This Wedding at Lighthouse Point Park in Connecticut Drew Inspiration From the Caribbean

“We wanted everything to be airy, colorful and fun,” Alexandra (Alex) Malebranche says of her wedding to Nathaniel (Nate) Koonce II. They pulled inspiration for their untraditional day from the Museum of Ice Cream and the Color Factory in San Francisco. To keep things casual, the couple served up tacos and pizza from local food trucks and ended the night with a selection of boozy ice cream, including drunken French toast, Mexican hot chocolate and rosé sorbet.

The couple exchanged vows in front of a hoop arch decorated with bright balloons, fresh flowers and monstera leaves. Alex carried a bold mix of roses, anemones, protea and ranunculus. After seeing Lighthouse Point Park’s carousel on Instagram, the bride decided to make it the reception’s focal point, setting up the sweetheart table and dance floor in front of it. Alex’s bridesmaids surprised the couple with a traditional money dance, where they were showered with “love and dollars,” she says. The wedding cake included tiers of cookies and cream for Nate and tres leches for Alex. The couple topped the cake with a Philadelphia-inspired love sign, a nod to their current residence, in rose gold and a gold-plated lion, “our relationship spirit animal,” Alex says. She also made acrylic signs with rose gold and white calligraphy. A colorful balloon installation framed the dance floor, where the couple twirled to “Really Love” by D’Angelo.