A Nautical Wedding in Nantucket

Ross Butler’s proposal to Nina Han couldn’t have come at a better time. Nine years after the pair first met as students at Georgia Tech, they took a family trip to Spain, and Ross took advantage of a stunning sunset at Park Guell in Barcelona to pop the question. “It was an amazing moment, and the timing was incredible, too,” says Nina. “Two days later, while we were in Valencia, someone stole all of our stuff out of our rental car!” Thankfully, Nina’s engagement ring was already safely on her finger.

The bride, co-founder of party décor company Rent the Party, took easily to wedding planning, devoting just 10 months to design their wedding on October 21, 2017. After considering outdoor options in upstate New York, the bride’s mother suggested a late-fall wedding on the beach, leading Ross and Nina to The Wauwinet in Nantucket. “We loved that we could rent the entire hotel so our 80 guests could stay with us,” says Nina. “It made it feel like a backyard wedding with five-star service.” They added autumnal tones to a nautical theme, pairing deep navy with hints of rose and gold. Photographed by Clayton Austin, this expertly styled fall wedding is what Nantucket dreams are made of!

“Nantucket is the most amazing little island," Nina says. "It feels like another world as soon as you get off the ferry!”

In addition to their family and friends, Nina and Ross celebrated with their totally adorable dog, Princess, who donned a white lace dress for her trip down the aisle. “Princess stuck close to us throughout the day,” says Nina. “At one point, I felt something heavy on my veil and looked down to see her fast asleep on the tulle!”

Monogrammed tote bags, painted with Nantucket’s iconic hydrangeas, were perfect for bridesmaid gifts.

“I tried on almost 200 dresses,” Nina reveals. “I kept thinking I’d found the one, then changing my mind when I saw the pictures my bridesmaid had taken.” But by the time she slipped on this French lace gown with an illusion neckline and a detachable train by Olvi’s, Nina knew. “The train gave it a little bit of wow factor, and it was the most comfortable dress I tried,” she describes. She paired the gown with a petite bouquet of antique roses, hellebores, and seeded eucalyptus combined soft blush and deep cranberry tones.

The bride’s mother donned classic Nantucket navy, while her bridesmaids wore desert rose dresses with fluttering sleeves—the perfect compromise between deep cranberry and light blush.

The groom paired his custom InStitchu navy suit with a Tom Ford bow tie and nautical lobster cufflinks.

The flower girls each paired white lace and tulle dresses with studded Mary Jane flats.

Nina’s parents escorted her to the altar, where arrangements of berries and hydrangeas were arranged to make a small statement in the natural setting. “We got married on the lawn behind the hotel, where there are amazing views of the water," Nina explains. "We didn’t want to take away from that, so we had flowers in urns instead of on an altar.”

These crisp gray and blue origami sail boats were a labor of love, all hand-folded by the bride and groom! “We named tables after countries we’d visited together. At the time there were 18 total, but now we’re up to 20!” says the bride.

The couple's grand entrance!

The reception took place at the hotel’s award-winning restaurant, TOPPER’S. “The seashell dishes and sea foam chairs were perfect for our theme,” says Nina. The couple added navy blue taper candles and delicate garlands of eucalyptus and burgundy flowers to dress up the space.

With a wedding on the beach, of course the menu was all about seafood! Guests enjoyed everything from miniature lobster tacos and oysters Rockefeller to mini crab cakes and herb-crusted Atlantic halibut as they sipped the Georgia Peach (a peach bellini) and the groom’s favorite, Hendricks gin and tonic.

After dinner, the bride and groom sent guests home with favors in Chinese-inspired packaging.

“Sharing our favorite little island with our loved ones was so special, from cruising around the island on The Wauwinet’s boat to cocktails at The Proprietor’s Bar & Table,” says Nina. “We can’t wait to go back and relive it again every year!”