Exquisite Events Mentioned in The Knot
Danielle & John: Gatsby Style in Newport, RI |
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 Anyone who has ever been to Newport, Rhode Island, knows that what Newport calls a summer cottage, the rest of the world calls a stunning historic mansion set on the ocean. Many of these cottages, built primarily in the Gilded Age by America's wealthiest families for their highly social summer seasons, are now available for tours and even private parties. It was at Rosecliff, one of Newport's original summer cottages, that Danielle Yarmal and John West Jr. chose to celebrate their wedding. Scenes from the filming of "The Great Gatsby" were shot here, and the couple eagerly set out to re-create the glorious roaring '20s atmosphere and the spirit of Jay Gatsby himself.
THE BRIDE Danielle Yarmal, 29, volunteer
THE GROOM John West Jr., 36, founder and chairman of a financial services firm
THE DATE June 22
THE SETTING Rosecliff
WEDDING COORDIANTOR: Stasia Anthony, Exquisite Events of Newport
HOW THEY MET Danielle and John are the happy result of a blind date, set up by Danielle's brother and a friend of John's. Danielle was living in Los Angeles at the time, and John in New York, but their first dinner, in L.A. when John was traveling on business, was a huge success. So much so, in fact, that it led to a second date the next day. "I took John to the dog park to meet my dog, Goliath, and get Goliath's approval," explains Danielle. Wanting to make a lasting impression before he returned to New York, John planned the third date, a chartered helicopter tour. Four months later, both John and Danielle moved to Boston.
THE PROPOSAL John wanted to surprise Danielle with his proposal. He chartered a helicopter in honor of their first weekend together, whisking her off to Nantucket where he proposed with champagne and flowers on a private dock. Then he revealed that they were going to get back on the helicopter and leave Nantucket for their final destination -- a romantic four-day trip to Paris.
THE INVITATIONS Danielle and John knew that their save-the-date mailings would set the tone for the wedding to come, so they designed a small gift box for each guest. Inside was a booklet describing the weekend's wedding events, Newport accommodations and activities information, plus travel tips. On top of the booklet the couple placed the actual save-the-date card, and they sprinkled scented rose petals on top of that. Each box was secured with a label bearing a sketch of Rosecliff.
The invitations were formal, engraved Crane's cardstock. The couple included an additional card explaining that in lieu of wedding gifts, guests were invited to donate to two special charities, the ALS Foundation and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.
PRE-WEDDING CELEBRATIONS Guests arrived at their hotel rooms to find that Danielle and John had supplied monogrammed bags stuffed with beverages and snacks, a weekend itinerary, a list of attractions and restaurants, and a welcome letter from the couple. The festivities began with a cocktail cruise on Newport Harbor aboard the schooner Aurora. Afterward, guests enjoyed a lobster and clambake rehearsal dinner at the New York Yacht Club. After dinner, everyone already in town was invited to enjoy cocktails and jazz at the club.
THE BRIDE & BRIDESMAIDS WORE Danielle's strapless Badgley Mischka sheath was covered with alencon lace and clear beading. One of her bridesmaids lent her a pearl ring that is family heirloom; the bride also wore a 50-carat clear diamond necklace on loan from Rare 1 Corporation in Manhattan. The ten bridesmaids wore black floor-length gowns.
THE CEREMONY The late-afternoon wedding ceremony took place at Trinity Church. Two hundred and twenty guests, most in tuxedos and evening gowns, gathered on the two-story balconies facing the church's center pulpit. The service was a traditional Episcopal marriage ceremony. The couple included their favorite song, "Con Te Partiro," between readings and printed both the Italian and English lyrics in the program. Once the newlyweds had walked up the aisle, all of the guests climbed aboard trolley-car replicas hired to transport the party for the day.
THE COCKTAIL HOUR "At the cocktail reception, we wanted guests to experience a lively reception in 1920s Newport-style," says Danielle. The couple chose to have a cocktail party at the International Tennis Hall of Fame and designed the setting to fit the mood. A jazz quartet played roaring '20s tunes, martini bars ("so guests could sip the notorious cocktail of the '20s," explains Danielle) were scattered on the lawn, and two tennis players, dressed in period attire, played a match on the grass courts.
THE RECEPTION After another ride in the trolleys, guests arrived at Rosecliff to find the rooms glowing in candlelight and scented with flowers. Tables were set with silver candelabra, overflowing bouquets of flowers, and votives in glass candle holders. The tables were lighted from beneath to create a warm, romantic glow. The guests had to be accommodated in two adjoining rooms; Danielle and John, eager to be sure no one felt left out, split their meal between two sweetheart tables, enjoying appetizers in the ballroom and entrees in the salon.
MENU HIGHLIGHTS The cocktail reception had hinted at the feast to come. Guests dined on shrimp with cocktail sauce and remoulade, sampled from a charcuterie station, and plucked seared scallops, miniature crab cakes, and Japanese eggplant crisps -- among other delicacies -- from passing trays. Entrees, served in stations, included grilled filet of beef tenderloin, pistachio-encrusted sea bass, and mushroom ravioli with baby spinach. Later in the evening, a cappuccino station opened and guests enjoyed coffee drinks, biscotti, and cordials.
THE WEDDING CAKES Gentlemen were served a chocolate and Grand Marnier cake with white icing decorated with the newlyweds' monogram and a dotted Swiss pattern. Ladies were served one of three miniature wedding cakes: carrot cake, yellow cake with raspberry filling, or chocolate cake with mocha filling.
THE FINAL SURPRISE When the evening was over and guests began to trickle out of Rosecliff, they were delighted to discover a Krispy Kreme van, which had traveled from New York just to supply the revelers with the famous donuts as they left the reception.
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