celebrations - Hannah Morrill

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SECTION SLUG
SECTION RUBRIC
CELEBRATIONS
Scenes from real weddings
and fabulous fêtes
189
M A D E M O IS E L L E F I O N A
A GROOM W ITH A V IEW
Peter Ostrega and his new
bride, Samantha Angelo,
only had eyes for each other
despite the scenic surroundings of Jumbie Bay, in the
U.S. Virgin Islands. Both
helped design their own
attire: He collaborated with
his tailor, Noni Chullani of
The Signature Collection; she
worked with Roya Hashimi
of Elegance By Roya.
M A RT H AST E WA RT W E D D I N G S .CO M
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C E L E B RAT I O N S
SAMANTHA + PETER
The newlyweds
strolled through
the lush gardens
of the villa.
Sweeping vistas of
Hawksnest Bay came
with Hawksview
Estate, the home
the pair rented.
The letterpressed
suite featured a
design of the
venue, a map of
St. John, and the
duo’s relationship time line.
SAMANTHA ANGELO
& PETER OSTREGA
J
erry Maguire may have had his great love at “hello,” but
management consultant Peter Ostrega nabbed his with just
one syllable. “Hi,” read the entirety of his OkCupid message
barbecue, sail, and relax. “It created a sense of family,” says Peter.
“By the wedding, everyone felt like old pals.”
In the courtyard of a private villa just before sunset, Samantha’s
to Samantha Angelo, a clarinetist with the Marine Corps band—and
it worked. She clicked through his photos and was instantly smitten
with his “kind eyes and curious smile,” she says. “I’d never felt that
way just by looking at someone.” There was one red flag, albeit
minor: The site placed their compatibility, based on answers to a
series of questions, at exactly zero. But two years of blissful dating
later, that statistic was proven wildly inaccurate when Samantha
father walked her down the aisle to Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on
a Theme of Paganini, performed on violin by a childhood friend.
“When Sam turned the corner, I couldn’t hold back tears,” says
the groom. With a close friend officiating, the pair recited vows
they’d written, incorporating elements of their shared Catholic
faith. Guests were then treated to the couple’s favorite tiki
drink—fresh coconut water spiked with coconut rum—before
accepted Peter’s proposal during a trip to St. John.
In fact, the Washington, D.C., couple were so eager to get hitched,
sitting down to an Asian-inspired seafood dinner. When it came
time to dance, the bride and groom slipped into something more
they started planning the very next morning. “We drove around
St. John scouting venues,” says Samantha, who knew right away the
place was another ideal match. “We wanted our families and friends
to experience this beautiful oasis.” Six months later, 27 guests did
just that, descending on the island a week before the I do’s to
boogie-ready (a tux for him, a slinky gown for her). Lit by the
moon and twinkling sparklers, they twirled to “A Nightingale Sang
in Berkeley Square,” sung by a friend. “It was the greatest day of
our lives,” says the man who once had very little to say, “like a
dream neither of us will ever forget.” —Hannah Morrill
M A RT H AST E WA RT W E D D I N G S .CO M
MADEMOISELLE FIONA
July 13, 2013, St. John, United States Virgin Islands
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C E L E B RAT I O N S
SAMANTHA + PETER
“My dad looked so
comfortable and happy,”
Samantha says of her
beaming escort.
Clamshells calligraphed
with guests’ names
acted as place cards.
Peter’s had the Polish
spelling of his name,
reflecting his heritage.
The al fresco dinner
offered gorgeous
views of St. John’s
North Shore.
ONE THING I LEARNED
“IT’S SO REWARDING WHEN
YOUR WEDDING IS A TRUE
REFLECTION OF WHO YOU
ARE AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS
A COUPLE. WE LABORED
OVER EVERY DETAIL, BUT IT
WAS WORTH IT.” —Samantha
Samantha wore a
wreath of mini
calla lilies, lisianthus,
and freesia.
SOURCES
Location Hawksview Estate
Event planning and design
Island Style Weddings
The bride, in
Elizabeth Fillmore,
swayed under
the stars with her
new husband.
Catering East West Catering
Flowers Roses Too
Photography Mademoiselle Fiona
Wedding Photography
Videography Louis Lucas
Stationery The Dandelion Patch
Cake Creative Catering
Bride’s gowns Elegance By Roya
(ceremony); Elizabeth Fillmore
(reception)
Hair Grapevine Salon
Groom’s attire Noni Chullani of
The Signature Collection
See The Guide for
more vendor sources
MADEMOISELLE FIONA
The yellow-andchocolate cake
was iced with
buttercream.
M A RT H AST E WA RT W E D D I N G S .CO M
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C E L E B RAT I O N S
H E AT H E R + T I B A U T
Tibaut planted one on his bride,
who wore a beaded kimono-style
top from a Paris thrift store over
a dress of her own design.
Save-the-dates
featured
constellations
of the duo’s
zodiac signs,
Sagittarius
and Gemini.
The pair said “I do” under
a handmade arch of more
than 1,500 blooming
cherry and pear branches.
HEATHER WINN
& TIBAUT BOWMAN
E
verything is bigger in Texas, including the love stories.
And for Lone Star State natives Heather Winn and Tibaut
Bowman, the tale was written in the stars. A few years
to Mother Earth,” says the bride. She also wanted to show off the
duo’s playful side, so they walked back up the aisle to the theme
from Indiana Jones. Afterward, in a field overlooking hill country, a
after meeting at a rooftop party in Brooklyn, New York, where they
both now live, Tibaut proposed on a vacation in the West Indies.
As they sipped Champagne and watched the sun set, the future Mr.
and Mrs. witnessed an atmospheric green flash along the horizon—a
phenomenon they’d both heard about but never believed existed.
“It was completely surreal,” says Tibaut, a musician and DJ. Then,
months later, at Heather’s family ranch, which would become their
bluegrass band strummed while attendees sipped agua frescas and
micheladas before tucking in to a family-style meal of beef filet,
herbed chicken, and grilled polenta in an open-air barn.
As the couple danced to Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon,” revelers
enjoyed slices of Tibaut’s chocolate and ancho-chile ganache
groom’s cake, which was shaped like a giant bottle of Cholula, his
favorite hot sauce. After dancing and a grand fireworks display,
wedding site, they again saw a brilliant meteor race across the sky.
“Most shooting stars burn out in seconds, but this one seemed to
everyone was offered coffee, donuts, and a trolley ride to an
after-party near a waterfall and hidden grotto, where a DJ played
last forever,” recalls Heather, a textile designer.
Their nuptials were just as novel as the cosmic light displays the
universe showed them. As 400 loved ones looked on, the pair were
married by a friend in a nondenominational ceremony that included
snippets of Native American prayers. “We wanted to pay homage
disco until 2 A.M. Finally, the wedding party retired to “Tent City,”
a scattering of fully furnished canvas shelters pitched near a thicket
of trees. Despite the alfresco setting, no celestial events were
witnessed that night. Throughout their wedding, though, the
newlyweds had stars in their eyes. —Hannah Morrill
M A RT H AST E WA RT W E D D I N G S .CO M
T H E N I CH O LS
April 13, 2013, Dripping Springs, Texas
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C E L E B RAT I O N S
H E AT H E R + T I B A U T
The 16 ’maids chose
dresses in black, navy, or
pink and carried lilacs,
sweet peas, and ranunculus.
Open-weave
runners, white
candles, and wildflowers in terra
cotta pots dressed
up farm tables.
Hand-stamped escort cards
were pinned to a wooden fence
with brass tacks.
ONE THING I LEARNED
“IT’S INEVITABLE THAT NOT
EVERYTHING WILL GO EXACTLY
AS PLANNED. WHAT’S MOST
IMPORTANT IS NOT THE FRILLY
DETAILS BUT THE PERSON
YOU ARE COMMITTING
THE REST OF YOUR LIFE TO
ON THAT DAY.” —Heather
In addition to the groom’s
cake, they served three
fondant- covered cakes.
SOURCES
Heather’s romantic
bouquet included
lavender, lilacs,
sweet peas, clematis,
and ranunculus.
Event planning, design,
stationery, and flowers
The Nouveau Romantics
Catering Kurant Events
Photography The Nichols
Videography Shark Pig
Calligraphy Magpie Paper Works
Cakes Coco Paloma Desserts
Music The Americana Ensemble
(ceremony and cocktails);
The Motts (reception)
Maid and matron of honor dresses
Rebecca Taylor
Groom’s suit Brooklyn Tailors
T H E N I CH O LS
See The Guide for
more vendor sources
The Americana Ensemble,
a local bluegrass group,
made the outdoor
cocktail hour lively.
M A RT H AST E WA RT W E D D I N G S .CO M