Subtle Coastal Accents Abounded at This Stylish-Meets-Rustic Barn Wedding in Connecticut

A little more than a year after meeting through mutual friends on vacation in Nantucket in July 2019, Brendan Silhan and Jennifer Reid were ready to move in together—but Brendan had another milestone in mind. "We got engaged on the same date that we closed and moved into our new home," says Jenn. "Brendan proposed in the backyard so that we could spend the first night in our new house as a future Mr. and Mrs."

For their June 26, 2021, wedding, Jenn and Brendan imagined a city-style wedding in a rustic setting, choosing The Inn at Graybarns in Norwalk, Connecticut to host their 81 guests. "We wanted to have our closest friends and family in black-tie, formal attire, set within the rustic-chic, modern barn surroundings," they say. With COVID-19 guidelines already in effect when they got engaged, they planned cautiously. "We purposely planned a smaller wedding because we did not have visibility as to when restrictions would be lifted and whether people would be comfortable in a large gathering," they say. "It was not a re-plan, but it delayed the planning process. We purposely planned an outdoor ceremony and thankfully our guests had all been vaccinated prior to the wedding."

After a religious ceremony held in the shadow of the property's gray-washed barn, the couple hosted a seated dinner in a formal room flooded with natural light before inviting their guests back to the barn for dancing and signature cocktails. They chose a color palette of white, green, chambray, and gray, adding subtle nautical accents—like oyster shell place cards, driftwood elements, and wide-striped linens—in a nod to their meeting in at the coast. "Nantucket will always remain a special place in our hearts," says the couple.

"We worked with Model Paper to create a clean, modern look that tied into the location," says the bride. Gold script provided an elegant touch to the invitation's textured wood motif—a reference to the barn where the ceremony would be held—and a custom wax seal reappeared on menus at the reception.

Jenn was drawn to the unique blush color, illusion back, tulle skirt, and intricate lace detailing on her Pedram Couture wedding dress, which she customized with an extended train. She chose Loeffler Randall shoes with a wider heel—thoughtfully selected to make walking around the venue's lawns easier. "The day before the wedding, they were nowhere to be found—we assume left in the back of a cab somewhere in New York City!" says the bride. "Luckily, my good friend Georgia found the only Loeffler Randall boutique in New York City, which had just one pair left in my size, and saved the day!"

Porcelain Vine Floral designed a bouquet of butterfly ranunculus, majolica roses, specialty garden roses, and other textural white-and-green elements.

Brendan donned a peak lapel tuxedo from The Black Tux and cuff links that were a wedding gift from his bride. "Our golden-doodle, Oscar, joined us for the first look to take pictures and helped us get ready to celebrate," notes the groom.

Jenn and Brendan met in a garden behind the inn for a private first look before the ceremony. His understated white boutonnière coordinated with her bouquet and stood out against his dark jacket.

A white bike, complete with a flower-filled basket and neutral signage, directed guests towards the ceremony location.

As guests entered the ceremony space, they were offered glasses of cucumber water or Champagne. A path lined with lanterns led them to cushioned chairs, set with programs and paper fans, that faced the gray-washed barn. "We loved the barn as a focal point," says the couple.

Delicate florals created an altar space in front of the barn doors. "The rough wood of the barn was softened with pedestals at different heights topped with clusters of full baby's breath and white hydrangea arrangements," says the couple.

A string duo played Ed Sheeran's "Perfect" as Jenn's father escorted her down the aisle, where Brendan waited with the couple's officiant. Because they kept their guest list small, the bride and groom opted to include only a best man and maid of honor in their wedding party.

Father Vincent Biagi, S.J., the headmaster from Brendan's high school alma mater, officiated the Catholic ceremony. "We each wrote a paragraph explaining our love for each other," says the couple. "Father Biagi read these paragraphs out loud during his homily."

A carefully-curated cocktail menu included margaritas made with spicy pepper syrup; an old fashioned with coffee gomme; Camillo martinis with cocchi Americano; the "Make it Snap Pea," a blend of snap pea-infused gin, yuzu, lemon, and mint syrup; and the venue's signature greyhound, made with Tito's vodka, grapefruit, and rosemary.

Linens with wide blue-and-white stripes and reclaimed driftwood on the escort table were a nod to the couple's meeting in Nantucket.

At the reception, exposed wooden tables were draped with loosely gathered, pale-gray runners.

White flowers and mercury glass votives kept the décor simple but impactful.

Pristine blooms in shades of white and ivory sat in low vessels on the runners. A custom menu with the couple's wax seal, oyster shell place card, and neatly folded napkin were set at each guest's place.

"The perimeter tables had white slipcovered sofas for seating," says the couple, "so we had fun custom pillows made with the table numbers for these."

Jenn and Brendan emphasized the dinner-party feel of their reception with a menu that included burrata rhubarb preserve, arugula with croutons and black pepper-lemon dressing, spicy rigatoni with Calabrian cream, red snapper with Chinese broccoli, honey-glazed duck breast, and steak Oscar. "The Inn at Graybarns has a wonderful menu and the food definitely shone through," they say.

The couple requested a "subtle and modern" dessert from Nine Cakes. The end result: a chocolate and vanilla marbled cake with vanilla buttercream shaped into a delicate woodgrain pattern on the top tier and a barn door-inspired geometric design on the bottom.

Brendan and Jenn invited their guests into the barn for dancing after dinner. "We loved the mix of the modern style and the rustic-chic, country feel," they say. "It felt to us like a mix of New York City and Connecticut." After sharing their first dance to "Whatever It Is" by the Zac Brown Band, Jenn and her father took the floor to Alabama's "Dixieland Delight," which, she says, "was accompanied by guests cheering on with surprise 'Bama pom pom shakers, as at least half of the guests had attended the University of Alabama."

Photography, Judy Pak
Venue and catering, Inn at Graybarns
Event planning, Ryder Sloan Events
Flowers, Porcelain Vine Floral
Stationery, Model Paper Design
Cake, Nine Cakes
Music, Hank Lane Music Liberty Band
Rentals, Gather and Lounge; La Tavola Linen; Party Rental LTD
Bride's gown, Pedram Couture
Bride's shoes, Loeffler Randall
Hair and makeup, Face Time Beauty
Groom's attire, The Black Tux
Groom's wedding band, Brilliant Earth
Guest book, Catch This Moment