After running in similar friend circles for 12 years, a vacation photo on Instagram prompted Allison to slide into Harrington’s DMs.
“I was curious about what he was getting into—I was trying to start to travel a little bit more,” Allison says. “I like to be forward and make the first move, so that’s why I asked him out.”
Upon his return, the two met for a picnic, making great use of the Olmstead Park System.
“I don’t really have outdoor space at my apartment, so the closest that I have is a traffic circle at Lafayette,” Harrington laughs. “It sounds funny, but it’s a pretty traffic circle.”
The distinctive ring that Harrington proposed with, two years after that first date, was his mother’s.
“My father passed away when I was pretty young, but my mom had always worn that ring every day I’ve ever known,” he explains. “It is such a unique ring, and I didn’t know if Al would really like it, but she absolutely loved it.”
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“There’s nothing I would change about it; I love how dynamic it is,” Allison agrees. “It’s definitely unique to us and represents our family.”
Day-of details
Intimate and family-focused were key pillars for Allison and Harrington’s wedding day. With this in mind, the couple decided on a City Hall ceremony with DIY details.
A calendar date full of sentimentality—April 26—was approaching, and it seemed the perfect date for their own new beginning. “I realized [it] would have been my mom and dad’s 50th wedding anniversary, and my dad had passed away five years ago,” Allison explains.
Originally planning to tie the knot in the officiant office at City Hall, the judge suggested they take advantage of the unusually warm April weather.
“Being on the stairs of such a grand building made it super special,” Harrington says. “A lot of people were driving by honking their horns. It certainly was more of a celebration than just being in the office in City Hall.”
The couple fully assembled Allison’s bridal attire and bouquet.
“We’re both artistic people and very DIY kind of people to begin with,” Allison says. “We went to Trader Joe’s and spent maybe $40 on flowers, watched a couple of videos on YouTube and [made] the bouquet together.”
Allison’s top and skirt were from Zara; however, a broken zipper resulted in a fun turn of events.
“Harrington kind of just ripped it so I could make it into a crop top, which kind of worked out,” Allison laughs.
After the ceremony, the couple and their family went to Coco Bar & Bistro, a French restaurant in Allentown, and tucked into one long table, allowing them to spend quality time with their guests. To cap off the night, the couple visited one of their favorite secret dive bars on Amherst Street.
“We liked the aesthetic of something that’s a little bit more natural, a little bit more in the moment,” Harrington says.
The dream team
Photography / Melissa Mjoen
Flowers / Trader Joe’s
