I often catch myself feeling beyond lucky for getting to spend my days poring over love stories. And if that wasn’t good enough, I get to swoon over the stories captured by talented people like Shannen Natasha Weddings. Whose images of this Bedell Cellars wedding make me feel like I am right there dancing the night away with this stunning couple after a perfect day. That’s nothing short of lucky, and I couldn’t be more thankful that my day will be spent right here.
From the Bride… I grew up in a small beach town on the North Fork of Long Island—90 miles and a world away from New York City. After Billy and I started dating, I introduced him to the area, and he loved it as much as I do. We’ve spent some of our happiest, most relaxing weekends there, and it was an obvious spot for our wedding. The North Fork has great beaches, farms and vineyards, and we wanted our wedding to reflect everything that we love about the area. We hosted a rehearsal dinner BBQ beach bonfire at my parents’ house, and planned the wedding at a nearby vineyard.
We wanted the wedding to feel rustic, but elegant—and most of all, to celebrate our love for each other and our guests. We worked with a wonderful florist, who sourced local, seasonal flowers. Instead of a wedding cake, we served pie from a local farm stand. To reflect our love of travel, we asked guests to sign a giant, Lonely Planet travel book—picking a destination that was special to them. We brought in a phenomenal band from Manhattan, and danced like maniacs all night.
Our lovely photographer, Shannen Natasha Weddings, took photos before the wedding—at my parents’ house and on their boat. She made us feel comfortable and relaxed, and captured our emotions perfectly. I bought inexpensive shoes, knowing that if that if we threw the kind of party we wanted, I’d be barefoot and dancing by dessert. Thankfully, we were right.
Wedding Photography: Shannen Natasha Weddings / Wedding Venue: Bedell Cellars in Cutchogue, New York / Floral Design: Rebecca Jens from Moments in Time Floral Design / Dessert: Briermere Farms / Band: Rhythm Collective via Elan Artists / Wedding Invitations: Crane & Co. / Wedding Stationery: The Ink Spot / Wedding Dress: Alvina Valenta via Kleinfeld Bridal / Rings: T. Gluck / Bridesmaids’ Attire: J.Crew / Groom’ s + Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew / Men’s Ties: Vineyard Vines / Hair + Makeup: Carolyn’s Salon