This coastal wedding has everything a girl could dream of. Gorgeous florals from Hana Floral Design, a beautiful 3-tiered wedding cake and a picture-perfect sunset. Melani Lust captured every moment from the beautiful Bride getting ready with the help of Dana Bartone & Company to the breezy, tented reception. Grab a seat lovelies, and prepare to get lost in this slice of romance!
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From Melani Lust Photography… The bride and groom both love being by the water and visiting vineyards, so it was important to “marry” the two places for their big day. The bride’s mother scouted the area for weeks to find the perfect small lighthouse where Emily & Charlie could have their first look, and settled on this charming private home in Noank, CT. The couple had spent the year before their engagement exploring vineyards around Connecticut. On the bride’s birthday, the groom picked her up for a vineyard tour. As they sat on the dock of the lake other wine tasters watched as he proposed to her on the dock. It was be a traditional full Catholic Mass with all family members participating. The couple chose the church because it was reminiscent of a “little white chapel” and it felt so intimate inside. The day began with a first look at the lighthouse and they trolleyed to a church, we stopped to take some photos at the wharf in Mystic and then went on to the vineyard where Hana Floral used their magic to create a backdrop of pale gold, light sea blue (the color of the bridesmaids dresses), and soft pastels to welcome guests. The day became more magical as the clouds parted, rain softened and a glorious rainbow appeared over the vineyard.
From the Bride…Charlie and I met at the University of Connecticut, a hockey player and an opera singer who fell in love over small talk of Disney World, dirty martinis, and dogs. Many of our dates were on the Connecticut Wine Trail, where we would visit several wineries over the weekends to get our passports stamped, take in the beautiful scenery, and, of course, enjoy some great wine. When Charlie proposed at a vineyard one year later, Jonathan Edwards Winery was our immediate choice for a venue. We had adored Mystic, Connecticut ever since we had driven through it on a spontaneous vineyard trip. The coastal town combined the sea, the cutest white church, and was close to our vineyard reception. I envisioned romantic colors of pastel and gold against the beautiful backdrop of the vines. My favorite special touch was the vintage stamps that I tracked down for our envelopes; I wanted each one to represent something about us. For our Save the Date, I used a Metropolitan Opera stamp, a LOVE stamp, and a hockey goalie stamp. For our wedding invitation, we actually used the same exact stamps that both of our parents used for their weddings, which made them really significant. My other favorite detail was our letterpress suite–Kimberly did an amazing job helping me create our custom invitations. I loved them so much, I even fell asleep holding them once!
Photography: Melani Lust Photography | Cinematographer: Buzz Media Company- Wedding Films | Floral Design: Hana Floral Design | Wedding Dress: Bijou Bridal | Cake: Ana Parzych Cakes | Invitations: Kimberly FitzSimons | Ceremony Venue: Saint Patrick Roman Catholic Church | Reception Venue: Jonathan Edwards Winery | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Joanna August | Catering: Russell Morin Fine Catering | Makeup: Dana Bartone & Company | Hair: Dana Bartone & Company | Calligraphy: Marcardin Calligraphy | Groom's Attire: Elephants Trunk | Antique Car/Limo Service: Viking Tours | Bridal Swarovski Wreathette: Debra Moreland | Music: Power Posse Productions | Wedding Rings: Tiffany & Co.