A Nantucket Summer Elopement with Wildflowers and Dockside Vows
Some weddings come together because of timelines and logistics, but this one came together because Nantucket has always felt like home. For Sarah and Molly, the island isn’t just where they met. It’s where their community still lives, where their favourite memories sit, and where big life shifts have a habit of unfolding. So when they decided to skip tradition, keep things small and plan a dockside elopement that felt like them, Nantucket was the only place that made sense. What followed was a day built on intention, good food, a borrowed Jeep, deep blue water and the people who mean the most to them.
How did your story begin?
We met back in 2017 while working at the Boarding House on Nantucket. Molly was the chef, I was the bartender, and we became fast friends. She snuck me snacks, I poured the shift drinks, and that was our rhythm until I moved back to Boston and she stayed on island.
A few years later we ended up working in the same restaurant group in South Boston, and reconnecting felt so natural. Molly invited me out for drinks with a few managers, and that night shifted everything. We went on a date the next week, even though I didn’t realise it was a date, and two weeks later I blurted out that I was in love. We moved in together four months after that and have grown so much side by side.
In January 2025, on a birthday trip to Paris, Molly proposed at a wine bar while we were playing Yahtzee. We loved being engaged, but we were ready to be married, so we planned an August elopement on Nantucket and a party in Boston later that month. Both days felt like the perfect way to start the rest of our lives together.
What were the biggest challenges in planning your wedding?
The hardest part was navigating family expectations around how our day “should” look. We were already planning a very non traditional elopement and had decided not to have our parents there. We each wanted one person with us as a witness and another family member to officiate, and getting everyone to understand and accept that took time.
Once we were clear about what felt right for us and stayed firm in it, things became much easier.
Why did you choose Nantucket?
Nantucket has always been part of our story. We met while working there, and my aunt and uncle live in Madaket, a part of the island that still feels like the old fisherman and captain days with its inlets and ponds tucked everywhere. When we went exploring, we found Long Pond Landing with its long walkway out to the dock, and it immediately felt like the perfect aisle.
Eloping on Nantucket was Molly’s idea, and the moment she said it, everything clicked. We have a strong community there that has stayed close even after years in Boston, so choosing the island felt natural and absolutely right for us.
How did you approach budgeting?
A friend gave us great advice early on. Have the big wedding conversations away from the house, ideally over coffee or a drink, so the stress feels lighter. We stayed realistic and open about costs, and we got better at accepting every offer of help that people genuinely wanted to give. That part was hard at first but so worth it.
We tracked everything in one Google Sheets spreadsheet, which kept us organised and honest about what we were spending.
How did you end up choosing your photographer?
Alyssa Blumstein Photography was the easiest decision we made. We had both worked with her before through restaurant social media projects, and when she found out we were together, she immediately said she wanted to photograph our wedding. When it actually happened, it felt like such a no brainer.
I had already done a few fun personal shoots with her, so I knew I loved her eye and felt completely comfortable around her. I didn’t want a soft beach edit. I wanted vibrant colour, deep blues and the rustic greens around the pond. I also knew her high flash style would be perfect for the dive bar party we had later in August. She truly brought every vision to life.
How did you decide on your food plans?
We started the morning with a surprise steak and eggs breakfast that my aunt made for all of us. Thank god for that, because I didn’t eat again until after the ceremony. After we got married we headed into town for Champagne and snacks at the Boarding House, where we used to work. They saved us a corner of the bar and decorated it with small details. We ordered french fries and spicy tuna on crispy rice cakes with a bottle of Champagne.
Dinner was at Straight Wharf Restaurant, where I ran the Wine Program for years, and the team made it incredibly special with decorations, custom menus and a signed bottle of wine. We ordered straight off the menu and loved that choice. Our reception later in the month took a lot more planning since it was more of a function, but the elopement day itself was simple and perfect.
Walk us through the day. What moments stand out when you look back?
We started the morning together at my aunt and uncle’s house in Madaket with a workout and a surprise steak and eggs breakfast. After brunch, Molly went to pick up her friend Mo and our photographer Alyssa from the ferry while I stayed back to steam my dress and get ready. I did my own hair and my cousin Ashley, who was also our officiant, did my makeup and completely crushed it. We shared a bottle of Champagne while Alyssa came by for getting ready portraits.
Molly and Mo headed to Long Pond Landing first, and we followed once photos were done. We had borrowed a friend’s 94 Jeep Wrangler, which happens to be Molly’s dream car, so that was a fun part of the day. Once everyone was in place, we exchanged vows and were pronounced married. I sabered a bottle of Dom Pérignon for a toast, even after having a small breakdown in the shower and running an hour behind.
After the ceremony we went into town for Champagne and snacks at the Boarding House, checked into our hotel and I changed into a more comfortable dress. Dinner at Straight Wharf Restaurant was incredible. Christine and Mo gave speeches, there were tears and laughs, and once we were the last table in the room, my friend Taryn put on Robyn’s Dancing on my Own. I got up and danced around the dining room and it turned into the best unplanned dance party. It truly was the best day of my life.
Were there any vendors who really stood out for you?
Absolutely. Alyssa Blumstein Photography goes without saying.
Sea Holly Studio created the most gorgeous wildflower bouquets for our elopement.
Straight Wharf Restaurant made our wedding dinner incredibly special and truly has the best team and dining room on the island.
Faraway Hotel Nantucket added the sweetest touches to our wedding night room.
Indochino made Molly’s custom suit process so easy and enjoyable, and I would recommend them again and again.
My Jenny Yoo dress from Anthropologie was perfect for the day.
How did you approach traditions that don’t always translate for LGBTQ+ couples?
We always knew we wanted to elope, and with some complicated family dynamics on my side, keeping things simple felt right. For us, that meant not having our parents at the ceremony. Molly wanted to share vows with just each other and our closest friends, so we kept the elopement small and focused on what actually mattered to us.
We saved the wider celebration for our later reception. We didn’t do formal parent dances, but we each shared a dance with one of our parents. We also skipped a traditional cake cutting and instead turned it into a speech and the opening of a three liter bottle of Champagne, which kicked off the real dance party.
Photography by Alyssa Blumstein Photography
Cake Michelle Ashley
DJ L’DUKE
Dress Designer Jenny Yoo
Florist Sea Holly Studio
Officiant Ashley MacIsaac
