One year ago today Brianna and Pat were married at St. Elizabeth’s Church on a beautiful, sunny a day in Edgartown. Afterwards, the couple held their wedding reception at the Ag Hall in West Tisbury—a quintessential Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society Wedding! The wedding venue was a blank canvas for all the couple’s elegant barn wedding reception ideas, a perfect mix of rustic, elegance and romantic feel that couple had always dreamed of.
The bride had always known the Vineyard was the place she wanted to get married. Her grandparents built their house in Katama in 1995 and since the bride was six-years-old, she spent many summers vacationing there with my family and friends creating annual traditions that include family trips to South Beach, clamming at Katama Bay, waiting in long, long lines at Back Door Donuts, as well as riding the merry go round at Flying Horses as many times it took to catch the brass ring—traditions Brianna would eventually share with Pat.
The groom's pre-ceremony prep took place at the historic Caption Morse House in Edgartown, perfect accommodations for a groom's party of his size. Fun fact: A beautiful part of the town’s history, the Captain Morse House was built in 1845. Prior to the discovery of petroleum, ships were sent to hunt whales for their oil and blubber. Captain John Morse made this his profession from 1829 – 1851.
Bridal prep took place at the Vineyard Square Inn & Suites right in the center of Edgartown Village. There was a lot of activity, excitement and a few bevvies were consumed. I had fun meeting and working alongside videographer Jay Nandez and his crew, who put together a great wedding film.
As usual, Father Nagel lead the wedding ceremony at St. Elizabeth's church in Edgartown. Normally I try to get the bride and groom to pause for a stoop photo immediately after the ceremony exit. And this time we added the whole wedding party for some fun photo ideas.
It was important to Brianna & Pat that I incorporate some wedding photos at the Edgartown Lighthouse into their photo itinerary. So, I built in enough time to get some family photo groupings, some fun shots of the wedding parties as well as Brianna & Pat. I even had time to get #camdendrone up in the air for some fun drone photos of the wedding party, something only a FAA licensed drone pilot is permitted to do.
I must admit Brianna's Eddy K dress looked stunning!
Is there a better backdrop for wedding party photos? Don't you think the bridesmaids looked great in their Jenny Yoo dresses against that weathered wood of the barn? The barn made for a fun photo prop idea.
This barn wedding was packed with elegant tablescapes and flowers, all well-thought-out wedding ideas hatched by the creative minds at Big Sky Tent & Party Rentals as well as close family friend Buffy Goodwin who did the flowers. The reception dinner was catered by Shane Tank from Premiere Chef Services that included menu highlights such as a North Tabor Farms Petite Green Salad, 8 Hour Braised Short Ribs, Pan Seared Atlantic Salmon and a beautiful wedding cake from Cakes by Liz.
The bride and groom knew how popular the island was and how quickly things were booked for weddings. Immediately we started interviewing photographers, videographers, caterers, etc. After a few trips out exploring various venues, we fell in love with the Agricultural Hall. It was the perfect amount of space and had the island feel we were looking for. Pat and I also liked the idea of being able to create our own vision of our wedding with the help of Big Sky Rentals as well as our close family friend Buffy Goodwin.
For those planning a wedding on Martha’s Vineyard, Brianna has this to say
…the Vineyard is nostalgia encapsulated. It is preserved in time... everywhere you look you’re reminded of how beautiful life is. The soft earth tones that drape the island provide a serene backdrop to the culmination of a true love story. A walk down Main Street in Edgartown fully transports one back to a simpler time and allows all worries to fall by the wayside. The salt air on the island is inexplicably sweeter than anywhere else.
I couldn’t have said it better myself. Happy Anniversary, Brianna & Pat!
Wedding Venue: Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society Hall
Caterer: Premier Chef Services
Ceremony Location: St. Elizabeth's Church
Rentals: Big Sky Tent & Party Rentals
Flowers: Buffy Goodwin
Band: Jon Zeeman Band
Hair & Makeup: Sea Spa Salon
Cake: Cakes By Liz
Videographer: Jay Nandez Films
Groom's Prep Location: Captain Morse House
Bridal Prep Location: Vineyard Square Hotel & Suites