Ryann Czarnec and Brian Konish were never your typical couple planning a wedding. For starters, they had been together for twelve years before tying the knot, so it seemed more like a celebration of their lasting love and growing family, rather than new beginnings.

The couple, who live in Boston but vacation on the Island every August, has two young sons. “Planning a destination wedding with a newborn and a four year old was difficult,” admitted Ryann, “but in the end, totally worth it.” Thankfully, Ryann had a lot of help. “Brian really had all of the vision and I was just along for the ride,” she said, adding that his idea for their reception was inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. “He wanted our guests to feel as though they were in our home for a fancy dinner party.”

To plan for the wedding, Ryann and Brian made extra visits to the Island during their two-year engagement. Brian recalled driving around the Island with Ryann in January and seeing the East Chop Beach Club for the first time. “It was all boarded up in a storm; it was almost eerie, but we could both see how it could come to life by decorating it,” he said.

They decorated the space with dozens of framed family photographs, and stuck to a color pallet of creams and grays with hints of lilac and lavender. Ryann and Brian also set up little nooks with comfy chairs, tables, and decanters filled with bourbon and whisky. Instead of a traditional tiered wedding cake, they opted for a dozen cakes made by the Black Dog Bakery, which were used as centerpieces for the tables once the entrées were cleared. “People were walking around to different tables and sharing slices of the different cakes with one another,” Ryann said. It added to the dinner party vibe Brian had in mind.

And while Ryann considers herself a lucky bride because she had a groom with a passion for planning, she credits Kristen Gosselin of KG Events & Design for pulling it all together. “Kristen was absolutely amazing,” the couple said in unison.

“The Island really is a small place and a lot of it is who you know. Kristen knew a lot of people and we couldn’t always be there to visit places, so she was a huge help,” said Ryann. “And I mean, if we didn’t have a planner? Haha! Who knows, we probably wouldn’t have gotten married for another twelve years!”

DETAILS

Ceremony: East Chop Lighthouse
Reception: East Chop Beach Club
Wedding Planner: KG Events & Design
Photographer: Ruth Eileen
Videographer: Weddings MV
Caterer: Buckley’s Gourmet Catering
Cake + Dessert: Black Dog Bakery + Back Door Donuts
Music: Mike Benjamin + Phil daRosa
Flowers: Morrice Florist
Transportation: Bob Gothard + Martha’s Vineyard Sightseeing Tours
Tent + Party Supplies: Big Sky Tent and Party Rentals
Hair + Makeup: Sea Spa Salon
Jewelry: Katama Blue Jewelry
Welcome Bags: Black Dog postcards + Cape Cod Chips + Chilmark Chocolates
Guest Accommodations: Summercamp + Isabelle’s Beach House
Rehearsal Cocktail Party: Loft
Honeymoon: Turks and Caicos