Alison Manning’s wedding to Alison Weaver was one part fairy tale, one part killer dance party, all parts super-luxe backyard bash. In other words, it was all Alison all the time. From the ceremony to the reception they made the event a true reflection of themselves and incorporated elements of their careers, their family, and the Island.
The morning began with a torrential downpour, followed by a heavy fog that blanketed the property and blocked the view. But by 1 p.m. the clouds began to part. “At that moment,” said Weaver, “I remember feeling like it was meant to be.” The blue skies, rolling green hills, and shiny sea beyond made the perfect backdrop for their dreamy, mossy vision for their wedding.
“We were going for a magical mood, a fairy garden without the fairies,” she explained. “Our daughter Allegra was totally obsessed with making fairy gardens the summer we got engaged, so we drew a lot of inspiration from those.”
The pair tapped florist Marlene DiStefano of Island Ambiance to create lush table centerpieces using ferns, moss, white flowers, and mushrooms. Mini topiaries marked each place setting, and chandeliers inside the tent were draped with sparkling lights and branches.
Friend Tamara Weiss, who introduced the two women at a party on the Island several years before, officiated the ceremony. Weaver, a writer and editor, shared her vows in the form of a poem. Their daughter Oona sang and played guitar to Ed Sheeran’s song “Photograph.”
After the ceremony the youngest guests headed to a children’s tent where there were picnic tables, personalized coloring books, mini birdhouses, and glitter glue, plus a Polaroid photo station with costumes and wooden frames. “It was their party too,” said Weaver. “We wanted it to be as fun for them as it was for the adults.”
After dinner the kids settled into beanbag chairs and watched a movie on a projection screen while adults danced to music by The Sultans. Alison Manning is executive director of The Yard, a dance colony in Chilmark, so there were many professional dancers in attendance. The dancing, everyone agreed, was a highlight of the celebration.
“Endless nights of music, poetry, dance, and painting have fueled our summers for years,” reminisced Weaver. Their wedding day was no different.
details
Date: June 24, 2017
Ceremony + Reception: Private Home
Photographer: Randi Baird
Wedding Planner: With Grace
Videographer: Dancing Camera
Caterer: Annie Foley Catering & Party Planning
Cake: Outermost Inn
Music: The Sultans
Flowers: Island Ambiance
Tent + Party Supplies: Big Sky Tent and Party Rentals
Hair + Makeup: Sea Spa Salon
Accommodations: The Beach Plum Inn + The Charlotte Inn + Harbor View Hotel
Rehearsal Dinner: Atria
Honeymoon: Belize
Their Best Advice: “Take two or three trips to the Island in the year before your wedding. Visit vendors in person. And make sure to give your guests clear information on travel and accommodations.”
