Featured Weddings
Nicole & Matt's Celebration at The Molly Pitcher Inn
Red Bank, New Jersey
When Rain Brings Magic: Nicole & Matt's Coastal Celebration at The Molly Pitcher Inn
Sometimes the best love stories begin in the most ordinary places—like a college dorm floor. For Nicole and Matt, what started as a friendship on their first day at university would evolve into something extraordinary, culminating in a wedding day where even an unexpected storm couldn't dampen their joy. In fact, it might have made it even better.
A Vision Takes Root
When Nicole first walked into The Molly Pitcher Inn (@mollypitcherevent), she knew instantly this was where she'd marry Matt. The historic waterfront venue in Red Bank offered exactly what the couple was seeking—that perfect blend of coastal charm and vintage elegance, all within a five-minute drive from where Matt grew up. "It felt personal, like it was meant for us," Nicole recalls. "Not just some random wedding venue in New Jersey."
But venues are just the beginning. Nicole had been nurturing a very specific floral vision—one that would require equal parts creativity, collaboration, and a healthy dose of DIY spirit.
Wicker Dreams and Hydrangea Wishes
While scrolling through endless inspiration boards, Nicole kept returning to one particular aesthetic: wicker basket altar arrangements that evoked a northern coastal vibe. It was a design choice that perfectly married the venue's vintage character with her modern sensibilities. The challenge? Making this Pinterest dream work within a realistic budget.
Enter Poppy. "When I explained my wicker basket vision, they didn't hesitate," Nicole shares. "They said, 'We haven't done this before, but we can make it work if you source the baskets.' I was thrilled—finding a florist who could bring this to life elsewhere would have blown our budget."
What followed was a treasure hunt worthy of its own story. Nicole became a regular at Hobby Lobby and HomeGoods, meticulously searching for the perfect vessels. "I was there at least once a week," she laughs. Eventually, she found exactly what she envisioned and bulk-ordered eight matching baskets that would frame their waterfront ceremony.
Featured Weddings
The Design Details
Working closely with the Poppy team, Nicole refined her coastal-inspired palette:
Color Story: Crisp whites and verdant greens for the florals, allowing the natural beauty to shine without competing with the venue's inherent charm
Bridal Party Palette: Sage green, dusty blue, and butter yellow—colors that whispered rather than shouted, perfectly complementing the waterfront setting
Floral Stars: Lush hydrangeas taking center stage in those carefully sourced wicker baskets, creating texture and volume while maintaining that effortless, just-picked-from-a-coastal-garden feel
The Personal Touch: Custom pedestals hand-built by Nicole's father, a carpenter who couldn't resist adding his craftsmanship to his daughter's special day
When Plans Change, Magic Happens
The morning of September 28th dawned with something no couple wants to see on their wedding day: storm clouds. Not just any clouds—the kind that promise a proper deluge. With the ceremony planned for the waterfront lawn overlooking the harbor, Nicole faced a decision that had to be made just hours before guests arrived.
"The venue doesn't have a separate ceremony space," she explains. "We would have had to hold the ceremony in the ballroom, send guests out for cocktails, then bring them back in. It felt wrong." Instead, she made a bold choice: put up a tent and embrace whatever nature had in store.
What could have been a disaster became the day's most memorable element. As rain pounded the tent and wind whipped around the harbor, something magical happened. "Everyone was laughing about being at a wedding in a storm," Nicole remembers. "It made everything more fun, more intimate. We were all in it together."
The tent, hastily erected but beautifully lit, created an unexpectedly romantic atmosphere. Those precious wicker baskets filled with hydrangeas stood strong against the elements, proof that sometimes the best moments come from the unplanned.
Crafted with Love
Among the day's most touching details was a surprise that appeared just as Nicole arrived at the venue. Her father had secretly crafted a stunning welcome sign, complete with intricate etched lettering. "He was so emotional about it," Nicole recalls. "He spent the whole reception showing it to guests, so proud of his contribution."
This wasn't his only handiwork. When Nicole couldn't find pedestals that met Poppy's specifications for the altar arrangements, her dad stepped in, building custom pieces that would flank the ceremony space. These personal touches—crafted by loving hands—elevated the design beyond what any vendor could provide.
Floral Flow
One of Nicole's smartest planning decisions was thinking about her flowers beyond just the ceremony. Those eight wicker basket arrangements that lined the aisle during the (tented) waterfront ceremony found new life during the reception, repositioning around the ballroom and near the band. "Why spend thousands more on reception flowers when we could repurpose these beautiful arrangements?" she reasoned.
This practical approach, guided by Poppy's expertise, meant every stem served double duty, creating cohesion between ceremony and reception while maximizing the floral budget.
A Moment to Remember
Ask Nicole about her favorite moment, and she doesn't mention the ceremony or the first dance. Instead, she lights up describing the quiet hours after the reception ended. "Matt and I got back to our room to find cake and champagne waiting. We sat on the bed, finally alone, and talked until 3 or 4 in the morning about every detail of the day. Just the two of us, processing this incredible thing we'd just done."
Wisdom from the Storm
For couples embarking on their own planning journey, Nicole offers hard-won wisdom: "Trust your gut over trends. I could have second-guessed every decision based on what I saw online, but sticking with what felt right for us made all the difference."
Her other crucial reminder? "Remember what it's actually about. It's not the bows on chairs or the napkin colors. It's about marrying your person. We definitely had our silly arguments over tiny details during planning—everyone does. But keeping perspective on what really matters makes the whole process more joyful."
The Poppy Touch
This wedding exemplifies what makes Poppy's approach special: the willingness to embrace a client's unique vision (even when it involves hunting down eight matching wicker baskets), the flexibility to work within real budgets, and the expertise to ensure those DIY elements blend seamlessly with professional design.
Nicole and Matt's celebration proves that the most memorable weddings aren't always the ones where everything goes according to plan. Sometimes they're the ones where a storm rolls in, a father's handcrafted surprise appears, and a couple chooses joy over perfection—creating a day that feels entirely, authentically theirs.
The Details That Mattered
Photography: @shotsbysamphoto Sam Herceg
Venue: @mollypitcherevent
Florals: @poppyflowersco
Content Creation: @plusonecontent Nicolette Tomasetti
Hair: @bohobridalhair
Makeup: @makemeup_eva Jamie Nicole
The Dress: Haven gown from @newhite_bridal / @lovelybridenyc
Cake: @chocolatecarousel
Entertainment: @uniquemusique
