Seaside Chic Rhode Island Wedding at the Ocean House

Abby Capalbo
April 10, 2015
Categories: Real Weddings, The Blog, Traditional Elegance
Tags: Candles, Desserts

If you were to ask me to describe my favorite type of wedding, it would enviably look just like this one beautifully captured by Sue Kessler of Christian Oth Studio and planned by Bellafare Seaside chic at its core with breathtaking florals from the lovely Sayles Livingston and sweet stationery from Paper Moss, every image in this gallery makes me want to give this entire soiree a standing ovation, and you can join me in doing so here.

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From The Bride…Andrew and I met in a way that is not very common these days…we were set up on a blind date! My best friend (and maid of honor) met Andrew through a close mutual friend, and she knew right away that he was someone I would like. She found him interesting, particularly since he was a scuba diving instructor turned financial analyst, and thought that his “quirky” sense of humor might appeal to me. Our first date, I remember being pleasantly surprised at how easily we fell into conversation and how comfortable I felt with him. We started seeing each other often, but it wasn’t until we visited the Bronx Zoo that I thought this could be the person I spend the rest of my life with. Andrew had some reptiles as pets as a child, and he was excited to visit the crocodile exhibit. I was somewhat less enthused, but when we arrived at the crocodile tank, I couldn’t help but notice that two of the crocodiles appeared to be holding hands! Andrew and I both laughed and in that moment, I knew that our connection was very special and something that you don’t find every day.

I grew up on the Connecticut shore near Rhode Island and since Andrew and I both love the ocean, it seemed fitting that we get married by the sea. The Ocean House in Watch Hill, Rhode Island was recently renovated and we both were amazed with not only the beautiful grounds and views, but with the incredible staff and service. While my mom and I originally planned to address all of the wedding details on our own, we soon realized that it might be wise to have the assistance of a wedding planner. We hired Bellafare from New York for their partial wedding planning services. My mom and I designed most of the wedding ourselves, but we also had help from our incredible florist, Sayles Livingston. For our other vendors, we used the talented Louis Rodriguez for make-up and Paper Moss for our programs, table cards, escort cards and wedding weekend guide. Charlotte Neuville of New York’s Fashion Chef made our absolutely stunning cake, which not only looked beautiful but tasted incredible. I wore a dress by Monique L’Huillier and my bridesmaids wore Alexander Wang pale pink dresses. Andrew wore a navy blue tuxedo and all of the groomsmen wore navy blue suits.

We had our welcome dinner at the Pink House, one of the Ocean House’s properties located less than a mile down the road from the Ocean House. Everyone was invited and it was a beautiful evening. Andrew and his groomsmen all stayed at the Pink House that night and I returned to a beautiful suite with ocean views at the Ocean House. The next morning my bridesmaids, my mother, and my mother-in-law all came to my suite to get ready for the ceremony. We had a catered lunch in the suite with champagne and delicious tartine sandwiches for everyone to nibble on while they got their hair and make-up done. Then at 4 pm, we all left for the Weekapaug Chapel in Weekapaug, Rhode Island. My dad and I drove separately in a white vintage Rolls Royce. I remember feeling so excited that I held my dad’s hand all the way to the chapel. Mary Coburn, officiated the ceremony and several of our guests said that it was the best wedding ceremony that they had ever attended. We had the string quartet, Millenium Music play during the ceremony and I walked down the aisle to Debussy’s Claire de Lune. After taking some pictures in the garden behind the chapel, Andrew and I walked toward the Rolls Royce, while our guests threw rose petals over our heads.

The wedding reception was held in the Ocean House ballroom and our cocktail hour was held on the terrace. We had passed hor d’oeuvres as well as passed rosé champagne and a delicious signature strawberry cocktail. Sayles Livingston transformed the ballroom into a magical flower-laden wonderland, which inspired our guests to make “#kallmannfairytale” the hashtag of the night. Our band, Ground Control was phenomenal. Our first dance was to Bob Dylan’s “Make you Feel my Love” and was quickly followed by Pharrell’s “Happy.” The band had everyone dancing and one of the lead male vocalists was not only an incredible singer, but a great dancer as well…everyone was blown away by his Michael Jackson-style moves!

The Ocean House served an incredible three course dinner to all of our guests. The appetizer was a delicious goat cheese and tomato tart and for the entrée guests had a choice between a delicious beef filet or scallops. For dessert, we had our delicious wedding cake which was Tahitian vanilla bean cake with Tahitian vanilla bean frosting, as well as several passed desserts. After dinner and dancing, Andrew and I exited the ballroom and lead the way down an outdoor path to the gallery room where the after-party was held. On either side of the path our guests held sparklers as we walked between them. It was truly magical and the best day of our lives!