A Formal Waterfront Wedding at Ocean Cliff in Newport, Rhode Island

Michaela Gannon (28 and a Ready to Wear product developer at Coach) and James de Gorter (31 and a technology investor) met through Michaela's best friend and had their first date on Valentine's Day with a homemade brunch. Four years and four months later, James recreated that same brunch and proposed afterwards. Being from Rhode Island, it was impossible not to have their wedding at Ocean Cliff in Newport, Rhode Island. With romance and elegance, the ocean view made the perfect backdrop for their outdoor ceremony. The bridesmaids wore cocktail dresses from J. Crew in the color palette consisting of blush, soft pink, champagne and ivory in various necklines to stay comfortable yet formal while the groomsmen were dressed in classic black tuxedos. With the reception indoors, the flower arrangements blossomed throughout the venue with pink roses and white hydrangeas to bring out the same color palette. To continue the soft atmosphere, Michaela added candles throughout the entire reception venue. To amp up the volume, the couple brought The Sultans of Swing to accompany the reception, which turned the night into a dance party and made the entire day a success. Michaela and James continued the party the day after the wedding with a surprise for their guests. "We chartered a sailboat for our guests. The weather was perfect, and it was almost as fun as the wedding itself," says Michaela.