Rhode Island Weddings

I have a habit of buying fresh flowers when I need a little pick-me-up, but this florist’s arrangements for her own wedding had the same effect. Lush, but with a modern, edgy vibe, the floral design at this wedding is simply stunning. Check out all the gorgeous details (flowers included), captured by Erin McGinn in the gallery for some serious inspiration.

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From Erin McGinn… Stephanie and Jay’s unique, handmade wedding at the Flowers by Semia Studio in the Steel Yard was perfect for their style! So many design details, it was a photographers dream.

From the beautiful Bride… We hesitated for months after the proposal to figure out what we wanted for our wedding.. did we want to elope? Did we want an intimate wedding at our favorite park and then a small restaurant reception? We knew we didn’t want a big wedding and we had a pretty tight budget. I just so happened to be working with Semia on some calligraphy projects when we basically both said out loud at the same time, “WHAT IF YOU HAD THE WEDDING HERE??!!?!” and that was it. The rest was easy.

Jay and I are sweet with a little roughness around the edges, which is exactly how I feel the venue space is. So as far as décor and theme, that was it! Sweet with a little roughness. When I designed the invites, I knew they had to be cool with pops of graphic pattern (with a little hint of glitz), and that’s basically how everything else transitioned into place. The décor had a feeling of vintage meets nature, using a variety of old found objects and fresh plants and floral. The space at FBS and the Steel Yard sets the perfect backdrop so there’s no point in trying to reinvent the wheel. The other important factor is that was fourth of July weekend, so I felt that light should play an important part in the décor. From strung globe cafe lights to tons of candles, to gold glitter here and there (it was even on my dress), to end of the night sparklers, and even a pearlized finish on our macaroons, everything reflected light.

Being a floral designer all these years, how do you pick what flowers you want to use? I couldn’t! So I started the design with light and planned on waiting until 3 days before the wedding to walk into the flower market in Boston and see what they had there to inspire me! What I ended up with were deep, almost black aubergines purples, soft grey tones and pops of dusty blue. Juxtaposing the florals with my favorite cactus and succulent plants, along with some glitter glassware, antique objects and geometric pattern was my ultimate dream come to life!

Photography: Erin McGinn | Floral Design: Flowers By Semia | Wedding Dress: Fleur Wood | Shoes: Nordstrom | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Adrianna Papell | Catering: Emery's Catering | Hair: Casey Bryan Of W Salon | Venue: Flowers By Semia | Bridal Boutique: BHLDN | Desserts: Amanda Masson | Music: Hale Koa phineas Estate | Paper Design: Tiziana Alexis | Rentals: Rentals Unlimited | Taco Truck: Mijos Tacos

To be totally honest, I’m not usually one to be drawn to purple. Pink is just more my style. But after spending mere seconds with this Rhode Island wedding from Jen Ing Photography, I realized I might have been on the wrong team all along. Because if “team purple” looks anything like this elegant “I do,” it’s most definitely the side I want to be on.

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From the Bride… Ed and I met when he was a graduate student and I was an undergrad working in his lab at Michigan State University. He very discretely asked me out for ice cream on my birthday when no one else was around and the rest is history.

Right from the start, we knew that we wanted our wedding to be intimate and to focus on the small things to really make it ours. And since our family and close friends were traveling great distances from, other parts of the US, Canada, Hong Kong and Malaysia, to Providence for our wedding, we wanted to make sure that we could cherish the time with them as much as possible. We decided to have the wedding at the Waterman Grille where we would have a scenic backdrop overlooking the Seekonk River while dining inside their elegant dining room. It was the perfect location for our small, intimate, and elegant wedding that we had envisioned.

We tried to put our own personal touches on things, and one of my favorites was our wedding invitation. Ed has always had an eye for design, and was inspired by an idea he had seen online using origami hearts. We carefully folded the hearts that had our wedding date printed on them, and tied them to paper tags with the RSVP on them. I absolutely loved their understated simplicity and their uniqueness plus we had tons of fun making them together! We also put our own touches on the wedding favors. Days before the wedding, I made hundreds of homemade lemon cookies and nestled them in miniature versions of traditional Chinese wedding gift baskets that my sister had brought from Malaysia. They were too cute to resist! Our guests signed their well wishes on an artistic print of the iconic Biltmore Hotel in Providence by Dan Butler, as a memory of where we got engaged and married. In loving memory of my parents, I displayed their wedding portrait as a tribute to them. Also, in keeping with our Chinese heritage, we poured tea for our family members as a sign of respect in this time-honored tradition.

As for the ceremony, a close friend of ours officiated the wedding for us. It was a tender moment when my sister walked me down the aisle and seeing Ed looking handsome, waiting at the end. Looking back, we were lucky to be able to share this precious moment with people who are near and dear to us. There is absolutely nothing I would change about our wedding except that I wished my parents were able to witness that day.

Photography: Jen Ing Photography | Floral Design: Robin Hollow Farm | Cupcakes: The Cupcakerie | Hair + Makeup: SERAI Beauty | Bride's Dress: Reem Acra | Centerpieces: Whole Foods Market Preston | DIY Invitations: Eat Drink Chic | Dress Shop: Encore Bridal | Papers: Paper Presentation | Silkscreen Print: Dan Butler of Craftland | Wedding Location: Waterman Grille

Rhody weddings have a special place in my heart. The Ocean State just oozes charm, and its gorgeous shorelines just beg for a celebration. So when I lay eyes on a wedding like this one, with its sweet, nautical feel and images from Erin McGinn Boutique Photography, ladies and gentlemen, I’m smitten. The gorgeous couple, and their sweet family and friends make it all that much better, and you can devour their perfect Rhode Island wedding day at the Squantum Association right here.

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From the Bride… Brian and I are a unique couple.  I’m a bit more traditional, he’s not.  He’s extremely outgoing, I’m not.  It was important that our wedding represented both of us, equally (well kind of equally).  Before we got too carried way with planning we discussed what we had to have at our wedding, and what we could live without.  Without much thought we both knew a great band and open bar were two top priorities.  Once we had the venue booked and the basics ironed out we were able to focus on details that would make our wedding unique and special to us.  I am guilty of spending hours upon hours on Pinterest, Etsy and thumbing through bridal magazines.  I wanted to incorporate every detail into the wedding.  I was extremely fortunate to have two family friends, Robin Mulligan and Lisa Hardiman, help to focus and refine my vision.  When I walked into the Bake House after the ceremony I was truly astonished.  It was everything I had envisioned and more!

The Hardiman Family gave Brian and me the flowers for our wedding gift (most importantly they gave us their time)!  Lisa and I went a week before the wedding to Flower Exchange in Boston and picked out all the flowers.  The colors and textures of all the flowers were amazing!  I had never been to a flower mart before so this experience was so special!  Two days before the wedding she picked them up and began assembling the table toppers, bouquets and boutonnieres.  It truly was a family affair putting the arrangements together.  Bri and I are so fortunate to have such generous and thoughtful friends!

The flowers were not the only personal touch.  Robin had someone make the navy and white cabana stripe runners used on the head tables, desert table and gift table.  She also surprised us with navy and white monogram pillows used on the couch in the lounge area.  On top of all this Robin facilitated the seating chart for dinner.  She put me in touch with a graphic designer in Braintree who designed the seating chart.  Following that she had it framed at a local shop in Warren. The décor and ambiance made our wedding beautiful but our guests and positive energy made our wedding extra special!

There were a few true DIY projects.  I made thank you cards that were placed on each person’s napkin.  I stamped Thank You on the front and typed a note on the back.  I wanted everyone to know how much we appreciate him or her for sharing our special day with us.  We did a similar variation on the welcome bags given out at the hotels.  To save some money I formatted the menus and programs in Word and someone on ETSY enhanced it with graphic design.  I was able to print the PDF at Staples.  Finally we chose table names that were unique to us.  I typed them out on white paper, used a lace hole punch to soften the edges and mounted them on navy cardstock.  Glass picture frames found at Homegoods were used to display the table names.

The wedding ceremony was filled with lots of personal touches as well.  Not only were Bri and I fortunate to have our best friends stand with us as we committed to one another for the REST OF OUR LIVES…. (ahhhh… ) but a close family friend, Bill Loehning, made it official!  Brian and I both grew up going on family vacations to the Cape with the Loehnings so it was extra special to have him be a part of our special day.  To top off our very unique ceremony we had a friend, Jon Weinstein, speak.  We had originally asked him to do a reading; he quickly refused and said he insisted on writing his own speech.  It was filled with many great memories we all had together growing up.

Once last thing, the transportation.  It was important to us to be sure all our guests had a fun time, but it was imperative that everyone got home safely.  We looked into a few options for transportation and First Student was by far the most cost effective!

One more last thing… party favors and cake.  Both were not high on the priority list for Bri and I, more of a formality.  Unfortunately, we lost a very close friend a few years ago to Glioblastoma, so it only seemed right to make a donation to the Brain Tumor association as opposed to a tangible favor.  Cake, we decided to have a fake cake to cut into and ordered sheet cakes from Gregg’s restaurant.  We ordered a vanilla cake dyed pink– proceeds went towards Breast Cancer and a chocolate cake– proceeds donated to Hasbro Children’s Hospital.

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Wedding Photography: Erin McGinn Boutique Photography | Wedding Venue: Squantum Association | Cake: Gregg’s Restaurants | Flowers, Runners + Pillows: DIY by family friends | Linens + Chairs: Rentals Unlimited | Seating Chart: Susi Art | Framing: Donna Neville Customer Framing | Makeup: Kristin Greene Hair and Makeup Artistry | Hair: Blue Moon Hair Studio | Band: Sweet Tooth and the Sugar Babies | Limousine: Five Star Limo | Bus: First Student

This is one of those weddings you simply can’t get enough of. One where you’ll find yourself back in the gallery adding image after image to your “dream celebration” inspiration board. It’s the gorgeous light, the stunning couple and the breathtaking views from Aldrich Mansion that will have your wedding-loving heart aflutter. See every last detail right here captured to perfection by Mandy Mayberry Photography.

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From Mandy Mayberry Photography… Megan and Matt celebrated their vows with an oceanside wedding at Aldrich Mansion in Warwick, Rhode Island. They both wanted a nautical-themed wedding with sweeping views of the ocean. Aldrich Mansion sits on a private estate and offered not only breathtaking views of Narraganset Bay, but the mansion also features beautiful European artistry and craftsmanship. It set the perfect atmosphere for the dream wedding they always imagined. From the old trolley to the beautiful navy and pink color scheme, starfish and calla lillies, their special day had a very nautical, old world charm feel to it.

Wedding Photography: Mandy Mayberry Photography / Ceremony: The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Providence, Rhode Island / Reception: Aldrich Mansion in Warwick, Rhode Island / Event Design + Planning: Sarah Marquis / Floral Design: Golden Gate Studios / Wedding Invitations: DIY / Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero “Karena Royale” / Bride’s Shoes: David’s Bridal

I’ve got a serious crush on this wedding. It’s elegant, yet totally laid back. Playful, yet serious. The wedding party is perfectly mismatched yet coordinated. It really doesn’t get any more charming than this. Ruth Eileen Photography snapped up all the pretty details of this sweet and simple day and you can see the rest right here.

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From the Bride & Groom… Our wedding took place in Providence, Rhode Island, on October 6, 2012. We met and currently reside in this city and couldn’t think of a better place to celebrate the occasion. The event was an “elegant” BBQ with approximately 150 guests.  Shortly after our engagement, we knew that we wanted our big day to take place in the fall at our local parish, St. Sebastian. We chose the theme of “elegant” BBQ because it reflected our style: laid-back, fun and simple. Our reception took place at The Hope Club, a private city club located on the east side of Providence. The Hope Club is a historical building filled with charm. It did not require much decorating, so we decided to keep our elements simple. Wildflowers filled antique Hope Club bottles, while the wedding party was adorned with sunflowers and daisies. To keep with our BBQ theme, we made homemade pickles for each table, and our guests walked out with a jar of homemade BBQ sauce. Instead of the traditional three-course meal with wedding cake, we chose food stations offering different BBQ staples with pies. 

Our bridesmaids wore completely different dresses, shoes, & accessories that were coordinated with our groomsmen’s hand-picked ties. The array of color and individual style truly represented us. We wanted our photographs to look timeless. Grant wore a navy blue herringbone suit, while Sara’s dress featured an ivory chapel train with lace fabric.

All design elements, including save-the-dates, invitations, labeling and thank you notes were designed by Grant’s brother and best man, Scott Petrichko. All pieces were extremely creative, and we received a lot of compliments on them. We wanted to splurge on a band because we knew everyone would appreciate good live music to dance to, and it was definitely worth it. 

Wedding Photography: Ruth Eileen Photography / Ceremony: St. Sebastian Catholic Parish in Providence, Rhode Island / Reception: The Hope Club in Providence, Rhode Island / Floral Design: Christina Chandler of Studio 539 Flowers / Wedding Cake: Decadent Designs by Jean / Wedding Invitations + Paper Goods: Scott Petrichko (The Groom’s Brother) / Band: D2 via Best Bands of Boston / Wedding Dress: Mon Cheri Bridals “Quinn” via RK Bridal / Hair: Lindsay Balesano of Salon Couture (A Friend) / Makeup: Brit Houston (A Friend) / Green Bridesmaid’s Dress: ASOS / Gold Bridesmaid’s Dress: ModCloth / Purple Bridesmaid’s Dress: Bebe / Orange Bridesmaid’s Dress: ModCloth / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew / Rings: Ferro Estate & Custom Jewelers