We are thrilled to be sharing with you Katie and Joe's wedding that has been featured on My Eastern Shore Wedding (see more here). So many spring vibes at Katie & Joe’s blush and navy wedding! Hints of nautical + rustic styling were the perfect accent to The Oaks Waterfront backdrop, and unusually warm April weather gave this gallery a touch of golden glow. With snow in the forecast, we’re holding out for these blooms–just around the corner!

The Couple's Love Story by the Bride

Joe and I have known each other since we were 16. We met through the best man, (my Ocean City neighbor and Joe’s good friend). We didn’t fall in love right away, but one Ocean City trip seven years later lit the spark, and we have been inseparable since. One year into the relationship, I got into law school in North Carolina and Joe couldn’t imagine life without me–so he came too! It was hard being away from home and our friends, but our relationship grew stronger because we had each other. 

After 5 years together, Joe surprised me by proposing at my favorite place–the Christmas tree farm! It was made extra special because the diamond Joe used in my engagement ring was the same his Dad proposed to his Mom with. Our proposal is one of my favorite stories to tell because it was the first and only time Joe has managed to take me completely by surprise. We had a longer engagement (almost 2 years) while I finished up law school, and then we moved back to Maryland. Our wedding took place in April and was everything we imagined it would be!

As Maryland natives, we knew that there would be no better place for us to get married than the Eastern Shore! We started by looking for a venue–we wanted a place that was on the water and would satisfy our desire for an exclusive wedding weekend with a southern feel. From the moment we stepped foot onto the gorgeous property at The Oaks Waterfront, we knew we had found it! From there we worked with Jen at 2hands Studios to create the perfect “nautical rustic” wedding, using navy and rose gold as a color palette. We worked really hard to create a new feel, different from anything The Oaks Waterfront had seen before. We redesigned the room by having a sweetheart table with the bridal party on either side, moving the dance floor to the front of the room, and setting up a lounge in the back. Cocktail hour was outside (in 90° April weather!) and we had a raw bar with eastern shore fishermen shucking fresh oysters. The flower girl and ring bearer made their entrance to the ceremony in style by driving power wheels down the aisle!

I’m a DIYer by nature, so we were able to save money by designing and hand making a lot of the decor: calligraphy, invitation design and assembly, ribbons for bouquets, gifts for bridesmaids and groomsmen, custom labels on the bow ties, seating cards, programs, table numbers, welcome boxes, and info cards. 

There were so many touches to our day that made it special and unique. My father and I shared a first look before heading to the church, and he recorded himself singing the song we danced to for the father daughter dance–there was not a dry eye in the room! The single ladies and bridesmaids took part in a cake pull. There were charms hidden under the cake and attached to ribbons–each charm had a different meaning (i.e. if you pulled the engagement ring, you were next to get married!). We honored our parents and grandparents by displaying their wedding photos. The ties and bow ties worn by the guys had clay pigeons on them since the spent they morning at Pintail Point. Months later we are still receiving compliments from our guests about how much fun they had!