In August of 2020, Liza Partington and Kevin Johnson discovered that the best of plans can come undone, but the solution can be better than they could have imagined.
The pair met and live in California, and that’s where they intended to marry. “We love Northern California, and we found a great spot for our wedding out there. We had everything planned for a wedding in November of 2020,” recalled Liza, “and then Covid happened.”
Reluctantly, the couple postponed their plans for a year but decided they didn’t want to wait that long to be married. Their thoughts turned to Martha’s Vineyard, where Liza visited her grandparents every summer as a child. An added bonus: two family homes on the Island would provide ample lodging for their guests.
Opting for a simple event, they relied on family knowledge and recommendations as well as old-fashioned running around to get details in order. Island vendors also helped the couple in their decision-making. Liza recalls that finding their wedding photographer, Larisa Stinga, was especially important. “A few days before the ceremony, Larisa took us to the exact spot on the harbor where we planned to get married. She had ideas of where we could stand on the beach, and how we would be framed within her shots, with certain things in the background,” Liza said.
For Kevin and Liza, the ceremony on the beach is their sweetest memory of the day. “The location was so idyllic, standing on the beach with the boats and the lighthouse in the background,” said Kevin. Liza agreed: “Having our family standing next to us felt so powerful, so intimate,” she recalled. “I really liked that each of our parents added something to the ceremony.”
Another high point was the surf-and-turf menu created by Buckley’s Gourmet Catering. “Food is important to us, and we ended up having one of the most delicious meals at our wedding,” Liza said.
Liza admits that initially it was hard to give up on the California wedding that they had planned and pictured. But the morning after their Vineyard wedding, she woke up and realized: “I’m good. We had exactly what we wanted, and it was perfect.”
Details
Wedding Date: August 21, 2020
Ceremony: Lighthouse Beach
Reception: Private Home
Photographer: Larisa Stinga
Caterer: Buckley’s Gourmet Catering
Flowers: Morrice Florist
Tent + Party Supplies: Tilton Tents and Party Rentals
Hair: Bouclé
Wedding Attire + Jewelry: Tadashi Shoji + BHLDN
Rehearsal Dinner: Menemsha Beach
Rehearsal Caterer: Buckley’s Gourmet Catering + Larsen’s Fish Market
Their Best Advice: “Consider a clambake or a more casual beach picnic for your rehearsal dinner instead of something more traditional. It feels very quintessential Martha’s Vineyard and allows for a little more flexibility than a sit-down dinner might.”
