Preparing for a wedding

Many months ago when I first took the reservation for this weekend's wedding, I knew it would take extra preparation. We are going to be in Gloucester, and will cross the bridge from the boulevard over to Stage Fort Park for the ceremony. Locals will know that means crossing the drawbridge called "the cut", a place where pleasure boats come through from the Annisquam side of town and head out past the Eastern Point light into the ocean. I have been to the bridge now several times with Curley, once parked there so he could listen to the sound of the tires on the metal grid bridge while eating treats, and another time to actually walk him across. You can see the water through the grid below. I expect we will be fine with our helper, Wendy, at Curley's head as she was during our prep visit.
The carriage is clean, the harness has been polished, the decorations attached t the carriage, our dress shoes polished. There still remains the time consuming task of cleaning Curley, which we have to wait to do on Saturday, along with loading everything onto the trailer. I am excited!!

Behind the scenes before your special event

My husband Rob has become more active in the staging of special events, and he wrote up this treatise.

Engaging a Horse & Carriage for your wedding is a decision to have luxury and display in your wedding.

Even in the days before the horse-less carriage (automobile), only the wealthiest were driven comfortably in a vehicle like the ones we use in our weddings. They employed horsemen with highly developed skills to drive. Stables employed yeomen to muck the stalls and clean the harness, grooms to ready and harness the horse, often footmen to accompany the carriage, and craftsman, such as wheelwrights, that maintained the carriages. Today we do all these trades and more to bring a horse & carriage to your wedding. They are the behind the scenes costs which deliver the one-of-a-kind luxury and memorable presentation we offer you.

Behind the scenes of a luxury Horse & Carriage:

§ Insurance

§ Board /food for the horse farm in Rockport

§ Regular Veterinarian costs

§ Farrier and shoes every six weeks

§ Licensure with the State and City

§ Garage rent to store carriages

§ Truck & Trailer and gas

§ Ongoing Education and Training for driver and horse

§ Employees

§ Carriage Maintenance

§ Advertising

Time involved: Wedding contract decisions: Prior to signing a contract we have to scope the lay of the land (hills, distances, parking traffic patterns).

Pre-wedding. 5 hours of preparation to hitch truck and trailer, get the horse, clean him (Limos do not roll in the mud), load him, trailer the horse from Rockport to your wedding site, polish the harness, water and groom him, pre-check the carriage for safety, harness the horse, prepare the carriage decorations in the desired wedding colors, prepare champagne toast, dress groom and driver with top hat and tails and arrive on time.

After the wedding. 2 hours average to un-harness, rub down, water and feed, load and trailer the horse back home to paddock, drop off trailer.