On August 23rd, 2014, Jenna and Gil got married at their ultimate dream destination: Block Island.
For Jenna, Block Island, Rhode Island has been a beloved family vacation spot her whole life. Block Island has also become a special destination for Gil since he has been traveling there for the past four years with Jenna’s family. He also grew up on a beach and loves sailing.
Between Jenna’s history with the island coupled with Gil being a nautical enthusiast, they knew this was the place for them to tie the knot. In fact, they were so sure about getting married here that Gil actually booked the date and venue with her parents before he proposed!
The Wedding Venue
The wedding took place at The Sullivan House on a beautiful hilltop overlooking The Atlantic Ocean and New Harbor, which Jenna described as her "fairy tale dream location." The Sullivan House is a quiet and peaceful estate, away from the busy-ness of the town area. It features a porch wrapped around its exterior with stunning views of the ocean.
Jenna's Block Island Summer Theme
While many couples choose a specific color scheme for their wedding, Jenna and Gil wanted their theme to simply be "Block Island Summer." That meant having to forego some of the more fancy décor in order to get the rustic beach feel they desired. "My wedding advice for brides-to-be is to be true to yourself," Jenna shared. "We did just that and we felt the day really spoke to who we were, not what the wedding magazines tell you to do."
The Bridal Bouquets & Boutonnieres
The bridal bouquets were based around Jenna & Gil's favorite flower: hydrangeas. "We started with that flower for the bouquets and slowly added color. I absolutely loved my bouquet as I think it captured exactly who I am. We wanted to bring some of the orange and green into the boutonnieres and I think everything really worked," Jenna described. The bridal bouquet featured white roses and blue hydrangea with a pop of purple. The maid of honor's bouquet brought out more of the sunset-inspired colors with orange-red roses to match the groomsmen's boutonnières.
The Reception
The wedding reception took place in a huge outdoor tent adorned with flowers, from top to bottom. From wedding centerpieces on every table, to magnificent fresh flower chandeliers hanging from the top of the tent. "I told all of the other venues that everything had to surround the flower design and that they should be the focal point of the tent," Jenna said. "We wanted to accentuate the beauty of our surroundings at The Sullivan House and pick up the colors of the rolling hills, ocean views and gorgeous sunset."
To add to the authenticity, they added a paneled wood wall at the back of the tent for a rustic wood feel featuring various picture frames and their initials painted in the center. The tent was further beautified and illuminated with classy lights that helped light up the night.
The Wedding Centerpieces
The floral wedding centerpieces featured beautiful summer colors from beachy green orchids and ocean blue hydrangeas, to sunset-inspired red and orange roses. Each centerpiece was uniquely adorned with driftwood atop a gold candelabra to give both a rustic and elegant look.
Wedding Florist: 1800Flowers Carle Place
Wedding Dress Designer: Peter Lagner
Block Island Wedding Venue: Sullivan House
Hair: Koru Eco Spa
Makeup: Koru Eco Spa
Photographer: Trevor Holden Photography
Music: Boston Common Band
Tent Decor: Ryan Designs
