This Rhode Island wedding by Steve DePino is just so put together and so full of class and sophistication that it is hard to believe it was all designed and planned by the equally as gorgeous couple. I was half convinced that I was looking at a J Crew spread instead of a real wedding! A clean and classic theme with chic black and white decor does not have to equal a completely formal or stuffy affair. Guests enjoyed comfort food like grilled cheese and fried chicken with beer while dancing the night away to Katy Perry and 80’s pop tunes. SO fun. Click here to see even more from this grand fete!
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From the lovely bride, Lauren…
John and I met at Providence College as freshmen in the winter of 2003; he from New Jersey, I from Massachusetts. After getting over our Boston-New York sports rivalry (luckily he’s a Mets fan), we became inseparable and fell in love. We graduated, lived states apart, and couldn’t stand to be without each other, so in 2008 I moved to New York so we could be together. We got engaged in March of 2009 and our wedding location was a no-brainer. Working in NYC is great and we love our hectic city life, but we sometimes find ourselves wanting to climb to the top of the Chrysler building just for a view of the ocean. Rather than risking our safety, we escape to Watch Hill, RI every chance we get for a much-needed dose of family, friends, and serene coastal living and that’s exactly where we would tie the knot.
It was important to us to be married in a church, so our ceremony was held at the Watch Hill Chapel: a quaint, white chapel built in the 1870s on a bluff overlooking the sea and now the reincarnated Ocean House (a “rebirth of the last iconic New England seaside resort”…their words, not ours!) where we had our rehearsal dinner. We wanted the focus of the reception to stay on why everyone was there in the first place: our marriage! So we kept the chapel décor minimal with white flower arrangements on the first pews to designate family seats and two large cylindrical vases of white flowers on the altar.
We had a vision for our reception from the start that ultimately began with our classic black, white and gold save the dates and invitations that the unbelievably talented crew at Cheree Berry Paper created for us with calligraphy from Love Jenna. Cheree, Kristen and their team are paper geniuses, and made my stationery dreams come true by working black and white stripes and a monogram that Jenna created into everything down to our menu. I stuck to the same classic but neutral theme when it came to my bridesmaids. I didn’t want them to wear the same dresses, because really, when do you ever wear the same dress to an event as someone else? Luckily they agreed and together, we chose dress options in the same color family from J.Crew, Lela Rose, and Thread.
I wanted our tent to feel welcoming, but chic and sophisticated at the same time, so we chose a mix of white fabrics, string lighting and candles to complement and create warmth with our beige, natural weave tablecloths. We chose Tuscan and square tables as opposed to round for a cleaner look and incorporated Jenna’s calligraphy into the place setting with our menus and place cards. My vision of our flowers changed halfway through our wedding planning and luckily, I was in the best hands possible. Yumiko from Hana Floral design understood every single vision I had, suggested incredible (and better) options I didn’t know existed, and made us the most gorgeous white centerpieces and lavender bouquet I’ve ever seen.
Our dinner menu was comforting as well: beer and cheddar soup, gourmet burgers on brioche buns, buttermilk fried chicken, butternut squash and wild mushroom strudel, family-style sides, and homemade ice cream sandwiches for dessert. We had a small, red-velvet cake to cut with a custom topper made by Garden4Arts on Etsy and each guest received a bite-sized cupcake from one of our favorite NYC spots, Baked by Melissa.
The rest of the night consisted of a packed and crazy dance floor, thanks to an appearance by our college mascot and Boston-based band Magnus, who rocked out to the Killers, Journey, Katy Perry, and our favorite 80’s tunes. Dancing the night away with 150 of our closest family and friends nearly eight years after we met was a moment in time that we’ll never forget. It was the best day of our lives and we feel so lucky to share it with all of you!
Photography: Steve DePino / Flowers: Hana Floral Design / Tent: Newport Tent / Tent Decor: Exquisite Events / Chairs, Tables, Napkins: Rentals Unlimited / Tablecloths: Classic Party Rentals / Cocktail Hour Entertainment: P.D. Rogers / Band: Magnus, / Favors: Baked By Melissa Cupcakes / Ceremony Venue: Watch Hill Chapel / Reception Venue: Shelter Harbor Golf Club / Save the Dates, Invitations, Programs, Menus: Cheree Berry Paper / Calligraphy: Love Jenna Calligraphy / Cake: The Decorated Cake by Diane Marsh / Dress: Vera Wang / Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Hair and Makeup: Emir Pehilj