A Summer, Seaside Wedding at the Ocean Cliff Resort in Newport, Rhode Island

Christina De Flaviis (29 and a special education teacher) and Matt Bowen (27 and an investment banker) will be the first to admit that what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas. A chance meeting in Sin City blossomed into a long-distance romance and ultimately led the pair down the aisle. The couple planned an elegant, summer wedding at the Ocean Cliff Resort in Newport, RI, just a short distance from Matt’s hometown of East Greenwich. “It was one of our favorite places to visit together and such a great place to be with loved ones,” says Christina. The seaside setting offered picturesque backdrop for the day, with the ceremony site affording guests panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and an elegant ballroom for the reception in a 19th century villa. Drawing inspiration from the setting, the couple incorporated nautical details throughout the decor, from starfish and shells in the centerpieces to place cards with anchor motifs and a post-reception sunset schooner cruise. A color palette of soft ivory, lilac and plum tones infused the day with vibrancy and life, while Golden Gate Studios’s lush arrangements of hydrangeas, roses and stock packed plenty of romantic, garden-inspired appeal. The couple treated guests to fresh, local seafood during cocktail hour, with a sushi station, raw bar and New England clam chowder and mini clam cake station and Baltazar Entertainment churned out hit after hit, keeping the dance floor packed well into the evening.