Christina and Lee’s Rhode Island Wedding at the Ocean House

Christina and Lee were married at the absolutely gorgeous Ocean House in Rhode Island. The venue, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, was an incredibly gorgeous setting for their big day. What we’re pretty much obsessing over, times a million, is Christina’s Elie by Elie Saab wedding gown. You are going to cry fashion tears when you see this one. Seriously, her dress is so pretty, it hurts! Plus, we are going to be dreaming about those flowers by Greenlion Weddings for the rest of the day. Okay, we’ve said enough. We’ll let you enjoy the gorg images by Meghan Sepe Photography.

from the bride:

Lee and I (Christina) met at Duke University my freshman year and his junior year in Durham, NC. The first summer we were dating Lee invited me to his hometown in Westerly, Rhode Island. From the moment I was there I fell in love with the quaint town, beautiful seashore and amazing New England beach cottages along the Watch Hill coastline. Knowing how much I love being outdoors and laying in the sun, Lee took me to East Beach, a small beach in the heart of Watch Hill during my first visit . At the time, the Ocean House, a beautifully historic structure originally built in 1868 and sitting at the top of East Beach was closed and in the early stages of its complete preservation and reconstruction. While we enjoyed our sunny beach day I imagined how amazing the building must have been in its prime and wished I could’ve experienced it in its glory.

Some years later, Lee and I were enjoying a quiet Saturday morning in NYC, where we reside now. I had just returned home from the gym when Lee surprised me by spontaneously suggesting I pack a bag so we can go enjoy dessert at my favorite spot in Raleigh, North Carolina, where I grew up. Having lost some playful bets recently, I thought Lee was paying me back for lost wages, ha! After a quick plane ride we enjoyed a delicious dinner and the much anticipated dessert. On our way back to the hotel for the evening, Lee took a detour to Duke Campus where he proposed on the steps of Duke Chapel, a famous staple on campus and on the grounds where we fell in love.

When it came time to plan our wedding, we instantly thought of the now fully restored Ocean House, since throughout our years dating we continued to return to Lee’s hometown and enjoyed our time there. With so many incredible memories for us made there, we wanted to share it with all our family and friends who had never visited the area before.

Some of my favorite aspects of our wedding included our beautiful stationery which I did through Paperless Post with the help of my friend Ivy who works there with me, and our Welcome Bags which we filled with local and homemade goodies and had waiting in our guests’ hotel rooms upon arrival. Of course, with yummy cake having a special place in our hearts, our Vegan wedding cake and surprise groomsman cake were quite delicious and important too! Leading up to our wedding we were looking forward to the big day but we were both surprised by the sheer bliss we felt throughout the day. The beautiful venue along with the support of a strong team of vendors helped put our minds at ease and allowed us to enjoy each other and celebrate with our family and friends. Our wedding was far and away our best, most memorable day.

Vendors: Photography: Meghan Sepe Photography // Videographer: Buzz Media Company // Florist: Greenlion Weddings // Gown: Elie by Elie Saab // Cake: Artisan Bake Shop // Groom’s Tux: Sebastien Grey Clothiers // Hair + Makeup: Serai Beauty // Band: Band of New York // Wedding Rings: Little King Jewelry // Wedding Stationery: Paperless Post // Trolley: Rockstar Limo // Venue: Ocean House | Relais & Chateaux