When the couple arrived, they were tucked away inside the Still River Cafe, where they were able to overlook through the restaurant’s panoramic window at their guests arriving. The ceremony took place in the corner of the lush lawn that surrounded the Cafe, where guests observed on rustic benches adorned with shepherd’s hooks, overflowing with loosely arranged flowers by Azaela Floral Design. Instead of traditional vows, Kelly and Paolo recited Dr. Seuss’s wedding vows, in which Paolo promised, “Yes, I will have, and I will hold, just as I have at this time told. Yes, I will love her all my life as now I take her as my wife” and Kelly pledged, “Yes, I will love for my whole life. Yes, I will happily be his wife!”

They recessed down the aisle to the jubilant sound of kazoos, followed by their guests to enjoy some sweet lemonade before heading inside. Their dog Bella made an appearance and could not sit still, she was so excited! Past the vintage bicycle with hydrangeas filling the basket and up the candle-lit steps, the couple and guests enjoyed an intimate reception. Christine from Azalea Floral Design really dressed up the cafe with beautiful greenery wrapped around the ceiling beams and gorgeous mini-arrangements of roses and delicate flowers in vintage medicine bottles that perfectly complimented the love letters and vintage books that were a favorite possession to both the bride and groom. Joseph Kiernan and his band performed some light music above in the loft while the wedding party dined on their choice of fresh oysters, tender beef, delicately flavored stuffed mushrooms, and savory rabbit in between sips of wine. In lieu of cake, the couple chose to treat their guests to chocolate cupcakes with a chocolate ganache frosting, cleverly decorated with orange sugar flowers. Guests enjoyed their treats as well as their favors, loaves of chocolate cake–Kelly’s favorite recipe! It was such a beautiful wedding, filled with so many family members and love, that it was hard for everyone to leave at the end of the night!

Jen Curtis from Jen Curtis Photography captured every moment beautifully!

Credit Reel

Photography: Jen Curtis Photography
Planning & Design: Jubilee Events
Floral Design: Azalea Floral Design
Hair & Makeup: Jennie Fresa Beauty Library
Reception & Cupcakes: Still River Café
Celebrant: Sarah Carson
Rentals: Jubilee Events
Jazz Trio: Joseph Kiernan Jazz Trio
Paper: Handmade by the couple

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I was so honored to be apart of Jennifer and Brenda’s wedding. It was an emotional day filled with love, happiness, joy, and a fabulous purple martini. I can still remember when Jennifer and Brenda first contacted me — they said, “Girl, we’ve been watching WAY too much of Platinum Weddings and we need your help!!”

Event Ingredients

Photography: Robin Dini Photography
Floral Design: Flore Floral Design
Cupcakes: Sweet Cakes, Fairfield
Furniture Rentals: Signature Event Rentals
Linens: Cloth Connection
DJ: Todd Armstrong, Powerstation
Martini Luge: Bill and Jen of Ice Matters

On July 25th, 2009 they celebrated their incredible love for one another overlooking Long Island Sound at Anthony’s Oceanview in New Haven, Connecticut. Surrounded by 80 of their closest family and friends, they exchanged vows they had written for each other in an emotional ceremony. By their sides were their “Best Girls”, Brenda’s best friend and Jennifer’s sister. Their nieces scattered rose petals down the aisle and held onto their wedding bands. When they were pronounced married, they danced up the aisle to McFadden and Whitehead’s “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” (precursor to the epic dance party to come, let me assure you!!). They had a modern and elegant wedding with shades of purple and orange. I love how they integrated interesting floral shapes into their bouquets — aren’t they fun and unusual?!

Jennifer and Brenda wanted to host an amazing party for their family and friends. We brought in white, sleek and modern lounge furniture from Signature Event Rentals. Their couches are so gorgeous! We also used these fabulous Lucite highboys and coffee tables that had an amazing light system. Bistro tables were draped in gorgeous violet pintuck linens, with varying arrangements of floating flowers (tulips, gerbera daisies and orchids). They were accented by orange crush linens on their candy station and martini bar. Take a look at that fabulous luge, created by Bill and Jen of Ice Matters!

Brenda had proposed to Jen on a wine cork (sooo romantic!) so we had wine corks for guests to leave messages of love and encouragement. Their fabulous orange and purple cupcake tower was created by the very talented Suzette of Sweet Cakes in Fairfield. I’ve worked with her on numerous events this year and her confections are not only beautiful to look at, but absolutely delicious!!

Jennifer and Brenda chose some of their favorite candy for favors — dum dum pops, orange jelly bellys, dove chocolates, hersey kisses. Delish! Jubilee Events provided the candy jars, scoops, and pretty little signs that we modeled after their invitations (also designed by us!)

Jennifer and Brenda had such great style and picked up decor items through out their planning. They added splashes of color to the lounge through pretty purple pillows. They used pretty candle holders with dangling crystals and orange votives on the highboys and found lots of cylinder containers for their modern centerpieces. Each month when they came up from their home down south they’d have a ton of beautiful little accent pieces for me. It was so fun and amazing to see their vision come together!

Big props to my girl Robin Dini for her amazing and talented artistic eye. She did an incredible job capturing the details and emotion of their day!

It was such an honor and pleasure to work with them on their spectacular wedding. Congratulations!!Similar Posts:

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I think it is pretty awesome that Jessica just recently graduated with her Master’s degree. It is even MORE awesome that she threw herself a CRAZY swanky party in Oakville, Connecticut to celebrate her life milestone! When she contacted me a few months ago to design an event for her I was really excited to do so — a nice break from weddings! We had a ton of fun developing her ideas and came up with a fabulous black and white party that included delicious cupcakes from Cakes Unlimited, submerged tulips, gerbera daisies and orchids as centerpieces from Flore Floral Design, and a rockin’ photobooth manned by the ridiculously talented Robin Dini. I also custom created an awesome 5×5 black and white invitation to her event!

We brought in some gorgeous and modern white lounge furniture, including couches, ottomans, and coffee tables. Guests dinned on a lot of yummy appetizers with some Miami flair!

And for the photobooth? I’m sorry, it is a MUST have at any event! It was a huge hit too — almost 1,000 pictures taken of all her family and friends! Here are a few of the many awesome pictures taken that night by the new photobooth queen, Robin Dini.

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I love brides who roll up their sleeves and get involved in the process of creating for their wedding. Nothing is more amazing than when a bride hand crafts her invitations from scratch. Ashley did just that when she created these thoughtful and amazing invitations for her wedding! I love how the story of how they came to be unfolds in the invitation. You can see how much time and thought they put into designing them and she did such a wonderful job!

Ashley decided to make her own invitations when she couldn’t find what she wanted. She researched paper and ordered samples over a series of three months. She hand folded the accordion style invitation, cut and glued the printed cardstock and pictures on each panel. The final touches were the ribbon which held it closed and the printed inner and outer envelopes. To put it in her own words: “It was a lot of work!” They ended up being her pride and joy and really started the whole theme of “home,” which you can see throughout their wedding. This led into the napkin cards which was a letter that she to their guests thanking them for their love and support. To tie it all together, she created her own favors which were a set of 4 stoneware coasters. Three of them had the images used in the invitations of their three main “homes” CT, CA, and England, and the fourth had the main line from the napkin card, “Home is the comfort, support, and love of friends & family.”

I asked Ashley to describe her wedding day decor and style. She wanted to use her favorite color, pink, but add a spin to it as they were married during the fall. She chose a warm, salmon colored pink to fit in with the season. For her tablescapes she ordered 289 class cylinder vases in varying sizes, which she and her mom covered with a beautiful coral colored tissue paper. Now that is DIY dedication! This tablescape provided a really romantic glow with all the candles lit inside and provided the exact kind of atmosphere that Ashley and Mark wanted!

The flowers in her bouquet were shades of coral, salmon, peach and pink with curly willy branches within the flowers. She also used some as centerpieces to give it an authentic, organic autumn feel.

Guests dinned on a personalized menu that the couple crafted with the Seaman’s Inne. They show stopper? A last minute addition to the menu — a seafood pot pie with Stonington scallops and shrimp in a Maine lobster cream sauce. Can you say yum? Ashley and Mark loved that they had local, fall comfort food. They also paid homage to Mark’s British upbringing with the pot pie! e guests enjoyed a sweet little snack on the dance floor as they skipped the traditional wedding cake and opted for butler passed mini cupcakes, which is so Carrie-chic (remember her fabulous book launch party? love it!)

What family traditions did you incorporate into your wedding?

We tried to pay tribute to Mark’s English culture in subtle ways- the feather fascinator in my hair, the pot pie, and lots of British 80s pop on the dance floor! I tied my grandfathers alter boy pin on my bouquet and carried my Gram’s hankie (which I did end up needing halfway through the ceremony!) Other than that, I think it was more about the people we are today, the life we have built together, and the traditions that we maybe created for future generations.

What is the secret to a successful marriage?

I’m not sure if I’m actually qualified to say after only 4 months! BUT… I think what makes mine and Mark’s marriage wonderful is that there is no one else on earth I’d rather spend my time with. We know how to make each other laugh and more importantly, we know how to laugh at ourselves. Everything about us, as a couple, is honest, true, and sincere. I think that overall, what will continue to make our marriage successful over time is our commitment to family. Whether it’s a family of 2 or 10, it’s the commitment to your family and the life you have created together, that makes it a success.

Thanks so much to Ashley and Mark for allowing us to share in their fabulous wedding! I had so much fun learning about them and putting together this wonderful series.

The Vendors

The story of their day was told in photographs by the talented Amanda Herzberger of Orchard Cove Photography. The wedding ceremony was held at Noank Baptist Church in Groton, Connecticut with a classic New England fete at the Seamen’s Inne in Mystic. Hair and makeup for the wedding was by Deanna & Danielle of the Rob Rivers Salon in Mystic. The bride wore a magnificent gown by Cymbeline Paris, purchased at Lili Bridal in Tarzana, California. The bride’s attendants wore beautiful dark champagne colored Jim Hjelm satin dresses. The groom donned a custom tuxedo by Mattucci in Redondo Beach, California with a black and white stripped tie by Brooks Brothers. The groomsmen wore suits by John Galante. Personalized cup cakes were deliciously designed by You Take the Cake in New London. Floral design was by Adams Garden of Eden in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. Guests danced the night away to music and entertainment provided by Rich Conway . The day was captured on video by Casey Moran, and the bride created the invitations and designed the wedding herself!
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