As much as I love a larger, grander affair, intimate weddings are my favorite. There’s just something about celebrating your day with only your closest friends + family that makes me happy… and this darling Cape Cod affair? Filling my heart with joy. A nine person guest list, beautiful blooms from Wild Bunch Studio and moment after moment of pretty captured by Kate Preftakes. Sigh. See it all here.
From the Bride… Being an enthusiastic-to-passionate type, I can get very excited and wound up in the moment. So for my wedding day, I knew I needed to find a way to keep the celebration relaxed and low-key. We had scheduled later receptions with our respective hometown family, friends, and live bands in New York and Chicago. But an intimate wedding day involving just our parents, siblings, and officiant (a priest friend) proved a great way to keep the focus on each other.
My husband, Matt, had grown up summering on Cape Cod and enjoys sailing, so we made that our setting and style inspiration. A graphic designer friend, Donny Skelton, created invitations, programs, and menu cards with a modern, unstuffy take on that theme, incorporating a sailboat and diagonal stripes. I chose a corset-style dress with subtle striping to reflect the East Coast’s preppy, seaside vibe. My sister and Maid of Honor wore a statement pearl necklace. The men wore cravats—just like my stylish groom’s Italian grandfather had tied on at his wedding—and morning coats with tails. Our coral and navy color scheme, a fresh take on the standard nautical red and blue, completed the elegant coastal-infused feel.
Our ceremony was held in Cape Cod’s traditional gray shingled St. Pius X Catholic Church, which was also Matt’s family parish. My friend Tom Gibbons, now a priest in Toronto, flew in from Canada to preside. He made our ceremony personal and full of laughter. For instance, after pronouncing us husband and wife, he said, “Lynn, you may now kiss the groom.” Our nine guests tossed coral rose petals to send us off, and we drove off in a Toyota Prius with my name on the license plate. And Matt’s name had been added on through some cute surprise decorating by my siblings!
We took pictures among the sailboats at Claughlin’s Landing, a classic beach on the Cape’s southeastern tip. Then we held a post-ceremony dinner at the Chatham Bars Inn, one of the loveliest old-fashioned resorts in Massachusetts. The Captain’s Room, with its 12-person seating, was perfect. Our florist, Katie McConnell of Wild Bunch Studio, created the most beautiful table we’d ever sat around. Texturally, contrasts set things apart: a rustic stone runner against elegant candles in mercury glass; spiky orange pincushion flowers against soft spray roses.
We went around the table, and each person offered a funny or heartfelt toast. Photographer Kate Preftakes had beautifully captured the special moments of our ceremony and then our time on the beach. To finish, she caught us laughing, toasting, and occasionally tearing up during the dinner. It completed the intimate wedding day we’d imagined.
Photography: Kate Preftakes Photography | Floral Design: Wild Bunch Studio | Invitations: Donny Skelton | Reception: Chatham Bars Inn | Bridal Gown: Modern Trousseau