We simply can’t stop raving about the perfect peony gorgeousness of this New England wedding. And let’s face it – A girl can never have too many peonies! These amazing blossoms paired with a subtle nautical influence created this effortless beachfront affair at Popponesset Inn, sprinkled with personal touches. It doesn’t hurt that the love these two share is literally radiating from each and every photo, thanks to the unbelievable talent of Kelly Dillon Photography. The full gallery of images is simply a must.
From the Bride… Although Matt and I went to high school together, we didn’t officially meet until bumping into each other one day at a coffee shop in the North End of Boston. I had just moved in across the street from where Matt was working, and the next morning I decided to go to the local coffee shop to take in the scenes and grab a cup of coffee. To my surprise, in walked Matt McCarthy, fully dressed in his construction boots, helmet and safety glasses. He ordered himself a coffee and bagel in the thickest Boston accent I had heard. We caught each others eyes, made small talk, and off he went. All summer long we would bump into each other, or as Matt puts it, he would “position himself to bump into me.” In the fall, he asked me to a Celtics game and from that point on, we were inseparable.
I travel for work Monday through Friday, and at the time, I was actually traveling across the country to California weekly. It was Friday the 13th and I had just taken a red eye home from the west coast. There was something different about Matt all day — I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I just thought, “Wow, he really must have missed me this week.” Everything he tried to do — take me out to dinner, take the dog for a walk, walk along the Charles River in the city, I shot down or told him we could later. I was just so busy on my phone and computer catching up with work. He just smiled, said, “okay” and patiently sat on the couch waiting for me to finish up. Finally I felt so bad, I got up from my desk and walked over to the couch to snuggle with him. I told him how much I loved him, and he did the same and told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. As I was saying, “I know, I want to spend the rest of my life with you too,” he pulled out the ring from his pocket and said, “Okay, so will you marry me?!” He was so cute — he just couldn’t wait any longer! Needless to say, we took the dog for a walk along the Charles River in the city and went out to dinner that night. My lucky day — Friday the 13th. :)
Matt and I always knew we wanted a beach wedding down the cape. The very first (and only) venue we looked at was the Popponesset Inn in Mashpee, Massachusetts, and right then, we knew it was the place. We knew we definitely didn’t feel the need to do a nautical-themed wedding because we were already at the beach. We just wanted to complement the natural beauty by adding an organic, simple and chic feel to the venue. Because I had 8 bridesmaids, I decided that I would just have them wear any black cocktail dress they wanted to. This way they could spend as little or as much as they wanted and wear whatever they felt most comfortable in. I have always loved peonies and how they are so feminine and delicate. I decided on blush pink, white and black as our colors. I bought about 21 yards of burlap and made my own table runners and ring bearer pillows to help accentuate the organic feel I was going for. I also fell in love with the blue top mason jars I found for the centerpieces. Our two dogs are the other loves of our lives, and we knew we wanted to incorporate them in the wedding somehow. What better way than to have two signature drinks named after them? Guests were enjoying “Louie’s Lemonade” and “Champagne Charlie” all night long! I picked up organic nautical pieces along the way, such as driftwood garland and signs, and I found a really cool box we used as a cake stand. It was actually Matt’s idea to have the table numbers as Cape Cod towns! We printed out pictures online of the “Welcome to” signs and framed them in $1 white frames from IKEA. When we met with Boston Uplights, Paul really helped pull everything together for us. We had spotlights on the centerpieces at each table, enormous paper lanterns hanging from the tented ceiling and separate lighting on the dance floor. The whole ambiance was romantic and chic. Everything had come together so beautifully, and the night far exceeded our expectations.
Wedding Photography: Kelly Dillon Photography / Wedding Venue: Popponesset Inn in Mashpee, Massachusetts / Floral Design: Regan Ballantyne of Inspired Designs / Lighting: Boston Uplights / Wedding Dress: Aire Barcelona via Helene’s Bridal Shop / Rings + Earrings: Barmakian Jewelers Bracelet: Swarovski / Hair: Salon Monroe / Makeup: Girly Junk