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Tara and Chris had a beautiful wedding in South Hampton. They got ready for the day just down the street from each other.

The bride and groom shared a first look. I just love Chris’s expression when he saw Tara for the first time.

Ah! I love this dress!

Tara and Chris’s wedding venue in South Hampton is very special to them. Chris shares, “First, there is a lot of family history. My great grandfather purchased the beach house in 1950. My dad spent his childhood growing up there during summers and then, in turn, my brother and I did as well. It’s amazing to look at old photos and see my relatives growing up swimming in the bay and playing on the sand.

Tara adds, “Second, it is so special is because it’s actually the first place we met! One of my best friends and her husband were renting a summer house on the same street with Chris’s roommate at the time, and his girlfriend. I went out to stay with my friend for a week during the summer and, on the first day there, she said we were going to walk down a few houses and meet some of the people who she had become friendly with in the neighborhood. We walked down….and ended up on the deck of the beach house where Chris and I eventually got married! One thing led to another and eventually we were set up to go on a date back in Manhattan. My friend told me before I went on this date that we were going to get married. I laughed at her and told her I would call her after. The date lasted 4 hours! After that date came a second one, which we both clearly remember because the people at the table next to us asked us to be quiet because we were laughing and talking too loud.”

We tried to get a photo with of the groom with the twin ring bearers. We didn’t get what we planned, but the pulled suspenders made for an even better and funnier photo!

The ceremony was held on the beach just as the sun was beginning to set. Tara adds, “One of our favorite pastimes is watching the sunset on the beach, so we thought of no better backdrop for our wedding than that! We did a lot of DIY aspects for our wedding…from constructing our wedding arch, to slicing wine corks to hold place cards, to assembling our floral centerpieces with our family. Working together on these details helped make the process feel even more special, and in turn, made our wedding truly reflective of us. ”

Tara shares the story of the proposal, “It was a rainy fall day in November and Chris and I had planned to have a weekend out of the city and go wine tasting. We got up in the morning and all seemed normal – except for the fact that Chris was fully dressed in a button down, khakis, shoes, etc., before 9 am. He made me chocolate chip pancakes while dressed like we were going out to dinner – but I thought nothing of it.  That afternoon we drove to Wolffer Estate Vineyard and walked in for a tasting. We ordered a cheese plate to go with the wine and I thought it was slightly odd that Chris wasn’t eating any of the cheese – for anyone who knows Chris, this would be somewhat alarming. He insisted that it was “too salty,” when in reality…he was panicking. Ha. We decided to go out to the back and take a photo of the vineyard despite the rain. When we got outside, one of the employees took our photo. The photo is hilarious because Chris is leaning away from me so I wouldn’t feel the ring box inside of his jacket pocket. We have this photo framed now because in it we are both grinning ear to ear and this was before the actual engagement – so it is pretty indicative of how happy we are around each other. After the employee took the photo, he started to talk about the vineyard and various grapes at which point Chris is starting to get really flustered (he was waiting for the guy to go inside so he could propose). After he went inside, I started to follow…naturally…because it was RAINING. Chris said he thought we should wait for another minute, to which I said, “Why do you want to stand outside – it’s raining?” Then I turned around, he was down on one knee… and the rest is history.

At our wedding we decided to serve only Wolffer red and white wine because of our special connection. And the Wolffer red that was served at the wedding is the same type we were drinking before and after the proposal!

We aimed to have a rustic beach wedding so hopefully that is the style we produced! We love spending summer nights at the beach watching the sunset, and wanted to share this special place with those closest to us. We envisioned our wedding as one big party – the right mix of classy and casual.”

Guests were treated to a smores bonfire on the beach just outside of the reception tent.

Congratulations Tara and Chris!

Special thanks to the whole team:
Venue: Private Beach Home, Southampton, New York
Coordinator: Lovely Day Styling & Events
Caterer: 230 Elm
DJ: Spin Around Sound Entertainment
String Duo: Marie Stack Music
Hair and Makeup: Alicia Cook, Revolve Hair Salon
Bride’s Dress: Daughters of Simone
Bride’s Barefoot Sandals: Forever Soles
Maids of Honor Dresses: Nouvelle Amsale
Photographer: Jessica Schmitt Photography with Eric Swartz

Jaime and Joe were married on a lovely summer day at the Stonebridge Country Club in Long Island.

Jaime and Joe shared a first look before the wedding ceremony. Joe’s reaction was priceless!

Jaime shares, “I had moved back to the Upper East side of Manhattan in Fall 2011 and wandered into the bar, Molly Pitchers, one football Sunday. I spotted Joe sitting on what I soon found out was his favorite bar stool and the one he sat on every Sunday to watch the Baltimore Ravens. One thing led to another and after the game we started chatting only to find out that we lived across the street from each other and also worked across the street from each other in Midtown. It was almost as if a higher power wanted us to meet and fall in love. We immediately and easily fit into each other’s lives – meeting for lunch in Bryant Park and walking home through Central Park.

Nicole and Paul were married on a beautiful summer day. The ceremony took place at St. Brigid’s Roman Catholic Church with a lovely reception at the Vista Skylounge & Penthouse Ballroom in Long Island City.

Nicole shares, “Paul and I met through an online dating site back in 2012. We had our first date in a coffee shop in Manhattan and from that moment we knew we had something special. It didn’t feel like a first date, but rather like two old friends catching up. I remember not being able to sleep that night because of the excitement I felt. Over the years, I made two trips to Ireland to meet his family. They were amazing experiences that brought us closer together. Paul learned how to dance bachata, a Dominican dance, and I began learning to play the fiddle. The deep interest, love and respect we have for each other and each other’s cultures have been a blessing.

Paul proposed to me in Paley Park in Manhattan on December 27, 2013. He chose that date because it was exactly one year since we had taken our first photos together in front of the tree at Rockefeller Center. I was completely surprised! Afterwards, we took photos in front of the tree then went to my home to share the good news with my family.

We wanted our wedding to be an intimate blend of our cultures and for our guests to have fun! Paul is from Ireland and I am a Dominican from Queens, NY. During the ceremony, Paul gave me a silver coin which is an Irish tradition. Also, his father did a reading in Irish. Family, music, and having a laugh are central to both cultures. We had musicians play traditional Irish music during the ceremony and cocktail hour, and a DJ played plenty of merengue and bachata during the reception. I also surprised Paul with a Dominican cake!

The venue had a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline and was just perfect. There was plenty of space to dance which was great because the night ended with a surprise Riverdance. After the reception ended, we spent the rest of the night at the rooftop bar having laughs with family and friends. We are so incredibly happy at how it all turned out.”

Congratulations Nicole and Paul!

Outdoor weddings are beautiful, but they can also be a little risky. You’ll probably find yourself glued to the weather app, checking the weekly, then daily, then hourly forecasts. However, if you see a cloud with raindrops next to the date of your special day, don’t panic. There are many ways to not only deal with the rain, but embrace it. If you are prepared, a rainy day wedding is no problem!

Make it festive!

You are probably going to want to stay as dry as possible on this rainy day, so why not have some fun with it? Stock up on umbrellas just in case it rains. Try to make them match in color, but be careful! Brightly colored umbrellas may seem fun, but cast an unpleasant color on your guests that makes photos look awkward. No one is going to want to look like a Wicked Witch under that seemingly fun, green umbrella. Stick with pastels and light colors. These cast no unpleasant shades and allow natural light to shine in on your face, like the white flower umbrella pictured above.

Another fun idea is wearing rain boots. Have a colorful pair of rain boots ready to be subbed in for those heels. The last thing you need is to be stuck in the mud or slipping (this could even be a blessing in disguise, because rain boots are WAY more comfy than heels). If you want to go all out, have your bridesmaids wearing matching rain boots. Hello cute photo op!

Make some beauty adjustments.

Rain can seem like a nightmare when you have your hair and makeup done, but don’t worry. As long as you have an umbrella and some good hairspray, you should be fine. If you’re still worried though, opt for an updo. There are so many lovely hairstyle options like braids, messy buns and tucked curls that will look great! Another hair option is wearing a flower crown. Flower crowns create a super fun and carefree look that will help hold your hair if it gets a little wet.

Be optimistic and think of the positives.

Rain does NOT mean gloom. Plants and wildlife thrive in these conditions and rain covered grass and flowers actually look more vibrant.

If you plan to visit a popular area (such as Central Park), you will have much more privacy. There will be fewer people trying to get a peek at your wedding as they walk by and fewer unpredictable people in the background of your pictures. It creates a much more intimate setting in a usually crowded space.

Be a little flexible.

Things may not be 100% on schedule and that is perfectly fine. Relax! You will have time to enjoy every aspect of your wedding even if the schedule has to be adjusted. Guests may be running a little late due to road conditions and traffic.

Have a backup plan.

If not only your ceremony, but also your reception is outdoors, you may want to make some adjustments. Figure out this backup plan way beforehand so you’re not caught off-guard. A tent could be a nice option if there is just a light rain, but a backup indoor reception venue may be the best option.

Don’t worry, you won’t have to sport an umbrella in all of your wedding photos. I recommend scouting out a nice close-by outdoor spot that has an overhead shelter, like a gazebo or archway. Then we can still enjoy some nature, without getting wet. For example, Central Park’s Bethesda Terrace is a lovely place to take pictures rain or shine.

Have fun and embrace it!

Sure, this isn’t how you imagined your wedding day would be, but that’s okay! With a positive attitude you can make the most of it. Have fun dancing in the rain. Make some funny memories that will create great stories. Some people even say that a little rain is good luck, representing both cleansing and fertility. Remember that you and your spouse’s vows are far more important than the weather and can’t be ruined with a little unexpected water.

Lisa and Michael came all the way from Perth, Australia, to get married in Central Park.

Lisa shares, “We decided to get married in New York for my love of old Hollywood love stories. To have the ceremony in Central Park was for Michael’s love of nature and the outdoors and the Ladies Pavilion was perfect for the horticulturalist in Michael and the romantic in me!

We were very lucky to have our family travel from all around the world to celebrate with us.

With Michael being Aussie and me being Scottish it was lovely of him to wear the traditional Scottish kilt, and to bring a wee bit of Scottish flair to the whole ceremony starting with a piper playing “Flower of Scotland” as all the guests arrived!

I loved that after the ceremony I had the piper play an ACDC song for Michael as it’s one of his favorite Aussie bands!

During the ceremony my gorgeous flower girl, Phoebe, stole the show by enjoying the spotlight. But unknown to me, my cousin was panicking that Phoebe had been putting her hands in the dirt then running up to me with open hands onto my dress!”

Lisa continues, “Whilst planning the wedding I think that before we had anything organized I had decided on wanting our first dance in Grand Central Station and the rest of the wedding came from that idea!

The reception at Tavern On The Green was discovered by mum and aunt back in February when they met up in New York in -17 degrees to finalize the wedding. After stumbling onto Tavern On The Green they fell in love with it and knew that it was perfect! Michael and I couldn’t of imagined a more perfect place to celebrate our wedding.”

Congratulations Lisa and Michael!