Elegant New England Nautical DIY Wedding on Block Island

We have this theory that Arielle Doneson attracts the coolest clients – just look at Ayla + Brian’s wedding and you’ll understand just what we mean. For with the help of Jaime Nelson they planned the perfect party complete with homebrew, s’mores, and some seriously stunning Sayles Livingston Flowers. It’s the type of celebration that’ll have you craving the summer season and we’ve got it all in THE VAULT!

Colors
Styles
Al Fresco

From The Bride…When we started talking about locations for our wedding, Brian and I were all over the map (literally!). We toyed with the idea of a destination wedding because our favorite weddings have been those where family and friends were together for a weekend exploring a new place, but we struggled with how much we wanted to ask of our guests. We did know that we wanted to combine Brian’s love of sailing and the ocean with my love of rustic farms and local food. Born and raised New Englanders, we started our search on the eastern coast and landed on Block Island, a small island off the coast of Rhode Island, a place where Brian had camped growing up but I had never been. The moment I stepped on the Island I was sold! It is quaint, charming and absolutely stunning with a beautiful coastline that has the quintessential New England rocky cliffs and bluffs but also has some of the top rated beaches in the world. Much of the island is devoted to farming and land conservation, while the rest is filled with rustic farm houses and Inn’s. We chose a beautiful private estate that had views of both the ocean and Great Salt Pond and a farmhouse on the property. The goal of the wedding was to be casual and relaxed yet elegant. I think we achieved that in the details. As guests arrived for the ceremony they were greeted with lavender lemonade or prosecco as they enjoyed the beautiful views and light sea breezes. During the cocktail hour, we had a local musician play acoustic music while guest enjoyed appetizers, a raw bar, and lawn games that Brian and I had made. Our reception was elegantly decorated with a light, romantic color scheme and lit by twinkle lights and candles. We made a DIY photo booth in one corner that was a huge hit all night. We loved that the cool ocean breezes flowed through the tent and guests enjoyed the whole property throughout the evening. The evening ended with a wind-down beach bonfire right across the street where we roasted smores and drank Brian’s homebrew beer under the stars.

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Photography: Arielle Doneson Photography | Event Planning: Eventfully Planned | Floral Design: Sayles Livingston Design | Wedding Dress: Watters | Invitations: Tabitha Garner | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Anthropologie | Catering: Block Island Gourmet | Hair And Makeup: Caitlin Murphy Stylist | Groom's Attire: Michael Kors | Corhole Boards: DIY | Groom's Shoes: PF Flyers | Tent Rentals: Exquisite Events