Rhode Island Summer Wedding

Every little thing about this wedding from Lev Kuperman just floors me. When this couple first met, they were both studying celestial navigation, and this detail didn’t go unnoticed in their wedding decor – namely, the constellation seating chart and table names. Congratulations on your impeccable wedding, Mollie and Brian!

From the bride, Mollie: I was born in Providence, RI and met my husband on Cape Cod while I was in SEA Semester (a marine science study abroad program), so even though we both now live in Washington State we knew it would be most meaningful to return to that area for our wedding. We both have strong connections to the water (Brian’s now a navigation officer at sea) so I knew that it was important to incorporate a coastal feel to the wedding. The venue was perfect for us because the grounds were surrounded by the Providence Harbor. When Brian and I first met we were both studying celestial navigation and I think there’s something eternally romantic about using the stars as your guide. That’s where the inspiration for a lot of the decor came from.

We’re both laid back people who enjoy the outdoors which is why we had our ceremony outside. We loved that after dinner our guests could roam the grounds outside, mingle on the deck, or jump on the dance floor inside the bakehouse where our reception was held. We wanted to keep everything feeling authentic and local because few locations can beat the simple beauty of coastal RI in late June. That’s why it was important to me that all our flowers were local and in season. I envisioned an understated, somewhat whimsical wedding with an underlying feeling of classic elegance. Navy and white were the base colors and then to add a bit of ethereal, mid-summer charm I cut these conservative, nautical colors with lots of pastels. The braids in my hair, my floral head wreath, the bells for the guests, the English Roses as well as the hand-fasting ritual during the ceremony were all a nod to our English and Irish heritage.

My dad constructed our white framed table seating display, I picked the fabric backing and wrote out the tags. We decided to pick a constellation for each table and I made the table signs. I picked up the ribbons for the boutonnieres and bouquets, as well as the vases for the centerpieces. My sister-in-law found a beautiful clam shell with an ink drawing of a tall ship done by a local artist. It reminded me of the ship I sailed on during the study abroad when I first met Brian so we used some ribbon to turn it into a ring holder. I also took a photo of Brian and myself so that I could recreate an accurate portrayal of our silhouettes for the cake topper, programs, and card box. It took some time to draw our silhouettes in a way that I imagined we would look on our wedding day and then carefully cut them out but I love how they looked when I was done!

See Also

Monogram Magic In This Textural & Earthy Wedding With Elevated North Carolina Flair

Any advice for couples planning their weddings now? My favorite art teacher would always stress, “form before detail!” My advice in regards to wedding preparation, especially if you love details (and even if you don’t I promise unexpected details will pop up regardless), get as much of the ‘form’ of your wedding done as soon as you can so that you have lots of remaining time to create and perfect the little touches. With that being said it was exciting to see all the planning come to life the day of the wedding but what I remember most fondly from that day was how sincerely happy our guests were for us. I remember how incredible it was to see our closest friends and relatives, most of whom traveled so far to celebrate with us. I remember how meaningful the ceremony was and what a handsome couple my grandparents still were in their suit and dress. I remember how dapper the little boys looked when they walked down the aisle and how sweet our careful little flower girl was not wanting to drop a single petal. At the root of it all weddings are about people; the interactions you have with them are what you remember best about your wedding day. The rest is just a backdrop, albeit a lovely backdrop that you work hard to create. So have fun but don’t be devastated if a handful of things never quite get done. Just invite the people who mean the most to you and keep in mind what the day is all about: you’re marrying your own true love!

Wedding Music:
Processional: Pachelbel’s Canon in D (Celtic version)
Recessional: “Satellite,” Guster
First Dance: “Do I Love You?,” Peggy Lee & George Shearing

Wedding Location: Providence, RI / Photographer: Lev Kuperman / Event Design: Bride / Florist: Kalen Snyder with University Heights Whole Foods Market / Wedding Venue and Caterer: Squantum Association / Wedding Dress: Vintage / Bride’s Shoes: Seychelles / Bride’s Floral Crown: Gardens of Whimsy / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: ASOS / Groom’s Attire: Macy’s Alfani Red / Wedding Cake: Tina Dekubber with Squantum Association / DJ: All 4 You DJ / Wedding Invitations: Tinyprints