Photo: Patricia Lyons1/48My parents’ house the morning of our wedding. It was a gray day but stayed dry, despite predictions of rain. We were prepared with hundreds of white umbrellas, just in case!
Photo: Patricia Lyons2/48I spent the morning of our wedding getting ready here with my bridesmaids.
Photo: Patricia Lyons3/48I really wanted to get dressed in my childhood bedroom—it was an oasis for me throughout the day as hairstylists, makeup artists, bridesmaids, and others were constantly in and out of the rest of the house.
Photo: Patricia Lyons4/48Chris, pictured here with two of his groomsmen, stayed and got ready at the Delamar in Southport, just a few minutes’ drive from my parents’ house. He and his groomsmen went for a boat ride that morning and jumped into the Long Island Sound—which is not particularly warm in October!
Photo: Patricia Lyons5/48My engagement ring, which was designed by Chris and a complete surprise to me, with a watercolor map my sister painted for the wedding weekend. We included it in welcome bags for all the guests.
Photo: Patricia Lyons6/48Chris opening a letter I wrote to him that morning; he wrote one to me as well. I had his note delivered with a gift (a watch). He was completely surprised as he had requested no gifts, but I really wanted to give him something classic that he would have forever.
Photo: Patricia Lyons7/48I changed into a robe my future sisters-in-law had given me prior to putting on my dress.
Photo: Patricia Lyons8/48My sister and maid of honor, Brittany, helping me get dressed.
Photo: Patricia Lyons9/48The dress had hundreds of buttons down the back. The dress did not originally have them, but they were a detail I had always wanted and the team at Mark Ingram could not have been more accommodating. Needless to say, fastening them all required just a little bit of help!
Photo: Patricia Lyons10/48We chose simple boutonnieres for the men.
Photo: Patricia Lyons11/48My mom and me during hair and makeup. I think that she was the only person who was as happy as me all day. She chose a navy Ralph Lauren dress just a few weeks before the wedding—I was much more worried about waiting that late than she was.
Photo: Patricia Lyons12/48I’m sure all brides feel like this, but getting dressed on your wedding day is such a surreal experience. I think that it’s knowing that you will only do this once—so you better like what you’re wearing!
Photo: Patricia Lyons13/48My dad met me outside my bedroom with Champagne—he couldn’t wait for me to come downstairs.
Photo: Patricia Lyons14/48Chris has always liked when I wear flats versus heels (which is fine with me as I get plenty of time in heels all day long!)—so I always knew I wanted flats for our wedding day. I found these Dolce & Gabbana flats at Bergdorf’s and tried them on with jeans. I bought them on the spot.
Photo: Patricia Lyons15/48We worked with The Printery on our invitations, which featured calligraphy by the talented Kelly House and a tent motif by my sister, who also painted a number of watercolors we used throughout the wedding. She is a designer, and much more artistic than I am!
Photo: Patricia Lyons16/48I always wanted a lily of the valley bouquet, so I was devastated when I learned they would be out of season. They are simple, beautiful, and classic, and, I believed, the perfect accessory to an Oscar gown. My florist agreed to order the flowers for the bouquet from Holland and I was thrilled they arrived in good condition! She did make me choose a backup just in case, though . . . I chose calla lilies.
Photo: Patricia Lyons17/48A toast with my bridesmaids before getting dressed. I worked with a friend, September Rinnier, who founded the online boutique Tuckernuck (tnuck.com), to get Marigot nightshirts for all of us. A family friend personalized each with monograms.
Photo: Patricia Lyons18/48I chose my second favorite bouquet—calla lilies—for my bridesmaids.
Photo: Patricia Lyons19/48We borrowed a family friend’s white Land Rover for the day. Chris and I both loved this car, so we were excited to be able to use it. It’s a good thing my dad is good at driving a stick shift!
Photo: Patricia Lyons20/48This shot shows the detail of my veil. It’s by Peter Langner—originally the embroidered flowers were only on the bottom of the veil, but I felt that they added something against the simplicity of the dress, so he created a version for me that had embroidery starting up much higher. I loved it!
Photo: Patricia Lyons21/48The wind added an element of drama to the day, and made for some beautiful pictures!
Photo: Patricia Lyons22/48My bridesmaids wore long gowns by Amsale with custom earrings by Ashley Fox. She had them made in Paris by this amazing resin company that actually grinds up mother-of-pearl to give the earrings that iridescence.
Photo: Patricia Lyons23/48It was Chris’s idea to have a bagpiper outside of the church—and it was a definite crowd-pleaser!
Photo: Patricia Lyons24/48Chris getting ready with his three adorable nephews.
Photo: Patricia Lyons25/48Prior to the ceremony, the groomsmen gathered by the Pequot harbor for photographs. The other side of the harbor is the beach where we held our reception. Chris is in the background walking with my two brothers.
Photo: Patricia Lyons26/48The ceremony took place at St. Pius X—the church where I grew up going to mass every Sunday.
Photo: Patricia Lyons27/48Chris toasting with his groomsmen and father before heading to the church.
Photo: Patricia Lyons28/48Me and my dad.
Photo: Patricia Lyons29/48Our nephews Jack and Will were our ring bearers. Coley, the youngest of the three brothers, was too young to walk down the aisle. Jack carried a pillow created for us by Hill House Home. I love their mini pillows, and Nell (of Hill House Home) had a matching ribbon added to one that had our initials and wedding date on it. I love it—and it is now on our bed!
Photo: Patricia Lyons30/48A dramatic shot of my veil as my dad walked me down the aisle.
Photo: Patricia Lyons31/48From that moment on, the day seemed to fly by. We could not stop looking at each other during the ceremony.
Photo: Patricia Lyons32/48Leaving the church together – we still could not stop smiling.
Photo: Patricia Lyons33/48My dad drove us from the church to the reception. You cannot see them, but he had drinks waiting for us.
Photo: Patricia Lyons34/48Standing on the 18th green at the Country Club of Fairfield. I have always loved the view from here – you are on the top of Sasco Hill, and get a beautiful panorama of Southport, the harbor and across to Long Island.
Photo: Patricia Lyons35/48We took photographs with our families and wedding party, then hopped into a golf cart and Chris drove us down to these rocks along the beach where we stopped for a few more pictures.
Photo: Patricia Lyons36/48It was beautiful—but cold!
Photo: Patricia Lyons37/48I love the dramatic effect the wind had on my veil.
Photo: Patricia Lyons38/48Following photographs at the golf course, which overlooked the beach, we jumped into a golf cart, and Chris drove us to meet everyone at cocktail hour. My veil was flying everywhere, but we had a blast!
Photo: Patricia Lyons39/48The white tent, with whitewashed floors and soft, simple lighting, fit the landscape perfectly.
Photo: Patricia Lyons40/48The cake was a semi-naked coconut cake with white chocolate mousse by a local bakery, The Sono Baking Company. The top layer actually had a plain chocolate mousse which we had included for Chris and my grandmother, both chocoholics. We also served homemade ice cream sandwiches – my favorite.
Photo: Patricia Lyons41/48I wanted a blend of classic florals with a slightly more wild and natural element, which I felt was appropriate given the setting. Our florist, Katherine Jacob, was incredible to work with and brought it all to life.
Photo: Patricia Lyons42/48We included a mix of long and round tables. I prefer long tables for aesthetic reasons—but round tables really do promote conversation and, in certain cases, can be more fun for guests.
Photo: Patricia Lyons43/48I fell in love with the white scalloped plates from La Maison Fête when Katherine first showed them to us. The paper “ribbon” around the napkin doubled as a place card, and matched the watercolor motif by my sister at the top of the menu.
Photo: Patricia Lyons44/48One of Chris’s only requests was a beer boat—and it was, not surprisingly, quite popular during cocktail hour.
Photo: Patricia Lyons45/48The wrought iron chandeliers were created by Social Decor. They were modeled off of a similar version by Restoration Hardware, and Katherine incorporated the same greenery that was on the tables to tie everything together. The effect was magical.
Photo: Patricia Lyons46/48Listening to speeches. Both that were given that evening—one by Chris’s best man and the other by my father—were outstanding.
Photo: Patricia Lyons47/48I have always loved dancing with my dad. We started with Rascal Flatts’s “My Wish,” but then broke into “Do You Love Me” by The Contours. My dad is an avid Oldies fan, and this is one of his favorites—it was a lot of fun!
Photo: Patricia Lyons48/48We literally danced the night away.
