Jenna & Mark
Nantucket, MA
The White Elephant
Island Love
The Bride: Jenna MarksThe Groom: Mark O’Donnell
Wedding Date: December 6, 2009
Venue: The White Elephant
Jenna Marks was always something of a hopeless romantic. She collected wedding photos throughout her childhood and always knew that some day she wanted get married on Nantucket since she had spent lots of time on the island growing up. Knowing his bride-to-be well, Mark O’Donnell chose Jenna’s parents’ anniversary of December 6 to propose in the historic Nantucket Harbor during the famous Christmas Stroll. Sticking with her sentimental side, she didn’t take long to decide that, despite the fact it would fall on a Sunday, the first day of advent, and during the extremely busy Christmas Stroll on Nantucket, she would plan their wedding for December 6 the following year. Restaurants laughed at her when she called to schedule her rehearsal dinner on their busiest Saturday since the summer months, and though there is no law preventing it, “The priest on the island made it clear that he did not do weddings on Sundays,” Jenna recalls. That didn’t faze this bride, who brought her own priest over from the mainland.
After their ceremony at St. Mary Our Lady of The Isle Catholic Church, the couple enjoyed walking through the busy streets in the harbor taking photos en route to their reception at the White Elephant Hotel. An island landmark since the 1920s, the inn’s 64 rooms, suites, and cottages housed their family and friends, while the enclosed heated harborside deck offered panoramic water views and ample space for their long family-style dinner table.
Countless candles filled the space and made it glow. Swarovski crystals, sprinkled across the cream and gold custom linens, reflected the candlelight. Jenna added a rich color to the romantic décor by choosing deep plum for the velvet napkin rings and chair backs, which were bound by a ring of swarovski crystals.
Every birthday, for as long as she can remember, Jenna’s parents gave her something from Louis Vuitton. Her love of the designer and considerable collection became a running joke among family and friends. So it was part humor, part homage that led her to ask Jodi’s Cakes on the island to create a Louis Vuitton–themed wedding cake. The two tiers of alternating devil’s food cake, hazelnut génoise, and bittersweet chocolate ganache resembled a flawlessly wrapped package adorned with orange LV logo
Large cream roses filled shallow antique crystal vases, which adorned every four settings for the length of the long, glowing dinner table. The bouquets designed by Audrey Waterfield were comprised of the same cream roses with hints of stephanotises and white calla lilies. Swarovski crystals and ostrich feathers made the bride’s bouquet stand apart.
Jenna’s mother found several unique items for the wedding at antique shops and estate sales: crystal vases for the centerpieces, a vintage locket in which they placed a photo of Jenna’s late grandfather and pinned to her bouquet, and sterling-silver pocket vases used for the men’s orchid boutonnières, to name a few. “She has an incredibly artistic eye, and her execution is all business,” Jenna says of her mother.
Island Love
Jenna Marks was always something of a hopeless romantic. She collected wedding photos throughout her childhood and always knew that some day she wanted get married on Nantucket since she had spent lots of time on the island growing up. Knowing his bride-to-be well, Mark O’Donnell chose Jenna’s parents’ anniversary of December 6 to propose in the historic Nantucket Harbor during the famous Christmas Stroll. Sticking with her sentimental side, she didn’t take long to decide that, despite the fact it would fall on a Sunday, the first day of advent, and during the extremely busy Christmas Stroll on Nantucket, she would plan their wedding for December 6 the following year. Restaurants laughed at her when she called to schedule her rehearsal dinner on their busiest Saturday since the summer months, and though there is no law preventing it, “The priest on the island made it clear that he did not do weddings on Sundays,” Jenna recalls. That didn’t faze this bride, who brought her own priest over from the mainland.Vendor Resources
Photography:
Claudia Kronenberg
Nantucket & Boston, MA
508-228-1218
claudiak.com
Flowers:
Audrey Waterfield
Cape Cod, MA
508-477-5558
Cake:
Jodi’s Cakes
Nantucket,MA
508-228-4545
jodiscakes.com
Catering:
The White Elephant
Nantucket, MA
508-228-2500
whiteelephanthotel.com
Stationery:
Ceci New York
New York, NY
212-989-0695
cecinewyork.com
Music:
Cubey Entertainment
Hingham, MA
781-249-9556
cubeyentertainment.com
Linens & Chairs:
Be Our Guest Rentals
Boston, MA
617-427-2700
beourguestpartyrental.com
Favors:
Aunt Leah’s Fudge
Nantucket, MA
508-228-1017
auntleahs.com
Bridal Beauty:
Hair-
Donna Hamilton
The Loft Salon and Day Spa
Boston, MA
617-536-5638
theloftsalonanddayspa.com
Makeup-
Sarra Studios
Lauren Genatossio
Hingham, MA
617-269-8999
sarrastudios.com
Tanning 2U
Sherry Delosh
781-710-4142
tanning2u.com