FAMILY WEDDING DAY INFO & SCHEDULE

If you are part of the Chen, Ong, Yang, Yeung,
Palten, Yacavone, Bowers, and Ersarve crew, this schedule involves you ♡

WHERE TO STAY?

Preferred Hotel: We’re encouraging all family members stay at the
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Stonington-Mystic Area
(Google Maps link).

Book Here (Discounted Wedding Block): La Quinta Inn & Suites.

Susan’s family will be staying at this hotel, and we’ll be organizing a group family shuttle to and from the wedding venue. This hotel was the cheapest wedding block we could find in the area with a flexible cancellation policy. It is also just a 4-minute drive from the hair and makeup salon for those interested.

Please note: staying at this hotel is optional.
If you prefer to stay elsewhere or plan to drive up on Sunday morning, just make sure to arrive at Ocean House on time for family photos, which begins promptly at 1:50 PM.

See the schedule below for details on when formal family photos will take place.

Our Booking Recommendation:

If you're uncertain about your hotel plans at this time, we recommend booking La Quinta as a backup. They offer a flexible free cancellation policy, so reserving a room now ensures you have an option later. Once invitations are sent to all guests, rooms at La Quinta and nearby Westerly hotels may book up quickly, as summer is peak season in Watch Hill. We want to ensure you have a backup place to stay.

Don’t Drink & Drive!
If you plan on drinking at the wedding, we strongly recommend booking a hotel for at least Sunday night.

FAMILY SCHEDULE

Tentative Schedule / this may change closer to date.

8:00 AM - 10 AM | Breakfast & Shower

10:00 AM - 11:45 AM | Bella Vita Salon
Wedding Party Women only

The salon is a 4-minute drive away from La Quinta (Google Maps).

Here is the Bella Vita Salon Schedule.

If you’d like your hair and makeup done and are not part of the wedding party, we can surely include you. Please email Susan to arrange Venmo payment, so she can provide the salon with the correct headcount.

Susan will be getting her hair done separately at Ocean House, so please don’t wait for her.

11:45 AM - 1:10 PM | Eat Lunch, Get Dressed & Use the Bathroom
Please take this time to eat and get dressed to ensure you’re energized for family photos. Consider grabbing some sandwiches nearby or ordering pizza to your hotel. You’ve got this ~
Please also use the bathroom before you leave/get on the shuttle, so that when you get to Ocean House, we don’t have a bunch of people going to the bathroom and cutting into the photography time.

1:10 PM - 1:40 PM | Family Shuttle to Ocean House

At 1:10 PM, a family shuttle will be stationed outside La Quinta to pick up all family members for transportation to Ocean House. The shuttle will depart promptly at 1:20 PM.

1:45 PM - 3:15 PM | Family Photos

1:45 PM - Family meets photographer at Croquet Lawn / Ready for Photos + Bridesmaids pick up your bouquets
1:50 PM - Full Extended Family Photos (20 mins)
2:10 PM - Bride Family Photos (20 mins)
2:30 PM - Groom Family Photos (20 mins)
2:50 PM - Wedding Party Photos (25 mins)
3:15 PM - Done with Photos, take a quick 15-minute break

Our photographer is Katherine Marchand — family photo schedule is forthcoming.

3:00 PM | Kathy Yacavone Sound Check with DJ

3:30 PM | Pre-Ceremony

3:30 PM - Guests arrive
Wedding party preps for the procession
The rest of the family greets and ushers guests to the East Lawn

3:40 PM - Prelude begins
3:50 PM - All guests must be seated at the East Lawn by this time

4 PM | Wedding Ceremony

4:00 PM - Ceremony begins promptly on the East Lawn
4:30 PM - Wedding Ceremony Ends with a flower petal toss

4:30 PM | Friends Photos

4:30 PM Friends Photos by the stairs (groups)

5:00 PM | Cocktail Hour at the Seaside Terrace

6:00 PM - 10:00 PM | Dinner & Dancing at the Seaside Ballroom

6:05 – Grand Entrance
6:10 – First Dance
6:15 - Toasts / Blessing:
Barbara Palten & Barbara Chen (Double Barbara Toast)
Best Man: David Palten
Maid of Honor: Diana Chen
6:30 – Dinner
7:55 – Cake Cutting & Cake
8:15 – DANCING!!
9:20 – Bouquet Toss
9:50 – Last Song

10:00 PM | End of Night

10:00 - Return shuttles depart outside Ocean House back to hotels

When to Head Out?

From 10 PM - 11 PM, we’ll have a relaxed lounge vibe with soft music and an extended bar—perfect for winding down the night. Based on past event experiences, after a full day starting early / 1 PM, you will likely be quite tired and ready to head out by 10 PM.

That said, if you’d like to stay a little longer, you’re more than welcome to.
Just be sure to select the 11 PM shuttle on your RSVP instead of the 10 PM family shuttle so we can plan accordingly.

IMPORTANT FAMILY ROLES

There will be many moving parts and tight schedules on the wedding day, so we hope it’s
alright to delegate a few tasks your way.

Family Procession: here’s everyone involved in the procession.
Palten Family Coordinator: David (shepherd the family on the day if anyone has questions)
Chen Family Coordinator: Diana (shepherd the family on the day if anyone has questions)
Pet Attendant: If anyone is interested in taking care of Monaco on the day for an hour, we would be truly grateful—please let us know.

DRESS CODE

WEDDING PARTY / BLACK-TIE REQUIRED

General:

Wedding Party Women: White, cream, or nude pink formal attire.
Wedding Party Men: Black tuxedos, black bow ties, white pocket squares, black shoes.

Specifics:

Officiant: Black dress (e.g. embellished, long) / black dress suit. Example, Example 2
Groom: Example. 1 boutonniere will be provided.
Bridesmaids: Nude pink floor-length gowns with appropriate ivory formal shoes.
Groomsmen: Black tuxedo, white shirt, white pocket square, black bow tie. Example
Joe will coordinate a tuxedo rental outing to Men’s Warehouse or somewhere similar.
Cousins: Nude pink dresses designed by Betty. Ask Cousin Betty about shoes, accessories, etc.
Flower Girls: Ivory-white (light ivory) dresses, white shoes, and bring white/ivory cardigans for warmth. Example 1, Example 2, Example 3: puffy, satin, with satin bow.
Flower crowns and baskets will be provided.
Elizabeth will coordinate a flower girls’ dress shopping outing.
Ring Bearer: Black tuxedo, white shirt, black bow tie. Ring pillow will be provided.
Hi Karl — we are putting you in charge of this situation since you are a bow-tie expert. Example
Moms: Champagne, beige, tan, cream, gold, silver, or any shade of pink formal dresses or suits with skirts. Other appropriate attire that complements the Wedding Party is also welcome.

FAMILY MEMBERS BEYOND THE WEDDING PARTY /
BLACK-TIE PREFERRED

What is Black-Tie Preferred?
Floor-length gowns, formal cocktail dresses, and tuxedos with black bow ties or neckties are encouraged. Dark suits with bow ties or elegant dresses are suitable alternatives.

For Men:

Black tuxedos with black shoes and bow ties.
Dark suits or Creative Black Tie are welcome: e.g. Plaid or pin-striped patterned suits; fun-colored bow ties and matching pocket squares etc.

For Women:

Colors: Beige, brown, cream, gold, champagne, nude, light pink, silver, black, pastels, or neutral tones. Subtle floral or patterned designs in these shades also work :)
Muted tones of purple, yellow, or burgundy also complement the palette.
Bright red is discouraged; burgundy or muted reds are preferred.
Textures: Satin, sequins, lace, sparkles, tulle, and chiffon are excellent choices.

TIPS:

Backdrop: Ocean House building is a big yellow backdrop, so avoid clashing colors.
Have Fun: Always wanted to wear a cape dress or pinstripe suit? YOLO ~ this is your chance!! ;)
Need Help? Text James and Susan photos of your outfit for guidance.
Inspiration: Below are some inspirational photos to spark ideas, along with additional links for brainstorming:

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

We’re so excited to celebrate our special day with all of you and feel incredibly lucky to have such wonderful support as we step into this new chapter of our lives. Your presence means the world to us, and we know that with everyone’s help, patience, and cooperation, the day will be filled with love, laughter, and happy memories for all. Thank you for being part of this journey with us—it wouldn’t be the same without you.

With love and gratitude,
Susan & James

CURIOUS ABOUT VENDORS?

Here is everyone working with us on the day to bring our wedding day to life:

Day of Coordinators | Ocean House, Lauren DiStefano & Tanya Brenton
Bride’s Assistant & Guest Travel Coordinator | Alex Kilcoyne
Photographer | Katherine Marchand
Videographer | Retrosound Films
Ceremony Violin & Cello | Ariana Strings
Ceremony Song | The Jabberwocks of Brown University
Florals | Winston Flowers
Music | Dawson Entertainment, DJ JD (Jason Dawson)
Hair & Makeup | Bella Vita Salon
Shuttle Service | Rockstar Limo