Is there anything better than an intimate, coastal New England wedding that is dripping in all the jewel tones? No, I didn’t think so.
Veronica and Felix had a picture-perfect October wedding at the beautiful Water’s Edge Resort in Westbrook, Connecticut. Like many of my 2020 couples, these two had plans for a 150+ person bash (which was also supposed to take place inside the hotel’s ballroom). And like many other 2020 couples, we soon realized after the pandemic hit that this wasn’t going to happen. We had the option to either reschedule, cancel or adjust. Veronica and Felix chose to adjust.
The first thing we did was go through their guest list and bring the number down to an acceptable limit. We ended up with 45 of their closest friends and family. The second thing we did was talk with the venue and all of their vendors about ways we could adjust to ensure their wedding day was still beautiful.
Water’s Edge had decided to make use of their outdoor patio space by installing a tent. I spoke with the couple to see if they were interested in hosting an outdoor wedding. They loved the idea. Veronica’s biggest worry was that the tent was going to feel plain. I remember her telling me “Alyssa, I just don’t want this to feel like a backyard barbecue. I want guests to still feel like they are coming to a wedding.” Veronica, I heard you!
Because we had a smaller number of guests in attendance, we were going to be saving a lot of money on catering costs, centerpieces, and everything that goes along with hosting a bigger wedding. I asked Veronica if she was willing to devote some of this extra money to enhancing our design. She was!
I started to rethink everything – our overall color scheme, tablescape design, the flowers, and then of course, reworking the layout and reception design to a fit a 45-person wedding under a tent versus a 150-person wedding in a ballroom. Keep scrolling to see the finished product!
Weeks went by and our new design concept was implemented, a new plan A and plan B were in place and vendors had all been briefed on the changes to the wedding day. Their wedding weekend had finally arrived!
Things kicked off Friday with a ceremony rehearsal followed by their rehearsal dinner at the resort (complete with an outdoor, oceanfront bonfire and s’mores!). Saturday started with breakfast and hair/makeup for all the ladies at the hotel while Felix and the groomsmen enjoyed sleeping in a bit and a leisurely morning.
Veronica and Felix decided that a First Look was the right choice for them. Around 3:30pm, the photographers and I got the couple in place so they could see each other for the very last time before becoming husband and wife! These moments are so special to witness and are one of my favorite parts of the day.
Our ceremony took place on the lower lawn of the hotel with the Long Island sound in the background. After the couple said their I Do’s, guests transitioned to the lower terrace for cocktail hour. The sunlight was perfect to bring Veronica and Felix down to the beach for sunset photos (I always block off at least 20 minutes in our timeline for couples to take sunset photos. And this is why!)
Our reception took place on the upper terrace under the tent. Guests were treated to a multi-course dinner followed by cake for dessert. We made sure that we gave them an oversize dance space to allow everyone to have some fun while still being safe.
At the end of the evening, Veronica and Felix both said their wedding day was beyond what they could have hoped for. Something I noticed this year was that all of my couples who opted to do the smaller wedding with only people that they were closest to were so happy they did. When you have a smaller wedding, every person in attendance is someone you genuinely want to have with you. The energy at their reception felt like a 250-person wedding. You could tell how much their guests truly loved them and were honored to be celebrating with them. And I was honored to have played a part in making this day special for them.
Veronica & Felix – thank you for choosing me as your planner and I can’t wait to see what is next for you two!
XO,
Alyssa
Vendor Team:
Planning & Design: Alyssa Jean Signature Events
Venue: Water’s Edge Resort & Spa
Photographer: Stella Blue
DJ, Lighting & Drape: Vivid Events
Florals: Earth Blossoms
Beauty: Beauty Entourage
Rentals: PEAK Event Services