Real Wedding: Lauren & Devin
Shelter Island, New York
Photography: Carlos Varela Photography
Band: East Village Exchange
Calligraphy: The Blooming Quill
Coordination: jill gordon celebrate
Hair & Makeup: Salon Xavier
Invitations: Bella Figura
Tent: The New York Tent Company
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In the funny way that things sometimes happen, Lauren Pufahl and Devin Kinney couldn’t help but keep bumping into each other — first at a barbeque, then at a party, and finally while skiing the slopes in Stowe, Vermont. Unbeknownst to either, they had both joined the same ski house. It was there that they finally connected. “The first weekend we spent at Stowe, the two of us shared a snowy Sunday on the mountain while all of our friends lounged around the house,” says Lauren. After enjoying one another’s company for the entire weekend, it was more than apparent to both of them that they had stumbled into something extraordinary. By that spring, they were a couple.
Several years later, Lauren and Devin took a few days off from work, looking forward to a long weekend together on Shelter Island. The couple caught a Hamptons-bound early-evening ferry from Boston, eager for their mini getaway. “Once underway, we watched the most stunning sunset and talked about how excited we were to have a few days to relax,” says Lauren. As the sun continued to sink over the horizon, Lauren and Devin sipped glasses of wine and chatted excitedly. In the midst of their conversation, Devin pulled Lauren a little closer and suddenly took a ring from his pocket. “I was shocked, stunned, and thrilled all at the same time. Without hesitation, I said ‘yes!’ as he slid the ring onto my finger,” she says.
Lauren had grown up spending summers on Shelter Island and introduced Devin to the area soon after they began dating. He immediately fell in love with it as well, never failing to appreciate the island’s laid-back feel and natural beauty. Lauren’s parents own a house there, and the couple knew there was no better place for them to be married than right at home.
Lauren and Devin’s ceremony proved to be their favorite part of the day. Lauren had pinned a diamond brooch originally belonging to her great-grandmother to her bouquet, something her grandmother, mother, and aunts had also done on their wedding days. “It was so special to me to have a true heirloom on the most important day of my life,” says Lauren. The ceremony was held on the lawn of her parent’s home, and the spectacular weather, beautiful setting, and wonderful readings by their friends and families resulted in something truly perfect. “Our ceremony was intimate and personal — something that we didn’t necessarily expect with over 200 guests,” says Lauren.
Lauren and Devin’s reception had a fantastic start — the bridal party was introduced to the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling,” and guests couldn’t help but notice a joyful energy throughout the room. Growing up, Lauren was often lulled to sleep by her father singing “Daddy’s Little Girl,” so choosing a song for their father-daughter dance was an easy choice. After asking everyone to surround them on the dance floor, a longtime friend of her father’s led the guests in an acapella version of the song as Lauren and her father danced.
Lauren’s late aunt had been a well-known horticulturist in the area, with a fondness for coleus. As a tribute to her, the bride and groom incorporated lots of coleus in their floral design. They also took advantage of different island elements by collecting moss, driftwood, and seashells in the months leading up to their wedding and using them to outfit the place card table.
As many of the guests drifted home, exhausted from an evening of spirited dancing, Lauren, Devin, and some close friends and family adjourned to the beach for a bonfire. Basking in the glow from the fire and surrounded by their loved ones, Lauren and Devin knew the day would be something they would never forget.
Lauren & Devin's Advice
#1 Steal ideas from friends & family! We had been to 15 or more weddings in the few years preceding our own. Many of
our best ideas came from someone else’s event.
#2 Go with your gut when it comes to vendors. Someone may look great on paper, but if your personal interactions with them don’t leave you feeling excited, step back & consider another.