Amy and Andy Cains exchange vows July 4, 2012, under the Bernice Garden pergola, with Andy's Army National Guard chaplain, Captain David Witte, as officiant. Photo by Kaysi Jacks (with permission)

Amy and Andy Cains exchange vows July 4, 2012, under the Bernice Garden pergola, with Andy’s Army National Guard chaplain, Captain David Witte, as officiant. Photo by Kaysi Jacks (with permission)

When Amy and Andy Cains realized their whirlwind romance would quickly progress to marriage, turning to The Bernice Garden for their wedding venue was only natural.

After all, they’d met at Community Bakery, loved the South Main area and its feeling of community, and knew they wanted their summer wedding to be kid-friendly, lovely and memorable. And since their wedding and groom’s cakes were being made by Community Bakery, the convenience factored in as well.

They also needed to work quickly – after meeting at the bakery in January 2012, Andy proposed in March. Since they saw no need to postpone happiness, “we had to plan things quickly,” Amy says.

The couple knew they were looking for an intimate setting, “one that made the wedding about our union,” Amy says.

Beside being a regular at Community Bakery, Andy used to live near the garden and had watched it being built and evolving, so of course it came to mind as a possibility.  It turned out to be the perfect intimate setting for the Cains, even with its open-air atmosphere, made more perfect by “the nature, the beautiful art and the community,” Andy adds.

Their dreams certainly came true in that area – plus the Cains have the distinction of being the first couple married at the garden. They credit Liz Sanders, Bernice Garden Events Coordinator, Community Bakery owner Joe Fox, and musician Rico Novales, along with their family, who chipped in to help set things up, with making the wedding the delight it was.

The bakery even made the groom’s cake as a mini-replica of Andy’s beloved lime green 1962 VW Beetle, which he restored and which served as their wedding coach. The children in attendance loved the cake, Andy says, and decorated the real car with streamers.

Community Bakery created a groom's cake ...

Community Bakery created a groom’s cake …                   Photo by Kaysi Jacks (with permission)

… to match the groom's car.

… to match the groom’s car.            Photo by Kaysi Jacks (with permission)

“The kids had a ball,” Andy says, “with lots of things to climb on and sit on.”

Even the children in attendance loved the Bernice Garden wedding of Amy and Andy Cains.  Photo by Kaysi Jacks (with permission)

Even the children in attendance loved the Bernice Garden wedding of Amy and Andy Cains. Photo by Sue Scully (with permission)

It was that kind of wedding, relaxed, formally informal, and, Amy adds, “with plenty of room to dance.”

The Cains also have the added oomph of a Fourth of July anniversary, which was another reason they chose the garden.

“We’d noticed you could see the Memorial Day fireworks from The Bernice Garden and thought it could be cool for our guests to watch the fireworks from there after the wedding,” Amy says.

The 60-70 guests, along with Amy and Andy, were “just enamored by the garden.” she says, “and the out-of-state family was very impressed” by their choice of venue.

“My cousin told me it really brought everyone together,” Amy says. “To me, that’s the meaning of joining two people.

Bubbles in lieu of rice or rose petals made the perfect environmentally friendly send-off for the newly married Amy and Andy Cains.

Bubbles in lieu of rice or rose petals made the perfect environmentally friendly send-off for the newly married Amy and Andy Cains. Photo by Kaysi Jacks (with permission)


Next time: More on how Amy and Andy pulled it off and how you can have a wedding at the garden.