A Laid-Back Waterfront Wedding at Chatham Bars Inn in Chatham, Massachusetts

Every summer growing up, Michael Kosak (38 and a research analyst) and his family vacationed on the beach in Chatham, Massachusetts. When he and Adrienne Johnson (30 and a lawyer) began looking for venues to host their spring wedding, they knew the small seaside town would be the ideal spot to gather together their closest family members and friends. “On our first trip to Chatham together, Mike pointed out Chatham Bars Inn as somewhere he’s always wanted to stay, but never had the chance,” Adrienne says. “When we got engaged, I called Chatham Bars on a whim, never imagining they’d have availability.” To the couple’s surprise, the iconic Cape Cod resort had one opening left and they booked it without a second thought. Drawing inspiration from the setting, Adrienne and Michael decided on a light, fun and beachy theme. They selected a palette of cheerful pink, purple and blue hues and brilliant full blooms like peonies (Adrienne’s favorite flower) to bring Chatham Bars Inn’s Boat House to life. The pair exchanged personalized vows on the water’s edge, then indulged in a delicious meal of fresh seafood, pot stickers and crab cakes followed by spinach salad, roasted pear and blue cheese turnovers, and surf and turf. After dinner and a little bit of dancing, guests were invited outside for a bonfire on the beach, complete with supplies for roasting marshmallows and making s’mores. A tip from Adrienne and Michael: “We were insanely nervous about writing our own vows and sharing our feelings in front of a group of people. Even up to the day of the wedding, we were considering switching to standard vows. But all those nerves dropped away when we finally saw each other on the big day. In the end, sharing our personalized vows made the ceremony that much more beautiful and meaningful, and we're so glad we went through with it.”