Ever fall head over heels in love with a wedding with just one glimpse? We do every day around these parts and this Long Island beauty is no exception. Picture perfect with the prettiest colors and subtle hints of blues, pinks and greens, this wedding will charm your socks off! Each and every last gorgeous detail was captured to perfection by Tory Williams Photography and you can see even more right here!
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From the Bride… Sean and I met while attending the University of Maryland. What started out as shy looks across the classroom turned into a budding romance complete with Terps football, date nights in Georgetown and lots of traveling while Sean and I pursued our careers and graduate degrees. Fast-forward nine years, three states and two pet bunnies later, Sean popped the question and we started planning our perfect wedding. We began by looking for a New York wedding venue that blended our love of the outdoors and classic style. When we found Bailey Arboretum on Long Island, we knew we had a perfect match for our casual elegance theme. The combination of beautiful gardens and a historic house provided an amazing backdrop to work with. After selecting the venue, the dress was the most important item for me! I really wanted something that had straps and a vintage yet timeless feel. I went to the Wedding Salon of Manhasset with my mom and bridal party and selected the first dress I tried on. Amazingly, it was a unanimous decision, and I couldn’t wait for my wedding day to come, just so I could wear that dress. From there, the rest of the planning just fell into place!
We wanted the wedding to be as personal as possible, so we kept the wedding under 100 guests. This really helped us talk with all of our guests and make them feel included. We both wanted an outdoor ceremony and decided to hold it in a secluded grove of trees at the Bailey Arboretum, which created a beautiful and intimate setting. We asked my godfather to marry us and worked with him on writing a ceremony that truly expressed our love for one another. One of the most touching moments was when my father sang an original song, which had everyone, including my photographer, a little teary-eyed. From the ceremony, guests went to a cocktail hour inside Bailey House, where they enjoyed our signature Cucumber Collins cocktails and delicious appetizers while being entertained by a jazz duo. After, the reception took place on the lawn under a large tent. One of my favorite moments of the reception was our first dance. We took two months of dance lessons to prepare and really amazed our guests (and ourselves) with our foxtrot to Frank Sinatra’s “More.”
What really helped make our day a success was hiring a fantastic group of vendors, from the makeup artist to the DJ. Each vendor carefully listened to what we wanted for the day and ended up exceeding our expectations. When you’re not working with a catering hall or a wedding planner, it means you have to do a lot of legwork yourself. Luckily, Mark of Excellence Catering really helped us plan the whole day, in addition to serving amazing food (including mini sorbet cones on the dance floor). To bring my garden party to life, we worked with Denise Fasanello, whose floral arrangements really complemented everything, from the aqua bridesmaid dresses to the burlap tablecloths. I wanted to sprinkle personal and unique accents throughout the day, and although it was time consuming, I was able to find a lot of great products on Etsy, including my hair flower, bunny cake toppers and our groomsmen’s ties. Last, we both agreed that the photography was very important to us to help preserve our memories, and we couldn’t have been happier than working with Tory. She is amazing at capturing every moment without interfering with the day, and I know I will cherish my photographs for a long time.
Wedding Photography: Tory Williams Photography / Wedding Venue: Bailey Arboretum in Lattingtown, New York / Floral Design: Denise Fasanello Floral Design / Wedding Cinematography: Well Spun Weddings / Catering: Mark of Excellence / Cake Toppers: Heart Shaped Creations / Musicians: L & S Entertainment / DJ: Sugartown Industries / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Hair Flower: Silver Pencils / Hair + Makeup: CLM Makeup / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Donna Morgan / Groomsmen’s Ties: the belle and the beau