Isabelle Groper happily admits that she had a crush on Joey Ives when she was a freshman and he was a senior at their high school in Newton, Massachusetts. But it wasn’t until they connected over a dating app while they were both living in Boston ten years later that they began dating.

The first time Isabelle came to the Island was to visit Joey’s family, who had moved to West Tisbury in 2021. “I don’t know what I had in my head about Martha’s Vineyard, but it was so much more fun and community oriented than I ever realized,” she said.

By the time they were engaged in November 2022, the couple had already decided they wanted to get married here. They selected the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury and began to plan.

Both bride and groom treasured the chuppah they stood under for their outdoor ceremony, brought to life by the floral team at Aubrey Maria Designs/Donaroma’s, and built by members of both families. “My dad went and chopped down some huge pieces of wood and then did nothing else,” Joey said. “So, the day before the wedding, we were like, ‘This still has to become a chuppah.’” Joey spent the day with his father, brother, and Isabelle’s father and stepfather to get it wedding-ready. “We did not know what we were getting into, but it was so fun to have all these important men in my life show up to put this thing up,” he said.

Following the ceremony, guests made their way inside the Agricultural Hall, which was decked out in lush garlands and disco balls. The twinkling lights hung along the rafters were balanced by the terracotta linens and candles to make the day more polished, Isabelle said, capturing the energy of a romantic summer night in Italy.

With catering by V. Jaime Hamlin & Sons Catering and Party Design, the menu reflected both the Island and Isabelle and Joey’s love of good food. There was a fresh raw bar for the cocktail hour, surf and turf for dinner, and espresso martini shooters for guests on the dance floor.

The couple attributes the success of their wedding to planner Kate Foster of Plan It Martha’s Vineyard as well as Isabelle’s mom. “Honestly, I love my mom’s taste. All of the designs and imagery, my mom designed herself,” Isabelle raved.

“For two people who are very go-with-the-flow, we’re really lucky that we had two people handling everything in a way that made it easy to focus on what we cared about, which was getting married,” said Joey.

Details

Wedding Date: June 1, 2024
Ceremony + Reception: Agricultural Hall
Photographer: Arletta Charter
Wedding Planner: Plan It Martha’s Vineyard
Flowers: Aubrey Maria Designs/Donaroma’s
Party Supplies: Big Sky Tent and Party Rentals
Caterer: V. Jaime Hamlin & Sons Catering and Party Design
Hair + Makeup: Sea Spa Salon
Cake: Val Cakes
Ceremony Music: Sophie Lippert
Reception Music: The Dukes
Videographer: Clear Vision Videography
Transportation: Lighthouse Taxi
Calligraphy: Albertine Press
Stationery + Signage: Michelle Ingari Designs
Rehearsal Dinner + Welcome Party: Atria
Brunch: Rosewater Market