Our company has had the privilege of helping a lot of our colleagues in the wedding industry get married, but today’s wedding is such a special one for me to share– it’s the wedding of one of my closest friends! Steve and I have been good friends for a number of years. Thinking back on all the years we’ve known one another, we have a lot of hilarious memories shared between us. He has always been one of the few people in my life who I consider to be a trusted adviser– and I’m grateful for his friendship.
So, since I know Steve so well, I thought I would share a little more about him and how this day came to be! You could say that Steve was probably the most eligible bachelor in Connecticut– perhaps all of the tri-state area depending on who you talked to. BUT– he was also pretty unlucky in love. He even got pretty far in the casting process of Andi’s season of the Bachelorette but didn’t end up making it to the limo, which in hindsight, was perhaps the best rejection he’d ever been met with. Because…
I still remember the day he called me to tell me about a woman he had met who he really liked. I was a bit skeptical– NOT of the woman, but of Steve! I told him that no matter where this budding romance went he should always have her best interest in mind. He agreed, and over the course of a few months, his romance with Lauren Ann (his now wife) grew. I also remember the day he told me that he had fallen in love with her and he thought she could be “the one.” He confided in me that he wanted to propose and soon, the hunt for the most beautiful engagement ring began. He spent a lot of time researching the beautiful rose gold ring he proposed to Lauren Ann with, and my husband and I were so elated that the two had made it official. The countdown to the wedding was on!
Lauren Ann is more than the perfect match for Steve– she is Steve– but with beautiful blonde hair and a better sense of humor! She is everything you could wish for in a partner for someone you care about– kind, thoughtful, HONEST, funny, beautiful, talented and totally devoted. Their love story is really special because the two had taken very different paths in life, but fate intervened and brought them together.
Steve has been a wedding photographer for a long time and has photographed hundreds (if not thousands) of beautiful celebrations over the years. When it came to his own wedding, he and Lauren Ann wanted to celebrate their love in a place that was special to them. They both live in the small coastal town of Guilford, Connecticut and incorporated so many personal touches on this beautiful spring day. From the locally sourced favors to the grocery store on the town green as their wedding venue, their wedding was truly a home town wedding.
They also enlisted some of their closest friends and colleagues in the wedding industry– actually– all their vendors were friends! From Beth Chapman from The White Dress by the shore who dressed Lauren Ann to Robert Norman, a photographer who officiated the wedding. They had a general vision and let all their vendors run with it (which for us, is the best!), and the outcome was nothing short of beautiful. I think the detail that left us all in awe was the barren apple tree Yumiko Fletcher from Hana Floral Design transformed into a blooming backdrop for their ceremony. YES– that tree was nothing more than grey sticks until Yumiko and her team made it into what you see. Incredible!
A special thank you to Justin & Mary for the beautiful images from the day. J&M are also dear friends to Steve and have been since he opened his photography business. I know they were so moved to photograph his wedding and I feel as though the photographs reflect that.
Congrats LA & Steve and happy almost 1 year anniversary! I love you both and I can’t wait to see what is in store for your family and marriage in the years to come.
Photography: Justin + Mary Marantz
Ceremony Location: Bishop’s Orchards
Reception location and Catering: The Marketplace At Guilford Food Center
Event Planning: Diana and Libby of Jubilee Events
Flowers and Ceremony Tree: Hana Floral Design
Videography: Jeremy White; Steve DePino
Officiant: Robert Norman
Music: DJ Eko from HeartBeatsEverywhere
Bride’s gown: Hayley Paige from The White Dress By The Shore
Bride’s accessories: Studio1040 and ConsiderTheWldflwrs rings; Pilcro shoes
Hair and Makeup: Deanna Nickel
Bridesmaids’ dresses: ASOS
Flower Girl dresses: Etsy
Groom’s suit: Suitsupply
Groom’s accessories: The Tie Bar tie and pocket square; J. Crew shirt
Lighting: Steve DePino
Bridal styling: Beth Chapman