As the world began reopening after COVID, Megan and Owen met for drinks at Anton’s in New York City’s West Village. Megan had a feeling the date was going well when Owen invited her to join a party with all of his friends afterward, and from that night forward, the two were inseparable.
Two years later, they moved in together on the Upper West Side. In August 2024, Owen proposed on the beach in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, a place that had become deeply meaningful throughout their relationship. Around sunset, with beachgoers still strolling nearby, he presented the ring before the couple headed to dinner at a favorite local restaurant. Both of their families were waiting to celebrate with them.
When it came time to choose a wedding venue, Megan already knew exactly where she wanted to be. She had grown up just down the street from Riverside Yacht Club in Connecticut and had always imagined getting married there. Securing a September date brought their story back to a familiar place, this time surrounded by family and friends for a waterfront celebration planned with Amy Champagne Events and photographed by Melani Lust Photography that would prove far more atmospheric than anyone expected.
A wedding morning overlooking the Long Island Sound
Megan began the day at a family friend’s home, where gardens and views of the Long Island Sound created a relaxed setting for getting ready. She spent the morning drinking coffee with her bridesmaids before everyone made their way to a nearby church for the ceremony.
For her bridal look, Megan chose the kind of gown she had always envisioned herself wearing: simple silk. Her Danielle Frankel dress felt understated without disappearing into the occasion. As Megan described it, “It felt simple while still being special.”
Guests gathered for a traditional Catholic ceremony at a church just down the street from Riverside Yacht Club. As the ceremony unfolded, however, the weather outside began to shift dramatically. Thunder became audible inside the church as a sudden microburst rolled through the area, introducing an unexpected element to the waterfront wedding day.
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A fresh take on classic coastal style
For the reception, Megan and Owen embraced their Connecticut waterfront setting without limiting themselves to the expected interpretation of a blue-and-white coastal wedding.
Hydrangeas from Carrie Wilcox Floral Design nodded to classic New England style, while more playful shapes and textures kept the design from feeling overly traditional. Suspended spherical lights hung above the head table, echoing the rounded forms of the hydrangea blooms below. Woven tea light holders introduced another layer of texture across the tables and brought warmth to the tent as the weather darkened outside.
One of the reception’s standout details appeared at the raw bar, where an ice sculpture incorporated florals into its design. Equal parts functional and artistic, it became an unexpected focal point within the coastal setting.
The overall effect felt connected to the yacht club and Long Island Sound without relying too heavily on nautical motifs. Instead, familiar coastal elements were paired with sculptural details, warm texture, and playful proportions to create something that felt distinctly Megan and Owen.
When a microburst changed the atmosphere
The sudden storm could easily have become the story of everything that went wrong. Instead, it became part of what made the celebration so memorable.
Thunder during the ceremony was only the beginning. The rain eventually made its way onto the dance floor, which had to be mopped before the party could fully continue. Rather than allowing the weather to derail the mood, Megan, Owen, and their guests quickly turned the unexpected moments into inside jokes.
Inside the reception tent, the storm had another effect entirely. The rain outside made the celebration feel warmer and more intimate, with guests gathering together beneath the tent as candlelight, woven textures, and florals softened the waterfront setting.
What had originally been planned as a September coastal reception became something unexpectedly cozy.
A rain-soaked dance floor and a reminder of what matters
Once the dance floor was ready, guests filled it, and the weather became increasingly irrelevant. The energy inside the tent remained celebratory as Megan and Owen found themselves surrounded by the family and friends who had supported them throughout their relationship.
Looking back, the couple saw the unpredictability of the day as something meaningful rather than something they wished they could change. “Just being surrounded by such positive energy and the reminder about what matters was a great way to kick off a long, happy marriage,” they shared.
For Megan, getting married at Riverside Yacht Club brought her back to a place that had been part of her life long before Owen entered it. The hydrangeas, waterfront views, sculptural details, and classic silk gown created the coastal wedding she had imagined, but it was the unplanned microburst that gave the day an atmosphere no design plan could have manufactured.
The thunder became part of the ceremony, the rain made the tent feel cozier, and even the soaked dance floor became something to laugh about. Surrounded by the people they loved, Megan and Owen discovered that the most memorable part of their waterfront wedding was not perfect September weather, but how much fun everyone had when the forecast had other plans.
