Since Newport, Rhode Island, is one of the top wedding destinations in the United States, the competition for vendors can be fierce.
My husband and I got engaged in July 2023 and married in September 2025, so we had time to be thoughtful about who we would like to work with. Thankfully, we were able to get reliable references from family and friends. For the rest of the vendors, we lucked out through extensive research on Google and social media.
It was a priority to choose wedding vendors that were based in Rhode Island or a business that already held meaning for both of us (read: our jewelry store!)
For stationery and smaller decorative goods, it involved minimal DIY, but it was mostly extensive searches on Google and Pinterest that helped us find what we were looking for.
Here’s a quick shoutout to all of our wedding vendors, captured by our wedding photographer, Jennifer Manville Photography.
- Jewelry, Makeup, Hair & Apparel
- Engagement Ring, Wedding Bands, and “Something Blue” Bracelet | Henry C. Reid Jewelers (Fairfield, CT)
- Wedding Dress | Love Bird Bridal Shop (Mystic, CT)
- Bridal Makeup | Makeup by Jenna (New England)
- Bridal Hair | Hair Art by Tara D’Angelo (Rhode Island)
- Groom’s Suit | Marc Allen Fine Clothiers (Providence, RI)
- Event Rental, Décor, and Wedding Cake
- Venue, Day-of-Wedding Coordinator, Florist
- Catering
- DJ & Music
- After-Party Venue and Transportation
- DIY Décor
Jewelry, Makeup, Hair & Apparel
Engagement Ring, Wedding Bands, and “Something Blue” Bracelet | Henry C. Reid Jewelers (Fairfield, CT)
This was the one vendor that was an exception to the Rhode Island-preferred rule for the wedding.
My husband worked with Minnie and the team at Henry C. Reid to design the pearl engagement ring, and it’s clear that they take care to look over every detail of their work.
To complement the engagement ring, my husband’s wedding band has a mother-of-pearl inset in the shape of the state of Rhode Island.
Henry C. Reid will forever be our jewelry store.
Wedding Dress | Love Bird Bridal Shop (Mystic, CT)
I knew that I would find my wedding dress at Love Bird Bridal—I just didn’t know that I would find it during the first visit.
It wasn’t until after I had made my final decision that I learned that the dress and I have the same name.
The designer, Andi, explained how each bodice and skirt style has a name—Mia Rose.
Bridal Shoes | Repetto | Joy Sandals in Coco White
While I was in Paris for my bachelorette, I was so proud to make the pilgrimage to Repetto’s boutique in Le Marais to try on—and hopefully buy—the white satin heels that I had been eyeing for months.
Not only did they fit, but I was able to score the VAT refund on top of the lower EU price—the shoes cost $150 more on the United States website.
Bridal Makeup | Makeup by Jenna (New England)
I lucked out that Jenna and her team had availability for the wedding—I really enjoyed working with Cindy on my look!
Even though I didn’t have a bridal party, I invited several close friends to get their makeup and hair done with me, my mom, and my mother-in-law. The process and timing were smooth to prepare 10 women with three makeup artists.
Bridal Hair | Hair Art by Tara D’Angelo (Rhode Island)
When I first met Tara in 2013, I asked her to chop off 14 inches of hair and color my natural dark hair to honey blonde.
Many things have happened in our lives since our first appointment, and it has been a blessing to be one of her many loyal clients. I don’t know where I’d be without her—or what state my hair would be in!
As much as I wanted to wear my hair down for the wedding, Tara advised that most Newport brides have to pull their hair back to fight against the wind. My hair held up through the windy walk down the aisle and the dance floor until the end.
Taking out the bobby pins the next morning? That was a challenge.
Groom’s Suit | Marc Allen Fine Clothiers (Providence, RI)
Tie: Brunello Cucinelli
Loafers: Bontoni
Unbeknownst to my husband, I always knew that he was going to get his suit at Marc Allen.
Josh worked with my husband to make the process seamless, from narrowing down the selection of fabric and style of each garment to fitting and accessories guidance.
Finding the right shoes was the most challenging part of my husband’s outfit. Thankfully, that’s why there’s Bergdorf Goodman.
Event Rental, Décor, and Wedding Cake
Tent, Furniture, Linens | PEAK Event Services
I know myself. It was going to be easy to get caught up in selecting furniture, linens, and tableware.
We decided on doing blue and white toile tablecloths, white plates, and white napkins for the guest tables, then doing the inverse colors for the bride and groom’s sweetheart table.
Of all the tableware we selected, my husband and I geeked out over the bread and dessert plates the most because they have a similar design reminiscent of a classic paper plate, but it’s ceramic.
The mother-of-pearl cutlery on the sweetheart table was also a plus, just for the two of us.
Wedding Cake | Cakes by Isis
We had the luck of getting the referral for Cakes by Isis from our florist.
What’s maddening is that I’ve driven by the bakery many, many times, never realizing that I was missing out on one of the best boutique cake shops in the state.
My husband and I absolutely loved the wedding cake tasting experience—up to four different flavors of mini-cakes—that it was tough to make our decision. Choosing chocolate espresso and lemon thyme proved to be the perfect balance of flavors after a clambake dinner.
Flavors: Chocolate Espresso, Lemon Thyme
Venue, Day-of-Wedding Coordinator, Florist
Wedding Venue | The Eisenhower House at Fort Adams (Newport, RI)
It’s hard to imagine having had our wedding anywhere else but the Eisenhower House. We were looking for a classic Newport wedding venue with water views and historic charm—minus the budget of The Vanderbilts or The Astors (or The Russells).
Even though the sun was tucked behind the clouds for the better part of the day, the view of Newport Harbor and the Pell Bridge was still clearly visible.
Mallory was so helpful, answered all of our questions, and stayed in touch on a consistent basis leading up to the wedding.
Day-of Wedding Coordinator | Dana Marie Weddings & Events (New England)
Hiring a day-of wedding coordinator gave me pause.
While I was confident in doing most of the planning myself with the existing vendor roster, I was concerned about executing all of the details on the day.
Would the children’s favors be displayed correctly? What about the welcome table in general? And what happens when I need to clean up the inside of the venue before leaving? AND WHO WOULD TAKE CARE OF TYING THE ESCORT CARDS ON THE BUD VASES?!
… The more I asked myself questions about how I would handle logistics, the more certain I became in seeking help. Involving family members or friends to “work” didn’t seem appropriate.
Dana took care of all of the things that would have easily been overseen. I am grateful for her expertise and professionalism.
Florist | Petals Farm (West Kingston, RI/North Stonington, CT)
We received a glowing referral for Thanh at Petals Farm from one of my husband’s coworkers who got married in South County.
I will admit that I initially wanted a more traditional, conservative color palette of whites, greens, and blues. Since Thanh grows all of her flowers locally, I was easily convinced to stick with what she had available for the season. We worked on a color palette together and
… I was spoiled to have so many gorgeous flowers that not only survived the wedding, but also stayed alive for days after the wedding.
Thanh’s attention to detail and quality of work was reflected in all of the pieces she created—the bouquet, boutonnieres, aisle arrangements, tent greenery, and 135 bud vase arrangements, one for each guest.
Catering
Cheese and Charcuterie: Grapes and Gourmet (Jamestown, RI)
My husband and I wanted to elevate our cheese and charcuterie selections, but we were running out of time and needed to make sure we could put an order somewhere. We called Grapes and Gourmet one week before the wedding—whoops—and Amelia was able to put together an incredible assortment, including one of our favorite cheeses, Melinda Mae.
We picked up the order the day before the wedding and managed to fit all of the perishables in the small beverage fridge in our suite.
Caterer: McGrath’s Clambakes and Catering (Newport, RI)
Before we met with Mallory at the Eisenhower House, we already knew that we wanted to do a clambake.
When we found out that the clambake pit on-site at the Eisenhower House was made for McGrath’s Clambakes, it was a no-brainer to reach out and work with them.
The partnerships and referral network between the Eisenhower House, McGrath’s Clambakes, PEAK Event Services, and Dana Marie Weddings made a huge difference in our wedding planning experience.
Alexis led us through the entire process with menu selection and rentals. We did have some specific asks and a few last-minute requests—we are thankful that Alexis was able to accommodate us and make it all happen.
We received many compliments from our wedding guests about how amazing the service was throughout the entire day.
DJ & Music
DJ | DJ KJ (Rhode Island)
When my brother got married a few years back, I remember being caught off guard hearing a smooth jazz version of “My Pony” during the cocktail hour.
I knew in that moment that Kevin was going to be the right guy for our wedding.
Kevin worked with us to figure out the type of music we wanted and delivered. We spent a lot of time on the dance floor together with family and friends—the playlist was perfect!
After-Party Venue and Transportation
After-Party Venue | Stoneacre Garden (Newport, RI)
Transportation | Lands End Limousine (Newport, RI)
It didn’t feel right to us to end the night at 10 PM, so we organized transportation for wedding guests to head to the after-party in downtown Newport.
Even though everyone was well fed and, um, hydrated, from the main event, the passed hors d’oeuvres and nightcaps at Stoneacre Garden completed our wedding experience. My husband still thinks about the chicken karaage.
I had requested an Espresso Martini tower upon entering and the team delivered.
The driver responsible for bringing my husband and me back to our B&B at the end of the night—as well as morning transportation to the wedding venue earlier in the day—was so patient and professional.
DIY Décor
Wedding Invitation | YellowFEB Weddings via Zazzle
After selecting the invitation, we finished the presentation with a simple vellum wrap, wax seal closure, and linen envelopes.
Memorial Wedding Banners: Etsy | LennutasBoutique
It was important to mark the physical absence of family members who were not present. The banners may not have shown well, but it’s because the wind was all over the place.
Nautical Children’s Favors
Rhode Island-themed Children’s Coloring Book (Printable PDF) | HillYarns via Etsy
Honestly, putting together the children’s favors was my favorite personal touch for the wedding.
We invited children to attend the wedding, so it was only fair to create something for them to enjoy. I initially thought of buying a few generic nautical coloring books, but thought better of it and wanted to find something more interesting. Purchasing the PDF was more than affordable—it was printing out eight copies of the 20-page coloring book that did me in.
Then I had to locate a three-hole puncher and assemble each coloring book with a report cover.
Then I had to find non-toxic, washable crayons.
Then I decided to include a small bottle of bubbles in case the children didn’t want to color.
… and then I had to find a cute, yet functional, bag to put everything in.
It turns out that the coloring books worked out so well that they kept some of the younger toddlers distracted—read: quiet—during our ceremony.
We skipped on favors for adults. No regrets.
Wedding Newspaper: PrintNewspaper
As an English major, it was a non-negotiable to have a printed wedding program. In the eventuality that most copies would be disposed of, I wanted it to be easily recyclable. I loved putting together the fake Bingo cards on the back as conversation starters for our guests.
New England Parisienne 