Despite his precise planning, a few things went wrong the day James Cirignano proposed to Heather Wadyka, whom he’d been dating since junior year at Lehigh University. First, her nail appointment got canceled; James promptly contacted the salon and convinced them to call Heather back and say they could squeeze her in. Then, “James had initially wanted to propose at the Lincoln Memorial, but it was pouring rain that day,” Heather says. Again, he made do. “Instead, he proposed in the glass vestibule overlooking the courtyard in the Four Seasons, and we still took a ride with Champagne to the Lincoln Memorial to take pictures before dinner.”
For the wedding, it was Heather’s turn to have a singular vision in mind. “My family has been going up to Nantucket in the summer since I was little, and over the past decade, James has been joining us,” she says. “I knew I wanted to get married on Nantucket, and there was no other venue choice in my mind than The Wauwinet. I wanted the aesthetic to be very similar to the hotel’s vibe: upscale, classic Nantucket charm with a fashion-forward twist.” She’d been following Over The Moon The List Planner Lauryn Prattes Events on Instagram for a few years and reached out right away.
And Heather was an ideal client, decisive at every turn. “Lauryn always said I was one of the most decisive brides she had ever met,” Heather says. “This rang true when it came to picking my wedding weekend wardrobe.” For the rehearsal dinner at Great Harbor Yacht Club, her look was classic coastal preppy. “I wore the Alexia Maria Margaret dress paired with white Dior slingbacks, and carried a white Chanel purse that my dad got me after I got engaged; it became a staple of so many bridal outfits,” Heather says. “I kept jewelry very simple, just adding the Jennifer Behr Iris Pearl Earrings.”
The moment she laid eyes on Monique Lhuillier’s blue sequin dress, Heather knew it was her welcome party look. “It also served as inspiration for the dress code. Guests were instructed to wear neutrals, which let me and James stand out in our colorful outfits,” she explains. The theme was St. Barths beach club, and she added gold Celine Triomphe sunglasses to complete the look. “For my hair, I wanted a lot of volume: a ’90s supermodel blowout paired with a glowy tan to make me look like I just stepped off the beach in St. Barths,” Heather adds. “My hair and makeup artist, Anna Breeding, understood the assignment; this was one of my favorite glam looks from the weekend!”
In shopping for the main event, Heather proved to be just as decisive. “I always envisioned I would wear Oscar de la Renta,” she says. “My sales associate at Carine’s Bridal pulled the dress that ended up being my wedding dress; she told me it was a design Oscar de la Renta made specially for Carine’s and that I would never see this dress on a runway.” It featured hydrangea floral appliqués that fit perfectly into the Nantucket aesthetic. “As soon as I put it on, I fell in love. I ended up buying it that day and canceling a lot of my other appointments. I paired the dress with ivory satin Jimmy Choo pumps and the Loren Hope Tati studs. James gifted me a beautiful tennis bracelet on the morning of our wedding, and I was so excited to add it as something special to wear for my wedding.”
The dress made a statement, and on September 28, 2024—after getting ready with her bridesmaids in gingham Sleeper sets—Heather found she couldn’t fit its full skirt into the tiny vintage Porsche she’d planned to ride in to the ceremony. “Instead, my dad and James drove together in the Porsche, and I went with my bridesmaids,” Heather says. “My dad had not driven stick since he was in high school, and James later told me that they stalled out multiple times on their drive out to the Wauwinet—something I would not handle as well as he did!”
At the ceremony site, Renny & Reed lined the aisle with 1,200 multicolor hydrangeas, the bride’s favorite flower. The couple had technically already said “I do" in a religious ceremony back home in Washington, D.C., so their nerves were gone by the time they walked down the aisle in Nantucket. “The weather was perfect, everything looked beautiful, and I was so excited to marry James after nearly 10 years together,” Heather says. “It was absolutely magical.”
The reception tent was designed to feel like a permanent home rather than a temporary venue. “I wanted it to give coastal charm, but elevated and chic,” Heather says. “I was literally blown away when I saw the inside of the tent. The tablescapes with rattan trim chargers from Italy, table numbers made out of coral, and shell-inspired plates really brought in the coastal charm in an upscale way. The banquettes, the sconces, and the gorgeous chandeliers all added to the warm residential feel.”
Dinner inspired by Wauwinet’s famous Topper’s featured pan-seared diver scallops with truffle and parmesan risotto, butter-poached Maine lobster, roasted prime beef filet, and slow-roasted eggplant with herb and parmesan polenta. Vanilla sponge cake with lavender buttercream and carrot cake with cream cheese paid homage to the couple’s favorite treats.
Heather’s dad gave a toast imbued with meaning. “My mom passed away eight years ago, and now, as the only girl in my family, my dad and I are extremely close,” the bride says. “He was incredibly involved in my wedding planning process, and while he played many integral roles, my favorite one was the hype man. His speech made me laugh and cry and, most importantly, made me feel like my mom was a part of my special day.” For their father-daughter dance, they chose her mother’s favorite song: Weezer’s “Island in the Sun.”
It went perfectly, thanks in large part to the stellar live band. “When choosing a band, I had one criterion: They must have a robust horn section,” Heather says. “The A-Town A-List delivered. Everyone was on their feet dancing all night.” At one point, the bride and groom crowd-surfed off the stage, Over The Moon The List Photographer Abby Jiu capturing it all.
The party was far from over. Following the reception, guests moved into “Club Cirignano” (a transformed Topper’s). “The aesthetic for the after-party was ‘sexy Nantucket,’” Heather describes. “We had late-night bites, including a famous post-night-out sandwich among Lehigh University students that consists of mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders, and French fries covered in buffalo sauce and ranch.”
The bride changed into Markarian's Diana Fringe Dressand Larroudé platform sandals from Over The Moon. “My dad started a trend of wearing sunglasses inside at the after-party, and so many guests followed suit; it really added to the vibe,” Heather says. “DJ Philippe Paris kept the party going until the early morning, and we were all dancing and singing all night long.”
