1,200 Hydrangeas on Nantucket

Heather and James's Wauwinet Wedding Ended With a Sexy Nantucket Themed Bash and We Were There for All of It

James proposed to Heather in the glass vestibule of the Four Seasons after the Lincoln Memorial plan got rained out and her nail appointment got canceled. He had rescheduled the salon himself. That level of calm problem-solving under pressure is either a great sign for a marriage or excellent foreshadowing for a wedding day where the groom stalled out a vintage Porsche multiple times on the way to the ceremony because Heather's Oscar de la Renta gown was too full to fit in the car.

It all worked out. It always does when the couple is the right couple.

This wedding was featured in Over The Moon. Photography by Abby Jiu. Planning by Lauryn Prattes Events. Florals by Renny and Reed.

The weekend

The rehearsal dinner was at Great Harbor Yacht Club and Heather arrived in an Alexia Maria Margaret dress with white Dior slingbacks and a Chanel purse her dad gave her after the engagement. Classic coastal preppy, completely intentional.

The welcome party had a different energy entirely. Heather wore a blue sequined Monique Lhuillier dress and instructed guests to wear neutrals so she and James would stand out in color. The theme was St. Barths beach club. She asked for a 90s supermodel blowout to match. Her hair and makeup artist Anna Breeding understood the assignment.

The Dior book tote escort cards, each adorned with a gold star showing the table number, were one of the standout details of the weekend. Heather described it as their very own Dioriviera Cabana pop-up on Nantucket. Guests used them as purses all evening.

The wedding day

The ceremony at the Wauwinet had 1,200 multicolor hydrangeas lining the aisle, Heather's favorite flower. The couple had already said their vows in a religious ceremony back in Washington DC, which meant by the time they walked down the aisle in Nantucket their nerves were completely gone. Just excitement. Nearly ten years together and a perfect autumn day on the island that had been part of their story since the beginning.

The reception tent was designed to feel like a permanent home rather than a temporary venue. Rattan trim chargers from Italy, table numbers made of coral, shell-inspired plates, banquettes, sconces, and chandeliers. Coastal charm elevated and chic exactly the way Heather had envisioned it. Dinner featured pan-seared diver scallops, butter-poached Maine lobster, roasted prime beef filet, and the couple's favorite cakes: vanilla sponge with lavender buttercream and carrot cake with cream cheese.

Heather's dad gave a toast that made everyone laugh and cry and feel the presence of her mother who passed away eight years ago. For the father-daughter dance they chose Weezer's Island in the Sun, her mother's favorite song. The A-Town A-List band had one requirement: a robust horn section. They delivered. At some point the bride and groom crowd-surfed off the stage.

Club Cirignano

The after-party was held in a transformed Topper's, renamed Club Cirignano for the evening. The aesthetic was sexy Nantucket. Heather changed into a Markarian Diana Fringe Dress with Larroude platform sandals. Her dad started a trend of wearing sunglasses inside and half the room followed. Late night snacks included the famous Lehigh University post-night-out sandwich: mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders, and French fries covered in buffalo sauce and ranch. DJ Philippe Paris kept it going until early morning.

On the photography

A weekend this full requires a photographer who has done the homework. Abby knew what mattered to Heather and James before she ever showed up, which meant nothing got missed from the stalled Porsche to the crowd surf to the last song at Club Cirignano. That is always the job.

@abbyjiu

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