Samantha Moran and Colin Wuerthele approached wedding planning much as they approach their lives: as a team. They work together, run marathons together, and travel together. There was no wedding planner because “we’re both planners,” Samantha said. “We knew we’d be on top of it. Details, details, details.”  “We lived in Google Docs and spreadsheets for months,” Colin echoed his wife.

But before they could get down to details, they had to make one major decision – where they would host the wedding. The couple considered New York City, where they live, but after visiting their first Island venue they settled on the Vineyard and never looked back. As to where exactly they would marry, that was another question.

Samantha and Colin estimate they toured every available venue, searching for that perfect combination of a water-view property located near Katama, where Colin’s family owns a house. DIYers at heart, they also wanted someplace they could customize to suit their needs. A quick search of Airbnb properties suitable for events led Samantha to the perfect property for their September nuptials.

With the venue selected, they turned their attention to handcrafted elements. “We wanted the wedding to be very personal and unique, but also casual and about everyone enjoying the weekend on the Vineyard together,” said Samantha. To achieve the look, she painted cornhole sets, signs, and oyster shell escort cards, and designed table cards, menus, and ceremony programs. Colin’s mom sewed pillows for the reception lounge chairs and baked cookies for the guest bags. A neighbor even loaned them his 1965 blue Mustang for the drive from the church to the reception.

Samantha and Colin wanted the weekend to feel relaxed. In order to keep stress at bay during a roster of activities that included a beach party, a clambake, and a brunch, they tapped Island planner Megan Leonard to serve as a day-of coordinator and delegated small tasks to close family and friends, making sure that nobody would be hindered from having a fantastic time.

“It was a group effort,” said Samantha, “but we wanted a personal touch everywhere we could.” Thanks to their attention to detail, it all worked out in the end.

Details

Ceremony: St. Elizabeth Church
Reecption: Private Home
Photographer: Ashley Tilton
Day-of Coordinator: Megan Leonard Productions
Videographer: JLZ Films
Caterers: Bill Smith’s Martha’s Vineyard Clambake Co. + Tea Lane Caterers
Cake + Dessert: Val Cakes + Back Door Donuts
Music: The Vine Shakers + Peter Boak
Flowers: Island Ambiance
Tent + Party Supplies: Big Sky Tent and Party Rentals + Tilton Tents and Party Rentals
Transportation: ResortMan
Hair + Makeup: Shear Inspiration Salon + Monica Panait
Portables: Classy Comforts
Tech Support: Event Power MV
Rehearsal Dinner Caterer: Smoak
Brunch Caterer: ArtCliff Diner
Honeymoon: Greece
Their Best Advice: Give yourself plenty of time. “It’s a small island with a limited number of vendors (especially for certain vendor types), so you don’t want to be out of luck on your favorite.”