riverhead, new york {logo design above} betsywhite.com {photography} Patricia Kantzos {reception site} Martha Clara Vineyards
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Britt Crow and Thad Miller first met when they ended up on the same public softball league. Though both had a blast playing, the team wasn’t very good. As Britt explains, “It was the kind that always loses but goes out for drinks afterward to celebrate.” During one particularly slow-moving game, Britt and Thad found themselves in the outfield together, chatting away. It wasn’t long before Britt had invited Thad to join her on a hike, which was soon to become their first date. Little did she know, however, that this first date would end up lasting almost 20 hours! “It started with a 10 mile hike, then lunch, then we decided to go home and meet up later for a film festival and dinner that same night and, to top it all off, there just happened to be a surprise party for Thad at his own house that same night,” says Britt. The long date was all the assurance the couple needed to know they had found something very real. Britt and Thad dated long distance for several months while Britt pursued a master’s degree at Harvard and Thad worked on his PhD at Arizona State University in Phoenix. Though they lived far apart, the couple made plenty of time for each other, visiting about every two weeks and going on lots of trips together. It was on one of these trips, to Paris, that Thad suggested they take a short stroll through a park known as Promenade plantée. Posed in the park, Britt was outstretching her arm to take a photo when Thad took the opportunity to reach into his pocket and pull out an exquisite vintage ring, dating back to 1910 and made up of a European cut round diamond in platinum surrounded by a bed of diamonds and sapphires. “He even got down on one knee, which I thought seemed unfair, so I got down too,” says Britt. Just as he asked the all-important question, church bells rang behind the couple and rain began to gently fall, creating a romantic and memorable scene neither will ever forget.
JUST AS HE ASKED THE ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION, CHURCH BELLS RANG BEHIND THE COUPLE AND RAIN BEGAN TO GENTLY FALL.
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For many years, Thad’s family had owned a home in Southampton, and he and Britt had been frequent visitors over the course of their relationship. Once they began the wedding planning process, the couple decided to take a drive to the North Fork and explore some of the region’s venues. It was then that they fell in love, once more - this time, with the beauty of the North Fork. “It has such a country feel to it. The way the barns, farm stands, and grape fields are mixed in with the quaint towns and beaches is just so unexpected,” says Britt. They chose Martha Clara Vineyards - a venue they felt had an earthy, laid-back feel.
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PHOTOGRAPHY: PATRICIA KANTZOS KANTZOS.COM
{Other professionals}
CATERING: NATURALLY DELICIOUS ENTERTAINMENT: DEXTER LAKE CLUB BAND EVENT RENTALS: BROADWAY SHOWROOMS FLORAL DESIGN: MOMENTS IN TIME FLORAL DESIGN INVITATIONS: KELLY PERSO DESIGN PIES: BRIERMERE FARMS RECEPTION SITE: MARTHA CLARA VINEYARDS
Britt and Thad were eager to put their own spin on wedding tradition, and started by asking both of Britt’s parents to walk her down the aisle in lieu of just her father. They also had a close friend ordained in order to perform the ceremony. The bride and groom wrote the ceremony’s script themselves before inviting other various friends to participate in different elements. “It was so special to have the people we love included in our ceremony,” says Britt. The lively reception embraced a color palette of “tomato,” “carrot,” and “coral”, perfect hues for their rustic, farm-inspired decor. Guests enjoyed locally sourced, organic cuisine from Naturally Delicious, an eatery based in Brooklyn, as well as fun signature drinks - rosemary and cucumber gin and tonic, strawberry basil lemonade, and whiskey iced tea with mint.
Britt & Thad’s Advice
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{ W ELLW ED.COM }
Though it was a bit rainy on their wedding day, Britt and Thad did have a chance to catch a glimpse of the evening’s full moon. Dancing in each other’s arms amidst the silvery moonlight, the couple knew they couldn’t have asked for anything better.
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