Kevin and Brianne are one of my many couples whose wedding was greatly impacted by COVID19. Their original guestlist had over 200 people invited to a waterfront mansion in Green South Bay. Unfortunately, that number of guests were not allowed due to state restrictions. As with all of my 2020 couples, though, they decided to make a pivot and replan their ceremony and reception!
Originally, Kevin and Brianne had planned a formal wedding reception at the Riviera Waterfront Mansion. The Riviera Waterfront Mansion is a historical landmark mansion with expansive views of The Great South Bay. Nestled on acres of waterfront grounds, the Mansion offers gardens with coastal water-views serving as a lovely backdrop! Due to Covid, Brianne and Kevin postponed the formal reception until March 2021 (and then again until October 2021). They hope to be able to include all of their guests by then.
In the meantime, they chose to get married at their church on their original wedding date of October 2nd. The ceremony included their immediate family and bridal party, totaling 50 guests. Talk about cutting down a guest list! On the morning of the ceremony, Brianne and her bridesmaids had their hair and makeup done at a local salon. Once they were ready, the ladies headed over to her parents’ home to put on their gowns.
A Waterfront First Look
Next, we headed over to the waterfront to meet the groom for Kevin and Brianne’s first look. The bride was picked up from her family home in a white trolley from Cruise Control Limo in Long Island. The old fashioned trolley was such a fun vintage choice instead of a limousine! As we walked from the parking lot to the waterfront where Kevin was waiting, I could feel the excitement radiating off of Brianne. First looks are a personal choice, but I secretly love them. I think it’s so special to have this private moment together before everyone else sees you!
After the two exchanged a private moment, everyone headed to the church. The ceremony was held at St. Rose of Lima in Massapequa, NY. Following the ceremony, Brianne’s parents hosted an intimate backyard party with dinner, drinks, live acoustic music, and dancing. It was absolutely gorgeous!
When I asked Brianne and Kevin about how they felt about the changes they had to make, they simply said they were grateful. “We were still able to celebrate with our closest family and friends regardless of what the year has thrown us. With a reduced guest list and more causal reception, we mingled with everyone and have great memories of our wedding day.”
