THE DETAILS
The owner of Warren ’ s The Lady Next Door and her husband pulled off their vintage-themed wedding with the help of their community and spacious home .
PHOTOGRAPHY : YUDI ELA ECHEVARRIA ; TABLESCAPE PHOTO : CHRISTINE STULIK .
Christine jokes that she and Christopher met the old-fashioned way : online dating . Their first date was afternoon tea at Seven Arrows Farm in Attleboro , Massachusetts , followed by hours of nonstop conversation .
In October 2022 , he proposed to Christine , owner of The Lady Next Door in Warren , at South Shore Beach in Little Compton . Christopher had acquired the ring from her vintage antique shop — the first of many ways the shop would assist in their wedding planning .
Christine , Christopher and his son Llew ’ s first step as a family was buying an old Victorian home in Fall River , Massachusetts . One day , Christine ’ s friend visited their fixer upper and casually brought up a clever idea : clean out the detached 1890s carriage house and have the wedding at home .
Without delay , the couple prepared their wedding venue . They began by emptying out the carriage house ( filling up three dumpsters ), replacing the roof , power washing the exterior and installing the lights . The couple sourced all the table linens , glassware and plates either from The Lady Next Door or from Christine ’ s estate work .
“ Everything was meaningful ,” says Christine . “ We wanted the wedding to be personal and unique to us , and to imbue every little thing with a nod or gesture to something in our lives . We made sure everything had a piece of us or our community .”
That same community rallied behind the couple to help execute their vision .
A friend picked the flowers at Four Town Farm in Seekonk , Massachusetts , while other friends made the flower arrangements or loaned beakers for the centerpieces . Christopher ’ s band , Stereo Soul Future , flew in from California and provided the ceremony music .
“ We were in charge of every decision ,” says Christopher . “ As the wedding planners , we both had to make choices and facilitate the people who came early to help .”
With a shop full of gorgeous vintage bridal dresses , Christine had several options to choose from . “ There ’ s a lot of pressure for what you ’ re going to wear on your wedding day when you ’ re the owner of a vintage store ,” she says with a laugh .
A certain dress in stock caught her eye when she took over The Lady Next Door from the original owner , Sandy , in 2020 . Christine admired the construction and comfort of the timeless dress , which made the final cut about a month before the wedding .
The couple also honored Christopher ’ s late wife , Sarah , that day . Their wedding represented a significant moment in their lives , as Christine ’ s community was meeting Sarah ’ s family and friends for the first time . “ That was a big part of our day , too ; just love continuing and going on , not just between us but between the people who have loved Christopher and Llew for so long ,” says Christine .
For those who want to carry out the wedding of their dreams , the couple advises vintage lovers to find pieces that have a story behind them and invoke strong memories . Start with the items within your own or family members ’ households and find a way to incorporate them into the day .
“ Objects have such a powerful presence . They can make memories and people feel closer to us ,” says Christine . “ If it ’ s your grandmother ’ s china , >>