Dreamy Garden Wedding in Rhode Island
- Anika Kreckel
- Jul 30, 2025
- 7 min read
No matter where in the world I plan a wedding, I work hard to find the best local vendors to match my client's vibe. There is always so much local talent to be found and these are the people who really know how to play up the best of what an area has to offer. I split my time between New England and Europe and consider both to be my home.
I recently organized a styled shoot in the place where I grew up, to showcase some of the best the area has to offer. Like with all the weddings I plan, I focus my work around a central vibe and what the client's top priorities are. In this case, I wanted the vibe to be dreamy, beautiful and relaxed, with a natural backdrop that also showed off the beauty of old New England architecture. My goal for the shoot was to get images that make the viewer feel like they know us (the vendors), our work, and our style.
Sustainability
As always, I not only wanted to find super talented local wedding vendors to collaborate with me on this shoot, but also ones who are committed to sustainability, like I am. I started with a local flower grower whose blooms are pesticide free. Then, I contacted a caterer who not only makes truly delicious food, but also embraces cooking with the local seasons. There's a tabletop (plates, flatware, glassware) rental company in nearby Boston that is diligent about sourcing high quality, responsibly made items, who I also knew I wanted to work with. And, finally, a local jewelry designer and maker that is committed to using sustainably and ethically sourced stones and metals.
Making the Magic Happen
To capture my vision, I chose two very talented photographers—each with a totally different style from each other—to capture the essence of the shoot. There is an abundance of talented wedding photographers in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, and it's always fun for me to help couples find the right match for them and their aesthetic. This time, I had fun choosing what was the right match for me and my shoot!
Photographer - Allison Barrett
Newport, Rhode Island
Allison's aesthetic is polished and classic. She is upbeat, engaged, and an all-day cheerleader for the couple. I've watched her help a couple get over the awkward feelings of being in front of the camera and come up with great poses and settings that create beautiful keepsake shots. She captures warm tones and frames her photos to reflect the classic elegance that New England is known for.
Photographer - Hello, I'm Joe
Boston, MA
Joe's work is what's known as 'documentary style.' Much of the time, he's a fly on the wall, unobtrusively capturing creative shots and behind the scenes insights that beautifully capture even the seemingly mundane bits of a wedding day. He is imaginative in his framing and not afraid to play up the everyday beauty and realness that is part of every gathering. In particular, Joe is excellent at capturing human interactions and affection between people.
Setting the Scene
Venue - Margin Street Inn
Westerly, RI
The Margin Street Inn is truly breath-taking. If you're looking for a serene, elegant wedding venue, with spectacular indoor and outdoor spaces, with accommodation included for your closest friends and family, then it's a top contender. The Inn has two comfortably and tastefully remodeled 19th century houses that nestle around a large, lush garden filled with colorful flowers and grand, centuries old trees. It's located very close to the restaurants and shops of downtown Westerly and is fifteen minutes away from the local beaches. I love the personal feel that comes from working directly with Sarah and Chris, the owners.
Flowers - Echo Rock Flowers
Westerly, RI
After I selected the venue, I immediately contacted Echo Rock Flowers to get a sense of what would be in season at the time of the shoot. It was important to me to support a local, environmentally friendly grower, to avoid out of season flowers from being shipped in from across the globe. Additionally, I knew Echo Rock would make their flower designs with zero-waste in mind, and not use plastics or chemical-based floral foam to anchor their arrangements. On top of it all, Steph's blooms and arrangements are stunning!
Tabletop Rentals - Honest Event Rentals
Boston, MA
Honest Event Rentals has such a great concept. One would think that using rentals for an event or wedding is effectively waste free, but sadly that is far from the truth. There is a lot of plastic that goes into the transport of rentals from warehouse to event location, which is how companies keep their items clean and sanitized. Honest Event Rentals is careful about how often they use single-use plastic wrappings, and do so using plant-based and/or biodegradable materials. Beyond that, they source their table top rental items, like plates, flatware, and glassware, from companies that build sustainability into their production and/or are artisans that craft unique, high-quality pieces. They also offer some vintage inventory like blue and white porcelain plates and mix-and-match silverware.
Rentals - Pranzi Tents & Events
Warwick, RI
I am always impressed by the service and the prices at Pranzi. They have an extensive inventory of event rental items and for this shoot I selected chairs and linens that would add to the elevated, yet comfortable feel of this event's design.
Paper Goods - Shuttle Press & Bindery
Stonington, CT
Dana, owner of Shuttle Press & Bindery, is a rare find these days. She has her studio and shop in the historic Velvet Mill in Stonington and handcrafts custom keepsake books, and prints unique stationery items using her antique letterpress equipment. There is so much creativity in the work that she does, and she sources some really exceptional and stand-out paper items for her products. If you want paper goods that are bespoke and totally unique for your wedding, I highly recommend going there.
More Than Just Food and Drink
Caterer - Craft & Willow
Narragansett, RI
Hello, I'm Joe
Personally, I love food, and I love it even more when the food is high quality, delicious, and tells a story. Nicole at Craft and Willow creates flavorful, earthy dishes that play up what each season has to offer. I love that she incorporates local specialty items like kelp. She cooks a lot with fire, and is most comfortable when catering to groups in unconventional and wild outdoor locations. In our case, we opted for a family style dinner, which I love because it encourages interactions between guests.
Bar - Cork & Coaster
Southeastern, MA
Top row & bottom left: Allison Barrett Photography Bottom right: Hello, I'm Joe
I wanted yummy and pretty specialty cocktails for this shoot and was thrilled to find that Cork & Coaster's mocktails are equally as good as (if not even better than!) their alcoholic drinks. Our bartender, and Cork & Coaster's owner, Kendra not only mixed up the prettiest and tastiest drinks, she also brought good spirits (sorry—the pun was really not intended!) and helped create an upbeat, happy, and interactive vibe.
Desserts - Zest Fresh Pastry
Stonington, CT
Zest delivered a scrumptious and stunning looking spread of pastries. From the two-tiered cake (with my favorite chocolate and mocha fillings) that featured Echo Rock's flowers, to an assortment of mini-pastries (special shout-out to the mouthwatering s'more tarts!) and super cute personalized sugar cookies. Everyone raved about how delicious and pretty everything from Zest was!
Making Everyone Look Their Best
Jewelry - Liv & Lov
Mystic, CT
Every now and then I get really excited to find a vendor that, like me, has sustainability as a central focus of their business. Dora is one of those vendors! For her entire career as a jewelry designer she has been committed to sourcing her stones and metals from ethical and sustainable sources. She creates unique designs, combining her sense of creativity with the vision of the client. We featured several beautiful pieces throughout the shoot that make a statement.
Make-up - Brushed By Syd
Cranston, RI
Sydney is known for her 'soft glam' make-up looks. She makes her brides look extra special for their wedding day, but doesn't stray far from the foundation of their natural looks. I think her make-up gives brides a beautiful glow, and is an extra way to dress up in a special way on their wedding day. She also helps create a light-hearted vibe while everyone is getting ready.
Hair - Samantha Delabruere
Massachusetts
Sam is one of the chillest and calmest wedding hair stylists I know. She listens carefully to what the client wants and executes it beautifully and quickly, so you don't end up running behind schedule. We chose a loose French twist with flowers for the Bride's updo.
Wedding Dress - Lovely Bride Providence
Providence, RI
Top photos: Hello, I'm Joe Bottom photos: Allison Barret Photography
Lovely Bride has an awesome selection of gowns in a range of styles and from designers you won't find everywhere. I particularly love, love, loved the asymmetrical look of the Playa dress coupled with the Empire Overskirt, both from designer New White. The second look we feature was the summery and playful Frances from designer Truvelle. The staff at Lovely go above and beyond to help brides mix and match their different pieces to find exactly the right look to go with their vision.
Groom's Suit - Aldo's House of Formals
Warwick, RI
Aldo's House of Formals offers a hands-on and intimate shopping experience with a great selection of suit and tuxedo rentals as well as custom created looks to buy. Aldo provided me with a look that perfectly matched the upscale, but laid-back garden vibe for this shoot.
Models
Our lovely models were Acacia from IKONIC models in Providence and Jah Marley.
Bringing Your Vision to Life
If you already have a vision for your wedding day, or you'd like my guidance on helping to find it, you can reach out through the contact form below.
A huge thanks to all the fabulous local vendors in Westerly and surrounding area who made this shoot fun, engaging,
and such a success!
