A Black Tie Spring Wedding in the Hamptons

When Dean Riskas and Joanna Merrill first started dating, they often met in the lobby of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel inNew York Cityfor a cup of coffee. “It’s right next to where Dean used to work, which meant we could make the most of the little time he got away from the office,” says Joanna. Eight years later, after a move cross country to旧金山, the couple went back to where it all started. During a trip to NYC to see Joanna’s family for Christmas, Dean brought his now-wife to the hotel’s Peacock Bar for a drink.乔安娜说：“我简直不敢相信钢琴家正在播放我最喜欢的歌曲。”她知道的下一件事，迪恩站起来，钢琴演奏家开始扮演萨拉·贝里勒斯（Sara Bareilles）的“我选择你”。乔安娜回忆说：“我的两个好朋友共同撰写了这首歌，还有院长，唱着每句话。”从那里，迪恩跪下来，乔安娜跳入他的腿上，接受了他的提议，一个充满陌生人的酒吧欢呼雀跃！

Joanna grew up spending summer weekends on Long Island, so she and Dean started their search there for the perfect late springvenue。他们喜欢在耶稣和玛丽的神圣之心的南安普敦大教堂受到的热烈欢迎，并在Quogue Field Club找到了完美的室内户外场地。“俱乐部刚刚进行了翻新，谷仓的粉刷墙壁，裸露的横梁和铁灯笼使交易密封！”乔安娜说。与计划者JoAnn Gregoli, designer and florist鲍勃·孔蒂（Bob Conti）, and photographerLiz Banfieldon their team, Dean and Joanna knew their May 14, 2016, wedding would be a success.继续阅读以查看他们创造的东西！

With a champagne and silver palette, Joanna knew she wanted her bridesmaids in a warm, neutral color. “I loved the Jenny Yoo dresses (in Wisteria) because they could each choose a style that made them feel comfortable,” says the bride. Her ‘maids carried white and green bouquets of roses and dusty miller.

大教堂的石灰岩立面是这对夫妇天主教仪式的庄严背景。乔安娜说：“我们没有完整的群众，这使我们有机会融入更多音乐。”“迪恩的姐妹和我们的朋友瑞安（Ryan）演唱了《黎明和霍克斯》（Dawn and Hawkes）的'yours and Mine'，他们都很有才华！”

The bride walked down the aisle with her father and could barely wait to see her groom. “A few guests gestured to me to slow down,” Joanna says, laughing. “It reminded me to savor the moment and not rush it too much.” Dean agrees: “I wanted to enjoy the moment, but I also wanted Joanna to sprint down the aisle so we could start our lives together,” he says.

The bride topped her gatheredAnne Bargegown with a beaded overlay and belt. “I went to Mark Ingram Atelier thinking that I didn’t want a strapless gown or any chiffon, but that’s exactly what I walked out with!” she says. In fact, Joanna customized her gown to remove the off-the-shoulder straps!

In nearby Quogue, guests dined at long farm tables beneath iron chandeliers draped in fresh flowers. The centerpieces combined white roses and hydrangeas with ferns and dusty miller, which coordinated perfectly with the vintage-inspired floral chargers. Moss-green napkins and water glasses added an additional pop of color to each place setting.

“I cannot say enough about the incredible food,” says Joanna, who selected a salad of roasted artichokes and heirloom tomatoes, followed by a duet of roasted sea bass and short ribs with chimichurri. “We were so pleased with everything, from the passed hors d’oeuvres to the late night snacks!”

这对夫妇喜欢跳舞，因此合适的乐队至关重要。乔安娜说：“埃兰艺术家的项目将房子倒下了。”有一次，朋友将院长支撑在他们的肩膀上，并将乔安娜抬到空中。她说：“我们在舞池上挤满了人。”当他们的脚回到地上时，新娘用在面团披萨滚动的每个人（包括她的新郎！）感到惊讶。她说：“当披萨卡车卷起时，迪恩脸上的表情是纯粹的喜悦之一。”

回顾计划过程，乔安娜（Joanna）有一个专业提示：“不要让座位图表给您太大的压力。我们设法找到了正确的安排，尽管有点贴心。但这一旦开始跳舞，这并不重要 - 我们只是将桌子移开了，以腾出更多的空间！”