In college, when a room opened up in her guy friends’ off-campus house, Corie couldn’t believe someone she didn’t know was moving in. But she gave the new guy a chance and, after meeting Ryan the day he arrived, the two started dating almost immediately! Years later, on July 1, 2012, after a tour of Napa Valley’s Chateau Montelena during a friend’s wedding, Corie was feeding the vineyard’s ducks when she turned around to find Ryan down on one knee. “Looking back,” says Corie, “Ryan probably didn’t love waiting on those ducks!”
For their October 12, 2013 wedding, the couple decided to head back to Rhode Island’s Block Island, the beach town where Corie worked during college summers and where Ryan and his family have vacationed for years. “We love the water but we didn’t want the traditional beach wedding,” Corie says. “No shells or nets, please!” Rather than go all-out nautical, they decided on the red-roofed Spring House Hotel, with Victorian architecture and beautiful island views, and chose a navy and white palette to keep with their theme.
Check out Kitty Maer Photography’s images from this preppy fall bash below.
Take advantage of your talents
As the Public Relations manager at Henri Bendel, Corie is no stranger to throwing over-the-top parties. So she enlisted Danielle Dziok, the venue’s day-of coordinator, but tackled the majority of the wedding planning on her own, ordering monkey knots from Mystic Knotwork and working with Mimosa Digital to customize invitations, table numbers, and escort cards with navy stripes for a tasteful nautical look.
It’s okay to be a control freak — even during the ceremony!
The glass for the traditional Jewish breaking of the glass was supposed to be hidden in the flowerbed next to the chuppah, but when Corie got down the aisle, she panicked. “I looked behind the groomsmen, and it wasn’t there!” she says. Luckily, the justice of the peace caught on and passed a message down the line of groomsmen, sending Corie’s brother back inside to get the glass and save the day. The lesson: When you know something is wrong (even in the midst of your I do’s), don’t be afraid to speak up — but still keep your cool.
Work with your dress
While she loved her Rosa Clará fit-and-flare gown (the third dress she tried on!) from the start, this fashionista knew she had to make it her own. She worked with Jaehee Bridal Atelier to add a slight sweetheart neckline to the strapless dress and created a custom horsehair belt with Robrode lace. “The end result was very soft and romantic,” she says.
Do double-duty with your DIY projects
Corie filled wooden trays with sand (fresh from Block Island, of course!) and used them to hold escort cards at the reception. After the striped cards were all taken up by guests, match books customized with couple’s wedding date, names, and two Adirondack chairs were displayed inside the three vintage trays.
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