Nautical Meets Rustic Cape Cod Wedding

Dawn Strong
November 18, 2015
Categories: Nautical, Real Weddings
Tags: Tented Reception

Infusing her love of all things nautical with her groom’s love of rustic detailing, this stunning bride crafted a day that was equal parts timeless + romantic, with a big ol’ side of Cape Cod pretty. Think lush florals from Whole Foods, sweet chalkboards from Posh And Prep and vintage book centerpieces that are sooo awesome. Head to THE VAULT to soak in every moment captured by Zac Wolf. It’s perfection.

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From The Bride… Matt and I met through a mutual friend in 2012. A total matchmaking scheme, but one that worked (who knew?!) and has now, for all intents and purposes, guaranteed a godfather of our future child slot (for said matchmaking mutual friend). Our first two dates lasted hours, and by the end of the second, he had already asked me to be his guest at his best friend’s wedding… one week later. Two years later, we were planning our own.

As much as we love living in Boston, one of our favorite weekend activities is getting OUT of the city, soaking up everything New England has to offer, no matter what time of year. Our favorite adventures have included trips to Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and Cape Cod, so when it came time to pick a venue, those were the areas that came immediately to mind. We had family and friends coming from all over the country, and we wanted to give them their own mini New England adventure, too, leading us to choose the Winslow Estate in Orleans, MA, over the bridge and down the Cape.

Matt’s a big fan of rustic details, while I love my classic, nautically-inspired touches (take one look at my blog–shellchicd.com–and you’ll see what I mean!), and we weren’t sure how well the two would mix in choosing a palette and aesthetic for our big day. Neither of us willing to completely give up our own visions (and unable to find a rustic boat house that would fit our 200 guests!), we took a chance on combining the two in decor, and we couldn’t have been happier with the way it turned out. The biggest compliment we continue to receive? “Everything was just so YOU two!” And it was– we didn’t feel the need to follow any “rules”; we incorporated pieces and ideas based on the simple fact that we loved them– Lilly Pulitzer bridesmaid dresses off the rack, single hydrangeas from Whole Foods as centerpieces… things you’d find in our own home on any given day.

Matt picked green; I paired that with navy. I wanted hydrangeas and sea glass everywhere; we added rustic touches with burlap and mason jars. I gave my bridesmaids pearl necklaces with an anchor clasp; he gave his beer caddies made from reclaimed wood.

My favorite part of the decor must have been the vintage books we used as centerpieces– rounding up 100 old books in shades of blue and green with just weeks leading up to the wedding was nothing short of an adventure! But those hours we spent browsing flea markets and used bookstores? Those were some of the most fun of the whole process– such a perfect way to take our minds off of all of those last-minute stressful details.

Not that I’m bias or anything, but it was one heck of a party. From cornhole and fresh seafood hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour, to dancing under the starts overlooking Pleasant Bay, it was everything we wanted to give our guests in a New England escape.

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