Sea side towns on the East Coast have a very distinct vibe. Think shingled gray ladies and hydrangeas galore set against the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s so quintessential and pretty and when your family has a backyard in the Hamptons just begging for a wedding? You hop on that! Pore through this day captured by Kelsey Combe that embodies all the things we love about a DIY beach celebration.
From the Bride… One early fall morning Kurt proposed on Wainscott Beach where we had spent the past several summers falling in love. Not only had Kurt been planning our engagement, he had also put together another proposal – a wedding on his family’s property in the Hamptons.
Kurt and I both love to plan surprises, parties, and other celebrations so we were beyond thrilled to take advantage of planning a DIY wedding the following summer. From designing my dress with Modern Trousseau, creating our wedding crest with Betsy from Lemontree Calligraphy, wedding paper with Sandy from Roseville Designs, and laying out the reception details—we enjoyed putting our personal touch on everything.
Our vision of a romantic garden wedding was easy to accomplish on his aunt and uncle’s property; it didn’t require much to enhance the natural beauty. We paired classic Hamptons white hydrangeas with white and blush garden roses to complement the green landscape. We strung bistro lights inside the tent, hung paper lanterns from the trees, and placed candles everywhere to create the romantic vision we had in mind.
We also wanted to incorporate our families and their traditions. Looking back, we are so happy to have done so. My mother and her sisters had my grandmother’s engagement ring made into necklace which I wore throughout the day. I also pinned a pendant that she had worn, on her wedding day, to my bouquet. Kurt’s mother made my gorgeous lace veil that perfectly complemented my dress. During our ceremony, we were able to light the same unity candle used in my parents’ wedding 35 years prior. We wrapped family photos that documented weddings from past generations around “Our Family Tree,” a focus point during the cocktail hour.
After the ceremony, we toured our favorite places in East Hampton with Kelsey Combe who captured the day with our bridal party and parents. One of our most memorable moments was taking our wedding portrait photos on the very spot where Kurt proposed. The lighting Kelsey captured on the overcast beach was magical.
The reception site was an absolute dream and would not have come to life without the assistance of our dedicated family. Our morning was stress free knowing that Gina, our day of coordinator, was also there making sure all the details we had planned were executed perfectly. Dancing under the stars, (and surprise fireworks set off by a neighbor!) with music from the talented Silver Arrow Band, was exactly how we wanted to spend the night with our guests. I look at the photos nearly every day, and pinch myself that this was how we celebrated the start of our lives together.
Photography: Kelsey Combe Photography | Coordination: Details Wedding Coordination | Florist: East Hampton Flowers | Wedding Dress: Modern Trousseau | Cupcakes: Two Little Red Hens Bakery | Invitations: Roseville Designs | Ceremony Venue: Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church | Reception Venue: Private Residence | Bride's Shoes: Dune | Engagement Ring: Heather Fletcher at Bespoke Fine Jewels | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Azazie | Catering: East End Events Catering | Hair & Makeup: Erica Does Makeup | Calligraphy: Meaghan Donlon | Band: Silver Arrow Band | Tent: The New York Tent Company | Crest Design: Lemontree Calligraphy | Signage & Dessert Table: DIY | Watercolor Artist: Lemontree Calligraphy & Illustration | Wedding Rings: Lauren B Jewelry