A Timeless Romantic Wedding at The Chanler at Cliff Walk in Newport, RI

For Lara Lukomski (31, a travel and hospitality sales professional) and Stephen DeSousa (40, a restaurant owner), their relationship has always been about romance.“About 12 years back, we knew each other from afar through mutual friends -- enough that we would say hello if we saw one another, but not more than that,” Lara says. “We ran into each other at the gym about eight years later, and after some back and forth, we finally went out a month later. About a year after that, on a trip to Madrid in December, he got down on one knee in front of a beautifully-lit Christmas tree in the town square and asked me to marry him. It was so surreal, and I was filled with equal parts shock and joy. Lucky for me, he had the unbelievable idea to hire a photographer to follow us, so the entire thing was captured on camera for me to relive over (and over). As for the ring, when we were three months into dating, he handed me his iPad and asked me what kind of ring I would like -- this was subtly rolled into a conversation about a friend who was getting married. Fast forward one year later: He saved the photo I showed him and had a jeweler custom make it. Swoon.”Soon after, they started planning their wedding at one of the most storied mansions in Rhode Island, which fit the tone of their romantic love story.“We were looking for something that felt intimate, romantic and scenic, and the Chanler at Cliff Walk in Newport offered all of these things,” Lara says. “Our wedding was in late summer/early fall, and since I wanted to avoid standard fall colors, we went with silvery and light purples, grays and buttercreams. The overall look we went for was warm, elegant and romantic, but not forced. Like when you walk into someone’s home and instantly feel comfortable, but you’re not sure why. The Chanler provided the perfect setting for this.”Lara and Stephen personalized their wedding by choosing a Bossa Nova-style band for the reception, and arranged for a trolley to take guests to a local bar afterward for more dancing. “You know you often hear advice like, ‘Make sure you make time for each other, because the day goes by so fast and you'll realize you won’t have spent time together.’ Well, this was the opposite experience we had. I felt so connected with my husband the whole time, and I think this is pretty indicative of how we are in our daily lives. Thanks to the smaller venue, we got to be surrounded and supported by the people we love, but we never lost sight of what was most important that day: be with each other.