Good morning, SMPers and a very happy Wedding Wednesday to you! We hope you are ready for a day filled to the brim with pretty, because we have quite the lineup in store for you lovelies – and it’s all the inspiration you could want… and MORE. So, grab that cup of coffee, put those phones on silent and get ready for a morning, noon and night of pure wedding magic. It’s going to be fabulous.
Up first in our pretty parade is a breathtaking Connecticut affair that will turn your morning upside.down with its uber-gorgeous scenery, nautical chic vibe and beyond stunning bride and groom. Trust us – one look at these glorious images captured by Kris Rae Photography and you’ll be smitten to the tenth degree. And the chance meeting that started it all?!? Absolutely lovely. See it all here.
Click here for the FULL wedding!
From the Bride… Pete and I met when we were 16 years old standing in line for ice cream. We lived in neighboring towns at the time and remained friends throughout the years. It wasn’t until after college when the Coast Guard stationed Pete in New Jersey that we started dating. A year later we were engaged and began planning for our special day. It was important for our wedding day to reflect our personalities in many ways. My dream for the wedding was to have our guests say, “This is SO Lauren Ann and Pete.” We wanted our day to be fun while highlighting our love for one another with a gorgeous ceremony and seaside reception.
First, we knew we had to find a wonderful seaside location, and during our search for the perfect venue, we fell in love with Saybrook Point Inn the moment we saw the docks. After meeting with the wedding coordinator and the rest of the staff, we secured our wedding date and everything began falling into place. With our shoreline reception site selected, and with Pete being in the Coast Guard, we knew we wanted nautical touches to be included in our wedding’s theme, hence the Sperry boat shoes the men all wore. I have always loved the color turquoise, and with that as the starting point, our color palette easily came together with navy blues, light teals, grays and pink flowers to add a touch of my girly charm.
With my love of crafts, DIY projects, and plenty of inspiration from SMP, I set out to bring all the details together with as much love and attention that every girl’s wedding deserves. With the help of friends and family, we gathered vintage vases and jars for the flowers, made the table numbers, created the menu cards, seating cards, ceremony pamphlets, dessert bar, and even truffles in twine-wrapped turquoise boxes for favors. My father even grew some of the flowers that were used throughout the wedding day! For our traditional elements, we used our parents wedding cake topper and my grandmother’s “something old” handkerchief, and as a nod to our first meeting, we had Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in our favorite flavors. The whole wedding was spectacular, and we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day to share with friends and family as we begin the rest of our lives together!
Wedding Photography: Kris Rae Photography / Ceremony: Rocky Hill Congregational Church in Rocky Hill, Connecticut / Cocktail Hour + Reception: Saybrook Point Inn & Spa in Old Saybrook, Connecticut / Floral Design: Tracy Pascarella of Your Florist / Wedding Invitations: Minted / Wedding Cake: Lovely Cakes / Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream: Mohegan Sun Casino / DJ + Photo Booth: All Axcess Entertainment / Wedding Dress: Stephan Jolie via Bijou Bridal / Alterations + Bride’s Belt: A Family Friend / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bride’s Earrings: Felice Dee (212-717-7062) / Bride’s Veil: The White Dress by the Shore / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Priscilla of Boston Vineyard Collection (Now Closed) / Junior Bridesmaids’ Dresses: The White Dress by the Shore / Hair + Makeup: The Iron Scissors / Men’s Shoes: Sperry Top-Sider / Rings: Parian & Sons