our wedding

Inspired by the bride’s roots in Maryland, guests enjoyed a seafood bar at cocktail hour, which consisted of poached shrimp, raw oysters, and ceviche. Servers also passed crab cakes with Old Bay seasoning, caprese tarts, and beet tartare. For dinner, guests started with a beet salad, followed by a choice of wagyu beef strip steak, seared scallops, or a spinach and wild mushroom strudel. For their signature cocktails, the couple served a Hugo Spritz and a tropical twist on a classic Old Fashioned, made with coffee and coconut water.

The vibrant color palette was only rivaled by the beautiful flowers. At the ceremony, a low, lush floral arrangement in a rainbow of colors that matched the color palette acted as a beautiful backdrop to the couple’s lakeside vows. Warm yellow and orange tones faded into deep pink in multiple places, like the aisle and the table arrangements. At cocktail hour, striped linens, sun-washed lounge furniture, patterned pillows, and bright coral umbrellas created pockets of shade and color across the lawn. The effect was playful but still refined, much like the retro Palm Springs inspiration the couple loved.

For their wedding cake, Ashley and Nick served a sweet Lambeth-style cake with twenty alternating layers of chocolate and vanilla cake, inspired by Ashley’s favorite Smith Island Cakes from home. In addition, as a nod to Nick’s Pittsburgh roots, guests enjoyed close to thirty different kinds of cookies at the Pittsburgh cookie table. Finally, the couple served a popular after-dinner drink called an Italian caffè corretto, where a shot of espresso is spiked with anise-flavored sambuca

At their ceremony, the wedding party entered while the string quartet performed “Kingdom Hearts” by Dearly Beloved. Next, they performed “Feels Like Home” by Chantal Kreviazuk as Ashley entered with her father. At the end of the ceremony, just as they were pronounced, the string quartet played “You’re My Best Friend” by Queen. Their distinct music tastes also played a role in their special dances. They chose “Higher Love” by Kygo and Whitney Houston as they were introduced. For their first dance, they chose “Baby Blue Eyes” by A Rocket to the Moon. This was followed by “Butterfly Kisses” by Bob Carlisle for the father-daughter dance. Finally, Nick and his mom chose to perform a playful, choreographed dance to “Good” by Better Than Ezra, which all the guests loved.

A favorite element was the interactive escort card display—a retro hotel check-in desk where a member of our team welcomed each guest and presented them with a vintage-inspired boat keychain as their escort card.

Ashley and Nick’s colorful, Palm Springs meets upstate New York style was clearly visible in their wedding stationery, along with many personal touches. Her love of needlepoint and Nick’s baseball collection appeared in stitched borders and custom imagery, while patterns echoed the flowers from their Pennsylvania engagement. Die-cut shapes like an Adirondack chair and scalloped umbrellas also added a playful air, from the paper elements to the bar signs.

Finally, the bar was not to be missed when it came to storytelling for this weekend. Scalloped edges, mini umbrellas that doubled as bar signage, lamps, and custom cocktail napkins enhanced the guest experience at the bar.