Skip to content

Top Navigation

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • FOOD
  • HOLIDAYS
  • ENTERTAINING
  • HOME
  • GARDENING
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING
  • WEDDINGS
  • SHOP
  • DIY
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS
  • LIFE
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Pin FB

Explore Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Tips on Organizing Your Home

      Tips on Organizing Your Home

      From the kitchen and bathroom to the bedroom and laundry room, here are 40 ways to simplify, streamline, and banish clutter throughout the house. Read More
    • These Are the Paint Colors You'll See Everywhere in 2022

      These Are the Paint Colors You'll See Everywhere in 2022

      Upgrade your spaces with new—and old—classics. Read More
    • 39 Make-Ahead Holiday Dishes That Are Perfect for Festive Family Gatherings

      39 Make-Ahead Holiday Dishes That Are Perfect for Festive Family Gatherings

      These classic recipes will help you get a head start on the festivities. Read More
  • FOOD

    FOOD

    See All FOOD
    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cooking How-Tos
    • Baking
    • Menu Planning
    • Food News & Trends
    • Wine
    • Mastering the Holiday Meal
    • What's for Dinner
    • All Recipes
  • HOLIDAYS

    HOLIDAYS

    See All HOLIDAYS
    All of Our Best Valentine's Day Crafts to Make from the Heart

    All of Our Best Valentine's Day Crafts to Make from the Heart

    Express your love with handmade Valentine's crafts like paper cards, gift ideas, and decorations.
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patricks Day
    • Passover
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
    • Father's Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • New Year's Eve
  • ENTERTAINING

    ENTERTAINING

    See All ENTERTAINING
    Will We Entertain Differently in 2022? These Are the New Trends Hostesses Should Bookmark

    Will We Entertain Differently in 2022? These Are the New Trends Hostesses Should Bookmark

    Secure your role as the host with the absolute most.
    • Seasonal Entertaining & Decorating
    • Baby Shower Ideas
    • Dinner Party Ideas
    • You're Invited
  • HOME

    HOME

    See All HOME
    How to Hang and Arrange Pictures

    How to Hang and Arrange Pictures

    Amp up your home décor with perfectly placed frames.
    • Home Design & Decor
    • Paint Colors & Palettes
    • DIY Home Projects
    • The Well-Kept Home
  • GARDENING

    GARDENING

    See All GARDENING
    Six Houseplant Mistakes to Avoid This Winter

    Six Houseplant Mistakes to Avoid This Winter

    Don't let your varieties fall victim to the perils of poor cold-weather maintenance.
    • Container Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Houseplants
    • Landscaping
    • Vegetable Gardens
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    How to Deep Clean Your Oven with Baking Soda

    How to Deep Clean Your Oven with Baking Soda

    Our easy tips will make this cleaning task a lot less daunting.
    • Cleaning
    • Storage & Organization
    • Laundry & Linens
  • WEDDINGS

    WEDDINGS

    See All WEDDINGS
    Your Ultimate Wedding-Planning Timeline

    Your Ultimate Wedding-Planning Timeline

    Ready, set, go! Our no-nonsense guide will help you learn how to plan your wedding like a pro.
    • Real Weddings
    • Wedding Party
    • Wedding Planning & Advice
    • Wedding Ceremony & Reception
    • Wedding Jewelry
    • Dresses & Style
    • Wedding Beauty & Wellness
    • Wedding Registry
    • Wedding Showers & Parties
    • Love & Marriage
    • Wedding Travel
  • SHOP
  • DIY

    DIY

    See All DIY
    How to Knit: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide

    How to Knit: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide

    Learn how to knit your own mittens, hats, scarves, and more. We'll take you through the step-by-step instructions and teach you how to cast on, knit, purl, and cast off.
    • Dyeing
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Kids' Crafts
    • Knitting
    • Paper Crafts
    • Sewing
    • Rescue & Revamp
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    Your Complete Guide to Restoring Moisture Back Into Your Skin

    Your Complete Guide to Restoring Moisture Back Into Your Skin

    Take a multi-pronged approach if you're experiencing excess dryness.
    • Beauty
    • Health & Wellness
    • Live Well
  • LIFE

    LIFE

    See All LIFE
    • Family
    • Pets
    • Travel
    • Net Worth
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. marthastewart.com
  2. Weddings
  3. Real Weddings
  4. Wedding Styles
  5. Seasonal Weddings
  6. Fall Weddings
  7. A Chic Island Welcome Party Off the Coast of Florida
Martha Stewart Weddings

A Chic Island Welcome Party Off the Coast of Florida

By Meredith Brown
Skip gallery slides
Pin
eb mike welcome party couple boat
Credit: Carrie Patterson

This beach wedding weekend kickoff involved 350 guests and an almost 10-hour party.

Start Slideshow

1 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
eb mike welcome party couple boat
Credit: Carrie Patterson

EB Kapnick and Mike Vandenberg's love story came full circle when their wedding welcome party took place at the same spot at which they'd vacationed during their years at Williams College, and later got engaged at too. The house where this tropical welcome party was held, lovingly called the "K Beach House" — as it is located on Keewaydin Island in Florida — had been in the bride's family for years.

Spanning almost ten hours on the Friday before the wedding, the logistics behind this party were quite involved to say the least. Located just south of Naples, Florida, the closest resort to Keewaydin Island is 20 nautical miles away – meaning that all the supplies and guests had to be brought in by boat. The barrier island is so remote that there isn't even running water or electricity – but rain barrels, solar panels, and the help of Anna Lucia Events meant that the destination wedding weekend could kick off in style.

The second day in a four-day wedding weekend, the November 4, 2016, welcome party included 330 guests and was a fun, casual day of relaxation before the formal nuptials. Held from 1pm to 10:30pm, the party encompassed the magical time of dusk on the island, a highlight for Mike, whose favorite part of the day was "arriving at the island party at sunset and seeing EB in her evening dress while the band started to play."

1 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Welcome Boat

eb mike welcome party boat
Credit: Carrie Patterson

Four large boats shuttled guests from Naples to Keewaydin Island throughout the afternoon and the bride and groom took her family's boat. "On our way to the island, we saw the guests behind us and turned our boat around to wave hello. They gave us a big cheer — it was so special," remembers EB.

2 of 20

3 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

This Way to a Good Time

eb mike welcome party signage
Credit: Carrie Patterson

Large wooden signs by August Blume gave guests a preview of what the day had in store for them.

3 of 20

Advertisement

4 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Women in White

eb mike welcome party bridesmaids
Credit: Carrie Patterson

EB and her nine bridesmaids wore white for the party and a thoughtful friend of EB's brought orchids to put in the bridesmaids' hair. While most everyone was in swimsuits and cover-ups during the day, guests changed into their "Island Cocktail" attire for the evening festivities.

4 of 20

5 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Tropical Rest Stop

eb mike welcome party lounge
Credit: Carrie Patterson

The natural colors on Keewaydin, like the white of the sand and the green of the palm trees, inspired the event's color scheme. The bride had always loved the signature palm print at the Beverly Hills Hotel, which served as the inspiration for the palm pattern on the lounge pillows.

5 of 20

6 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Setup

eb mike welcome party tables
Credit: Carrie Patterson

Tables were set up in the sand for lunch and dinner on the island, in the same spot where the couple had entertained their friends during college. "They were used to a much more rustic experience on the island and it was fun to watch their reactions as they arrived and saw that it had been transformed into a chic beach club for the day," says EB. In keeping with the green and white theme, orchids and succulents were also used throughout the wedding weekend.

6 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Sundries Station

eb mike welcome party sundries
Credit: Carrie Patterson

Dubbed the "Keewaydin Sundries Station," this area provided anything a guest might have wished for during their time on the island — such as sunscreen, beach towels, and bug spray. The items available were listed on a large cloth sign printed and designed by August Blume.

7 of 20

8 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Hats Off To A Great Day

eb mike welcome party hat
Credit: Carrie Patterson

Pineapples and coconuts accented the sundries station display. Customized hats were available with the couple's flamingo logo on the front and wedding date embroidered on the back.

8 of 20

9 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Beach Games

eb mike welcome party huddle
Credit: Carrie Patterson

For the couple's many athletic friends, paddleboards and footballs were provided. Customized Connect Four and Jenga games were also available along with a beanbag toss.

9 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Bar Décor

eb mike welcome party decor
Credit: Carrie Patterson

A gift from a friend of the bride's family, the hanging installation over the bar was a repurposed lure for catching marlin, but repurposed as unique beachside décor.

10 of 20

11 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Island Bar

eb mike welcome party bar
Credit: Carrie Patterson

The island bar was inspired by the beach bars in Mykonos, one of the couple's favorite travel destinations. A rum bar, margarita bar, a beer station, and a rosé station were set up for the day. "When we go to Keewaydin as a family, we typically have my mother's margaritas or her favorite rum punch. Our cocktails were a play on those classics," says EB. One cocktail, the Rum Row Punch, was the bride's mom's recipe and was named for the family's house in Naples, which is on Rum Row.   

11 of 20

12 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Fun in the Sun

eb mike welcome party innertubes
Credit: Carrie Patterson

Another palm print moment came in the form of the patterned inner tubes set out by the beach.

12 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Water Games

eb mike welcome party groupphoto
Credit: Carrie Patterson

Guests hung out in the water and relaxed in the on-theme floats. Despite plenty of time in the 85-degree heat during this event, nobody in the bridal party got sunburned much to the bride's relief!

13 of 20

14 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Guests

eb mike welcome party guests
Credit: Carrie Patterson

One of the bride's closest friends from high school, Honor, and her husband, Jay, got in on the fun. Honor and EB were bridesmaids in each other's weddings.

14 of 20

15 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Beach Snacks

eb mike welcome party icepops
Credit: Carrie Patterson

Gourmet popsicles in lime coconut, mixed berry basil, and orange mango flavors were passed on the beach. Frozen grapes and chocolate chip cookies also kept guests cool.

15 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Dressed to Impress

eb mike welcome party couple
Credit: Carrie Patterson

EB wore white all weekend, including this Oscar de la Renta dress for the evening. In keeping with the "Island Cocktail" dress code, Mike sported an Eleventy jacket, Thomas Pink shirt, and Ralph Lauren pants, and skipped the tie.

16 of 20

17 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Dinner on the Sand

eb mike welcome party crowd
Credit: Carrie Patterson

A seafood station, tortilla station, and skewer station by Carolina Catering Co. allowed guests to help themselves to a mix of foods. The tables were set on a part of the property typically used as a volleyball court, but the bar and dancefloor took center stage here instead on this special occasion.

17 of 20

18 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Music

eb mike welcome party music
Credit: Carrie Patterson

In the evening, The Morrison Brothers Band played some of the couple's favorite country songs as well as their own original tunes. Earlier in the day, a DJ played a mix of tropical house and country music.

18 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Return Trip

eb mike welcome party signage
Credit: Carrie Patterson

Though guests didn't want the day to end, they knew when boats would take them back to the mainland thanks to signage by August Blume.

19 of 20

20 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sources

eb mike welcome party couple
Credit: Carrie Patterson

Photography, Carrie Patterson Photography

Event planning, Anna Lucia Events

Catering, Carolina Catering Co.

Flowers, 50Fifty Creative Services

Videography, Cabana Pictures

Stationery and Calligraphy, August Blume

Flamingo Logo, Ceci New York  

Music, DJ Travis; The Morrison Brothers

Rentals, Event Effects; Tidy Coast

Bride's attire, L *Space swimsuit; Oscar de la Renta white dress; Temptation Positano cover-up

Bride's accessories, Bibi Marini blue earrings; Giuseppe Zanotti shoes

Hair, Salon Tease

Makeup, Julene Dolewa

Groom's apparel, Eleventy jacket; Orlebar Brown swimsuit and linen shirt; Ralph Lauren pants; Thomas Pink blue shirt

Lighting, Bay Stage Live

Transportation, Dolphin Transportation; Sea Excursions

Palm print inner tubes, Float Naked

20 of 20

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Meredith Brown

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    `
    Martha Stewart Weddings
    View All
    • A Colorful Fall Wedding in Aspen, Colorado
    • What Should You Wear to a Low-Key Bridal Shower?
    • Brooklyn Beckham Just Revealed How He Felt the Moment He Saw Nicola Peltz in Her Wedding Dress
    • Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Shared a Sweet Kiss at His Polo Match
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 20
    2 of 20 The Welcome Boat
    3 of 20 This Way to a Good Time
    4 of 20 Women in White
    5 of 20 Tropical Rest Stop
    6 of 20 The Setup
    7 of 20 The Sundries Station
    8 of 20 Hats Off To A Great Day
    9 of 20 The Beach Games
    10 of 20 The Bar Décor
    11 of 20 The Island Bar
    12 of 20 Fun in the Sun
    13 of 20 The Water Games
    14 of 20 The Guests
    15 of 20 The Beach Snacks
    16 of 20 Dressed to Impress
    17 of 20 Dinner on the Sand
    18 of 20 The Music
    19 of 20 The Return Trip
    20 of 20 Sources

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Martha Stewart

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Customer Service
    • Media Kit
    • Martha's Blog
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • FAQ
    • Corporate
    • International
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMartha Stewart is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Martha Stewart. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com

    Sign in

    View image

    A Chic Island Welcome Party Off the Coast of Florida
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.