Michelle and Eric’s intimate, bluff-top Montauk New York wedding ceremony and subsequent reception at the Swallow’s East restaurant would pair perfectly with a glass of Veuve Cliquot and a Lobster Roll. Now put on “At The River” by Groove Armada and atmosphere is perfectly set for their summer Long Island wedding. The ceremony was held at Camp Hero State Park and was officiated by Michelle’s father. Michelle was born and raised in East Hampton and it is where her parents still reside, therefore, it was important for she and Eric to have their wedding close to home. Even more poignant was to have the ceremony in view of the Montauk lighthouse where Michelle’s late grandmother worked for many years. Their vision for the day was to have an intimate celebration in a cozy, rustic setting that felt like home; surrounded by their favorite people with lots of tasty food. With their combined love for the ocean, Swallow East’s marina-side location ticked all remaining boxes. As the couple both shy away from the spotlight and big crowds, they did what any awesome, low-key couple would do and got married on a Monday afternoon. In addition to keeping the overall cost down, this also ensured the bluff was relatively free of people and kept the overall stress level down, and the day could not have manifested itself more beautifully. This finger of land where, for thousands of years, the sea has waged war with the coast, summer breezes turn into hurricanes, winter blizzards blanket the dunes with snow, on this afternoon was like tamed beast and the stillness the kindest gesture mother nature could have offered the couple.
The typically bright and breezy bluff was veiled in high overcast and absolutely still; you could hear a pin drop, or every one of the words the two spoke to each other,
About the Couple
Michelle has been an ICU nurse for the past seven years. Always eager to learn, she recently went back to graduate school to obtain her nurse practitioner degree at the University of Miami. Eric is an anesthesiologist in a private practice. Perhaps that would provide enough stimulation for the average fella, but Eric also dabbles in the pharmaceutical consulting world, seeks out real estate investments, is becoming board certified in venous medicine, and is likely to replace “the world’s most interesting man” sometime later this year.
How They Met
They met in stereotypical doctor-nurse Gray’s Anatomy fashion at NY Presbyterian Hospital. Eric was a resident on his cardiothoracic rotation and Michelle was a critical care nurse on the unit. Eric got her number while luring her in with talk of common interests– boating, free diving and scuba… and the rest is history!
How they have been spending their time together since they have met
They often joke that they are the same person. This makes their relationship fairly easy since both of them enjoy a lot of the same hobbies and interests. They love traveling, exploring new restaurants, listening to live music, working out, diving, spear fishing, boating, and biking.
The proposal
After a long day of traveling from Miami to East Hampton, NY to visit Michelle’s family’s home. Eric had the ring with him and snuck into the garage with Michelle’s father to ask permission. He was going to propose the very next day, but decided he couldn’t wait any longer. Everyone was together, barbecuing in the back yard. Michelle and her little niece were running around, catching fireflies and Eric stopped her. He got down on his knees— Michelle was completely caught off guard. After the initial shock, Michelle of course, said YES! During the proposal, Michelle’s sister caught a glimpse of Eric kneeling in the back yard and screamed, ARE YOU PROPOSING?! And everyone watched and cheered.
How they chose their venue
Michelle has a lot of family history in Montauk, with her grandmother’s house right down the street. They are both big foodies, so having a non-catered event with delicious food was important to them. Neither of them really enjoy large wedding halls or huge crowds. Their vision was to have a big party with all of our family and favorite people in a rustic, cozy setting, similar to the feel of their home. They also love and live for being near the water, so the fact that this restaurant was right on a marina was an extra plus.
Unique Wedding Elements
Laid-back atmosphere with no excessive frills, just families and favorite people having a great time.
DIY projects
Their flowers are from the Montauk Community Garden. This garden is located on the lawn of Michelle’s grandmother’s catholic church and is run solely by volunteers. All of the proceeds go to Meals on Wheels and to the local food pantry.
