Peter Blake was Claire Shea’s playground crush in elementary school. “I thought he was the cutest,” she gushes. When she was 16 years old, they officially started dating, and nearly nine years later, he proposed at his family business Blake’s Orchard’s sunflower field. “My family grew up going strawberry and apple picking here, my first job was here making cinnamon donuts, and every summer since we started dating Pete would take me here to go raspberry picking—just us two, after hours since he knew raspberries were my favorite.”
Once engaged, Claire wanted to celebrate near her family’s home in Harbor Springs, Michigan. The Bay Harbor Yacht Club sits right across the bay, and the town evokes community, charm, and simplicity that spoke to the bride. Aesthetically, Claire leaned into the area’s East Coast vibe and added a little French je ne sais quoi flair—a nod to her favorite travel destination, Paris.
To bring the couple’s spring vision to life, they turned to Over The Moon Editor’s Pick Planner Ann Travis Events and HMR Designs. And Jacqui Cole captured every special moment on camera.
The weekend kicked off with a France-themed welcome party. “I was on the hunt for a white dress with blue flowers on it, when I saw the Alexia María dress on Over The Moon, I immediately fell in love,” Claire smiles. “It was exactly what I was looking for. It eventually became our inspiration for the welcome party decor. After I chose the dress, I knew I needed fun accessories to complement it, so I went with blue shoes from Alexandre Birman and floral blue and green drop earrings from Jennifer Behr. This was my favorite look the entire weekend!”
On June 7, 2025, Claire put on her off-the-shoulder, silk Steven Khalil, ceremony dress with Jennifer Behr drop earrings and Dior satin shoes. Bridesmaids complemented her in a mix of V. Chapman floral looks.
Pete looked handsome in a blue plaid jacket from Samulesohn with a white Eton button down. “I got Pete Tiffany cuff links with an apple engraved on them to wear on the wedding day,” Claire shares. “I wanted to remind him of his heritage and where his family came from!”
At the Holy Childhood of Jesus Catholic Church at the end of Main Street in Harbor Springs, Claire walked down the aisle to “Clair de Lune.” “Pete and I love piano music and with this song having my name in it, it felt like an easy choice,” the bride smiles. "There was no better feeling than seeing all of my family and friends in the pews, smiling. It immediately calmed my nerves. After my dad gave me away, and I was at the altar with Pete, I truly have never felt happier. Given our long history, I had been imagining this moment for what felt like a lifetime.”
The reception’s decor was centered around hydrangeas and peonies, the bride’s favorites. In the colorful space, family friends, the Broom Closet Boys, provided entertainment throughout the evening. And the newlyweds shared a first dance to “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
Claire’s favorite part of the reception was around 9:30 p.m., when she changed into her sparkly mini dress by Helsi. “I walked out onto the dance floor to surprise my new husband the song ‘My Girl’ was playing, and it really made for such a fun special moment!” she remembers. “After the reception, we went back to our hotel room and hung out with some of our childhood friends; it was the perfect way to wrap up the night.”
