Kaitlin & John
New England summer wedding with hydrangea hues and coastal elements . Plus , “ We loved that the venue offers amazing outdoor and indoor spaces so we didn ’ t have to worry about what the weather forecast would be on our wedding day .” More perks included catering and decor provisions , on-site accommodations and a fantastic attached after party locale .
The Ceremony : “ We have a great relationship with Father Hanwell and he brought so much energy to the day ,” Kaitlin says . Meanwhile , Our Lady of Mercy Chapels ’ unique U-shape enabled the couple to be surrounded by their guests as they exchanged vows . “ It was amazing to feel so connected to our family and friends throughout the ceremony .”
The Details : “ My family grew up boating , so the beverage boat was a fun , nautical detail ,” Kaitlin says . “ It was handmade and had a real sail from Anderson Gray and Co . My dad and brother rigged it the night before the wedding and added the personalized decals .” They also a made a burgee from one of the newlyweds ’ custom wedding koozies , which featured nautical flags spelling out their last name . Shell escort cards added another perfect Ocean State touch . “ Oysters are very popular , but we wanted shells that looked more like quahogs ,” Kaitlin explains . During her search , she stumbled upon Sharon Morgera ’ s portfolio and quickly made the connection that she had gone to high school with Sharon ’ s daughter . “ It was great to work with a talented local artist because we didn ’ t have to worry about shipping and she was able to take care of last-minute changes with ease .” The escorts were also a big hit with the guests , who got to take them home as favors .
The Meet Cute : It doesn ’ t get more New England than this , folks . “ We both went to Boston College but did not meet until about five years after we graduated through the dating app Hinge ,” says Kaitlin . “ Then on our first date we found out our parents ( John ’ s dad and my mom ) grew up blocks away from each other in Bay Ridge , Brooklyn .”
The Engagement : “ Nantucket has always been a special place to us as a couple and each year we go for the annual Christmas Stroll ,” Kaitlin recalls . “ During our third visit together we went for a walk to Steps Beach where John got down on his knee and proposed .”
The Venue : Kaitlin had always dreamt of an Ocean Cliff wedding . “ From our perspective , it is the best view in all of Newport !” she says . It also flawlessly fit her concept of a fun ,
The Hiccups : Five days before the wedding , the couple received invitations to ‘ Anthony ’ s fiftieth birthday party ’ instead of their programs . Knowing there wasn ’ t enough time to re-order through the same company , John immediately contacted their invitation designer , Taylor Near of Mulberry and Elm . “ She was amazing and quickly designed us a program that we could get printed locally ,” Kaitlin says . “ We definitely learned a lesson that working with trusted vendors and small businesses makes a difference !”
The Highlights : “ Marrying Kaitlin .” — John “ Of course , marrying John was my favorite moment , but another that will always stick with me is seeing all of our loved ones having a great time on the dance floor . It was packed all night and people only took breaks when Ben and Jerry ’ s showed up . With COVID , we really weren ’ t sure our wedding would happen in the way we originally envisioned , so seeing everyone celebrating was surreal !” — Kaitlin
112 | ENGAGED IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND 2022