Caroline & Charlie at Chatham Summer Home

“Summer afternoon–summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” – Henry James

We, um, borrowed that beautiful quote from the website of Chatham Summer, the Cape Cod wedding venue where Caroline and Charlie were married, because the couple’s “summer afternoon” was, in fact, one of the “most beautiful” June days ever.

With a 10-bedroom main house and a three-bedroom cottage set on more than three waterfront acres, the historic home was the perfect place for the couple to gather with loved ones for a fun-filled, weekend-long destination wedding on Cape Cod.

There was more than enough room for Caroline to spend a leisurely morning getting ready on the Big Day, with her mother and maids at her side, with her groom sequestered elsewhere on the sprawling property. No peeking, Charlie!

After slipping into a wedding gown with a daring neckline and plunging back, Caroline took a moment to wow the first man in her life, her father, before moving outside where she absolutely astounded her very-soon-to-be husband with a “first look.”

With Caroline’s main men sufficiently stunned by her beauty, it was on to the main event.

The glistening blue water provided the perfect backdrop as the couple exchanged their heart-felt vows as smiling friends and family looked on.

And just like that, they were husband and wife. Utter perfection, isn’t it?

After exchanging “I do’s” the newlyweds spent a few minutes together walking among the dunes, taking a deep breath and savoring the moment, with photographer Kelly Dillon capturing a handful of relaxed portraits from a discreet distance.

And now, it was time to party!

Under the big white tent, guests ooh-ed and aah-ed over the couple’s creative take on beach wedding style. The linen-clad tables were topped with lush floral arrangements filled with baby-blue hydrangeas and white roses. Blue stemware added a vintage touch that perfectly complemented the historic pedigree of the home.

And that cake!

A tower of cupcakes, each painstakingly decorated to look like a flower by Little Miss Cupcake, was topped with petite cutting cake made by our own in-house baker.

First dances, a raw bar brimming with Chatham oysters and clams, and an array of passed hors d’oeuvres made for a merry cocktail hour, after which guests feasted on a sit-down dinner of roasted halibut with warm Brussels sprout relish and summertime risotto, and rosemary and black pepper grilled filet mignon with Madeira sauce and heirloom potato thyme gratin.

After dinner, Caroline and Charlie spent a few minutes at water’s edge, the early evening light making the already beautiful scene simply breathtaking, before moving back into the tent to cut their cake.