Connecticut Weddings

Get ready, lovelies, because this seaside wedding is going to brighten this gray winter day. Then again, I may be a little bit biased—this affair was designed by SMP’s very own, Abby Capalbo. And with a dreamy dress from Everthine Bridal Boutique, yummy bites from Gourmet Galley and gorgeous photos from Ashley Caroline, this day is truly perfect. See it all in THE VAULT!

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From The Bride…Steve and I met through a group of friends who played trivia each week at a local brew pub, and after a ski weekend in Vermont and a few helpful nudges from our friends, we began dating. We quickly realized that this relationship of ours wasn’t just about romance but that more importantly we were, quite simply, each other’s best friend. When Steve asked me to marry him in the same spot where we first talked about spending our lives together, I happily said yes.

Steve and I both agreed that we wanted a laid back, relaxed reception with an emphasis on great food and lots of fun things to do! We thought of so many different ideas to incorporate (I am a Style Me Pretty devotee and have been long before Steven and I met!) but when it came time to make major decisions our guiding idea was “did it feel like us?”

As an admitted over-Pinner and detail oriented gal, one of the most helpful things we did was invest in a design board with Abby Capalbo. I had a sense of how I wanted the design to go, but needed help editing all of the ideas. We shared as much of “us” with Abby as we could and she created a document that so perfectly captured what we were hoping to see on our big day. It made communicating our story and ideas a breeze when working with our talented vendors!

I have a long standing love affair with summer in New England, so we chose a venue that really reflected that; when Gourmet Galley sent us our menu proposal, we felt like they read our minds! Steve is the most wonderful, goofy guy and has a serious penchant for puns, so Jen of Jennifer’s Paper really allowed us to infuse plenty of fun into the paper goods throughout the day. Paper ended up being such a huge vehicle for highlighting our personalities (hello, 478,482 nautical puns!) and Jen was so patient and talented at working in every little detail for us. We’d also spent most of our relationship living in Middletown, CT, so it was a no-brainer for us to ask the Middletown cupcake queen, NoRa’s Cupcakes, to drive their truck down for the reception.

In keeping with the personalized theme, we elected to take on a few DIY projects for our big day. For our escort cards, we choose to create a mixed CD as a nod to our first date: he brought me flowers, I made him a mix that he still listens to! We built cornhole boards, repainted additional games to keep a cohesive look on the lawn, and made monkey fist knots for the tables. The monkey fists come with a funny story: I was getting overwhelmed with details and was stressed about the knots; Steve, being the amazing guy he is readily offered to make these for me. I was skeptical but he insisted he give it a try. Upon successful completion of his trial knot, he sent a photo of it to me, along with a rewritten, wedding-centric parody of the “Men of the Night’s Watch” vow from Game of Thrones. He was the self-proclaimed “Watcher of the Wedding.”

We will never forget our beautiful wedding day. Ashley Drago’s gorgeous floral garlands popped on the tables and when Marissa of Gourmet Galley led us into the room we couldn’t stop smiling at how perfectly everything came together! The day was such a happy blur and I’ll never forget dancing and catching glimpses of Steve dancing with my cousins, high school pals and family members running to the photo booth or cupcake truck, or our college friends twirling our grandmothers around the dance floor! Easily our favorite memory, aside from our vows, was sneaking off during dinner to spend some time alone at the edge of the lawn overlooking the water. We felt so blessed to be surrounded by our favorite people and all of the love they shared with us.

Even with a team of wonderful vendors and lots of wedding prettiness, everything pales in comparison to the marriage we are beginning. Steve is truly the kindest, funniest, most wonderful guy and while things are not always picture perfect, I feel so incredibly blessed to have found my best friend and teammate for life.

Photography: Ashley Caroline Photography | Cinematography: Brian J Productions | Event Design: Abby Capalbo | Floral Design: Ashley Drago | Wedding Dress: Rebecca Schoneveld | Cupcakes: NoRa Cupcake Company | Stationery: Jennifer's Paper | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Catering: Gourmet Galley Catering | Makeup: Larissa Lake | Hair: Naomi's Studio & Salon | Venue: Guilford Yacht Club | Bridal Boutique: Everthine Bridal Boutique | DJ + Entertainment: Local Motion | Signage + Cocktail Stirrers: Laura Hooper Calligraphy

This nautical celebration had the most welcoming, relaxed elegance about it, making me quite jealous of these guests. Crafted by an uber talented team of vendors, including True Event and Gourmet Galley, the final results are nothing short of fabulous. From the beautiful blooms by Hana Floral Design, to these pics from Leila Brewster and Buzz Media’s film, this is my sort of soiree to kick off the weekend with.

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From The Bride…  Andy and I met in Easthampton, NY through friends at a summer share house. While the timing was not right, we both made an impression on one another. When we re-met the following summer, under the same circumstances, the timing was much better. While dating, we spent several summers together “out East,” and have many happy memories there.

We got engaged after two years of dating, on a cold winter night in March. Knowing that we didn’t want to wait over a year to get married, we began planning for a fall wedding.

The Hamptons seemed like the most obvious choice for us in terms of a location, given all of our history there. Unfortunately, we came away from our venue search feeling very discouraged. As is the case so often, Andy was the voice of reason. He suggested the Connecticut coast as an alternative, where he grew up spending his summers, as his family has done for generations. I had always found it both beautiful and relaxing when we would visit, with rich New England history to boot. Images of the Long Island Sound and beautiful fall foliage as a backdrop for our big day sealed the deal.

Planning a wedding in six months was no easy task, especially for someone who had never spent much time thinking about what it might look like. The only things we knew for sure were that we wanted the wedding to truly be a reflection of who we are, and to create a seamless, memorable and fun party for our guests.

Early on, we enlisted the help of many amazing vendors to assist us. Once we selected our venue, the Guilford Yacht Club, True Event came on board to help with the design element (and, I would soon learn, so much more). I knew I wanted to play off the nautical theme of the venue, but without overdoing it. Caitlin Campbell at True Event was instrumental in finding that balance (as well as coining the term “nautical chic!”). I love color, and was was incredibly inspired by images of brightly colored floral arrangements I found online. At the same time, I loved the classic look of an all-white ceremony. Yumiko Fletcher at Hana Floral came up with the concept of introducing more color throughout the day as a way to incorporate both ideas, so I was never forced to choose. So genius! Her creations were absolutely breathtaking – definitely one of the highlights of the day. Gourmet Galley helped us craft the perfect menu of all our favorite foods, Ryan Designs provided beautiful lighting and seating, and JTT Band (headed up by a friend from college) kept our guests of all ages on the dance floor until the bitter end. And of course, the insanely talented Leila Brewster and Buzz Media team were there to capture every wonderful moment.

The most memorable part of the day, for me, was our ceremony. We wanted it to feel personal, and knew in order to achieve that we’d need an officiant that knew both of us and could speak to who we are as people and as a couple. Andy’s cousin, Marc, who had never officiated a wedding before, but who fit the bill in every other sense, was the perfect choice. His comments were intimate, warm and moving, and as Andy and I exchanged our handwritten vows, the day’s cloudy skies finally gave way to some sunshine. It was a moment I will cherish forever!

Photography: leila brewster | Videography: Buzz Media Company- Wedding Films | Coordination: TRUE Event | Event Design: TRUE Event | Floral Design: Hana Floral Design | Cake: JCakes | Ceremony Venue: Guilford Yacht Club | Reception Venue: Guilford Yacht Club | Catering: Gourmet Galley Catering | Hair & Makeup: Jennie Fresa Brow & Beauty Bar | Lighting: Ryan Designs | Band: JTT | Officiant: Marc Baum | Ceremony Music: Suite Occasions Music | Transportation: Madison Beach Hotel | Transportation: First Student Charter | Tent Rental: Chase Canopy | Accommodations: Madison Beach Hotel | Attire: Romona Keveza | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Paper: Cheree Berry Paper | Rentals: Rentals Unlimited

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Hana Floral Design

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As we inch closer and closer to those warm summer days, I’m loving all of the cheerful color palettes that make their way across my desk. And this summery soiree from Jubilee Events and Katie Slater with it’s sweet lavender and pops of yellow is exactly what I’m talking about. Sprinkled with lace, vintage details and sunshiny blooms, this gallery is as happy as they come!

From Jubilee Events… Julia and Jamil, one of the sweetest couples you’ll ever meet, met during a bike race. Yes, during! At the finish line, they decided to meet and get to know one another. The rest was history as they set to ride the rest of their travels together. Julia wanted to create a relaxed, vintage feel for her wedding in playful green, yellow, and ivory with bicycles being a source of inspiration. We brought in a fabulous vintage bicycle and guests all took home custom bells. Their guests were the best–dancing non stop all night, even with cookies and milkshakes in hand. With the weather Mother Nature granted us coupled with our amazing team of vendors, the day was nothing short of amazing, which you could see written all over Julia and Jamil’s face through the entire day!

Photography: Katie Slater Photography | Event Planning And Design: Jubilee Events | Floral Design: Just For You Floral Design Studio | Cake: JCakes | Stationery: Coral Pheasant Stationery + Design | Reception Venue: Guilford Yacht Club | Catering: Jordan Caterers Design Event Planners | DJ: Powerstation Events | Beauty: Dana Bartone & Company | Ceremony Musicians: Millenium Music | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Rentals: Party Rental Ltd. | Vintage Bicycle: New England Country Rentals

This couple is ADORABLE.  So adorable, in fact, that we just had to take a quick trip to Connecticut today to show you their beyond lovely wedding.  A wedding that is sooo chock-full of fabulous details and heartwarming moments, you won’t know what to do with yourselves.  (Seriously.)  It’s a stunning Yale ceremony meets a nautical-inspired reception meets all kinds of crazy gorgeous images captured by Frost Photography – and it’s all sitting pretty in the full gallery.  Join us there for more.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Nate and I met as freshmen at Yale, where we were in the same residential college. The day after we got engaged, we decided the only place it made sense for us to tie the knot was back where we fell in love. There was one big problem with our hasty decision: we weren’t sure our dream wedding was possible at all! We’d never heard of a wedding being held at a residential college, but we got in touch with the master of the college, who we’d respected and adored as students, and he pulled the necessary strings to make our dream a reality. We feel beyond lucky to have been married in a place so special to us.

We held our reception in Nate’s hometown at the Guilford Yacht Club. The first time we saw it, we decided it was the place — we loved the simple elegance of its high ceilings and waterfront view. Though “Yale” and “yacht club” may make you think otherwise, neither of us are particularly preppy — in fact, our friends would probably laugh at the thought. However, we ended up embracing a nautical theme, partly as an homage to Nate’s and his late father’s shared love of sailing. Having grown up in landlocked Kentucky, I had no nautical experience, but Nate’s family introduced me to the joy of being on the water. Before he passed away, John was an accomplished sailor and had his own burgee (nautical flag), which we displayed beside his old nautical charts and sailboat escort cards.

My favorite parts of the day were seeing the little details we’d planned come into place: Nate and his groomsmen’s goofy dinosaur socks, our guests giggling at our Arrested Development reference and our personalized crossword puzzle on our programs, singing the Beatles’ “In My Life” during our ceremony with all our guests, seeing our dog Maeby walk down the aisle bearing our rings, hearing our fabulous band nail the cover of “Call Me Maybe” we requested, and watching our family enthusiastically take down the pinata we’d stuffed with Sonic the Hedgehog tattoos and candy. It was truly the most perfect day!

Wedding Photography: Frost Photography / Second Shooter: Angela Newton Roy / Ceremony: Calhoun College Courtyard at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut / Reception: Guilford Yacht Club in Guilford, Connecticut / Floral Design: Guilford White House Florist / Officiant: Kendrick Norris (kendrickn@aol.com) / Catering: Jordan Caterers / Wedding Cake: Claire Criscuolo of Claire’s Corner Copia / Wedding Invitations: Digby Rose / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston (Now Closed) / Bride’s Shoes: Lulu Townsend / Hair: Kelly Sharkey of Jennie Fresa ~ Make-up and Skincare Boutiquerie / Makeup: Shelly Dolan of Jennie Fresa ~ Make-up and Skincare Boutiquerie / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Groom’s Suit: Brooks Brothers / Engagement Ring: Shane Company / Bride’s Wedding Band: Macy’s / Groom’s Wedding Band: His Father’s

It’s a nautical stripes, pink peonies + gingham bow-ties kind of morning here at SMP and let me tell you, I’m head-over-heels in love! Lindsay Flanagan Photography snapped up all the pretty from this preppy Guilford Yacht Club wedding with gorgeous blooms from Hana Floral Design. And that Vera stunner with the bow details? Perfection. See the rest right here!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

Carol and Erich were introduced by dear friends of each of theirs. Initially, Erich thought Carol was a little quiet and shy but pretty, so he asked her out. After a few emails and confusing communications, they had a fantastic first date. A year and a half later, after meeting Carol’s 18 immediate family members, a trip away with Erich’s extended family and an adventure in Thailand and Cambodia, Erich, a self proclaimed introvert, got down on one knee in the restaurant from their first date and proposed. Carol cried and could barely wait to call her parents and five siblings with the news. That night they came home their West Village apartment in NYC to a celebration with their neighbors and friends from Dubai — it was perfect!

After scouring New York City and Westchester County, Carol and Erich found the Guilford Yacht Club close to their families in Connecticut, and within moments, they were sold. The simplicity of the space with the stunning views and the warmth had them both excited. Marissa, the planner from Jordan Catering, sealed the deal! They had a venue and a theme: clean, simple and nautical. For both Carol and Erich, family, tradition and friends mean everything. Raised Catholic, Carol wanted a religious ceremony, although she was not tied to having it in a church. Erich found Father Matthew as we find many things these days: on the internet. Skeptical, Carol went to meet him. He brought all of the Catholic traditions with him but met Carol and Erich’s sensibilities.

Carol found her dress at the Bridal Garden in NYC, a second-hand bridal store. Her dress had arrived that day, and she fell in love. The proceeds from the dress were donated to a school in Brooklyn, assuaging Carol’s guilt for such an extravagant dress. Erich found his suit and shoes around the corner from Carol’s apartment, which had become their home. The next task was finding a way to incorporate their family and friends, from nephews playing the entrance music to Erich’s sister as his witness family and friends stood with them as they said I do. It felt like the rest of the details just fell into place, and with recommendations for fantastic vendors, the flowers, food and music came together easily. The key to the success of the day was Carol and Erich’s friend Marla. With a 30+ person wedding party, they needed someone wrangling the troops, and Marla, having stage managed Broadway shows, was amazing at getting everything moving in a precise and organized fashion with out a worry in the world. She thought of all the little details, from having a friend wait with Carol as her family walked down the aisle ahead of her to ensuring all the vendors knew their cues. Marla made their day worry-free.

The whole night showcased Carol and Erich’s families coming together and the couple’s great joy with each other. They feel blessed in every way to have found each other.

Wedding Photography: Lindsay Flanagan Photography / Wedding Venue: Guilford Yacht Club in Guilford, Connecticut / Floral Design: Hana Floral Design / Cupcakes: Lindsey of Sweetie’s Bakery and Cafe / Favors: DIY / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang via Bridal Garden / Bride’s Jewelry: From a Friend / Bride’s Shoes: Nordstrom / Bride’s Ring: Her Mother’s / Makeup: Lindsay Milan of Jennie Fresa ~ Makeup & Skincare Boutiquerie / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Ann Taylor, Gap + Borrowed / Bridesmaids’ Sashes: The Bride’s Sister / Groom’s Attire: Tonello / Tie: Vineyard Vines / Groom’s Ring: His Maternal Grandfather’s

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
For membership information, click here

Hana Floral Design

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Oh Australia, how I love your weddings! Your couples are stunning, their taste impeccable, and the details-to die for! I’m seriously loving all the pretty little details like the amazing burlap cushions adorned with doilies for the ceremony, the super sweet Emily Browning quote backdrop, the gold glitter hearts on the brides shoes…I could literally go on and on but I think I should just let the amazing images by Samm Blake do the talking. And when you’re ready, click here for more!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… Our theme started out being “French Vintage,” although in reality, our wedding really ended up being an amalgamation of a lot of beautiful things we love. We kept everything quite neutral, adding splashes of colour through the garlands, flowers and china. I enjoyed the process of planning our wedding so much that I am now doing something I have thought about for many years and starting up my own event planning business to service Western Australia brides. “flights of fancy by kristy” will be a boutique event planning business with a focus on intimate, personal and unique weddings and private events in Western Australia. We will provide a range of services, from assistance with theme and budget to vendor recommendations and liaison, to day-of coordination and everything in between, tailoring packages to suit clients’ needs and budgets.  There are so many amazing vendors in WA, and I can’t wait to share my knowledge of those vendors with others!  I really enjoyed making our wedding unique and a true reflection of both of our personalities and tastes and I hope that through my business I can encourage and assist other couples to do the same.

I had a really hard time deciding whether or not to wear my glasses. I wear glasses all the time and don’t cope very well with contact lenses, but I did consider wearing them just for the ceremony and photos. I have always hated wearing glasses and just felt that a bride shouldn’t wear glasses! Daniel wanted me to wear them – he said that they were part of me and that it would freak him out if I came down the aisle without them! I spent a lot of time googling images of brides wearing glasses and reading discussion forums on the topic, which only confused me more! In the end, I am glad that I chose to wear them. I was comfortable and looked like me! I did buy some new ones for the occasion from Karen Millen.

The morning of the wedding was beautiful but about an hour before the ceremony was due to start it started pouring with rain. Our ceremony was all set up out in the open and had to be moved at the last minute so wasn’t exactly how it was meant to be, but it was still beautiful. After the ceremony, our guests enjoyed pre-dinner drinks and canapés while the bridal party went for photos. The plan was for us to all go down to the river and have a picnic under this beautiful big tree that I had spotted in some of Samm’s previous photo shoots. Unfortunately the wet weather prevented that from happening so instead we set up our picnic under the front verandah of the hotel! Those things aside, we had an incredible day and I think what was even more special was the week leading up to the wedding when I had my hens weekend away, Daniel had his bucks day, and we had family and friends visiting from interstate and overseas.  It was undoubtedly the best week of our lives, matched only by the week after that when we spent our honeymoon at a beautiful resort in the Maldives!

Wedding Photography: Samm Blake / Photobooth: Push the Button Photobooths / Celebrant: Danicia Dutry / Flowers + Dessert Buffet Styling: Fox & Rabbit / Cakes: Sherbet Bake Shop / Furniture, Typewriter, Photobooth Props, Vintage China + Venue Set-Up: her handpicked harvest / Votives, Menu Holders, Tealight Candle Holders, Keys + Garlands: BHLDN / Hessian/Burlap Bunting: Her Beautiful Life / Heart Garland: Little Retreats / China Teacups, Saucers + Cake Plates: Antiquitea / Menus, Drink Lists, Table Numbers, Various Signs + Place Cards: DIY by the Bride / Place Card Template: Eat Drink Chic / Wedding Invitations: Shayna Norwood of Steel Petal Press / Wedding Dress: Samantha Wynne / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Earrings: Vintage / Pearl Necklace: Borrowed from the Bride’s Aunt / Bride’s Hair + Makeup: Museo Salon & Spa / Bride’s + Bridesmaids’ Hairpieces: Tessa Kim / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alannah Hill, Wheels & Dollbaby, Review + Nicolangela / Clutches: Custom by J. Carter Handmade / Groom’s + Groomsmen’s Suits: Politix / Groom’s Shirt: Jack London / Pocket Squares: Myer / Flower Girl Dress + Cardigan: Bardot Junior / Flower Girl Shoes: Angel and Ivory / Ring Bearer Attire: Industrie Kids / Engagement Ring: Tiffany & Co. / Wedding Bands: Ecali / Ring Dish: Paloma’s Nest / Ceremony + Cocktail Music: Trevor Jalla / Dinner Music: The Elle Deslandes Trio /  Vow Books: Lorgie & Me /  Ceremony Backdrop: Designs Kara Melwood

Steve DePino sent us today’s gorgeous real wedding. It’s more traditional than some of the weddings that we feature so often on SMP, but it is just as lovely. And I know that we have a TON of readers who are designing a traditional, but fabulous wedding for themselves so it’s the perfect fit!

photographs by Steve DePino and Jim Altieri

From the lovely bride…

We chose colors that complimented the colors of the water. Our florist, Elisabeth from Studio Blush, created a beautiful, classic look using mainly white flowers with hints of purple (my favorite color). The arrangements on the long rectangular tables were mainly single bloom arrangements in square vases and all the bridesmaids carried white bouquets also made of single blooms. My bouquet was all different types of purple flowers and wrapped in the lace from my Lela Rose gown-it was gorgeous! There were candles everywhere to keep the lighting very natural. My Mom filled the large fireplace with hurricane lanterns with sea shells and other freestanding candles which was very impressive.

We worked with Judy Paulen designs at Bloomingdales for all of our invitations and save the dates and then personally designed the menu and programs with help from family friends, Rex and Wendy Walden. We printed them locally and kept the theme of using the Sachem’s Head Yacht Club etching on the menu (as we did on the Save the Date). I designed the escort card display so it would cover up an ugly corkboard in the entryway to the ballroom using linen fabric and ribbons in different purple patterns. My friend, Amy, helped with all the calligraphy on the invitations, escort and seating cards. We created seating card holders out of wine corks.

LOVE!! Thank you so much to Steve DePino for sending this lovely wedding our way! Coming up, we’re announcing the winner of the latest Crate and Barrel giveaway.

This wedding is all about the pretty. Sweet, traditional, absolutely perfectly pretty. Plus, it was shot by Steve DePino which means that I love it even more.

From the gorgeous bride…

Matt and I always wanted to have our wedding at a place that was really special to us and that represented who we are as a couple. I grew up in a small Connecticut shoreline town called Guilford that is absolutely beautiful in the springtime and so we decided to hold our wedding ceremony there at the First Congregational Church. We held the reception at the Sachem’s Head Yacht Club where I spent all my summers growing up. In recent years, Matt has also spent many summers at the Sachem’s Head Yacht Club and we have many memories there together. It definitely took a lot of effort and teamwork, but we pulled off the wedding of my dreams.

The bridemaids all wore dresses from Butter by Nadia in tones that matched the ocean-purple, navy and slate–and I gave them lucite earrings and bracelets in all different colors, shapes and sizes to fit their personalities. The dresses were amazing and you could tie them in all different styles which my girlfriends loved. Matt and his wedding party wore ties from J Crew Liquor Store in New York and charcoal pants from the same place.

More on the way!