner menus. We gave chopsticks inscribed with our names and wedding date as favors to our guests, in honor of my Korean heritage, and we decided to forgo having a cake in favor of our favorite desserts—most notably, chocolate malts (my favorite food).”

What’s your funniest wedding day memory?

“We surprised our guests with a choreographed first dance to “We Go Together” from Grease (with me dancing on a broken ankle!) and made our grand exit from the wedding with Walter pulling me down the street in a red Radio Flyer wagon, complete with “Just Married” signs and cans trailing out behind!”

Describe your wedding day in 5 words or less:

“An unforgettable, musical, magical day.”

Three words that best describe your sweetie:

Walter: Impish, kind-hearted, witty
Katie: Goofy, organized, gritty

Any advice for future brides/grooms?

“Whatever is keeping you up at night is not worth stressing out about! There are so many things out of your control, and ultimately you just have to let them go so you can relax and enjoy the ride. Not everything went perfectly, but in the end we didn’t even notice or care.”

Katie + Walter’s Boston Public Library Wedding Vendors

wedding dress: Lea-Ann Belter Madeleine via Lace & Bustle | photographer:  Snap Weddings | event coordination + catering: The Catered Affair | venue: The Boston Public Library | hair + makeup: Ali Lomazzo Beauty | florals: Centre Pieces Design | band: Ripcord | lighting: SociaLight Boston  | furniture rentals: Rentals Unlimited  

Were you a Lea-Ann Belter bride? We’d love to see your pictures and share your story! Email [email protected].