I have yet to meet a Judy Pak wedding I’m not instantly obsessed with. She’s got a way with the camera and when Judy captured these two loves’ special day on Shelter Island? It was sheer perfection. From the seaside ceremony to a classic Sperry Tents, it’s nautical gone chic and the film below by Meredith Heuer = icing on the cake.
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From The Bride…Our wedding was held overlooking Coecles Harbor at the Ram’s Head Inn on Shelter Island. Having been raised on opposite coasts, it made sense for us to choose a location that held special meaning for both of us. Shelter Island captures deep sentimental values within our relationship; JP grew up vacationing there with his family and introduced it to me in the first few months of dating (it was on a dock overlooking Dering Harbor where we first said “I love you.”), and we got engaged at sunset on an antique yacht just a stone’s throw from my parents’ summer house, which they bought after spending two summers there with us.
We wanted our wedding to feel elegant, yet relaxed and fun, like Shelter Island itself. It was also really important to us to make it feel like a mini destination wedding for our guests and to give them a taste of Shelter all weekend. Guests were greeted with welcome bags with local treats – mini bottles of Wolffer Estate Rose Cider, North Fork Potato Chips, Tate’s Chocolate Chip Cookies – and a hand-drawn map of the island and weekend itinerary by our incredibly talented calligrapher and invitation designer, Karla Lim. Friday night, we held a rehearsal dinner at our favorite restaurant on the island, Vine Street Cafe, followed by welcome drinks for all of the guests at Sunset Beach. This was the perfect way to set the vibe for the weekend.
Given our love of cooking, planning began with the food. We were adamant that guests sample the produce, seafood, and in-season pies that the East End had to offer in mid-September. Local Catapano goat cheese and heirloom tomatoes, Montauk striped bass, Briermere Farm fruit pies, and a coconut cake from Sag Harbor Baking Co. were among some of the items served. At cocktail hour, we served our two favorite cocktails, an Aperol Spritz and Spiked Watermelon Agua Fresca, alongside rustic platters of cheese and charcuterie, crudites, and miniature lobster rolls, fish tacos, and pulled pork sliders.
The ceremony took place overlooking the water and cocktails followed from a higher vantage point. As guests were ushered into the tent for the reception, a light rain began to fall, which made for an even more intimate setting. Lilly-Anne Merat, a singer/songwriter who grew up in nearby Sag Harbor, and her two guitarists led the first dance with a beautiful rendition of “You Are The Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne. From there, our guests joined us and we danced to an acoustic mix of soul and Motown classics like Otis Redding and newer hits from Leon Bridges.
Annie Casale of Sag Harbor Florist created the most gorgeous florals throughout the inn and tent – loose, natural, garden picked arrangements in varying shades of white and green; the cutest, potted herbs on the cocktail tables; and garlands of silver dollar and seeded eucalyptus scattered with dahlias, ranunculus, garden roses, and white snowberries on archways, the tent entrance, and down the length of the dinner tables.
In the tent, it was very important to us to create an intimate space that felt like a dinner party at home. We used four long dinner tables spanning the length of the tent with La Tavola grey linen tablecloths and tons of candlelight. Sperry Tents sourced my favorite vine ball lights to hang over the dance floor – combined with the candles and strung bistro lights, it created the most beautiful ambient light and cast a magical glow on the sailcloth tent.
After dinner and dancing in the tent, we grabbed umbrellas and ran up the hill into the inn’s bar, where Abby and Tom, the husband and wife duo of Play Something Good, DJ’d the rest of the night – they absolutely killed it and we had the best dance party of our lives. The night ended at my parents’ house down the road with a pool party and late-night snacks.
We were so lucky to have Judy Pak capture it all in exactly the way we had envisioned. Her film photography is so natural and ethereal and she managed to get the perfect mix of posed and candid images. Meredith Heuer, an incredible photographer and videographer, created the sweetest, black and white wedding video that we still can’t stop watching. Carrie and Alex of Lyndsey Hamilton Events share our aesthetic and attention to detail and were the perfect partners to help us plan the most amazing day.
Photography: Judy Pak Studio | Cinematography: Meredith Heuer | Event Planning + Design: Lyndsey Hamilton Events | Floral Design: Sag Harbor Florist | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Cake: Sag Harbor Bakery | Invitations: Written Word Calligraphy | Bride's Shoes: Tabitha Simmons | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Amsale | Catering: Ram's Head Inn | Makeup: Beauty Exchange | Lighting: Sperry Tents | DJ: Play Something Good | Ceremony Music: Lilly-Anne Merat | Venue: Ram's Head Inn | Linen Rentals: BBJ La Tavola | Rentals: Party Rental Ltd. | Tent Rentals: Sperry Tents
