New York Weddings

There is something so wonderful about a classic and sophisticated soiree. One that has details that will withstand the test of time and emotion seeping through each image. Well, we have Raquel Reis Photography to thank for sending over just a soiree for us to gush over this morning. Simple yet stunning, it’s a wedding that will never go out of style, and we couldn’t adore it more. See it all here!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Jack and I met in 2006 through my older brother, Matt. I had just graduated from college, and Jack was in his last year of law school. Shortly after meeting him, I told my sister that I was going to marry Jack one day. She thought I was crazy, but a few months later, Jack called my brother to see if he could take me out to dinner. The rest is history. Jack and I dated for five years, almost to the day. Our first date was on October 12, 2006. We got engaged on October 22, 2010 and then got married on October 15, 2011. Needless to say, the month of October is an important one for our relationship. Our wedding style was classic, clean and sophisticated. We wanted the entire feel of the day to be calming, fresh and light, so we chose all neutral colors for our overarching wedding scheme — from the flowers to the invitations and the attire to the décor.

Jack and I grew up 10 minutes away from each other, so we knew that we wanted to get married at our local church by a priest that we both remember fondly. At the ceremony, trumpet players greeted guests outside of the church with festive tunes as they walked in to find their seats. The trumpet players also played during the ceremony and afterwards, as guests left the church on their way to the reception. Being that we were having our ceremony at 6:15 p.m., with our reception immediately following the ceremony, Jack and I decided to see each other for the first time down at the beach. Because the harbor is so special to both of us, it was the perfect place to meet and take pictures with our immediate families and wedding party. Jack was standing at the edge of a dock when my limo first pulled up to the beach. It wasn’t until I got out of the limo and started walking toward him that Jack turned around to see me for the first time. I’ll never forget that moment. Our friends and family are super fun. They also happen to be fabulous dancers, so we knew that our dance floor would be packed the entire night — especially with our incredible Motown band, Eturnity Band Orchestra, rocking out. My father is one of the best dancers around, so we’ll never forget when he hit the floor during the first song of the night to do his famous “curly spin!” It got our guests amped to leave it all on the dance floor, and, today — months after our wedding — we constantly look back at the dance floor photographs for a guaranteed smile and good laugh.

We assembled wedding boxes for all of our wedding guests who were staying at local hotels. Within each of the boxes were a variety of goodies, including Jack’s mother’s famous homemade granola mix, including old-fashioned oats, almonds, peanuts, coconut and more!  In keeping with the look and feel of our wedding, we tied the bags of granola with rope and put a vintage-looking sticker on top, which read: “Made With Love, Kitty’s Granola.” Jack’s mother is also a talented jewelry maker, so we designed silver key tags for each of the groomsmen, which featured their nicknames creatively hand-engraved on the tag. Jack’s sister and myself both helped Jack’s mom to hammer the nicknames onto the tags. These DIY elements were both very special moments I shared with my now mother-in-law and I will have the memories of making them forever.

Wedding Photography: Raquel Reis Photography / Wedding Venue: Cherry Valley Club, A Private Country Club in Garden City, Long Island / Floral Design: Doris the Florist, Inc. / Wedding Invitations: Lion in the Sun / Motown Band: Eturnity Band / Family Photos Location: Cold Spring Harbor Beach Club in Cold Spring Harbor, New York / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier via The Wedding Salon of Manhasset / Bride’s Earrings: Bijoux Heart via Net-a-Porter / Bride’s Rings: Antique from Her Great-Aunt (One Borrowed from Her Sister) / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka (Randall in Ivory) via Zappos / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew (Monde in Fawn) / Bridesmaids’ Shoes: Sam & Libby via Marshall’s / Flower Girl’s + Junior Bridesmaid’s Dresses: J.Crew (Joliette in Ivory)

Seaside soirees always go beeline for my heart strings. They strum away and don’t let go. With their dreamy light, gorgeous ocean views and the feel of being beachside all makes my wedding-obsessed heart sing a little louder. So this Montauk beauty captured by The Popes is obviously strumming my seaside-loving heart strings this morning, and it’s sure to do the same for you! See it all here!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… On the evening of November 15, 2007, we had both decided last minute to take a break from our busy careers and attend a charity event in lower Manhattan with our friends. It was a stormy evening, but my father nudged me to go by saying, “You should go because you never know who you are going to meet!” Upon arriving at the event, I bumped into a friend who attended Miami University with me for two years. Later that night, he introduced me to Stephen because for two years prior to transferring to Miami University, he had attended SMU with Stephen. We talked and danced the night away! Every day, month and year since that moment we met has helped to mold us into the best versions of ourselves, which makes us a strong duo. 

Stephen moved to New York City in July of 2000, and I moved to the Big Apple in January of 2004. While we both love our frenetic city lives, we share the same passion for escaping to the East End of Long Island. We had both had summer share houses in the Hamptons with our separate group of friends up until the year we met, when we started to rent house a house together with our friends. During the summer of 2010, we stumbled across a home in Amagansett that we both just knew would be a perfect home for us to start the next journey of our lives together as a married couple. It is tucked in the woods, and some of our favorite times as a couple include sitting on our deck sharing a bottle of wine as we gaze at the stars or listen to the trees rustle. It is so peaceful and it gives us a chance to relax. We love taking walks all year round on Atlantic Avenue Beach, which is the beach where The Popes photographed us on our wedding day following the ceremony. We both travel for work, so our weekend escapes outside the city give us the chance to catch up with one another, which made it the natural choice for our wedding location. We also really wanted to share our experience in the Hamptons with our families and dearest friends. We realized it was quite a trek for a lot of our guests but were confident that it would be a great escapade for those that were able to attend.

As we were choosing our color palette, we really wanted to embrace the natural light and colors of the East End. We envisioned the reflection of the sun and moon on the water, the sandy beaches and the color variations in the sky at sunset.  The core colors of our palette were dark navy blue, light blue and ivory. Guests commented on how beautiful and unique our flower arrangements were because we added dark berries and light/blue lavender thistle, which really popped and helped to make these colors feel more appropriate for autumn rather than nautical/summer colors. We both love cheesecake, so we ordered a fun variety from Eileen’s Cheesecake in New York — flavors included were chocolate, pumpkin, strawberry, snickers, caramel pecan, blueberry, pina colada, Maker’s Mark chocolate bourbon and grasshopper, to name a few. All of our guests loved our band choice. Super T and the Tyrone Smith Review had everyone shaking their groove thing all night long. They played a special rendition of “Just like Heaven” by The Cure as our first dance, which was incredible. We did not have a traditional sit-down dinner, and so most of the celebrating was done on the dance floor, up onstage with Super T or in a conga line.

Wedding Photography: The Popes / Reception Venue: Montauk Yacht Club in Montauk, New York / Floral Design: Amagansett Flowers by Beth / Wedding Coordination: Jill Gordon Celebrate / Wedding Officiant: Reverend Steven Howarth / Catering: Montauk Yacht Club / Wedding Cheesecakes: Eileen’s Special Cheesecake / Bar Service: Montauk Yacht Club / Lighting + Linens: Jill Gordon Celebrate / Event Rentals: Party Rentals Ltd. / Wedding Invitations: Village Invites / Save-the-Dates: Alice B. King Fine Stationery & Gifts / Entertainment: Super T and the Tyrone Smith Revue / Transportation: Sunny Limos / Wedding Dress + Veil: Melissa Sweet for Priscilla of Boston (Now Closed) / Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Earrings: London Jewelers / Hair + Makeup: Hiroko Takada / Groom’s Suit: Ermenegildo Zegna / Accommodations: Montauk Yacht Club + Montauk Manor / Rehearsal Dinner: East Hampton Point / Wedding Registry: Sur la Table, Michael C. Fina + Bloomingdale’s

Boasting pretty maids in cardigans, hand-tied bouquets and the loveliest of oceanside views, this darling Montauk affair is ALL ABOUT adding a big ol’ dose of sweetness to our Monday morning – and we are head over heels for every last second captured by Minnow Park LLC.  Yep, the elegant meets laid back vibe, DIY touches and uber-adorable bride and groom have us smiling from ear to ear… and with an entire gallery filled to the brim with pretty, trust us, you will be, too.  Click here for more.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… My husband and I were married on the shore of Fort Pond Bay in Montauk, New York. He grew up in nearby Southampton, and I fell in love with Long Island on weekend trips we took whenever we could steal some time away. By the time the wedding rolled around, we had moved from New York to California, so we decided to spend the week before the wedding in Montauk instead of taking a honeymoon. It was perfect.

After wonderful weather for a rehearsal dinner of lobster rolls and s’mores around fire pits on Friday, we woke to heavy weather on Saturday. An hour before the ceremony the last rain fell and the sky broke into something incredible. We wanted a wedding with a beautiful backdrop where our promise could take center stage, and Navy Beach Restaurant delivered. Spanish guitar led the way for a ceremony full of close friends on the shore of the bay. Inside, we decorated the party with a few details, from countless paper crabs punched by my mother-in-law to pirate and sailor hats for the guests. Our fathers wore boutonnieres I made from felt and anchor buttons, and my husband made the origami boats used as table numbers. Only the girls had flowers, which we picked up at a local shop and tied just before the ceremony. The food — fried chicken and truffle mac and cheese — stole the show. We followed up with cupcakes and danced the night away. I’ve never had so much fun or felt so much love. We feel so lucky to have these memories (and these photos!).

Wedding Photography: Minnow Park LLC / Wedding Venue: Navy Beach Restaurant in Montauk, New York / Flowers: Purchased from East Hampton Florist + Arranged by the Bridal Party / Spanish Guitar: Jonathan Fritz / Wedding Invitations: Designed by the Bride & Groom + Printed by Culture Lite Printing (415-362-3893) / Bride’s Dress: Bloomingdale’s / Shoes: Bandolino / Jewelry + Pins: Heirlooms / Groom’s Suit: Macy’s

Though this East Hampton wedding was warm enough for the stunning bride to don a strapless gown on the beach, the colors and feel of the day evoke the perfect ambiance for today’s wintery air. The always fabulous Karen Hill Photography was the lady behind the lens, and boy are we glad she was. She captured the elegant beauty of this wedding phenomenally. Make sure to save time for the rest right here in the full image gallery!

The first time Matt and I went to East Hampton, NY for a mini-vacation, I fell in love with a church at the town entrance. One year later, we were saying our vows in front of close friends and family in that exact church. Our story, however, began eight years earlier at Williams College where we were in the same circle of friends but only started really spending time together our Junior year. The summer before our Senior year on campus we started dating. From there we went to New York City and have never left each other’s sides.

When Matt proposed on our first trip together to California, I immediately started thinking about the church that I had fallen in love with. For our wedding day, we both knew that family and friends would be the most integral piece. I’m the oldest of six and Matt is one of three so our families are a major constant in our relationship. I grew up going to the Hamptons every summer and knew that I wanted to incorporate our summer home in Quogue into the weekend celebration. With Quogue as our weekend start point, we finalized plans for the ceremony at St. Luke’s Episcopal and the reception at The Maidstone Club, both in East Hampton, NY.

The inspiration for our wedding was found in the setting itself. Getting ready in my home incorporated family in every way. The warm colors and environment of the church combined with the scale of The Maidstone was a reminder of the intimacy we wanted our guests to feel while in an elegant setting. We incorporated a lot of white combined with silver and greys to capture the muted tones of the beach in Fall. Then of course, we had some splashes of purple as a nod to our college colors.

Small details like our guestbook of Hamptons scenery and the comfort food at the after-party we hoped would impart the love and care that we had put into planning this weekend. Jill Gordon Celebrate was with us every step of the way. With Jill’s guidance and advice, and of course coordination considering we were coming from all over the island, we were able to have the wedding of our dreams.

Photographer: Karen Hill Photography / Ceremony: St. Luke’s Episcopal / Reception: The Maidstone Club / Stationary: Elum, from Village Invites in NYC / Dress: Marchesa / Tuxedo: Joseph Abboud / Florist: Stone Kelly, NYC / Lighting: Matt Murphy Event Lighting / Rentals: Party Rental Ltd. / Linen: Wildflower Linens / Band: Groove Society from Marianne Bennet Productions |Element Music / Caterer: The Maidstone Club / Cake: Sacred Sweets / Wedding Planning & Design: Jill Gordon Celebrate

For a study in all things romantic, look no further than this Long Island fête. It’s country club meets whimsy with pom-pom inspired details crafted by the Bride herself and a sea of pink, garden fresh florals by Fleur-Di-Re. Captured by Wayne Yuan Photography along with the perfect little film to finish off the festivities by one of our favorites, Moetic Films, this is a sure fire package to get your wedding motors running on this lovely Monday morning. Grab a comfy seat and check out the full day here!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Rachel Di-Re of Fleur-Di-Re… When Sissi first contacted us for her Long Island country club wedding, she knew exactly the look she was going for… “cute, quirky and country vintage”.  Nothing luxurious or over the top, she wanted to bring a casual cottage feel to the country club setting.  The color palette of all shades of pink with accents of ivory and grey added a dreaminess to the concept.  

We chose florals like Hydrangea, Ranunculus, Stock, Queen Anne’s Lace and Bupluerum that would lend an organic, just-picked-from-the-garden feeling.  The pom pom shape was a recurring theme that played out in the form of layered tissue pom poms, Dahlias, craft pom poms and even a hot little tutu party dress (one of three ensembles Sissi wore for her special day). Sissi even made hundreds of handmade pom poms for her guests to throw during the recessional!

A master of DIY, Sissi proved you don’t need to be an expert at sewing to create Etsy-worthy details.  Scissors and glue were her secret weapon.  Look out for handmade details like the banner-style aisle block, custom table numbers with utilitarian metal house numbers and floral fabric backing, as well as mason jar votives wrapped in lace-like paper.

Photography: Wayne Yuan Photography / Cinematography: Moetic Films / Flowers: Fleur-Di-Re / Event Planning: My Bridal Budget / DJ: Pop Shop! DJs / Makeup + Hair: Sissi Chan Hair & Makeup / Photo Booth Rental: Classic Photo Booth  / Ceremony + Reception Venue: Woodbury Country Club / Invitations: Izzy and the Bean / Wedding Gown: San Patrick / Shoes: Badgley Mischka

Rise and shine lovelies! After a weekend of celebrating, it’s time to give yourself a little chance to ease into the new year by indulging in this sweet as can be backyard beauty by Exquisite Affairs Productions. Completely calorie free yet full of eye candy – if I do say so myself, 2012 is looking pretty darn pretty already thanks to this darling fête! With a bride that looks flawless and a dashing groom who just looks heads over heels in love, the gallery is full of so many lovely images by Courtney Davidson I can’t think of a better way to welcome 2012! Happy Monday!

Click here for the full gallery of images!

From Exquisite Affairs Productions…Lauren & Jones were married at Lauren’s parents private residence in Oyster Bay (Long Island.) The ceremony was on the lawn, the cocktail hour on the pool deck, and the reception on the tented tennis court. This wedding was all about their family and friends. A friend officiated and another friend played the keyboard for the ceremony, keying Liszt’s Consolation No. 3 and Liebenstraum.

The cocktail hour food reflected the groom’s heritage – a mix of Lebanese and Jewish treats like: watermelon cups w/feta + zaatar, figs stuffed with tabouleh, delicious lamb kebobs with mint, lemon, and parsley, and chilled Morrocan tomato soup shots. The reception food reflected the bride’s heritage – Chinese & Korean. Guests feasted on Korean Beef Bar-B-Que, Chinese Noodles, and the show-stopper, a suckling pig.

Guests dined in a beautifully candle-lit tent with hanging bistro lights. They then danced the night away with laptop tunes from two of the couples’ friends. From beginning to end, it was all about feeling like “home” and it did help that hey were right at home!

Tory Williams Photography knocked this next little number so far out of the gorgeous wedding ball park my seaside soiree loving heart can’t handle it!  From the bride’s one shoulder stunner gown to her to die for Jimmy Choo’s, the lovely images of this picture perfect party just has my heart all a flutter. I do believe I will be staring at these images all day thanks to the full gallery, because I just can’t get enough of this beach chic celebration!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

For more lovely, check out this gorgeous couple fabulous film by Shooting Stars Weddings!

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From the Bride…Planning a wedding is an overwhelming endeavor, and I have to say I was a bit lost in the beginning. This may be ironic given that I work for an interior design firm and truly love what details can do, but I admittedly have a difficult time making decisions, especially for myself. Luckily, I think we were fortunate to quickly learn that an enormous amount of time and effort can be spent on the minute, when in reality, focusing on the big stuff first is probably your best use of time. The rest will fall into place.

Naturally, my husband and I wanted our wedding to primarily be about our love for each other, and if you work things out together, this will happen. But the day is also about bringing together the special people in each of your lives. There are not many times when you can look around and see the familiar faces from each part of your life, in one place at one time. Soak it up!

Obviously, the wedding starts with location. We knew that we were going to be married in a church, so a site for the reception was our focus. We both grew up on the water and love spending as much time as possible at the beach. The natural beauty and simple elegance of the ocean were elements which we appreciate and wanted to incorporate into our wedding. Thus we were excited to find the Allegria Hotel, located right on the ocean in Long Beach, NY. The hotel is modern in design, with clean and simple lines matching greatly with our own taste. Throw in a roof deck and pool area perfect for taking in the sunset at cocktail hour and enough rooms to host all of our guests from both near and far, and we knew had a great fit. From there, we began booking vendor by vendor, some of them very close friends, each helping us plan a day we will never forget.

We were truly blessed to have had so many amazing family members and friends get involved to help the day come together. From invitations and flowers, to gift bags and place cards, we had help every step of the way. In the end I think we were able to incorporate the advice from others, while ultimately showcasing our own style and taste. We used soft and subdued natural colors to create an inviting environment, keeping it simple, clean, and refined, yet elegant.

From sunrise to sunset, our wedding day could not have been more perfect. Someone once told me that everyone’s wedding is a unique representation of the couple’s personality. I could not agree more.

Wedding Photography: Tory Williams Photography / Wedding Cinematography: Shooting Stars Weddings / Floral Design: Nadine Partridge / Ceremony Location: St. Patrick’s Church / Reception Location: Allegria Hotel / Invitations: Michael & Jillian Sullivan / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Suit: Ermenegildo Zegna / Band: Scott Yanney, Faze 4 Orchestras

Happy Thanksgiving, SMP New York! While all of you are busy whipping together mashed potatoes and pumpkin pies, I am drooling over this gorgeous vineyard wedding and totally slacking on my turkey day obligations of olive trays and green bean casserole…but I think everyone will thank me because this, my friends, is one fabulous fete! With Quatre Coeur on floral design and Bright Bird Photography behind the lens, you really have so much to be thankful for. Click here for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Quatre Coeur…Ashley and Jordan were married in June at a family owned vineyard in Mattituck, Long Island. Every detail of their wedding day was perfect for an outdoor summer wedding– from the simple and elegant chuppah Ashley’s father built in a near by field with the vineyard as the backdrop, to the stunning Sperry tent where guest enjoyed dinner and dancing.

Ashley wanted an inviting, casual and elegant feel for her wedding with a mix of modern and vintage elements. For the flowers, we arranged bunches of garden roses and peony in bright coral, fuchsia and peach shades with fun accents like poppy pods and lambs ear. The arrangements were styled down long tables with mercury glass votives for a touch of vintage romance. Antique lanterns and beach glass from Ashley’s father were incorporated with the seating card floral decor to make a beautiful display.

Bright Bird Photography captured the mood of the day and all of the unique details with sweet images that feel timeless and contemporary.

Wedding Photography: Bright Bird Photography / Floral Design: Quatre Coeur / Caterer: Sydney’s / Ceremony Location: Private Residence / Reception Location: The Barns at Vineyard’s Edge / Wedding Dress: Michelle NY / Calligraphy: Kendall Rose Calligraphy / Music: AE / Pies: Briermere Farms / Hair + Make-up: Special Effects Salon & Spa / Tent: Sperry Tent

This Long Island wedding was so perfect, it’s hard to believe this couple ever could have had something not so wonderful happen along the way (more on that below). I mean, the vineyard setting, with grapes hanging from the trees, the delish and I mean DELISH looking menu – courtesy of Marcey Brownstein Catering & Events, the beautiful photos from Doug McGoldrick (which they won due to their interesting back story – again more below), it’s all amazing. Amazing, amazing. Click here to check out the gallery of images, and then make sure to read what Doug had to say about these two special people and their big day!

And now for a little more of this fabulous affair from Love In Progress…

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From Doug McGoldrick … This was, the wedding to end all weddings. Friday night, a welcome party at a gallery, in Green Point, Long Island, Saturday a beach cook out party, and then Sunday an amazing wedding at the Bedel vineyard. Tons of fantastic details, lots of great light, and wonderful people. Some amazing vendors put together an amazing event. Lisa and Sam (the bride and groom) where the big winners in my destination wedding photography contest, they have a wonderful back story.

Definitely, definitely read their back story. It’s completely unbelievable.

Day of Coordination: Cloud Nove Events / Hair & Makeup: Amanda, Heather’s Salon / Ladies’ Lunch Catering: The Market / Limo: Rose Limo / Photography: Doug McGoldrick & Ariane Hunter / Videography: Love In Progress / Floral and Event Designer: Zhana Marcelin / Caterer: Leslie Russell of Marcey Brownstein Catering & Event / Cake & Desserts: mali b sweets / Transportation: North Fork Trolley & Sunrise Minivan / Officiant: Rabbi Darcie Crystal / Ceremony & Cocktail Hour Musicians: Carte Blanche / Tent: American Tent Company / Reception Entertainment: Cafe Wha band leader Adam Mason / Security and Valet: Platinum Executive Security / Venue: Bedell

I often forget just how much I adore the color blue… that is, until I see it all wrapped up in a fabulous soiree such as this one by the always amazing Turn Loose The Art.  Boasting the prettiest of blue hues (plus hints of gorgeous purple for good measure) and a stunning location overlooking the Long Island Sound, these Bayville nuptials are nothing short of spectacular.  Plus, when I tell you this entire affair was planned in just three short months, you’ll be picking your jaws right up off the floor.  Yep, I suggest you prepare yourselves for a whole lot of pretty and join me in the gallery for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… I wasn’t one of those women who had their perfect wedding already planned in her head so, needless to say, I was at a loss after Rob proposed.  When Rob and I started planning our wedding, we knew we didn’t want to spend endless months obsessing over it.  We agreed to move forward with things that felt like “us.”  After looking into different venues and locations we decided that The Crescent Beach Club was the best fit.  Although we were originally dead set against a catering hall, The Crescent Beach Club had a relaxed yet elegant vibe that we were immediately drawn to.  We especially loved the idea that our cocktail hour would be on the beach overlooking the Long Island Sound. The beach has significance to us as a couple so it made sense that it be a part of the wedding.

When a Saturday night in June opened up at Crescent Beach we couldn’t pass it up.  We decided to dive right in to wedding planning craziness.  We booked in March which meant we had three months to do everything. We didn’t choose colors or have a particular theme or motif in mind when we started planning.  Not knowing where to begin, we tried to narrow our focus to the necessities of any great party: good food, good music and a beautiful setting.  We made a second visit to the Crescent Beach for a tasting and the food was outstanding! We appreciated the setting even more this time so we were ready to think about music.

Rob and I are passionate about music and listen to everything from indie rock to old school hip hop.  We were getting discouraged after meeting with a couple of DJ’s that were not at all what we had in mind. Rob and I wanted to create a cocktail party type atmosphere for our guests so that everyone could mingle and talk without having to shout over the music.  When we met Drew Burrows of Beat Train Productions, we knew we had our DJ.  We shared similar tastes in music and Drew’s understated style was exactly what we were looking for.

Hiring an amazing photographer was also very important to me.  I wanted to see timeless, natural images when I looked at my wedding album.  I knew we had to be totally comfortable with whoever was with us that day.  Joe and Britney from Turn Loose the Art were the first photographers we met and we immediately felt a genuine connection with them.  From the start they were incredibly warm, responsive and professional.  They showed us samples of their work and we were amazed… we had our photographer.

Our day started at Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church in Massapequa Park.  We had a traditional Catholic ceremony to honor our parents.  I can’t describe the feeling of looking at Rob and my family and friends in this magnificent church and to know our union is fully supported by everyone.  I was overwhelmed with joy. A wonderful addition to our day was to have Father Thomas Ahern marry us.  Father Tom married Rob’s brother and cousin and has performed other ceremonies for my husband’s family in the past. His presence made the ceremony so touching and personal.

After our ceremony, we went to the Massapequa Park Preserve to take pictures.  Our photographers, Joe and Britney, not only kept the day moving smoothly but they kept us laughing, relaxed and in the moment. It was a calming time during a crazy, hectic day.  It gave us time alone to enjoy our newly married status. We were so comfortable with Joe and Britney that it did not feel like a “photo shoot.”  I think they got some of the most amazing, natural shots of the day while we were in the preserve.

The reception turned out to be all we had hoped for and more.  Everything (including the amazing weather) came together exactly the way we envisioned.  Our vendors helped make the day so memorable and we truly had a blast!  Throughout our planning, whenever we were getting stressed out, I reminded myself that we would be surrounded by people who loved and that is what would make the day perfect…and it was!  It was the happiest day of my life.

Wedding Photography: Turn Loose The Art / Wedding Venue: Crescent Beach Club / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Groom’s Attire: Ralph Lauren / Entertainment: Drew Burrows of Beat Train Productions / Floral Design: Flowers by Burton

What do you get when you have a beautiful east coast bride inspired by cool, California style? Well after spending a lot of QT with this lovely wedding by Kate Connolly Photography, it appears you get beachy chic perfection. From the cool mint hues to the all the DIY details the bride tackled on her own (all the paper goods were handcrafted with love by the pretty lady in white!), I must say it all feels like a refreshing breath of sweet salt air. Click here for even more seaside pretty!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

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From the Bride…After a Christmas morning engagement in 2009 (with a diamond passed down through four generations), I fully embraced bride-to-be status.  Planning our wedding became my favorite hobby, and I eagerly checked blogs such as Style Me Pretty everyday.  (Favorite SMP wedding still being this Santa Monica Wedding).  While I would have loved a California wedding, I am a Jersey girl, and thus we began the wedding process by searching our home state for the perfect venue.

After visiting about thirty different not-quite-right venues, we fell for The Stateroom in Long Beach Island.  Finally we found a place that we both loved and could truly envision ourselves celebrating the night away with our closest friends and family!  We pictured a beach style wedding, and LBI fit the bill.  An 18-mile long island along the Atlantic Ocean, LBI is a truly charming Jersey Shore community.  The Stateroom has a Tommy Bahama style area reserved for cocktail hour, while upstairs the elegant ballroom has large windows that offer spectacular views of the bay.  Both Matt and I are Roman Catholic, so we chose to have the ceremony in the nearby church, where Matt’s mom actually worked when she was a newlywed living in Long Beach Island. With parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and other couples we admire all with June anniversaries, we chose June 25th as our wedding date.

The inspiration for our wedding was casual seaside elegance, and the fresh mint color of the J.Crew bridesmaids dresses guided the rest of the wedding selection process.  I pictured aqua mason jars and mercury glass vases filled with an assortment of peonies, garden roses, astilbe, lavender, dahlias, and scabiosa.  During our engagement I collected lanterns for the reception tables.  Etsy was amazing for finding many items!  Perfect ties for Matt and the groomsmen, striped straws for our signature cocktails, a personalized wooden sign to greet guests, shells to hold our table numbers, and so much more.  And, whatever I couldn’t find, I made on my own (programs, table numbers, menu, candy bags, etc.)

In the end it was just a beautiful day that really was over too fast.  I spent the morning getting ready with my best friends and was so glad to be with them, chatting, laughing and anticipating all that was to follow.  The ceremony was emotional and meaningful, followed by a fun trolley ride and happy moments taking pictures on the beach with my husband and our bridal party!  We found a perfect blue wall behind Ron Jon Surf Shop on our way to cocktail hour, and some of my favorite shots from the day happened there.  At the reception, toasts from our siblings and college roommates were wonderfully kind and funny.  We danced our first dance as husband and wife to Van Morrison’s “Steal My Heart Away.”

Overall, I think what stands out most is the love Matt and I felt from every single person there celebrating with us.  For months prior, I had considered every detail, but on our wedding day those same details were overshadowed by a tremendous sense of joy.  How lucky I was to be marrying Matt, and to do so surrounded by the most important people in our lives!  We left that night on cloud nine.  I am still filled with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for our family, friends and wedding vendors who together made it the most amazing day we could have ever asked for.

Wedding Photography: Kate Connolly Photography / Music + Cinematography: Off Beet Productions / Floral Design: Michele Tallent & Co. / Hair + Make-up: Aqua Bleu Salon / Ceremony Location: Saint Francis of Assisi Church / Reception Location: The Stateroom / Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas / Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet / Bridesmaid Dress: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Necklace: Anthropologie / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew / Groom’s Tie: Hand Made by Emy / Groomsmen Tie: Tux & Tulle / Trolley: Trolley Tours / Bridesmaid Robes: Plum Pretty Sugar Loungerie / Wooden Wedding Sign: Craft Mart Texas / Chair Signs: Lil Missy / Seashell Table Number Holders: Gallery360 / Lanterns: Pottery Barn, Target, Ikea + More / Mercury Glass: Pottery Barn, Anthropologie, Target + More / Mason Jars: Etsy + eBay / Programs, Table Numbers, Menu, Candy Bags, Straw tags, Banner, etc.: The Bride

This gorgeous North Fork wedding by Adam Piorkowski might have fallen on one unusually chilly June day, but a little rain and cold wasn’t about to stop this adorable bride and groom from having the time of their lives.  Nope, they made sure to make the most of it by grabbing some cute as can be umbrellas and heading out into the drizzle for some very fabulous photos ops.  Yep, how awesome are they?!?  And with a wedding filled to the brim with gorgeous DIY details, an all-white color palette and the sweetest of nautical touches, you won’t be able to help but love them even more.  Click here for all of the pretty!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… I knew in planning our wedding that we really wanted to capture the essence of the North Fork since that is where we grew up and spend most of our weekends now.  We chose a venue located on the Peconic Bay so people could enjoy the water view and the natural beauty of Southold. Founders Landing, the venue, is a very simple gray building that only fits about 125 people but we loved everything about it!  The building is basically a blank canvas so with the help of my mom, Gerard’s mom and especially his aunt Kathleen, we created a masterpiece!

I wanted everything to be really simple and all white.  For the tables we decided to cover them with different size mason jars filled with votives and hydrgangeas.  I also took a page out of the SMP book and had a man in Mystic, Conneticut create the nautical rope table card holders I had seen at a previous wedding.  I had discussed all of the flower details with our awesome florist Becky Jens but didn’t see the finished product until after the ceremony when I walked into the reception.  I was IN LOVE!  Becky chose the most beautiful full ivory hydrangeas, they looked absolutely gorgeous.  Between the hydrangeas and the candles, the room had a very romantic cozy feel.

Gerard’s Aunt Kathleen handled many of the details around the room.  She covered the walls with one of our favorite poems, “I carry your heart with me” by e.e. cummings.  Each frame had a different verse of the poem.  I also wanted to make sure our parents’ and grandparents’ wedding photos were included in our day so Kath made this beautiful frame out of beachwood, painted it gold and placed black and white photos of all the weddings before us.  The best part was it sat atop a mantle on a fireplace that said, “Gift of the Southold Players,  XMAS 1923” which I thought was really neat.  Instead of a guest book we found these penguin postcards with vintage book covers of all the books they published and had everyone write us a special note.  Kath situated them in a glass bowl filled with sand.

For the food we wanted to make sure it had a very local, seaside feel.  We chose a raw bar as part of the appetizers and a lobster-bake for our main entree.  Matt Kar, our chef, was amazing!  He knew the exact menu we were going for and everything was delicious.  Our cake was done by Miche Bacher of Sacred Sweets.  Gerard and I had met with her to choose a cake and went through all of her beautiful examples.  We thought we had chosen one and then I spotted a magazine cut out from a Martha Stewart Living article she had just been in and I said – THAT ONE!  It was so beautiful and romantic.  It was three tiers with the top tier sitting upon a delicate little cake stand and this glorious fluffy buttercream icing.  Finally she added a beautiful peony on top, which was the very same flower as my and my bridesmaids bouquet.

Of course, we wouldn’t have been able to capture any of this without our amazing photographer and friend, Adam. We really wanted a photographer that knew us and could translate our essence into photographs.  Adam did exactly that!  The day was a very cold, cloudy, blustery, rainy day in June – hence the umbrellas.  But it made for awesome photographs!  My dreams of everyone roaming the grass down near the beach were squashed but the energy inside that little gray building was palpable.  Adam was with us from start to finish and he put his heart and soul into this project.  Our pictures aren’t traditional, but they represent perfectly what an amazing day we had!

Wedding Photography: Adam Piorkowski / Floral Design: Becky Jens of Moments in Time Floral Design / Wedding Cake: Miche Bacher of Sacred Sweets / Catering: Christopher Michael Catering / Wedding Ceremony Location: Sacred Heart Church / Wedding Reception Location: Founders Landing / Cellist: Jody Redhage / Wedding Wand Streamers: Craftupyourlife / Save the Dates: Architette Studios / Table Card Holders: Matt Beaudoin of Mystic Knotwork / Wedding Invitations: Simply Put, by Ashley Woodman / DJ: PopShop! DJs, DJ Colleen Crumbcake / Hair: Michael Lopez / Wedding Dress + Veil: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Groomsman Ties: J.Crew

Doesn’t this cheery Long Island wedding just make you smile?  The casual yet elegant vibe, the freshly picked flowers (From a nearby construction site!), the insanely gorgeous setting, the oh-so-stunning bride and groom…  Yes, this is most definitely an affair of the grin-inducing kind.  Plus, add to all of this wedding goodness some beyond beautiful images by Christina Szczupak Photography and I just remembered why I love, love, LOVE a gorgeous backyard affair.  Click here for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Christina Szczupak Photography… This adorable trendy couple from Brooklyn held their wedding at the brides father’s home which was right on the beach and overlooking the bay. With the help of great friends and family that picked wildflowers from a local construction site and collected jars for the decorations, they managed to keep their wedding beautiful while staying on budget. The day also included a BBQ which included a full hog roast, having a friend’s band play (with the groom playing on the keyboard for some of the songs), and a short casual ceremony overlooking the bay.

From the Bride… My father and stepmother were so generous to let us use their beautiful house in East Marion, NY. We decided to let the location be a statement in itself and kept the decorations to a minimum. That being said, my stepmother and good friend went to work like crazy picking flowers from a nearby construction site, collecting containers, and making really amazing arrangements for the tables, etc.

We were married by our friend, Ben, who recorded some of the first songs we ever wrote together. Cy got his entire ensemble from eBay. My dress came from Morgane Le Fay. The staff there was amazing: although my dress was the first one I tried on when I started my search, they let me come back like 8 times before I actually bought it. We asked our friend, the Love Loves, to be our wedding band. They delivered a processional that will never be forgotten. For a first dance (which we weren’t planning on), they played Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” and we were then joined by all of our friends.

Wedding Photography: Christina Szczupak Photography / Wedding Dress: Morgane Le Fay / Bride’s Shoes: K. Jacques for Opening Ceremony / Hair + Make-up: Alex of Heather’s Salon / Right Hand Ring: Borrowed from Friend / Bride’s Bouquet: Sprout Home / Groom’s Suit: Versace via eBay / Groom’s Shirt + Socks: Charles Tyrwhitt via eBay / Tie: Ocean Pacific via eBay / Groom’s Shoes: Allen Edmonds via eBay / Catering + Hog Roast: Stuarts Seafood / Flowers + Decorations: Stepmother + Friend / Music: The Love Loves

This gorgeous wedding by Todd France Photography embodies that modern elegance you can’t really put to words. Understated and classic yet incredibly stylish – it’s a wedding that will never go out of style, but is unique and oh so fabulous. It’s an affair that will make your Friday feel so much more glamourous, and really – how can you go wrong with that? See even more of this elegant beauty here!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Todd France Photography…Sean is the hotelier and restaurateur behind such massive successes as The Jane, The Maritime, and The Bowery Hotels, and Rachelle is the founder of guestofaguest.com. The couple embodies modern elegance and style both in their work and in their personal lives, so it was no doubt that their wedding was a tasteful affair to be remembered. Rachelle’s dress was designed by Cynthia Rowley, who was on hand to make sure everything was as beautiful as can be.  The couple celebrated on the gorgeous Montauk property of photographer Peter Beard. Guests were treated to a lush, intimate setting complete with a flower-petal lined pathway which led to the tent where the reception was held.  Inside, the celebration continued into the evening amongst family, friends, music, and delicious food.

Wedding Photography: Todd France Photography / Event Production: Jenny Landey Productions Inc. / Ceremony + Reception Location: Private Montauk Oceanfront Property / Tent: Sperry Tents / Lighting: Luminous Designs / Wedding Gown + Veil: Cynthia Rowley / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo + Stuart Weitzman / Hair + Make-up: Ric Pipino / Floral Design: Flower Girl NYC / Catering: Debbie Geppert Caterers / Wedding Cake: Sacred Sweets

Every day I wake up and pinch myself because I love my job so much. Day after day of pretty wedding after oh-so-pretty wedding makes for a seriously amazing gig. But there are some days I have to pinch myself twice because the pretty just doesn’t seem possible – and today is one of those days. I should have seen it coming, because anything Beth Helmstetter touches I die over, and Corbin Gurkin can do no wrong in my book.  So when you put those two lovelies together and THEN add my calligraphy crush – Laura Hooper – well, you know the pretty is going to be unmeasurable. And this gorg-fest in the Hamptons has a level of pretty that just can’t be explained. So I’ll let the images do the talking, and with a gallery full of this much pretty I don’t think I’ll stop pinching myself all day…

Do you see what I mean? Have you stopped pinching yourself yet?  Have you scrolled up an down over and over just to try to process the pretty? Well take a deep breath, because the lovely Corbin Gurkin and Beth Helmstetter have even more gorgeous to share with us in the form of this adorable couple’s seaside chic rehearsal dinner. This, my friends, is a good day.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Austin and I met thirteen years ago — when he mistook me for someone else and kissed me!  I was sitting at our college hangout, when he came up from behind, planted his greeting on my cheek, and then realized that I wasn’t who he thought I was.  From that day forward, each time he saw me on campus, he came over to apologize for the confusion.  Eventually, one of those apologies became an invitation to dinner, and the rest is history. We attended Rollins College in Florida, but we’re both native New Yorkers and returned to Greenwich Village together after graduation. Several years ago, we moved west to California, where Austin proposed during one of our daily sunset walks on the beach of Santa Monica.  We later decided to make a big leap to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.  In the U.S., I worked as freelancer producer for magazines, music videos and commercials, and Austin was an actor, but when we moved to Nicaragua, we turned our focus to sustainable development, and are building environmentally conscious homes and schools.

When it came time to decide where to wed, we considered both California and Nicaragua, but because we live so far away, returning home to New York seemed like the natural choice. We retreat to the Hamptons each summer for vacation, and it holds so many happy memories, so we decided to marry in East Hampton. It was important to us to have the ceremony and reception outdoors, and fortunately we stumbled upon The LongHouse Reserve.  The moment we walked upon the Reserve’s grounds, we were moved by its extraordinary beauty.  The circular amphitheater seemed a sacred place for a ceremony, and we knew that the art sculptures, the lawns, the pond and its lily pads would be an enchanting backdrop for a celebration.

Our most profound moment came during the ceremony, when we were standing beside each other exchanging vows in the center of the amphitheater, standing on rose petals and air, encircled by the love of our family and friends.  We felt blessed in that sacred moment. Of course (of course!), walking down the aisle towards Austin felt fantastical, and he says that seeing me walk towards him was incredible.  Another delightful moment came minutes before the ceremony began, as I walked through the set-up for the cocktail hour and reception, and saw the marquee tent with its lovely chandeliers, the tables with their romantic settings, and the long bar waiting for its guests, and I knew that this completely magnificent setting was for our wedding!  Every detail we had desired (and had spent months thinking about!) came together on this one gorgeous day.  I was breathless, and so grateful to Beth Helmstetter, our wedding planner, for capturing every idea we had and realizing it.  Though some couples are anxious to greet their guests immediately after the ceremony, Austin and I really enjoyed setting off with our photographer, Corbin Gurkin, for our bride & groom shots. We got to relive the ceremony and revel in the knowledge that we had just tied the knot.  It provided us with a moment of peace in that big, beautiful, busy day.

An indelible moment was when we walked towards our reception tent as the band began to play a Jack Johnson song, and we took to the dance floor for the first time as husband and wife.  We were euphoric to begin the celebration and our lives together in such a happy way.  The cake cutter and server that we used to slice our delectable cake had been given to me as a shower gift, and my sister had them engraved with our new monogram and wedding date.  Each and every time we use that pretty silverware, we will be reminded of our wedding day  Because we are now living in Nicaragua, we wanted to infuse a bit of Latin culture into our wedding, and decided upon the band Jose Conde Y Ola Fresca, who were simply amazing.  Our family and friends spent the entire evening on the dance floor!  We both wanted to keep our wedding as green as possible, so employed local vendors who utilized regional, in-season goods.  Our caterer, Brent Newsom, served local sea bass along with the Hamptons’ famous sweet summer corn and tomatoes.  Our florist, Claire Bean, arranged seasonal flowers into our sumptuous centerpieces and bouquets.

There is just something so lovely about a winery wedding, and this pretty little fête by Samantha Shay Photography is o-ver-flowing with with all the loveliness I adore so much about them. Sweet little details with a hint of rustic and a pinch of vintage filled the affair with a whole lotta pretty – not to mention it looks like this adorable duo tied the knot on the most beautiful, light-filled evening making for a gallery full of lovely image after lovely image!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride…Growing up on Long Island I was blessed with being surrounded by beautiful coastlines, farms and wineries.  This is where my true inspiration came from when planning my dream wedding. As a little girl, I always dreamed of my “big day”, what I would wear, what flowers I would use, what the tables would look like, etc.  The one thing I didn’t wonder about was where I would have my wedding.  That I knew.  It would be out on the North Fork of Long Island.  The North Fork is a hidden gem, a special place to me and a place where I come to escape the hustle and bustle of New York City.   As soon as I introduced my fiancé to the North Fork he fell in love too with the charm and quaintness of the area.  We agreed that one day this area would be perfect for our wedding.

Throughout the three years that Matt and I dated, each time we came to visit my parents in Greenport, Long Island we go wine tasting.  With over 50 wineries on the Eastern End of Long Island we had many to try.  Every tasting we went on there was always one winery that stood out in our minds, Bedell Cellars in Cutchogue, NY.  You could call it love at first site for myself and love at first taste for Matt.  We loved Bedell for not only its amazing wines but for the ambiance and calmness that came over us every time we would go there.

My vision for our wedding (This is where the fun began for me!) was for it to be homey, vintage, rustic, yet slightly romantic.  All these elements fit perfectly in with the surrounding land. I took the beauty of the winery and the natural colors already there to create my color palette.  Antique white, sage green, rose petal pink and cream. It was very important for me to keep everything local and to be as organic as possible.  Our food was bought at local fish stores, farm stands, local gourmet stores and even the oysters at our raw bar came from my Dad’s own oyster farm!  Our wine jelly favors were made from Bedell grapes and even some of our flowers were sourced from backyards.  Each reception table was named after local towns on the North Fork, to create an intimate feel.  I wrote a fact about each town and framed them in frames made from old barn wood.  Texture played a big and important role in my wedding décor too.  From the antique skeleton keys that I had collected over the years to the rattan table linens, to the type of flowers that were used, to the torn paper chosen for our invitations, escort cards, favor tags, each detail played an important role in the overall décor.

Photography: Samantha Shay Photography / Location: Bedell Cellars Winery / Caterer: A Small Affair / Rentals: Party Rental Ltd. / Florist: Karen Lenahan / Wedding Planner: the bride / Hair: Patti at Alter Ego Hair Salon (516-921-1100) / Makeup: Beth Rachel / Brides dress: Christos / Brides shoes: Christian Louboutin / Brides Earrings + Bracelet: Jennifer Miller / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale / Groom + Groomsmen Suits: Lauren by Ralph Lauren / Groom + Groomsmen Ties: JoS. A. Bank / Ceremony Music: Miriam Shilling / Cocktail and Reception Music: Hank Lane of The Downtown Band / Reception Lighting: Matt Murphy Event Lighting / Officiant: Reverend Alison Caiola / Escort Card Holder: TreehouseWoodDesigns / Guest book: EmersonBindery / Reception table frames: braggingbags / Wedding Chair Signs: AnistaDesigns / Ring Bearer Pillow: NanaMontana / Large D&M Initials: thebackporchshoppe / Robe Worn by Bride While Getting Ready: Pretty Plum Sugar

I don’t think I’ll ever grow tired of the fabulous navy blue and fuchsia color combination.  In fact, I know I won’t.  It’s one part classic elegance and one part preppy chic and, oh my goodness, do I love it.  And together with these Long Island nuptials by Alexandra Meseke Photography, it makes for one seriously gorgeous soiree.  I am more than enamored with every single amazing detail of this beachside wedding, from those hot pink peony-filled bouquets by Creative Florist Designs by Doris to those adorable white lanterns.  And the bride’s stunning, stunning gown?  Wow.  Yes, I think I’ll definitely be spending some time in this gallery today.  Join me there!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… When we began planning our wedding all we knew for sure was that we wanted a small intimate wedding on the beach. We both love the wild beauty of it and have spent much of our time together on the beach.  We felt so lucky to find such a gorgeous location, like we were able to have a destination wedding close to home! One of my favorite colors has always been fuchsia, and my husband loves a deep royal blue. The colors worked so well together and really created the look and feel we were aiming for; modern meets beach – fun and whimsical with a touch of elegance. We really wanted the whole day to reflect who we are both as individuals and as a couple. We wanted to incorporate elements of the beach into the day but with our own special twist on them.

The ceremony was so important to us and we put a lot of time and thought into it. We wanted it to be personal and romantic. We even asked a friend if she would get ordained online and perform the ceremony for us, and we wrote the whole thing ourselves and chose all the readings. I had dreamed of walking down the aisle barefoot in the sand with rose petals all around, so that’s what we did! I even made petal cones for the guests to toss at us after the ceremony. I was so caught up in the moment that I had totally forgotten about it and was surprised when the petals came down on us! I designed the programs myself so that we were able to write something about each member of the bridal party, we wanted to share with our guests why we loved these people so much and what made them special. I chose flowy chiffon blue dresses for the girls and they carried bouquets of hot pink peonies, one of my favorite flowers. Since the groomsmen had such different personalities, we decided to let them choose their own outfits. We thought it was funny to have matching bridesmaids dresses and mismatched groomsmen! The idea of an arch in the middle of the beach felt a little out of place to me, but we wanted to define the space where we would stand, so my mom and I wrapped tiki torches in white tulle and attached flowers to them. It was one of my favorite decisions because it looked tropical and gorgeous and the tulle billowed around us in the sea breeze. It was the most romantic amazing day of our lives.

We loved the light, airy, simplicity of the reception space and we only wanted to add small personal touches so that the beauty of the view of the beach and park would shine. I found beautiful white starfish to use as escort cards and knew that our guests would love to take them home. I found amazing delicate painted blue and white sea urchins to hold our table numbers, and then mixed them with modern bright pink floral centerpieces. We wanted to give a favor that reflected us, but that was also practical. We decided on white moroccan lanterns and had personalized matchbooks made to go with them. So many of our friends have terraces or backyards and we loved the idea that they could enjoy the light coming from them all summer long. One of my favorite touches, and the one that touched so many of our guests, was a large frame holding pictures of our loved ones who are no longer with us or who were not able to be there. These people were so important to our lives and we wanted them there with us in some way. And our guests loved looking at all the old family photos on a day when we were creating new ones.

Wedding Photography: Alexandra Meseke Photography / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Venue: Pavilion at Sunken Meadow Park / Floral Design: Creative Florist Designs by Doris / Wedding Cake: La Bonne Boulangerie / Hair + Make-up: Tonya Noland

There is a Great Gatsby feel to this New York wedding, sent to us by Timothy K. Lee Photographers. I’m not sure if its the Sperry Tent, or the grandiose florals, or the fact that the whole lavish love fest took place at the couples private home, but whatever it is, I’m eating it up with a spoon. The fashion, the decor, the whole ambiance is the definition of pure glamour. I spent hours taking in every, little detail of this affair, and now it’s your turn. Click here for the full image gallery.

Romy is a makeup artist and Justin is a real estate developer. We met through our mutual best friends Ebon and Yelena at Ebon’s birthday. The first time we met we didn’t exactly ‘remember’ each other but our friends persisted – eventually ended up in the right place at the right time again and, well, let’s just day the rest was history.

We decided to have the reception at Romy’s parent’s house and were lucky enough to have the beautiful Wolffer Vineyard right across the street.  We loved having the ceremony in the field, the cocktails at the vineyard and then the excitement and drama of walking to Romy’s parents home to a fabulous tent across the street. We were really lucky the way everything worked out.

The inspiration was a bit Belgian, a bit Edward Gorey lots of greys and natural flax linens, hits of black, pale lilacs. Lewis Miller of LMD brought in incredible pottery, objets, seashells, sea horses, lanterns – he has an incredible sensibility and a dream to work with.

My most vivid and favorite memory is going into the wine cellar right after the ceremony with Justin to catch our breath and have a moment alone together before the madness…we were both up in the clouds.

Venue: Couples Private House in Sagaponack, NY / Photographer: Timothy Lee Photographers / Event Planner: David Reinhard Events / Tent: Sperry Tents /  Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Videographer:  Hart Pictures / Floral Designer: Lewis Miller Design / Lighting: Matt Murphy Event Lighting / Invitation Designer: Bride, Romy Soleimani / Cake & Desserts: Have Your Cake, Ltd. / Wedding Gown Designer: Mayle, designed by Maid of Honor, Jane Mayle / Caterer: Olivier Cheng Catering

Love – what a trip. Such a simple little phrase with so much meaning for this lovely couple and their Southampton soirée by The Melideos. The couple used that sweet little line of text to drive the inspiration for their seaside chic celebration and to help tell their love story. And what story it is! This, my friends, is a wedding I could literally live in, and today I am going to do just that in the full gallery of images.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…The inspiration for my wedding came from a phrase that I jotted down on paper during a brainstorming session and it stuck — “Love.  What a Trip.”  It summed up the adventurous travels that led us to each other, and the crazy circumstances under which we met.  And so our European Seaside/Travel-Themed Wedding took shape.  With the theme set, it was 100x easier to let the creativity flow and then the D.I.Y. list started to grow … and grow.  I began with the wedding trailer — one of my favorite D.I.Y. experiences.  I really wanted to tell the story of our fateful meeting, so I collected all the Flip videos I had shot of the two of us over the past year and edited it together in iMovie.  Then came invitations — I used the air mail postcard theme from Minted.com and customized the colors and copy to make it unique.  Next the decor — we hand-painted all of the signage for the event on driftwood and old boards that the winter storms had blown onto our family beach.  Painting a menu board rather then printing menus saved a ton of money and gave guests that “Mom & Pop Restaurant” feel.  We also rummaged through my family homes to find heirlooms including the lace tablecloths, vintage wood table, baskets, vases, candelabras and one spectacular cameo that was pinned onto my bouquet.  And for the music there was only one choice for us — the music of the Gypsy Kings!  For cocktails and after dinner I D.I.Y’d an IPOD playlist of our favorite house and lounge tracks.  For our wedding favors I convinced my family to spend countless winter months combing the beach for heart-shaped rocks, 100 of which we turned into precious little magnets for each guess (a $40 project including magnets and glue).

Bringing in my husband’s Serbian culture and my love for the European lifestyle was also a big priority.  I was adamant about having long Tuscan-style seating instead of classic round tables.  Instead of using table numbers we used the Cyrillic lettering in the Serbian Alphabet to call out each table, decorated the gift table with Serbian books from my husband’s collection and made sure the playlist for cocktail hour included some of our favorite Serbian and Balkan music (especially Zvonko Bogdan).  We also infused Serbian dishes into our Mediterranean menu which included Paella, Porchetta, Serbian Cevapi, Gibanica and Rakija for an after dinner drink.  Driving off in a Vespa or vintage Fiat 500 was also big on my list.  While renting a Fiat 500 was completely out of my budget, borrowing my friend’s Vespa was just right — and it even matched our colors palate!  We closed out the night with a bonfire dance party, sparklers and some serious bongo playing!

And in the end it all paid off.  We were both overcome — by emotion, beauty, love, friendship, and nature.  We were completely overcome that the D.I.Y. vision that had kept us up at night was playing out right before our eyes.  Many times throughout the evening, as the sun was setting, sparklers were twinkling, the swan was swimming by, my new European family was finally on U.S. soil, the breeze was blowing across our alfresco tables, gypsies were strumming, I cried tears of absolute joy and accomplishment.  For anyone who thinks weddings aren’t for them — I was the same.  But when you put all of your creativity into a day and truly make it your own there’s no feeling like it.  I can’t wait to do it all over again in Serbia!

Wedding Photography: The Melideos / Wedding Cinematography: Vintage Cinema / Florals: Flowers by Rori / Ceremony + Reception Location: Grandparent’s Home & Beach / Ceremony & Reception Music: Los Hermanos Cintron / Wedding Invitations: Minted / Bride’s Shoes: Luiza Barcelos / Wedding Dress: San Patrick / Veil: Sara Gabriel via Gabriella / Alterations: Sew Elegant /  Bride’s Hair:  Rebekah Corley of The Bridal Team / Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss / Bride’s Make-up: LJ Makeup Artistry /  Catering: Fresh Flavors Catering

In case you haven’t noticed, we’re really jonesing for the beach this week at the LBB Blog, and lucky for us, we have another seaside affair to close out the week. This Long Island wedding features all things nautical, from sailboats, to lighthouses, to boatloads of blues. And it’s fabulous. I’m seriously so envious of those of you who can take a quick weekend retreat to the ocean, after spending time with this wedding’s amazing images from Robert & Kathleen Photographers. Luckily for those of us who are landlocked, there is a blog (Robert & Kathleen’s) jam-packed with more salt water beauty.

Need even more? Here’s the gallery!

Mike and I are both fun-loving, laid-back “beachy” people, fitting for growing up on the south shore of Long Island.  We met on while working on the ferryboats that bring the masses to and from Fire Island.  I was a deckhand while Mike was a Captain on the ferries, and we were close friends for a few years before we started dating.

Four years later, we took a long weekend trip to Nantucket in July. We had brought our bikes to explore the island, and the first night we were there we decided to take a 6-mile bike ride to Madaket beach, famous for it’s beautiful sunsets. It’s a tradition of ours to see a sunrise and sunset, in every new city we are in. While still slightly sweaty, we found a spot on the beach to have a glass of wine while the sun set.  We were playing a game of “Either Or,” where you give your partner two options to choose from. Mike asked me “Forever or for now?” My response was “Forever” and he slipped the beautiful, round, brilliant cut diamond onto my finger.

The inspiration for our wedding was the casual, beach-chic style that we have grown up with and made our own. I tend to favor classic, understated and timeless approaches to style. My icon is Audrey Hepburn – simple glamour. For me, it’s all in the details.  We wanted the wedding to stay true to who we are as a couple – we wanted people to walk into the wedding and say “this is soo them” with subtle touches of the things we love the most.

After the ceremony, the bridal party and immediate family took a ferry ride over to the Fire Island Lighthouse for pictures. Since the Fire Island Ferries are were Mike and I met, it held a lot of meaning for us to be able to have a piece of our wedding take place their as well.  Robert and Kathleen photography took amazing photos of Mike and I running the boat, and our friends and family enjoying the ride.

The colors, raspberry and navy blue with hints of grass green, are a nod to our nautical ties – Long Island’s south shore, Fire Island, the ferries, and our engagement on Nantucket. The ladies in the bridal party wore navy blue pumps with their raspberry Coren Moore dresses. I loved the pops of colors and think it made a simple statement – young and trendy with classic fresh water pearl jewelry. I worked with designer, Meghan Hand of Shells by Hand to design the pearl necklaces that the girls wore: three strands of twisted pearls. The groomsmen wore custom-fitted navy blue Brooks Brothers suits with raspberry and green ties to match the bridesmaids.

Photography: Robert & Kathleen Photographers / Ceremony Location: Church of St. Patrick / Reception Location: The Bay View House / Formal Picture Location: Fire Island Lighthouse / Bridal Gown: Paloma Blanca / Bride’s Jewelry: Tiffany & Co. / Hair & Makeup: Drew Patrick Spa / Flowers: The Little Flower Shop / Transportation: Fire Island Ferry / Entertainment: The Touch / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Coren Moore