Real Gay Weddings: Ashley and Kerri 

Ashley and Kerri in North Truro, MA | June 28, 2012
Two lovebirds exchange vows on romantic, sandy beaches of Cape Cod.

By Brittny Drye / Photography by Ashleigh Stanczak Photography

When Kerri walked into Ashley’s store in Portland, Maine, Ashley knew that she was someone special. “I am not usually shy, but I was terrified to talk to her. That’s when I knew I really liked her,” she says. Having just moved to the city, Ashley finally got the courage to speak to the woman who took her breath away, and the future Mrs. and Mrs. had their first date two weeks later. On June 28, 2012, they began their happily ever after in a romantic oceanfront celebration.

A beachside wedding was a must for Ashley and Kerri, who both spent their childhood family vacations on sandy shores. Tucked along the quaint Cape Cod coast is Beach Point Landing in North Truro, Mass. The unspoiled beaches and high cliffs are mere minutes away from the bohemian hotspot of Provincetown, yet retain an enchanting, natural serenity. In other words, the perfect location for their special day.

The bride walked down the aisle in a beautiful gown with sheer ribbon embellishments from David’s Bridal, accented with a delicate lace jacket purchased from Etsy.com. “We had a positive experience at David’s Bridal, although they didn’t seem to have much experience with two brides,” says Ashley. Meanwhile, the broom donned a seersucker suit from JoS. A. Bank Clothiers. “They were absolutely fantastic to work with, I always felt welcome during my various trips to the store.”

The bride had her wedding date inscribed in baby blue embroidery on the inside of her dress as her something blue. Her broom also had a romantic detail embroidered, “I love you. AB.”

The floral design was made by the talented couple themselves. “We ordered all the flowers from Sam’s Club in bulk and had them delivered to Kerri’s parents’ rental house. We made all the arrangements ourselves. It was a lot of work but so much fun!” says Ashley. Bouquets with a nautical vibe were made out of white hydrangeas, green mini hydrangeas, white roses and green Wimbledon roses, wrapped in a luxe navy blue ribbon.

The broom and her wedding party wore boutonnieres that sophisticatedly hinted at the seaside theme with a gorgeous starfish embellishment.

Their bridal party wore either matching seersucker suits or navy blue dresses of their choice. The ring bearer and flower girl were adorable in their nautical flair, and wooed the crowd when they stopped to build a sandcastle on their way down the aisle. “It was cute and they continued the entire ceremony!” laughs Ashley.

Of course, the couple had to include their beloved pets Willy (a Labradoodle) and Sophia (a Chihuahua). Willy walked Kerri down the aisle, while Sophia was carried by her the bride’s sister. “She is a little princess and would have refused to walk in the sand,” notes Ashley.

Their seaside summer ceremony was short and sweet. “The sun was really hot, so we were glad we chose to keep it quick,” explains Kerri. Their non-denominational minister had sent a variety of vows to the lovebirds beforehand, and they selected their favorites to customize their own.

Kerri’s engagement ring is a three-stone round-cut Leo diamond ring in white gold, and her white gold wedding band features seven round-cut diamonds. Ashley’s is a men’s white gold band with diamonds.

After the ceremony, guests headed across the street to the Top Mast Cafe, a quaint cottage-style spot with white-washed interiors, open-beamed ceilings and an outdoor patio—the epitome of a beachfront escape. The seaside theme flowed into the reception, where tables were lined with burlap runners and topped with driftwood that the brides recovered from New England beaches. Place settings were set with silver chargers and navy linen napkins, hand-printed with starfish emblems (a favorite of Ashley’s), and highlighted with sprinkles of sea glass.

During cocktail hour, guests enjoyed petite BLT’s, spinach-artichoke dip and an artisan cheese platter, while sipping on a signature cocktail, Blueberry Lemonade, made from Stoli Blueberry Vodka, lemonade and fresh blueberries. “This is one of our favorite summer drinks,” explains Kerri. They also had a choice of a go-to wine and beer or one of the brides’ favorite fruit ales, Blueberry Wheat Ale from Sea Dog Brewing Company in their home state of Maine.

Guests found their tables thanks to the beachy escort sand dollars tucked in a rustic pail filled with sand.

Dinner was a buffet, catered by Ptown Parties and consisted of a traditional beach barbecue menu including green salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing, marinated flank steak with chimichurri sauce, Jamaican grilled chicken, sunny sweet potato salad, grilled fresh vegetables and jalapeño corn bread with honey butter. “We were not able to meet the caterers Dave and Todd until the week of the wedding when we arrived on the Cape. However, they were so wonderful I just wanted to hug them every time we met with them. They definitely went above and beyond to make our day perfect,” exclaims Kerri.

Their three-tiered wedding cake was gold cake with lemon filling and buttercream frosting, topped with two Adirondack chairs and embellished with beach-style fencing and white chocolate shells sprinkled with brown sugar sand. “It was the best wedding cake I have ever had. Even our guests couldn’t get over how great the cake was,” says Ashley. In addition to cake, they also served up a cookie bar, which included chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cup cookies and Russian teacake sweets.

“The general feeling of the day was excitement and anticipation. We were so anxious hoping things would go as planned and it wouldn’t rain during the ceremony on the beach and then so much excitement to see all of our guests that had traveled so far to join us. We still have family and friends say it was the best wedding they had ever been to,” exclaims Kerri. “We got married just as we dreamed, in P-town, on the beach and surrounded by our family and friends,” adds Ashley.