Courtney had long imagined the Ocean Club as the place she would be married. She remembered a trip as a teenager when a note was slipped under their hotel door warning guests about fireworks for a wedding that evening, and the idea never left her. When Bruce proposed, she knew exactly the setting: pinks, florals, and a destination infused with nostalgia and joy.
Planning took eight fast months, full of Zoom calls, mock-ups, and countless creative iterations. Courtney leaned heavily into pinks, tropical textures, and florals that felt abundant and sculptural. Her mom, equally creative, dreamed up the gatefold invitation suite, sketched the initial concept, and helped bring it to life with an artist, creating a printed moment that felt like stepping into the weekend itself.
On wedding morning, Courtney settled into a joyful getting-ready villa filled with Taylor Swift, friends, snacks, and sunlight. Her dress was a dramatic, floral lace Nardos gown with an extraordinary train and an even more extraordinary veil. When her father walked in for their first look, both shed tears; he had refused to see any part of the dress ahead of time, saving the moment for the day itself.
Courtney and Bruce’s first look at The Cloisters was emotional and grounding. As they stood among the stone archways and lush gardens, the reality of the celebration finally settled in: the location, the anticipation, the shared excitement of everything they had built together.
Their ceremony was held beneath the ancient stones, with warm island breezes, and bright November light illuminating the aisle. Afterward, guests moved into what Courtney’s father lovingly insisted was “a structure, not a tent,” a towering, draped, air-conditioned space on the terrace that created a glamorous, atmospheric venue for the evening. A circular bar stood at the center with custom floral artwork, one of her favorite design elements, mirroring the chandeliers suspended overhead.
As dinner flowed into dancing, Courtney changed into her sleek Old Hollywood gown from Warren Barrón. And then the fireworks began. For three minutes, the sky exploded in color and sound, far exceeding anything she had hoped for and delivering the exact moment she’d dreamed of as a girl walking the grounds years earlier.
The band energized the room before guests headed to the after party, where Courtney appeared in a sparkle-filled, fringe, flapper-inspired dress chosen specifically for the DJ she had dreamed of hiring: Laszewo. With fog, lights, and peacock-shaped lighting installation, the after party became a euphoric blur of music, friends, and celebration.
By the time the pool party broke out and Courtney changed into a white swimsuit, she and Bruce were fully living the joy of the day. Guests jumped in, danced in the water, and carried the celebration into the late hours of the night. It was the kind of happiness that can’t be replicated: spontaneous, playful, and deeply felt.
For Courtney, if she could describe the wedding in one word, it would be “beyond.” Beyond her dreams, beyond the years of imagining, beyond anything she expected. It was a wedding years in the making, shaped by nostalgia, elegance, vibrancy, and the unmistakable feeling of two families becoming one. It was the happiest day of their lives, and a celebration that no one in attendance will soon forget!
