Julia and Derek’s Wedding at Martha’s Vineyard

Julia and Derek’s wedding at Martha’s Vineyard was not just a celebration of their love, but also a beautiful blend of traditions and backgrounds, showcasing their unique personalities and the deep cultural heritage that brought them together. This occasion was more than just a union of two people—it was a vibrant, loving convergence of families, histories, and hearts, set against the backdrop of one of the East Coast’s most picturesque landscapes!

Met for their first date at an Irish NYU bar in the East Village. Hoping to channel a more sophisticated and intimate setting, they both agreed to move locations to Dear Irving, a cocktail parlor with a more elevated energy. In the weeks that followed their first date, they enjoyed many moments of connection — which even included sneaking into the Ruth Orkin exhibit after hours to steal a kiss. A little less than one year later, the pair was engaged at Gramercy Park, just blocks away from their first date.

Julia and Derek’s wedding on Martha’s Vineyard integrated the bride’s Greek heritage with the simple essence of a moody and romantic coastal celebration. The couple was married at Derek’s family home on the island. A ceremony was hosted in their backyard, where the ocean made for a serene backdrop. Behind the altar hung an American and Greek flag as a symbol of their families joining together. Julia wore a goddess-inspired wedding dress created by Sicilian designer Andrea Sedici. This silk gown included a pleated bodice and skirt, a deep neckline, and a braided tie along the waistline. She paired her gown with a beaded hair vine and funky platform heels. The couple arrived at their cocktail hour in a bright red 1967 Mustang convertible. Julia’s mother made bonbonnières treats, tied with symbolic ribbons and charms to represent health and happiness, and also led guests in a traditional Greek dance. Delightful florals with tones of peach, tawny rose, and light blue complemented the minimalist decor. Touches of rattan place mats, chiffon ribbons, and sweet bouquets elevated this coastal mood with light, ocean-inspired energy. – Sandy Brooks of Timeless Event Planning

Tell us a funny story relating to your wedding day or relationship! We had so much fun with our nieces and nephew getting ready in the morning. I believe it was the girls’ first time having their hair and makeup professionally done, and they were thrilled. How did you two meet? What were your first impressions of one another? We met the old fashioned way, on the World Wide Web! Our first date was at an Irish NYU bar in the East Village. It was not the sophisticated, intimate setting we were hoping for, but we appreciated each other’s openness and relief at our shared desire to find a location more suited to this special first encounter. We made our way to the lovely Dear Irving, where we exchanged stories about summers in West Chop and Athens, growing up in New Canaan and Atlanta, and the importance of representations and warranties in media and tech licensing agreements. In the weeks that followed, we shared so many moments of connection and excitement — sneaking into the Ruth Orkin exhibit after hours to steal a kiss, hiking on Lion’s Head Trail, and decorating our first Christmas tree together. Describe a hurdle you had to overcome in your relationship or during your wedding planning. Although the rain was nerve wracking, we loved the teamwork from our families and our planner, Sandy Brooks, in looking out for the weather on a minute to minute basis and doing everything in their power to spare the bride the agony of making a decision too early. Everyone worked so hard to set up an indoor and outdoor option. In the end, we found out that our wedding was the only one held outside that day. We really held out to keep it on The Whistle lawn! What part of your wedding day was/is most important to you? Watching the rain stop! Driving up to the cocktail hour in a 1967 red Mustang convertible with a New Orleans style jazz band following us, leading our guests up to the West Chop Club. Seeing absolutely everyone, young and old, on the dance floor. Julia’s father’s toast. Derek’s siblings’ toasts. Julia singing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” to Derek. Our cousin dancing while offering people cake on the dance floor. Our cousins reading a poem in Greek and in English. Our nieces and nephew doing a reading. The list goes on! Any special ways you incorporated your family or family history into your wedding day? We wanted to incorporate themes from our beloved summers — Julia’s in Greece and Derek’s in Martha’s Vineyard. It came naturally to us to include traditional elements from both cultures. Specifically, on the Martha’s Vineyard side, we chose to have our ceremony on Derek’s family home lawn. The ocean was a gorgeous backdrop! Our food was also locally sourced from the island. Many of our guests were long time West Chop Club members.

We had a dark and stormy cocktail called The Dutchman for Derek and a gin and tonic called The Goddess for Julia. Both the American and Greek flags flew proudly over both the family home (The Whistle) and the West Chop Club. On the Greek side, Julia’s mom made bonbonnières, which are little Jordan almond party favors. She tied them with a blue ribbon and a gold olive tree charm, symbolizing health, wealth, happiness, fertility and longevity. She also led the guests in a traditional Greek dance.

What was your favorite part about planning your wedding? We had an incredibly lavish 1920s old world honeymoon that was absolutely magical. We started in Saint Paul de Vence in the South of France, then went to Cannes, Rome and ended in Greece. Derek’s siblings met us in Cape Sounio, where we had dinner by the Temple of Poseidon. We took our family out on a catamaran and had a beautiful swim. The trip ended in Athens, where Julia’s parents hosted a gorgeous dinner for family and friends at Zonar’s Dionysus, right under the Acropolis.
If you had one piece of advice for other couples, what would it be? Try as hard as you can to have fun with it. Hire a good planner. Double whatever you think it will cost. Planning and Design / Timeless Event Planning / https://timelesseventplanning.com/ / @Timelesseventplanning_⁠⁠⁠
Photographer / Christine Sargologos / http://christinesargologos.com/ / @christinetakespictures
Venue / West Chop Club ⁠⁠/ https://westchopclubmv.com
Catering/Bar / Premier Chef Services / http://www.premierchefservices.com/ / @premier_chef_services⁠⁠
Florals / Morrice Florist⁠⁠ / https://www.morriceflorist.com/ / @morriceflorist
Cake / Val Cakes / https://www.facebook.com/valcakesmarthasvineyard / @valcakesmv
Chocolates / Salt Rock Chocolate Co. / https://www.saltrockchocolate.com/ / @saltrockchoc
Rentals / Tilton Tents / https://www.tiltontents.com/
Band / The Dukes of Circuit Ave / https://dukesband.com/ / @thedukes_mv
Hair and Makeup / Sea Spa Salon / http://www.seaspasalonmv.com/ / @seaspasalon
Dress Designer / Andrea Sedici / https://www.andreasedici.com/ / @andreasedici
Dress Store / Kleinfeld Bridal / https://www.kleinfeldbridal.com/ / @kleinfeldbridal
Transportation / Lighthouse Taxi / http://www.lighthousetaximv.com/ / @lighthousetaxi⁠
Officiant / Father Bobby
Generator / Event Power MV / https://www.eventpowermv.com/home.html