From stunning colorful and textured florals to sleek hand-painted acrylic, I am over-the-moon to share with you Adrienne & Sloan’s spring-time coastal nuptials. With a transformed group camping site and pet-themed signature cocktail station that kicked off before the ceremony, this one takes intimate island wedding to a level I’m absolutely loving. We can’t get enough of that circular ceremony space and the wooden fan “place cards” — and dont even get us start on that sustainable confetti pop! Dreamy pastel hues in lavenders, peaches, blush, and periwinkle with pops of yellow and orange – and a mismatched bridal crew come together to create an aesthetic that falls somewhere between dreamscape and reality … and I’m itching to share it with you!
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Let me tell you ’bout my beeeeeest friend! (Sorry, Harry Nilsson, I tired my best.)
Having the honor of being a part of your childhood best friend’s wedding is next level. Especially when that best friend is a wedding professional herself. Even more so when her incredible dream pastel Cumberland Island wedding vision makes you weak in the knees.
As a six-year-old on a family trip to Cumberland Island, the bride decided that she wanted to get married on the Georgian barrier island. When her dad told her he thought they only let Kennedys get married at the National Seashore, Adrienne declared, “Well, I’ll just have to marry a Kennedy then.” Two decades later, her dream wedding came true, no Kennedy required.
The stunning invitation suite, featuring a Dungeness Mansion envelope liner and foil-pressed island map, was made by the bride’s friend, photographer, and colleague, Kate Gwin of Haint Blue Collective.
The couple worked for months to partner with park rangers, source durable tabletop materials, and logistically plan out the entire weekend. Luckily, while she didn’t marry a Kennedy, Adrienne’s husband Sloan is a charming supply chain manager who helped to balance her creative ideas.
The boys headed over on Friday with the majority of the crates to set-up camp and begin the task of transforming the campsite into the tropical wedding dreamland. The girls bunked up at an Airbnb in St. Mary’s for an early morning wakeup call for hair & makeup. After taking the ferry over, the girls got dressed and the wedding festivities truly began.
One of Cumberland’s many draws is the wide variety of backdrops, from wild horses & tropical dirt roads to sandy beaches & the ruins of Dungeness Mansion.
Long-time lovers of the land, the bride & groom opted for water soluble, sustainable confetti for their ceremony celebration.
PRO-TIP: With an intimate guest count, assigning ceremony seats can eliminate confusion and ensure everyone gets the best view of the ceremony. I love how the couple melded functionality with aesthetics, giving guests practical fans with their names attached on each seat.
Hanging cane lanterns made a central focal point for the circular ceremony set-up. The whimsical floral arrangements at the couple’s entrance to the circle were repurposed for the reception at each end of the tables.
This “home grown” wedding also featured floral from the bride’s high-school classmate, Sara of Unorthodox Floral & Film. Sara & her husband lugged boxes of flowers onto the island and made all the arrangements on-site for a fresh and stunning colorful wedding day.
A true group effort, the wedding party & friends of the couple offered a variety skills to ensure the wedding was a success. From assisting with the taco dinner service, to creating the signature cocktails, to setting up the campground of tents for everyone to sleep in after the celebration.
Pup-themed cocktails were served pre-ceremony to set the tone for the evening and were staged on a covered bear-box. Using what the camp ground had available was key as all items that were brought on the island, also had to go with us when we left.
Hand-lettered place cards and drink tags served dual purpose of guiding guests to their seats and also allowing them to easily identify their plates and cups throughout the evening.
The bride sourced these floral containers because she loved the shapes & textures – she simply painted them to fit her color palette and vision. Using these, the colorful place settings, and vibrant candles with white linens on the existing campsite picnic tables created a dreamy dinner setting.
ALL dinnerware, minus the rattan chargers and cheesecloth napkins, were plastic for sustainability & easy transportation. The couple now has a full set of plastic dinnerware for cookouts and home parties.
This wedding was a little different from the norm. As a camping wedding in a National Park, everything that went on the island had to come back off. Keep in mind that this wedding worked because of the small guest count (28 including the bride, groom, & vendors), hard work of the couple, and literal blood, sweat, and tears of close family & friends. Camping weddings are not for the faint of heart – or for those who forget to pack bug spray.
Vendor Credits
Attire: Carol Hannah from The Sentimentalist Atlanta & Men’s Warehouse
Beauty: Hair & Makeup by Kara Pettit
Cookies: Cookies by Sophie Snyder
Engraving: The Write Gal
Floral: Unorthodox Floral & Film
Photography & Paper Goods: Haint Blue Collective
Rentals: (Chargers & Napkins) Decor by Dulce
Rings: Natures Sparkle & Jewelry By Design
Ring Boxes: The Mrs. Box & Sand & Stone Handmade
Venue: Cumberland Island National Park (Campsite)
