Kelli and Anthony tied the knot at the stunning Newport Harbor Island Resort on a beautiful sun-filled day. We began with Kelli and Anthony getting ready at the resort, surrounded by their bridesmaids and groomsmen. They were both filled with anticipation and excitement as they prepared for their wedding ceremony. After they were ready, they shared a special moment with their first look by the seawall. Following the first look, we took photos of the couple on the dock and next to the lighthouse, capturing their love against the backdrop of the island's natural beauty.

The ceremony itself was held overlooking the lighthouse, creating a perfect setting for the couple to exchange their vows. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed a lovely cocktail hour outside on the patio with the Newport Bridge in the background. The sun began to set, creating an idyllic atmosphere for portraits of the couple. As the evening went on, the couple and their guests moved inside for a fun-filled reception. There was laughter, dancing, and joy all around as Kelli and Anthony celebrated their love with their closest friends and family. The reception was filled with memories that the couple will cherish forever.

Newport Harbor Island Resort Drone Photo

How they met

Back in the fall of 2011, Anthony and Kelli informally met at a rivalry football game that took place at Shrewsbury High School. Shrewsbury was playing Saint John's; Kelli attended Shrewsbury High School, and Anthony attended Saint John's. They were briefly introduced to each other by a mutual friend, at the time it was nothing more than a "hi, nice to meet you!". Turns out, Kelli sparked some interest in Anthony, as he messaged Kelli a week later on Facebook chat. Kelli, not thinking she made any sort of impact on Anthony when they briefly met, messaged him back in a confused fashion (she'll admit that now!) because Kelli didn't remember who Anthony was. After they sorted that out, they both started talking a bit more, and then finally exchanged numbers. After talking for a while, Anthony expressed to Kelli how much he liked her and asked her to be his date to the subscription dance, which was a formal winter ball sanctioned by Saint Johns. A few weeks after they attended the dance, Anthony decided to ask Kelli out on midnight of New Year's Eve, January 1st, 2012. That was officially when they started dating!

Their Engagement Story

Anthony and Kelli go to Aruba every year, it's their favorite vacation spot. In February 2020, right before Covid-19 hit, Anthony and Kelli traveled to Aruba with Anthony's parents and spent the entire week there. On one of their last nights, Anthony and Kelli were planning to have their own "date night" as they had done every year in Aruba. Little did Kelli know, Anthony was planning to propose on their date night!

On the night of their date, February 9th, 2020, Anthony requested that they both walk on the beach at sunset to the restaurant they had reservations at so they could get a pretty picture while the sun was setting. As they were walking, Anthony suddenly stopped, turned to Kelli, and got down on one knee. While Kelli does not remember the emotional speech Anthony gave her while proposing because she was so shocked, she does remember two things: the first being "please don't drop the ring in the sand", and the second being "I have one more surprise for you".

The surprise ended up being her mom, dad, and sister joining them and Anthony's family in Aruba to be a part of their engagement! Anthony also hired two photographers to capture the special moment on the beach. Anthony and Kelli both spent the rest of the night with both of their families at the Bugaloe Beach Bar & Pier where they ate, drank, and danced the night away!

About the Wedding Planning

Kelli and Anthony got engaged a month before COVID hit, so the planning process was long but well worth it! They thankfully did not have to push out the wedding date, but rather decided to give themselves plenty of time to plan while letting the pandemic run its course. They chose the venue and wedding theme based on their love for the beach and everything nautical! Their venue reminds them of Aruba with the resort vibes, as Aruba was their favorite place on earth.

Newport Harbor Island Resort Wedding Ceremony

Newport Harbor Island Resort Wedding Reception

Fun Fact

Getting married in Newport never really crossed their minds as our best man had gotten married in Newport at Ocean Cliff prior, so they didn't want to "copy". However, they decided to look in Newport after they struggled to find their perfect venue in Massachusetts and Maine and ended up falling in love with Goat Island. So both Anthony and his brother, the best man, got married in the same town 5 minutes away from each other.