Maggie Bryan, from New Orleans, and Eric Hoffman, from Chicago, met at the University of Colorado Boulder when they were freshmen and lived on the same floor and began to date. After college, Eric went on to get his Masters in architecture, and moved to New York City for a job with SHoP Architects. Maggie worked in marketing and sales, eventually ending up in New York City with VEVO. Eric was moving to San Francisco to help design the new Uber headquarters, but before he left he proposed to Maggie while walking along the Hudson River Greenway overlooking the beautiful city skyline. When Maggie said “yes!”, the planning began with mom, Pam Bryan.
Maggie’s parents, Pam and Jay Bryan had just finished a renovation of their summer home on Chappaquiddick Island (known as Chappy) and Maggie and Eric knew it would be perfect! Guests from New Orleans, Houston, Chicago, New York City, London and San Francisco would all stay in Martha’s Vineyard at either The Kelley House or at the Harbor View Hotel, where they could walk and bike everywhere.
The wedding weekend started on Thursday with the welcome reception at the Harbor View. The rehearsal dinner was at Atria, where Eric’s mom and dad threw an old-fashioned lobster dinner, complete with incredible flowers by Donaroma’s of Martha’s Vineyard.
The wedding began at 4:30 p.m. and guests were dressed to the nines as they took the ferry to Chappy. From there, vans were waiting to take guests to the wedding. Hundreds of white orchids lined the path to the house, and as they arrived guests picked up place cards that were arranged beneath a wall of flowers. Chamber music played as guests picked up fans and viewed the flower-bedecked chuppah. The interfaith ceremony was officiated by Maggie’s family friend, the Reverend Margo Walter. The bride and groom crafted their own personalized wedding vows and exchange of rings. Maggie chose a Naeem Khan dress and the flowers were created according to Maggie and Pam’s wishes by Donaroma’s.
Left: The view from the Harbor View Hotel Right: Pam and Jay Bryan’s summer home on Chappy
Left: Pam and Jay Bryan, the Bride and Groom and Nancy and Rich Hoffman
Right: A table setting at the rehearsal dinner at Atria
The reception featured champagne and a lobster raw bar, followed by a New Orleans second-line into the Sperry tent decorated by Donaroma’s and myself with orchids, roses, lilies and gardenias. Caroline Reily and Ashley Bright helped me bring texture into the flower arrangements with flowers from the Reilys’ own garden! The seated dinner for 200 guests included fillets of sole and tenderloin (the latter accompanied with Dickie Brennan’s marchand de vin sauce), served by caterer Annie Foley with personal selections of white and red wine. Guests danced to Martha’s Vineyard’s own Sultans of Swing who played Motown, the Horah dance and rock ’n’ roll.
After the wedding cake created by the Vineyard’s Val’s Cakes was distributed, Maggie excused herself to change from her wedding dress into a Giorgio Armani white silk evening suit, once owned and worn by her mother. The couple fled through a tunnel of sparklers held by their guests. Guests took the ferry home and were treated to an after party in Edgartown.
The next day, a brunch at the Harbor View Hotel let guests say goodbye to Maggie and Eric, who were off to Hawaii for their honeymoon. What a gift to friends who were lucky enough to be there in the idyllic setting of Martha’s Vineyard!
