An Elegant Bay Wedding in Stevensville, MD

Marietta and Steven planned an elegant day by the bay with bold blues and pinks and clean, modern lines.

Marietta and Steven planned an elegant day by the bay with bold blues and pinks and clean, modern lines.

Small navy-blue pails filled with pink peonies and roses hung at the end of every other row of chairs at the ceremony.
I had five bridesmaids, all of whom were spread out across the country, says Marietta. I thought it would be easiest if I had them all choose their own dresses; the only criteria I told them were short, knee-length and navy.
The newlyweds recesses to La Rejouissance from the Royal Fireworks Suite by Handel.
The couple gave guests metal tins filled with Earl Grey tea bags. I thought the tea would be a nice but subtle nod to our Chinese heritage, explains Marietta. Custom labels and patterned washi tape gave the tins a personalized look.
My sister and maid-of-honor is a pastry chef and owns a bakery/bar in New York City, so she had offered to make the cake as a wedding gift to us, says Marietta. We settled on a lemon cake with raspberry buttercream, which was light and refreshing.
Silver Swan Bayside has 270-degree views of the Chesapeake Bay facing west, which allowed the couple to have an evening ceremony facing the setting sun. They were married by a close college friend, Pastor Daniel Kim, in a traditional Presbyterian ceremony.
Bouquets of pink hydrangeas, peonies and garden roses were placed in clear vases with navy blue ribbon bands.
I looked specifically for dresses with straps or cap sleeves, and I knew I liked lace, says Marietta. The dress I decided on was very different from other dresses I had seen, but I felt very elegant and pretty in it.
The ceremony took place right on the water, where white garden chairs and pails of pink blooms added subtle color to the already stunning location.
Marietta carried a fluffy mix of peonies, ranunculus, roses and calla lilies all in shades of ivory, blush and pink.
Steve let the groomsmen choose their own navy blue suits from Nordstrom. He bought each of them a pink tie and white pocket square to tie into the wedding colors.
The men's pink ties added a bright pop of color to the navy blue wedding party attire.
Marietta created the escort cards and table numbers herself, and did her best to match the style of the invitations and programs. The result was a stylish DIY project that tied in with the rest of the wedding stationery.
Green hydrangeas, orchids and hypericum berries were mixed with pink peonies, roses and freesias for elegant bridesmaid bouquets.
I knew early on that I wanted to splurge on letterpress invitations, says Marietta. She found her designer and printer on Etsy, and together the two customized an invitation suite, programs and menus.
Large glass jars of icy lemonade and citrus-infused water kept guests hydrated during the sunny ceremony.