A study abroad to the historic city of Florence, Italy brought Christine and Jordan together for a lucky seven years. With many summers shared with family and getting engaged in Montauk, the couple knew they had to get married in the picturesque town on the east end of long island. Their wedding at the incredible Gurney’s resort, made for a remarkable experience on the ocean. See below for more of this light-filled Gurney’s Montauk wedding!
How and When did you two meet?
Jordan and I met junior year of college while studying abroad in Florence, Italy. We started dating in September of our Senior year. Once we graduated, we moved to NY together and have been together ever since.
When did you know he/she was ‘the one’?
Depends on who you ask :). Jordan would say he knew when we first met in Italy,! I think we both knew pretty early on that we would get married, and we dated for 7 years before marriage.
What mattered most to you when planning your wedding?
We wanted the wedding to reflect us and our families. We both have family history in Montauk and have spent many Summers there, so it was a no-brainer when choosing a location to get married.
Describe the feeling you felt when seeing each other for the first time on the wedding day.
EXCITEMENT. Jordan and I are both fairly emotional, so we thought we were going to have a tear-filled first look. In reality, it was the exact opposite and we couldn’t have been more excited. We couldn’t stop smiling and laughing and taking in the fact that our wedding day was finally here.
How did you personalize your wedding?
The ceremony is where we had the most personalization. Jordan is jewish & I am catholic, and we wanted a ceremony to incorporate both traditions, point out the many similarities, and also have someone close to us officiate. We found a priest & rabbi duo who worked with Ben Heiber, a very close friend of ours who officiated the wedding, to create the perfect ceremony for us. We laughed, we cried and felt it was incredibly true to us as a couple. Watching it back makes me cry every time! Also, Jordan and I went to Elon University together (where we met) so we had an “Elon cake” with our school logo on it. Lastly, Elon is a southern school and fraternities do a beach weekend at the end of the school year where their dates create personalized coolers for the food and drinks. Jordan kept the one I made for him, and his parents brought it to the wedding weekend where we put beers in it during cocktail hour. I can’t believe they still have it! It was such a labor of love at the time and I never thought I would see it again.
Any specific details or traditions that you chose for the weekend?
We had our rehearsal dinner at our favorite restaurant in Montauk, Harvest on Fort Pond, followed by a welcome party at the Sloppy Tuna.
Your ceremony in 4 words.
Sentimental, happy, loving & beautiful.
What were your thoughts when walking down the aisle?
Right before walking down the aisle was the only time I got emotional with my dad. Once we got to the aisle and I saw Jordan at the end, I felt calm! I kept my eyes on Jordan the whole time. As soon as we got to the altar, my dad knocked my veil off and my mom sprung into action to get it back on. The laughing helped my nerves!
What music did you choose for the ceremony?
The processional was to “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis, the bride walked down to Canon in D, and the recessional was to “Here Comes The Sun” by the Beatles.
Who officiated your ceremony and why did you choose him or her?
Our best friend, Ben Heiber, officiated our ceremony. He was there when we met in Italy, and has been with us every step of the way. It was a natural choice, and one of the first ones we made. He took it so seriously, and we are so grateful for that! Having him be a part of it was the best part of the ceremony.
Did you have any special readings at your ceremony that you would like to share? What were your vows like?
We knew we wouldn’t be able to read vows to each other without getting emotional, so we each chose our own pre-written vows to say to one another.
Did you have a favorite moment or unforgettable feeling from the ceremony you’d like to share?
Right before we said our vows, I couldn’t believe it was actually happening! I started laughing which I think was some misplaced emotions. When Ben said you can now kiss the bride was an unforgettable feeling!
Why did you select your venue/location(s)?
Jordan and I have a lot of personal ties to Montauk, and we ended up getting engaged there. It was the only place we looked. Gurney’s was a natural choice since its the only venue on the ocean. We got lucky and there was a hold on June 10, 2017, but the couple who had it changed their date and we snagged it. It was a short engagement but I couldn’t imagine it being any longer than it was!
Tell us about your hair and makeup team.
MG Hair & Makeup! I had a big bridal party and two moms that needed hair & makeup, and they sent the perfect sized team to get it all done in time!
Did you have any good (or bad) surprises on the wedding day?
Our band surprised us by bringing us up on stage for the final song of the night, Shout. When they gave us the mic, we didn’t know what to do at first! We quickly got into it and danced and sang to close out the night. When everyone starting getting low during the “a little bit softer now” part, I remember just thinking WOW! Look at everyone who is here for us!
What inspired you when planning your wedding?
Natural and romantic elements. The setting at Gurney’s speaks for itself, and we didn’t want anything to be too over the top or take away from the venue.
How would you describe your reception?
So much love in the room. Everyone was so happy and excited for us, and you could truly feel that the entire night. It was a feeling I will never forget. Other than that, it was one big PARTY. We danced all night long, and the dance floor was packed for hours. Even my 90 year old grandmother was on the dance floor stealing the show! The party continued until 2:30am when we got kicked out of the after party because they were closing down!
What were your favorite details of the reception? Any DIY elements or special things that you incorporated?
I loved the flowers by Ava Flora. She did an amazing job creating a romantic atmosphere with both the flowers and the candles. Amanda from Amanda Barbara Events completely understood our vision and we were so pleased when we walked into the reception. It was just as we envisioned!
What songs did you dance with your parents?
Jordan and his mom danced to “My Wish” by Rascall Flatts & my dad and I danced to “I Loved Her First” by Heartland.
Did you have cake or deserts?
Cake! White Chocolate cake with Raspberry & Tiramisu
What was your first dance song? Why is it special to you?
“You are the best thing” by Ray LaMontagne was our first dance song. Jordan and I are both not the most coordinated dancers (to put it nicely) so we took a few dance classes before the wedding so we would stay on tempo and not completely embarrass ourselves. We kept forgetting to practice, and right before we walked into the reception we realized we couldn’t really remember the moves! I remember Jordan saying “no turning back now!” before we were announced. We went out there and winged it, and it turned into one of our favorite moments. We remembered more than we thought and everyone cheered the whole time. We couldn’t stop smiling!
What are some memorable moments you won’t forget from the weekend of events?
The ceremony speech by Ben, our first look, walking into the reception and having everyone cheer for us, and singing shout at the end of the night on stage with the band! Lastly, the WEATHER. It couldn’t have been any more perfect, not a cloud in the sky. I can’t believe we got so lucky, and you can tell in the pictures. It was a very “blue” day!
Did you learn anything about yourself or each other during the planning process?
We made a great team! We divided and conquered.
What was the best advice you received from others?
Take a moment to take it all in. We definitely did!
If you had it to do all over again, would there be anything you would change?
Nothing – I just wish we could do it all again!