Erin to Paul
The White Elephant
CELEBRATING THEIR WEDDING ON NANTUCKET WAS A NATURAL choice for Erin and Paul, who have spent nearly every summer vacationing there since they began dating 11 years ago. The two met while working in New York City’s financial world, and the connection they established kept the relationship strong through years when work led them off in different directions—sometimes on different continents. Finally, during a vacation in Argentina in spring 2007, Paul proposed that they settle down—as in always and forever. Her answer, of course, was yes.
As their wedding day approached, the couple relied on their wedding coordinator, Aisling Glynn of Acktivities, to manage three days of events for 230 people—and she came through, pulling it all off with complete ease and calm despite some big challenges. Foremost among those challenges was a Nor’easter that rolled in—after days of gorgeous spring weather—just as guests were arriving. Flights all over the East Coast were canceled, as were several ferries to the island. Amazingly, all but one couple invited to the wedding eventually made it to Nantucket.
The storm worsened on Friday, the day of the rehearsal dinner, which had been planned as a lobster bake in a large tent, preceded by cocktails and a raw bar served on the beach. When the wind became too strong for tents, Glynn successfully transferred the entire dinner (for 100) into nearby Topper’s restaurant. Most guests never even knew about the change, as Glynn and florist Dawn Kelly managed to accommodate everyone and still use the centerpieces, linens, and other décor elements they had planned for outside. The result: A very cozy dinner in front of the fireplace. The rain and dark skies continued until the moment Erin and Paul stepped out of the church following their ceremony, at which point the sun broke through the gloom and continued to shine for the remainder of the weekend.
The bride and groom chose a brown and blue palette that evoked sand and water. The flower arrangements were white, brought to life with a touch of sparkle by Dawn Kelly of Soiree Floral, who also blew guests away with a giant carnation topiary in the image of the couple’s dog, complete with an embroidered silk collar—a special request from Erin as a surprise for Paul.
The wedding weekend represented a graceful merging of Erin and Paul’s family traditions and embraced their shared Irish heritage. The priest who married them, Father Patrick Collins, has been a friend of the bride’s family for over 40 years. The popular Irish violinist Patricia Treacy traveled all the way from Ireland to play at the rehearsal dinner, during the church ceremony, and at the brunch. Her music set a beautiful tone for the celebration, enhancing the many other fine details that made this wedding special. But, perhaps the most memorable moment of all was when the groom’s 92-year-old grandmother surprised everyone by getting up on stage to sing “Danny Boy” with the band. By the time she finished, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. This couple loves food, especially on Nantucket, and they wanted their guests to try many local specialties. After hors d’oeuvres, heavy on local seafood and produce, a fairly traditional meal was served. To lighten things up and sustain the revelers as the party rolled on, Erin and Paul offered a second, late-night meal of “gourmet junk food” like seared tuna burgers, cones of truffle fries, Gruyère macaroni and cheese, and bite-size donuts.
This couple’s advice for a successful wedding: Choose a wedding planner and vendors that you like, because you’ll spend a lot of time together. Trust your planner’s recommendations and go with the flow—nothing should ruin your wedding, especially something like weather, which is beyond your control. And remember to make the most of it—there will likely never be another opportunity for you to gather this many of your friends and family together in one place again.
Photography by Claudia Kronenberg
