What would summer be without a great beach party or, in this instance, a pretty seaside wedding? Crafted by The Little Things, Sweet Annie Floral Design, and imagery by Ruth Eileen, this inspiration pulls the essence of the West Coast and the East Coast and blends them into a nautical meets whimsical affair by the sea. It’s a land where lobsta dinners and floral laden bicycles go hand in hand.
From Ruth Eileen Photography…The theme for this shoot was “New England Nautical meets West Coast Whimsical,” and the idea behind it was to take a classic New England fete and infuse it with some west coast flair! We envisioned our couple eloping and celebrating with a simple but stellar reception a deux, one that they could pull off themselves without too much effort. We began by brainstorming which New England elements we’d include: a lobster bake, nautical rope, the groom in a preppy bowtie, oysters and anchors, and some classic New England florals: coral charm peonies, anemones, and hydrangea. Then, we decided on our West Coast elements: a bohemian-style pallet table, air plants, ferns, and (of course!) a custom beach cruiser! With the vision in mind and design plan in place, we assembled an amazing team of collaborators who really took to the vision and brought this shoot to life! Anna and Caitlin from Paper Moss designed custom menus, elopement announcements, and drink stirrers to commemorate the day. Bethany and Sean from Shindig events provided individual lobster bake pots (and New England clam chowder served in mini mason jars!), Katie from Sweet Annie Floral Design created the stunning bouquet and centerpiece, and stuffed the groom’s pocket with looser, fresh florals for a fun twist on a boutonniere. Shara from Chickadee Hill Cakes designed the beautiful cakes, and our bride Shayna, in her stunning BHLDN gown, was made beautiful by Tara ad TADA Makeup and outfitted with a nautical Porcelain and Stone handmade porcelain and gold chain-link necklace. Laura from Laura Hooper Calligraphy so beautifully penned this JFK quote onto our piece of navy blue Irish linen: “All of us have, in our veins, the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean and therefore, we all have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or watch it, we are going back from whence we came.” Our couple rode off into the sunset on their beach cruiser that Alexis from The Little Things scooped off of Craigslist and customized in white and gold for the shoot. Alexis and Katie wired florals to the cruiser’s spokes (and learned a lesson in patience along the way!), and Katie filled the basket to the brim with the most beautiful flowers. Ruthie from Ruth Eileen Photography captured the day perfectly, and on film, to boot!
Photography: Ruth Eileen Photography | Event Design: The Little Things | Floral Design: Sweet Annie Floral Design | Wedding Dress: BHLDN | Cake: Chickadee Hill Cakes | Invitations: Paper Moss | Jewelry: Porcelain And Stone | Catering: Shindig Events | Calligraphy: Laura Hooper Calligraphy | Venue: Beach | Hair & Make Up: Tada Makeup