This Waterfront Wedding in St. Michaels, Maryland, Was the Perfect Balance of Preppy and Modern

Coastal-Inspired

Block lettering on rounded-edge letterpress invitations from Zola allowed Janey and Petey to set the tone for their less-formal wedding day, while blue ink hinted at the waterfront locale. "We wanted to include both families on the invitation as we felt everyone was contributing to pulling this wedding off," says Janey. "Plus, we felt that it set the tone of a joyful celebration of togetherness and of our two families officially coming together."

The One That (Almost) Got Away

After visiting 12 boutiques and trying on more than two dozen wedding dresses, Janey chose a simple gown with "trendy" accents—only to realize a month later that she had made the wrong choice. "I called my mom sobbing," she says. "Thank goodness for my mom's extremely impressive negotiation skills—we were able to cancel the first gown, which is how I ended up with the Amsale dress of my dreams!"

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Back Bow

Her Amsale silk Mikado column dress included a detachable back bow—which "felt modern and dramatic, just like me!" the bride says—and she added a neckline trim and delicate belt. "I actually cried at a few of my dress appointments, so shedding tears definitely doesn't mean you've found 'the one,' especially if you're an emotional person like I am," she says. "My biggest tip for brides who are conflicted while dress shopping: Take time to mull it over. Sleep on it for a while, keep looking at the photos you took during appointments, and really think about which dress feels the most authentic to you."

A Girl's Best Friend

Janey, who works as the social media manager for the Natural Diamond Council, borrowed sparkling accessories from some of her favorite brands, including three firework tennis bracelets from Suzanne Kalan. She also donned a Lelet headband and a diamond initial bracelet made by a friend at Alexis Jae Jewelry. "This piece was really special to me as I had the same initial bracelets made for my mom, mother-in-law and sisters so we could match on the big day," she says.

As for her bouquet? "I knew I didn't want a traditional tight, round arrangement, but that flowing, boho vibe isn't my style either," says Janey, who requested ranunculus—her favorite flower—English roses, and anemones. "Genevieve of La Fleur du Jour 100 percent understood the assignment and created the most gorgeous arrangements and my dream bouquet. I could cry thinking about how much I loved my flowers."

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Sister, Sister

The bride's two sisters wore ice blue Amsale gowns and carried bouquets that mimicked her own.

At Last

After keeping her gown a secret from Petey during the planning process—even when she cancelled the first and ordered the second—Janey felt especially eager for him to see her before the ceremony. "Everything around my dress had been such a long saga and I am so bad at keeping secrets," she says. "I really didn't feel nervous, just excited that after a long day of getting ready I could finally hang out with my man again." He was ready to see her, too: "I was well aware of the dress saga and how excited she was when she finally found the right one," he says. "To see how beautiful she looked and how happy she was made me so happy, too."

Petey and the groomsmen—the bride and groom's younger brothers—wore custom suits from Knot Standard; Petey's was a navy silk blend, which he wore with a light blue Hermes tie.

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Dog's Day

Janey and Petey's mini bernedoodle, Oliver, wore a bandanna—custom made by Amsale with extra fabric from the bridesmaids' dresses—while he performed his duties as the ring bearer. "We are beyond obsessed with this dog," says Janey. "He looked so cute and was such a good boy on the big day."

At the Water's Edge

A minimalist white chuppah backed by the Chesapeake anchored the couple's ceremony, while asymmetrical floral installations added color and texture.

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Joined Together

Bonnie Brown of Beginnings and Ends officiated the couple's ceremony, which combined elements of Janey's Jewish faith and Petey's Greek culture. "We knew going in we wanted a non-denominational wedding that incorporated a few of our favorite traditions from each of our religions," says Janey. "For me, that was getting married under a chuppah, breaking the glass and of course, the hora. For Petey, we incorporated the Greek Stefana crowns into the ceremony as a symbol of unity and to represent our new bond as husband and wife."

Cocktail Hour on the Harbor

Cocktail hour unfolded on the inn's front lawn, with stunning views of the harbor.

Food=Love

Janey and Petey worked with chefs at the inn to create a menu full of personalized elements. "We both love to try new foods, and going out to eat is just part of your personality as a New Yorker," says Petey. "We made sure we had an oyster bar and plenty of passed apps, including lamb chops, something my family grills up every year for Christmas and Greek Easter." Bartenders mixed two signature cocktails: "The Gramercy," a reference to the couple's engagement, which included lemon, honey, and whiskey and "The Oliver," a lime, mint, and ginger concoction named for their dog.

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Tent Stakes

A large tent held both round and long tables, while bamboo pendants and twinkle lights overhead "brought some warmth into the space." Janey and Petey got a private preview of the space before the reception officially began. "It all just came together so beautifully," says Janey. "Seeing the tent all set up—without any distractions—is a moment we'll never forget. We really got to take in all the little details, and we even practiced our first dance one last time before the big moment."

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Blue Mood

The round tables were dressed with floor-length linens and held a single vase of anemones, ranunculus, and roses, while the long ones were topped with a light blue runner and lined with bud vases holding pink and white blooms. "The bud vases were something my mom and I were so excited about, and they looked even better in person than they did in my head," says Janey. "At each place setting we went with a simple white textured charger plate and added the pop of color with our light blue menus."

Bottle Service

In a nod to Petey's Greek heritage, the bride and groom presented each guest with an individual bottle of Iliada olive oil, brought to the states by Petey's family from Kalamata, where they have their roots. "My family always comes home with a full-on vat of olive oil whenever we visit, and we knew this would be the perfect way to honor my heritage and pass it on to our guests," says Petey. His mother washed and filled each bottle herself before attaching custom tags.

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Golden Touches

Buttercream Bake Shop provided the newlyweds with a raw-edged, two-layer cake decorated with gold foil. "The top layer was a chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream and the bottom layer was an elderflower-soaked lemon cake with blackberry jam and vanilla buttercream," says Janey. "We also served cheesecake bites, lemon tarts, and mini tiramisu on the dance floor so people didn't need to stop dancing to get a little something sweet."

Up in the Air

After their first dance—to Ed Sheeran's "Tenerife Sea"—Janey and Petey hit the dance floor with their friends and family; during the party, they were lifted into the air for the Hora.

Pretty in Pink

Janey snuck out of the reception to surprise her guests with a second outfit: A pink ombré dress from PatBo and Kwiat hoops with round and Ashoka-cut diamonds. "Pink is hands down my favorite color, and it was my mom's idea for me to wear a pink after-party dress instead of traditional white," says Janey. "I felt like it was the pink cherry on top of my perfect night."

Janey and Petey enlisted NYX Entertainment to keep guests on their feet with both a DJ and band. "I loved the combo of the original song from the DJ amplified by horns and percussion," says Janey. "The vibe was just so fun and perfect. Making sure our guests had fun was really the priority for us—we wanted the wedding to be an all-out party, and it definitely helped that we got confirmation of this from our friends and family during Sunday brunch!"

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Sources

Photography, Shannon Moffit Photography
Venue and catering, Inn at Perry Cabin
Event planning and design, Rebecca Thomas Events
Flowers, La Fleur du Jour
Videography, 87 and Smith
Officiant, Bonnie Brown, Beginnings and Ends
Stationery, Zola
Cake, Buttercream Bake Shop
Music, NYX Entertainment
Rentals, Eastern Shore Tents and Events; La Tavola; White Glove Rentals
Bride's gown, Amsale
Bride's accessories, Kleinfeld Bridal veil; Lelet headband; Sophia Webster shoes; Kwiat earrings; Suzanne Kalan bracelet and earrings; Alexis Jae Jewelry initial bracelet
Hair and makeup, Caitlyn Meyer Hair & Make Up
Bridesmaids' dresses, Amsale
Groom's attire and menswear, Knot Standard
Groom's tie, Hermes
Transportation, Executive Transportation
Custom Day-of Paper, CinkArt
Guest book, Taschen
Rings, Alexis Jae Jewelry
Reception dress, PatBo