A LOVE STORY IN THE HAMPTONS
Destination Wedding in Montauk
Kayla and Cormac exchanged vows with the sea as a backdrop in their favorite corner of Montauk. Friends and family flew from all over to be part of their whirlwind wedding weekend in The Hamptons.
Couple: Kayla Schwartz & Cormac O'Connor ~ Crow's Nest. Montauk ~ 200 Guests ~ September 2022
Concept
Kayla drew inspiration from the seaside context and revolving around key words such as 'Understated Elegance','Minimalism' and 'Urban Zen'.
The Venue
Kayla is originally from East Hampton and Cormac would spend Summers in South Hampton, so this place holds a special place in their hearts as it's where they spent their first summer together. The couple met in Santa Barbara and started dating in college. They had initially dreamed of having the reception at the beach, but reconsidered the logistics and decided to choose The Crow’s Nest for the second part of the celebration, as this was a meaningful venue to them. The convenience of having access to the beach and a sandy area for the first part of the Wedding Ceremony and a restaurant next to it with outstanding food for the dinner and party was exactly what they were looking for. "It aligned with the vibe we were after" says Kayla. The couple wanted a venue where they could party without time limitations and in The Crow's Nest their party went on until four in the morning.
Flowers
"My mother-in-law has worked with the florist, 'Ella and Louie Flowers', for years out in Santa Barbara so we had her come to NY since it was nice to have someone familiar. She executed my vision. I knew I wanted a winding path and the installation was beautiful with luscious hydrangeas lining the aisle" .
The Stationery
"The invite was my favorite part. I knew it would be my guest's first impression and when I saw Acqua & Ink's style I knew it was exactly what I wanted. I built the overall wedding concept design around the paper concept. I loved the little shell boxes we used as escort cards. The guests definitely noticed the small details that were put into it and loved everything!" Mother of pearl tiny boxes containing guests table numbers, cotton rag handmade paper, shell wax seal, embossed monogram and details, sheer silk ribbon and shell translucent prints was all part of the exquisite final result.
Kayla, you designed your own wedding, any advice you would like to share with couples planning theirs?
"Yes, I 'm a designer so I couldn't imagine it any other way! My advice is to enjoy the process vs trying to strive for perfection in every detail. It's so important to enjoy the day. I would also recommend accepting help when offered."
"I loved having a blank canvas to work with. It was challenging to lock down an aesthetic initially since there were so many possibilities, but once I started it came natural to find my style. I'm a perfectionist and had to accept that I wasn't going to have control over everything, accepting mistakes along the way. It's always important to remember that your guests won't notice those mistakes". Kayla is professional designer based in Santa Barbara.
Kayla started designing more than a year out and her first vendor was Stationery with Acqua & Ink. Her concept was built with paper as a starting point.
The Dress
The bride chose a gown by designer Ines di Santo. After trying many dresses, she decided to settle with the first one she had tried on. " I' m SO happy with the one I chose. It was classic and so special". The second dress was designed by Rebecca Vallance.
