The Couple: Gloria & Mitchell

They say that there is someone out there for everyone in this world and you just need to find them. The idea of there being a stranger somewhere at this exact moment living their life with no idea that the person they will fall in love with is looking for them as well, is truly mind-boggling. However, fate has its way of bringing two people together and showing them what love truly means!

A perfect example of fate bringing two people into each other's lives and changing the course of direction has never been more prominent than in the case of Gloria and Mitchell. A party that neither truly wanted to go to ultimately brought these two strangers together and six years later they finally decided to spend the rest of their lives together.

Love Story:

Gloria and Mitch’s love story is truly a special one that goes to show that you never know when you might find the love of your life! Their story begins with both being invited to a mutual friend’s party at UNH. For Gloria, the party sounded fun and she knew she would have a great time with her friends, but she would have to drive up from Boston after just finishing a double shift waitressing. Exhausted and still needing to drive over an hour to Durham, New Hampshire from Boston, Gloria was considering bailing from the party and calling it a night.

For Mitch, he had just finished refereeing a late night hockey game and was exhausted as well. At this point a party was not the most intriguing place to go for Mitch on this night. Thankfully, neither one of them bailed on the party that night!

When Gloria arrived at the campus, she needed to park in the parking lot across campus since she would be there overnight. Their mutual friend sent Mitch to go pick her up and bring her to the party. A series of events that very well could have never happened, lead to this moment when the two first met. From the first time they locked eyes, Gloria was attracted to Mitch’s kind nature and charming sense of humor and Mitch knew that Gloria was special! The two of them would go on to date for 6 years before finally making it official and getting engaged! If you thought their story could not get anymore special and deserving of more recognition, well it is only just getting started!

Gloria and Mitch dated for 6 years before getting engaged and eventually married. Those 6 years were very different than most couples would experience! For Gloria, she made the decision to study abroad and travel for some time. To some the idea of having the girl of your dreams leave for an extended period of time can be devastating to a relationship especially when they are half way across the world. However, Mitch not only supported this decision, but encouraged her to take this opportunity. For Mitch, he made the decision to continue with his learning and enroll in medical school. A decision that Gloria supported from the beginning to the day he graduated!

The fact that these two were able to support each other in these life changing commitments to their careers and personal lives while not having the other directly with them for support, goes to show how strong the bond and love they share for one another is! Those 6 years were just the beginning of the life they have in store for each other for years and years to come!

Engagement Ring:

When it comes to the engagement ring, Mitch was able to create the perfect ring with the help of everyone at Bellman Jewelers! When Mitch first began the process of finding the perfect ring, there was one thing he knew had to be included and that was Gloria’s late grandmother’s diamond. This was very important to the both of them since Gloria shared a special bond with her grandmother and Mitch wanted to incorporate this relationship into the ring. When it came to the design of the ring, Mitch was beyond grateful that he could customize the ring however he wished with help that allowed him to make his own decision while gaining professional insight and recommendations along the way. 

At the end of the process Mitch was stunned with how perfect the ring turned out and he was beyond satisfied with the design. Most importantly, Gloria was thrilled with the ring! Both were very happy with the final product, so much that they plan to pass the ring down to future generations in the family. 

Proposal:

With the ring ready, the only thing left was to find the right time and place to propose! That time came on an early July day in 2018 when the two decided to take a last-minute trip to Loon Mountain. Gloria and Mitch were sitting along the Pemigewasset River when Mitch knew it was the perfect time to ask the most important question of his life. For Gloria, She couldn’t say “yes” enough. Actually, it took her seventeen times saying “yes” to actually believe what was going on! When she found out that the diamond used in the ring was her grandmother’s, it was enough to bring her to tears of joy!

Dress and Wedding Bands:

With Gloria saying yes, the two of them began the process of wedding planning. From picking a venue, choosing the décor they wanted, and picking out a cake. However, the two tasks that reign most important include picking out wedding bands and most importantly, the dress!

With the wedding bands, the two decided to visit Bellman Jewelers once again for assistance. Since Mitch was so happy with his first experience, he felt that going back for their wedding bands was the best choice. After seeing endless rings through a colossal collection, Gloria and Mitch decided that they wanted something classic and simple. Gloria was provided with help in creating a custom band that would flow perfectly with her engagement ring! Her custom band was designed to fit flush with her ring in order to have the perfect look that she was looking for.

With the rings picked out, now it was time to focus on the dress! Gloria wanted to continue with the trend that they both were into and that was the vintage look. She found the dress of her dreams at Vows Bridal in Watertown, MA. The dress featured an applique on the skirt with buttons down the train and a modern V-neck on the top. A truly beautiful dress for a special day!

The funny thing is that the dress that Gloria went with in the end was far from what she was looking for in the beginning. After visiting five different shops in the hunt for the perfect dress, she began to get tired of looking and mentally drained from the process. That is when she decided to change the style she was originally looking for and widen the horizon for options in hope of finding the one! When she first saw the dress she would end up getting married in, she wasn’t thrilled by it, but once she tried it on everything changed. She quickly realized how much it fit her style and she knew it was the one! She said that if she could give advice to anyone else who is dress shopping, it would that although it's important to have a vision, continue to remain open minded throughout the process because you never know what else could peak your interest!

Idea for the Wedding:

With the dress and the rings picked out and ready to go, they still had to focus on the wedding venue and what they wanted their wedding to look like. They both expressed how difficult the wedding planning process was. Being able to capture an experience in your head and put it on paper and then have it be executed exactly like you dreamed is stressful. For Gloria she wanted a small wedding with just family and close friends just like the one her parents had, however, Mitch who comes from a very large family, envisioned a large wedding with a lot of people. With two different ideas in mind, the two of them were able to compromise and they began the search for a venue.

They both agreed on a wedding that would feel private and it would just be their guests on the site. This was made possible when they chose the Thompson Inn, a mere 3 miles away from where they first met! They went with the Thompson Inn because of its historic past as an apple cider mill, beautiful views, and ability to have a perfect outdoor or indoor (in case of rain) ceremony!

The wedding décor theme was neutral, organic, and elegant. The couple wanted their guests to feel loved and welcomed while also being able to relax while eating and drinking, but most importantly have a great time! The venue was decorated in mostly flowers and other greenery, but also featured an assortment of candles and lanterns to add some extra warm flair. They also added a few personal touches to the décor by displaying their parents and grandparents' weddings as a tribute to them! If that wasn't sweet enough, their special day happened to fall exactly 72 years after Gloria's late grandparents wedding happened. The perfect topping to an already amazing day!

Pre-wedding Thoughts:

The time was closely approaching and both expressed how nervous they were, but as equally excited! For Gloria, the nerves lasted all day but she said that her friends and family being there made for a great time! For her it was an amazing feeling to see all the hard work they did come to reality after a year of planning the wedding. However, she was stressing over the details and wanting the day to go exactly as planned. She soon realized that she can’t control how the wedding would turn out and instead just relaxed and get ready to enjoy the day however it may go! Oh yea lets not forget a visit from their rescue dog Winni who sure helped calm the nerves down too!

For Mitch, the same applied for most part. He was a little bit more relaxed and instead was making sure he was completely prepared. In fear he might forget something, he triple checked to make sure that he had his tuxedo ready to go! Prior to the wedding he hung out with his friends and just relaxed. He was ready to get the show on the road especially after he received a little gift from Gloria prior to the ceremony...a pair of socks with Winni’s face on them!

Wedding:

On October 12th, 2019 the time finally came for the happy couple. Joined by friends and family, Gloria and Mitch tied the knot at the Thompson Inn in Durham, NH. A truly special day in the same town that they first met. The day was filled with joy, laughter and most importantly love! 

A beautiful ceremony followed by a fun-filled reception made for a perfect day! Gloria and Mitch recall having the best day of their lives with their loved ones who were there to celebrate along with them! The day was filled with subtle homages to the venue’s history! The couple served warmed apple cider and mulled wine during the happy hour as well as apple cider donuts later on in the night! The best part came when it was time to cut the wedding cake! Gloria and Mitch chose an apple cake with a cinnamon filling and vanilla buttercream frosting. Talk about the perfect wedding cake for a fall wedding! The cake was so good that guests were trying to sneak home an extra slice or two with them when leaving.

 

First Dance:

One of the most special moments of the wedding reception is of course the first dance. It is a special moment where the bride and groom can share how wonderful life is through “Their Song” or in this case “Your Song”.

Gloria and Mitch decided to go with the Elton John Classic after watching Rocketman and realizing the song was the perfect choice. They had a list of potential songs that they liked and for the longest time thought they would choose one of those! They are big fans of Frank Sinatra and Edith Piaf and thought they would choose one of their songs, but just 2 days before the wedding they made the decision to go with “Your Song”.

For Mitch it brought chills throughout his body when he first heard the song and he was beyond happy with their choice. Both of them say the song is so relatable in their case and the lyrics tell a great story!

Post-wedding Thoughts:

Looking back at the wedding, Gloria and Mitch both said there were countless moments that stick out and will last for a lifetime! Gloria shared that one moment that truly was special for her was the ceremony that their officiant and good friend Kerry gave. They really appreciated her being a huge part of the ceremony and doing it for their wedding! She also shared that her dad’s "father of the bride" speech was heart whelming while being full of laughter and joy!

Mitch described the day as being filled with great memories that will forever be remembered. For him the day was so great it was hard to pick one thing, but he really enjoyed dancing to Whitney Houston and Kygo's version of “Higher Love” with all of his loved ones.

On behalf of everyone at Bellman Jewelers, congratulations to Gloria and Mitchell on getting married! We all wish you a long, healthy, and happy marriage! Thank you for sharing your story with us!

Bellman Jewelers aims to make sure that everyone who shops with us is provided with the best experience ever. Our goal is to make your proposal and special day the best it can be. We want every one of our customers to know that they matter and we will do whatever it takes to help make your day perfect! If you want to experience the Bellman Experience, then schedule an appointment today!

-Colin McBride

-Alex Bellman

Special Shout Outs:

Rings: Bellman Jewelers

Photographer: Tessa Tadlock

DJ: Dan Sky

Florist: Sorella Flower Company

Wedding Coordinator: Events By Sorrell

Cider Donut Favors: Demeritt Hill Farm

Cake: Sweetened Memories

Stationary: Jen Simpson Design

Rentals: Peak Event Services

Harpist/cellist: Melinda McMahon & Dorothy Braker

Tux and Suits: Georges Apparel

Bridesmaids Dress: Shona Joy

Videographer: New England Videography 

Hair & Makeup: Amber Jayce & Katie Walsh