Gemma & Andrew's Harborside Wedding in Newport, RI
Gemma and Andrew, a couple of foodies living in Boston, got ahold of us in January of this year to pitch their ‘elopement-esque’ wedding in Newport to us: 40 guests, all family, somewhere by the ocean. We love a wedding on the water in Rhode Island and as we kept in touch over the next eight months bits and pieces of exciting details began to emerge. They would be having the ceremony at a family friend’s house, right by the Newport harbor with a view of the magnificent Pell bridge. They would be hiring Ayla of Shade Studio to handle the florals and offer a softness to juxtapose with the architectural hardness of the day. Their dinner service would be held at the Elms Carriage House, a beautifully quaint (by Newport standards) stone building located on the back corner of the lot shared with The Elms mansion. It was all coming together in ways we couldn’t have anticipated when we first spoke in the middle of winter and to say we were excited to see it in person would be an understatement.
When we arrived in Newport we were stunned from the start. The property they’d been graciously offered to use for their ceremony was just down the road from Fort Adams and, sure enough, had a great view that you just don’t get from downtown. The two of them looked better than we could have imagined with Gemma’s custom two piece outfit and Andrew’s finely tailored suit, and the weather was bright and sunny but comfortable enough with the occasional oceanside breeze. They shared private vows before their short and sweet ceremony and buzzed around the property afterwards sharing toasts of champagne with their guests, pausing to take in the view before heading to dinner.
The Elms is one of those places that you may have driven past while in Newport and remarked at how ornate the front drive and entrance is. We’ve definitely done that before - but what most people aren’t going to see is the backside of the building during sunset. When we arrived and met these two at their cocktail hour we all sort of took one look at the soft, pinky-orange light hitting the place and agreed we’d better go get a closer look. What we couldn’t have expected was Gemma to get so jazzed by the scene that she took off running, Andrew in tow, catching a bit of whimsy and last light on their way across the lawn. Dinner back inside - intimate and maybe even a bit cozy with a few quick toasts from family and cake cutting under warm bistro lighting - felt like a family reunion of sorts, with piles of old photos for folks to thumb through and big plates of food to share. Gemma and Andrew’s vision for the day and evening was realized with such care and attention and we couldn’t have asked for more kind, considerate folks to collaborate with. New core memory day.
Venue: Private residence, The Carriage House at The Elms
Florals: Ayla / Shade Studio
Coordination: Ros & Co
Catering: Stoneacre Garden
Invitations: Hobart and Haven
