An elegant backyard wedding in Nantucket

Nantucket is a beautiful little beach town in the US. If you are familiar with our work, you know we typically don’t plan US weddings. However, IDO Event's planning of this sentimental wedding in Nantucket was meant to be.

Sara and Nico’s Nantucket island wedding was full of charming moments and love. This beautiful island wedding was such a unique and memorable experience for us! Although the US is not our typical wheelhouse, we are so glad Sara and Nico led us to this beautiful location for their incredible outdoor summer wedding

Working with our couples

Sara and Nico began working with us in 2020. We started the wedding planning process and began scouting different wedding locations. Sara is American, and Nico is German. When Sara and Nico first reached out to us, they wanted a destination wedding in Europe. And so, we began the venue search in Berlin, Germany. However, after many visits, Sara and Nico decided their dream location did not exist in Berlin. So, we switched our search to the UK, mainly the London area.

As the venue search continued in London, Sara and Nico began discussing the idea of a Nantucket island wedding. Sara and her family have a summer home on the island, making it a special place for her and one she always dreamed about for her wedding day. We explored many wedding venues across Europe and the UK, but nothing stood out. Eventually, Sara and Nico decided to switch gears. The planning process shifted, and Sara and Nico moved forward with planning the big day at the bride's family home for a wedding in Nantucket.

Sara and Nico knew we did not typically plan weddings in the US but asked if we would be willing to continue working with them. We had gotten to know each other so well and spent a ton of time planning the wedding together; it only made sense that we continued what we started! We are so thankful to have been a part of this wedding day for many reasons and know that being a part of this planning process was meant to be.

Like many of our couples, Sara and Nico had to postpone their dream wedding due to pandemic restrictions. 50% of the guests and our groom were coming from Germany. It was important that their wedding occur when everyone could safely travel to Nantucket. Unfortunately, this postponement led to an extremely tough challenge for Sara and Nico.

Tragically, Sara’s father passed away unexpectedly a few weeks before the wedding. We were all so heartbroken for her and her family! Our number one priority at that time was to make the remaining elements of the wedding planning process as easy on her as possible. Our team immediately stepped in and fully took on all the planning of the final details. It was important to us that we allowed Sara, Nico, and their family the proper time to grieve the loss of her father.

Sara’s father had a big part in the wedding planning process, and so Sara wanted to find a way to honor him during the wedding. To do so, we saved a seat for him at the ceremony and reception. At the dinner table, we draped one of his jackets over the back of a chair and placed a beautiful floral bouquet on the seat. Sara wanted to ensure that her father's favorite cigars were featured and available to guests. And for a final touch, we added her father's cufflinks to her bridal bouquet. It was an emotional day, but Sara and Nico were thankful for every moment.

A backyard wedding in Nantucket

Because Sara and Nico’s wedding was a big destination event, we had planned out an entire wedding weekend itinerary for guests. We planned an event at the local Yacht club as a grand welcome. Friends and family gathered in the yard and enjoyed light appetizers as they mingled and got to know one another. Because many guests did not know each other, Sara and Nico wanted to provide guests with many mingling opportunities. Following the welcome event, guests were invited to a Rehearsal dinner where toasts and speeches were shared, along with laughter and happy tears.

Logistically, this wedding in Nantucket was challenging, weddings that occur at non-traditional venues often require a bit more planning! Every detail of this day had to fall perfectly into place. For their reception, Sara and Nico rented a beautiful tent. This meant we had to ensure the proper facilities were in place, like bathrooms. Luckily, it was smooth sailing once we established all of our vendors and secured all of the facilities and rentals.

This stunning wedding in Nantucket began at the family home, where Sara and Nico got ready before heading to the church. In traditional Nantucket style, this church was very chic and designed with a neutral-beachy style perfectly matching Sara and Nico's wedding design. After a stunning wedding ceremony, guests headed to the family home for a luxurious cocktail hour on the front lawn.

For cocktail hour, guests were treated to delicious drinks, fresh fish, and an oyster bar making for the most divine cocktail hour. Guests mingled, laughed, and watched the sunset together before entering the reception tent to continue the elegant backyard wedding reception.

Once the night began to come to a close Sara, Nico and their close friends and family moved into the family home for a fun after-party. It was the perfect way to end such an incredible wedding day. On Sunday, guests were invited back to the house for lobster rolls and a farewell brunch.

The theme and style

For Sara and Nico’s wedding in Nantucket, we wanted to lean into the island's natural beauty. To begin the wedding design process, we established the perfect color palette. By sticking with neutral colors and elements, we could really embrace the effortless beauty of Nantucket.

Because this day was going to include an elegant backyard wedding reception, Sara and Nico wanted everything to feel laid-back. There was no pressure to make their wedding design too over the top. Sara and Nico share a natural and effortless love, and we love how the design of their day reflected that! For the wedding reception floral and other design elements, we were inspired by the natural textures found on Nantucket, like seagrass.

Under the beautiful reception tent, we designed some of the most luxurious beach-inspired dinner tables. Beautiful beige-textured linens draped from each table to the floor while soft ivory gauze runners added interest. The various textures and soft neutrals gave this space an elevated beach-party feel. Sand-colored pillar candles were surrounded by clear glass and paired with pale blush taper candles.

With muted florals as the focal point of each dinner table, their reception tent felt warm and welcoming. We adore the way each element worked together. Floral was delicately placed into coral-like vases while sea shells acted as the perfect votive candle holder. These beach-inspired touches were charming and a delicate way to add a ton of character to the overall design!

Sara and Nico’s Nantucket island wedding was effortlessly beautiful. Though the planning process took a few years, we are thrilled with the result! Planning a wedding in Nantucket was something we never anticipated; however, it ended up being one of the most meaningful events we planned in 2022. Designing Sara and Nico's dream wedding day was so much fun for our team! From coordinating their charming church ceremony to designing an elegant outdoor summer reception, it was truly a special day.