Tented Outdoor Wedding by the Sea in Old Saybrook, CT

This bride had been dreaming of her quintessential New England summer wedding since she was a little girl. Lucky for her, she found her first mate while on the crew team at UC-Berkeley, and a chance meeting years later brought them together for good. After getting engaged in Paris (can you say romantic?), John and Becca had no doubt where they’d say their “I do’s.” Although living in San Francisco, the couple decided to wed in John’s parents’ backyard in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, a no-brainer decision for the two native New Englanders.

Thanks to the help of planner extraordinaire Sarah from A Polished Plan, their blue-and-white striped dreams were brought to life and a cross-country destination wedding began to take shape. Beth from Studio Blush and the team at Ryan Designs, Social Decor, and A Thyme to Cook helped pull off the August summer soiree under a 46′ x 85′ Sperry Tent. Live music by The Metropolitan Players completed the atmosphere.

Becca offered the following three pieces of advice to future brides on Style Me Pretty, where this coastal CT wedding was featured:

1. Don’t let your guest list get out of control – your wedding is supposed to be special. Be selfish and invite who you want and not who everyone else wants.
2. Dance your face off at your reception and don’t be afraid to get your dress dirty.
3. Let yourself cry on the altar. You and your partner only get the moment once. Let everything around you fade away and embrace the emotion. You won’t regret it!

Images: Emily Tebbetts Wedding Photography // Event Planning & Design: A Polished Plan // Catering: A Thyme to Cook // Floral Design: Studio Blush // Lighting: Social Decor // Lounge Furniture: Ryan Designs // Linens: La Tavola Fine Linens // Cake: Lynn Palmer Cakes // Makeup: Jennie Fresa // Live Music: The Metropolitan Players