White Elephant Nantucket Wedding — Mark + Autumn

I am all sorts of fired up today to write about Mark and Autumn’s No-Way-José Nantucket wedding; they cancelled school today and if you know me, you probably know that tend to feel very grouchy about school cancellations when there is barely any snow on the ground. We might have 4 inches or so out there, but it is soft and fluffy and the roads are fine. We live in New England! It snows here! It’s part of life! If people really put their mind to it, they could get to school. Mark and Autumn are the perfect example of determination as their Nantucket wedding almost didn’t happen. The east coast of Massachusetts was slammed by Hurricane José during the last week of September 2017 — Mark and Autumn’s wedding was scheduled for Saturday on the island, but by Wednesday afternoon, all of the ferries had stopped running, and the outlook was not good for service resuming in time for the wedding. Mark and Autumn weren’t the only ones having trouble — over 40 weddings were scheduled on Nantucket that weekend, and so there were ripples of panic throughout the wedding industry that week as many couples, vendors, and guests had to scramble to try to figure out a way to get to the island. There were several moments when that just didn’t seem possible. Mark and Autumn and several of their guests were aboard the M/Y Breezy, Mark’s beautiful SeaRay that is named for Autumn (see their surprise proposal post here), and despite their initial determination to cross the sound safely, they had to turn back and hunker down because it was just too dangerous. This story ran on Fox 25 News here in Boston (please pardon the horrendous iPhone video) and it gives you an idea of just how rough things were…

Did they cancel, though? Heck no!!! I was in constant contact with the bride and groom all day Friday while I waited at Logan Airport to see if I could get a flight over to the island (at one point they were going to reroute us through JFK — that’s how bananas the travel sector was that day), and despite the very real possibility that the wedding wouldn’t happen (or, at least, not in the way they had planned), neither Mark nor Autumn ever got angry or upset — they were together, and this was an adventure. That’s a pretty good way to start a marriage, I think.

The story ends well — the ferries started running early Saturday morning so my assistant Sarah and I raced to catch the first boat out, and we arrived on Nantucket to the very last of José blowing out to sea. It was still a bit foggy and blustery, BUT WE WERE THERE. The M/Y Breezy pulled in a few hours later, with a weary yet happy crew, and the wedding was ON! Mark stayed at the dock to get ready with his family, while Autumn and her people dressed in their room at The White Elephant Hotel. All of their guests arrived safely, and it was so wonderful to see these two amazing people relax and prepare for their big day. I am required to mention that central to all of this action is Majik, the couple’s french bulldog, who is so much a part of the family that he wore his own tuxedo and was the only bridesdog/groomsdog to attend the couple. There may or may not have been a few tears from the photographers as Mark hugged his buddy as the ceremony began. Mostly, however, the mood of the day was joy — everyone had made it, the rain had stopped, and these wonderful people were starting their new life together. Sarah and I, and my second shooter Amy all breathed a collective sigh of relief once we’d finished bride and groom portraits out at Brant Point Lighthouse and we could just join the party and stop looking at the skies.

Mark and Autumn, I don’t think I have ever met two more unique and loving people. From the moment I met you, I felt like we were old friends, and I continue to think of you as some of the most incredible people I’ve had the fortune to work with. Your kindness and generosity are unmatched and I am so very grateful that I got to be a part of this story with you. I hope you love every minute of your lives together, and I can’t wait to see what the future brings. Happy love!! xoxoxox

Venue // The White Elephant Hotel
Hair and Makeup Artist // RJ Miller Salon
Florist // Soiree Floral Design
Caterer and Cake // The White Elephant Hotel
Band // Soho/Night Shift Entertainment
Filmmakers // Yellow Productions