Oh, New England. You have nautical preppy-chic down to a science. Take for example this elegant Westbrook, CT soiree. I am more than smitten with the beautiful seaside location and ocean views, the pink and navy blue striped ties, the tented reception on the lawn, the shutter place card holder and all of the gorgeous blooms created by Blush Floral Design. And if that weren’t enough to convince me of your awesomeness, there’s the fabulous bright green bridesmaid dresses, complete with navy blue wedges. LOVE. Carla Ten Eyck Photography was there to capture every amazing detail, so join me in the gallery for even more nautical goodness!
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From the Bride… When Steve and I thought about what we wanted for our wedding, we knew two things: we wanted an elegant, laid-back atmosphere where our family and friends could feel comfortable and we wanted to get married somewhere that felt personal. We considered venues in our hometowns in South Jersey and Northern Virginia as well as our current home in New York City, but nothing seemed like “us.” When it finally dawned on us, it just seemed obvious – I’d been going to Westbrook, Connecticut with my family since I could remember and the beach house there, “Pittsport,” was perfect.
Built in the early 1900s, the house is full of history and just beautiful looking out over the Long Island sound. With the setting picked out, it was fun to start mapping out details that would not only play up its rustic charm but also reflect some of my family’s traditions from years spending summers there. We raided the storage shed and pulled in anything we could find from around the house and the shoreline – from an old shutter to display the seating cards, to driftwood and rocks with chalked-in table numbers. My mom hand-painted signs to label the bar, the beer bucket, and to point out the porta-potties (which was a funny hit). And at the last minute, when the weather looked like it was going to cooperate for a sunny outside affair, we bought cheap neon sunglasses that really made the cocktail hour. Some of our favorite personal touches were my grandmother’s homemade Chex mix and my brother’s amazing fireworks show at the end of the night.
But what I think we’ll remember most of all, outside of all the details, was the ceremony. We had just said our vows, when the sea breeze picked up and a gust of wind came in off the water. Everyone said it was those who couldn’t be with us looking down on us. Sometimes it’s the things you don’t plan for that really make the difference. It was an amazing day – more than we could have imagined.
Wedding Photography: Carla Ten Eyck Photography / Flowers: Elisabeth of Blush Floral Design / Event Planning: Mother of the Bride / Ceremony + Reception Location: Private Residence / Wedding Cake: Cloud Nine Catering / Wedding Dress: Marisa