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When wedding photographer Tori Nefores Photography gorgeous classic beach wedding hit my inbox I immediately loved it for all the very things that were important to Kara Meekins & Lawrence Abbondandolo when putting their day together.  Classic beach wedding style with elevated execution and a sweet marriage of Long Island, NY style & by the bay Maryland icona.  Classic elements like hurricane lanterns, beach grass, printed burlap table numbers, sand dollars escort cards, netting, sea glass & so much more are whipped together, each with a chic flair to bring the day into beach chic.  Invoking the ocean, a mixed lot of turquoise hues punctuated the overall decor, while something closer to home, like lace from Kara’s mother’s wedding dress, was used to wrap her bouquet.  Kara & Lawrence’s wedding is a lovely blend of all things iconic about a beach loving life style with a certain polish & shine!

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Novella of the Bride…

Wedding Buzzwords ~ Classic, Simple, Beachy

I am originally from MD and Lawrence is from Long Island. I went to school on Long Island and ended up staying there and got my first job with the NY Mets baseball team. Lawrence was already working there which is where we met and started dating in May 2008. We live in Long Beach, NY a beach town on Long Island’s south shore. We got engaged there in August, 2012. We share a love for the beach and sports among other things.

We wanted a destination type wedding without going too far for our guests in NY.  Being by the water was a given because it is what we are all about and represented our life in NY as well. My Mom’s family is from Annapolis MD so we already loved the area and Kent Island (10 mins outside Annapolis right over the Bay Bridge) had the get away feel even for those who live in MD. A majority of our guests stayed in the hotels we used in Stevensville that were all in the same marina and shared restaurants/bars and outdoor activities so we spent the weekend with everyone.We chose Silver Swan, our actual venue, because of the stunning views as you can see from Tori’s amazing photos! The boardwalk provided an infinity type view which made it look like we were standing on the water.  Also, the venue itself is gorgeous and is all yours when you have an event, no sharing with other parties and you and your guests can use the entire property.  The food is also amazing, the chef I believe previously worked at a Ritz Carlton Hotel, not wedding food at all.  The icing on the cake was their wedding coordinator, Rosanna Harrison. She was there for us at all points of the planning and made us feel as though we were the only people she was dealing with.

Our overall theme was a classic/clean take on beach wedding.  Our special touches included Lace from my Mothers wedding dress wrapped around my bouquet, mix & match blues in the bridal party attire and reception decor,  custom crab mallets and Old Bay shakers as favors (Maryland inspired), Toasting glasses from my  grandparents wedding, calligraphy on sand dollars as place cards, starfish boutonnieres for the guys as well as aisle hangars, beach inspired hurricane lantern centerpieces, our favorite band, NYC Swing, imported from NY where we live, sunset reception!

My Uncle, Scot Evans was our officiant. It was important to us to have our ceremony presented by someone who has known the two of us since we began and to be able to bring the guests into that story. My grandmother, Susan Evans and Mother in Law Deb enhanced what Intrigue (florist) provided by creating centerpieces for cocktail tables with sand & shells from Long Beach, NY where Lawrence and I are from,  & our card box was made by a friend out of crab bushel basket (Maryland inspired).

Bride’s Favorite Moment: “The sunset was perfect, we had amazing weather. The band was awesome and everyone was on the dance floor. Also, spending time with our guests and especially family & bridal party throughout the weekend was great because as everyone knows, the wedding itself is a whirlwind when you are the bride & groom.  Having amazing vendors such as Tori made everything work so perfectly too 🙂 ”

Vendor Love

Venue: Silver Swan Bayside at Queen Anne Marina | Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero  | Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Angelo | Shoes: Michael Kors | Hair: YOU Salon & Ariel Lewis Beauty Couture  | Makeup: Ariel Lewis Beauty Couture | Groom’s Attire: Joseph A Banks, Alfred Angelo {Ties} | InvitationsWedding Paper Divas | Transportation: Towne Transport | Music: New York City Swing  | Florist: Intrigue Design & Décor  | Caterer + BakerSilver Swan Bayside at Queen Anne Marina | Wedding/Event Planner: Rosanna Harrison at Silver Swan Bayside | Photographer: Tori Nefores Photography