Cate Griesedieck acknowledges that her wedding with Bill Beggs Jr. was unconventional, but then, so is their story, she says. Having never been married and deciding it was on her bucket list, Cate joined an online dating site, and Bill kept showing up in her matches. They decided to meet, and a four-hour first date was a good indication that the two had plenty in common. Cate says after three months, they could hardly remember a time they didn’t know each other.
Bill ‘proposed’ over the phone, but Cate says it was actually more romantic than it sounds. “On July 23, he called to tell me he wanted to make it ‘official,’” she says. Shocked, she told him that wasn’t romantic. But when he said he just couldn’t wait, she changed her tune and responded with a resounding yes.
The couple married on the wedding anniversary of Cate’s parents, and pictures of that day in 1943 decorated the mantel of The Savoy Room in The Chase Park Plaza, their ceremony and reception venue. Cream tablecloths topped with burlap runners, silver trays, flowers and candlelight perfectly captured Cate’s vision of casual elegance. “My bouquet included hops as a nod to the old family business (the onetime Griesedieck Brothers brewery),” she says.
Her friends were so excited, they all wanted to be bridesmaids, Cate says. “At our ages, that would be kind of silly,” She claims. Instead, everyone played a special role. Her friend Carol Weisman served as officiant, good friends Dr. Karen Harris and Pamela Resnick walked Cate down the aisle, and longtime friend Sofia Perry was matron of honor.
Cate says she felt surprisingly relaxed for a first-time bride. As she entered to the instrumental portion of ‘Layla,’ she remembers Bill grinning broadly. The 50 guests, who all donned heart tattoos with ‘Bill’ in the center, enjoyed the couple’s memorable vows, the groom’s DJ skills, and a grilled cheese bar with tomato bisque. “My memory of the whole weekend was of doing nothing but laughing,” Cate says.
resources
ceremony | The Chase Park Plaza
reception | The Chase Park Plaza
gown | Vintage skirt
cake | Ces & Judy’s Catering
florist | Mary Tuttle’s Floral and Gifts
music | Bill Beggs Jr. as DJ
wedding party
matron of honor | Sofia Perry
groom’s side | Bill’s children, Henry and Olivia
wedding date: Feb. 13, 2016
Photos: Perry Resnick