Katie and Colman met in August 2005, during training for Goldman Sachs's First Year Analyst Program. Over 700 people attended, but Colman ended up sitting next to Katie. He offered her some candy (tempting her sweet tooth), and the rest is history.
Katie, a native of Philadelphia's suburbs, and Colman, a Londoner who attended boarding school in the states, chose Long Beach Island, in New Jersey, for their wedding location. Katie's family vacationed there during her childhood, and Colman came to love it while spending summer weekends there with her.
The bride relied on her sister Liz, the creative mind (and Katie's boss) at Linda & Harriet (a stationer), for all of the wedding's paper goods. The save-the-date looked like a pint of ice cream, a nod to the couple's tradition of getting after-dinner frozen treats on the island; inside, the carton held saltwater taffy to get guests in the mood for the oceanside affair.
Each pint was embellished with an illustration of Long Beach Island's famed lighthouse and featured witty text descriptions of the couple. The "LBI Seaside Sundae" was made with "Blondie Bar and 6ft. 6in. of Brit-tle," which hinted at Katie's hair color and Colman's height. A letterpressed disk with a magnet on the back popped out of the lid.
The bridesmaids wore long, summery dresses appropriate for the September nuptials. Lizzy Sall and Shannon Casey of Dakota Martin designed the dresses, which were accessorized with earrings of the girls' choosing by Anne Woodman, a gift from the bride.
Katie's father, Frank, walked her down the aisle. "The time before I walked down the aisle with my father was so special," Katie says. "The smile he had on his face when he looked at me will forever be engrained in my memory."
Another highlight for the bride was catching a glimpse of her husband-to-be as she mounted a small hill at the beachside ceremony. Walking down toward the water, "I couldn't wait to get to him," Katie says.
The 200 guests sat facing one another on either side of the sea-grass runner, with a view of the waves just a few yards away.
Although a hurricane watch had been issued and the entire morning leading up to the 4 p.m. ceremony was overcast, the winds calmed enough to allow an outdoor wedding.
Colman's mother gave Katie just what she needed to complete the Old English saying, "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe": Katie taped a British coin to the inside of her purple beach-friendly Christian Louboutin wedges.
To round out the saying's requirements, Katie used her mother's bracelet (old), her own wedding dress (new), her sister's veil (borrowed), and her vintage turquoise Seaman Schepps earrings (blue).
Guests were transported from the beach to California wine country, by way of a creatively decorated cocktail reception area. A calligraphed sign read "Welcome to Long Beach Island Napa Valley," and a faux vineyard was set up with grapes on the vine.
Photographer Stacey Kane took portraits on the beach following the ceremony.
Here, Katie is flanked by sisters Liz and Kim. All three carried similarly hued bouquets made by Hatch Creative Studio -- Katie held dahlias, and her sisters, mini calla lilies.
The main wedding colors of eggplant, deep orange, and slate gray filled the tent, which was draped in white fabric and vintage-style chandeliers.
Custom silk dupioni tablecloths with gray cotton napkins covered the two long tables that connected with half rounds at each end. Fruitwood reception chairs with gray cushions rounded out the romantic look.
The couple wanted the menu to feature foods they enjoy. Katie chose Creative Edge based on her work with them when she was a corporate-events planner.
The meal began with a taster plate: baby beet and citrus Napoleon; hearts of palm and grapefruit with shrimp; watermelon and feta salad; and a goat cheese tart. Choices for the main course were short rib and fillet of beef with squash and spring-potato risotto, or lemon-thyme baked branzini. On hand for dessert: ginger snap cookies, pecan pie squares, chocolate beignets, berries and cream, and lemon meringue tarts.
Katie and Colman danced to Ray LaMontagne's "You Are the Best Thing."
Three songs followed the couple's first dance before dinner started, but the majority of dancing followed the meal. A special highlight: The father of the bride's rendition of "Hang on Sloopy."
Barb Salzman from Hatch Creative developed a backdrop for the photo booth, from Studiobooth, that featured frames with cutouts arranged on purple wallpaper.
Photography: Stacey Kane Photography
Videography: Open Eye Media
Hair: Liam Carey at Serge Normant at John Frieda
Makeup: Nam Vo
Music: Uptown Swing, 718-279-8038
Groom's Tie: Hermes
Transportation: Torgro Limousine, Academy Bus
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