Sunflowers Filled This Whimsical Wedding at Bonnet Island Estate in New Jersey

Rachel Pinto (27 and a registered nurse) and Pete Adorna (28 and a driver) have a knack for putting an original spin on old favorites. After their engagement in a sunflower field, the couple decided to incorporate Rachel’s favorite flower into the design of their day—with a twist. “I didn’t want the typical yellow because it didn’t really fit the beach-inspired theme I was going for,” Rachel says. “We found unique peach-colored sunflowers and were in love.” From there, the couple chose the Bonnet Island Estate, a relaxed seaside venue that allowed them an indoor affair away from the sand. However, on the wedding day, they did bring the beach indoors after all, for the sake of their sand ceremony.
Rachel and Pete married at the Bonnet Island Estate because of its different array of spaces. “The white-washed chapel with the rock fireplace is beautiful,” Rachel says. Guests opened slate-blue wax-sealed envelopes lined with watercolor illustrations of sunflowers and finished with breezy, paint-like calligraphy. Cards hand-pressed with wildflowers added color to the tables and played up the day’s nature-focused design.
Beachy blue washes of watercolor paint added texture to the calligraphed escort cards. “Late September afternoons on the beach inspired the color palette,” Rachel says. The newlyweds cut into what Rachel calls a “naked-ish” chocolate chip cannoli cake topped with a mix of brightly colored crepe paper flowers. The couple’s signature sunflowers, as well as dahlias and snowberries, topped tables alongside pink taper candles and aged-silver votives.