Allison and Derek’s was your typical New England affair, or in other words: perfect. It’s the ultimate Block Island celebration that’ll have you pinning the entire day away (and honestly, who can blame you). Ryon:Lockhart Photography was on hand capturing every moment of merriment and as luck would have it – we’ve got it all waiting in THE VAULT!
From the Bride…My husband and I first visited block island a few years ago for a friend’s wedding. It quickly became one of our favorite places. On one of our trips, memorial day 2014, we hoped on a moped, grabbed some snacks, our favorite champagne and headed to a little picnic on a remote beach by a beautiful light house. To my complete shock after he popped the champagne he then popped the question. By that evening we knew that we’d be returning to this very island to get married – Block Island style.
The island was a perfect place for us. We have always liked the idea of a destination wedding but didn’t want to create too much of an obstacle for our guests. For most, Block Island is a mysterious destination but in reality it’s actually a very convenient option, especially since most of our family and friends were coming from Long Island, Brooklyn or Manhattan. It was very exciting for us to introduce this island to our guests as most had never been. The weekend really had that destination feel as if we were on vacation with 100 of your favorite people.
Block Island is a pretty tiny place, just 17 miles around, and that actually worked in our favor. Everybody seems to know everyone “on island” and you won’t have to go to far into your planning before you realize that all of your options will be decided between a few select vendors. We chose the Rose Farm Inn as our venue for its amazing antique character, its sprawling land and it’s rolling green hills. Our ceremony was held at the iconic Southeast Lighthouse. This picturesque location provided panoramic views of the ocean while also giving us the most quintessential and authentic block island backdrop.
Being that I’m a graphic designer the pressure was really on. I hit Pinterest hard. I wanted something rustic yet glamorous. I love the contrast between mixed metal mercury glass and raw weathered wood. Our palette was ivory, cream, soft blushes, raw neutrals and gold. Our flowers we’re unbelievable thanks to the super talented Melissa from Painted Rock Designs. My father in law was tasked with collecting wood palettes and making flower boxes. We crossed our fingers and let him run with this DIY project. Thankfully no fingers were lost and the end result was awesome.
Designing my invitations was a very special experience for me. I have gone through this process with many brides but never truly understood how personal it was. Once everything was designed I worked with Kon from Coeur Noir Specialty Printers. These guys are the best and the day I picked them up I actually cried. Wedding stationary sets the scene of an event and it really got our guests excited for the weekend.
On to our best decision. Our photographers! They rock! It’s that simple. Everything they do is amazing we felt especially grateful and honored to have Ryon:Lockhart photography document our wedding day. They definitely nailed all of the classic shots but what really impressed us were all of the small moments, nuances and expressions of ourselves and guests. They captured the feeling and essence of our wedding perfectly and exceeded any expectations that we could have imagined.
We laughed all day, we danced for hours, we got to celebrate with everyone we love and I got to marry my best friend. All in all it was the perfect day.
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Photography: Ryon:Lockhart Photography | Event Planning: Summer Sisters | Floral Design: Painted Rock Designs | Wedding Dress: Karen Willis Holmes | Cake: Sugar Rush Designs | Invitations: Allison Rhodes Designs | Catering: Kimberly's | Hair + Makeup: Salon Sena | DJ: Marc Scortino - Island Wedding DJ | Suit: Black Lapel | Wedding Venue: Rose Farm Inn | Musician: Marc Phillip | Rentals: Block Island Party Rentals | Specialty Printing: Coeur Noir | Wedding Rings: Lori Mclean | Wine Favors: Village Wine Club