By Emily Rochotte
Photography by Howarth Photography Ltd.
Jordan Valutas and Matthew “Toby” Jacobs celebrated their marriage in October with a wedding in the very same church where her parents said “I do” decades earlier.
The couple met when they joined the same New Jersey kickball team, and their love quickly blossomed. Work split the couple up, with Toby heading to California, and Jordan to Bermuda, to join the America’s Cup Event Authority. Distance made the heart grow fonder and the two withstood their time apart.
Toby and Jordan decided on a destination wedding in Bermuda, which holds a special place in Jordan’s heart as the place she visited each summer as a child, and where her parents met and were married. She decided to walk down the same aisle her mother had at St. Anne’s Church in Southampton.
On the day of the wedding, Toby and Jordan opted not to see each other until the walk down the aisle. After the ceremony, the newlyweds left the church for the reception via a traditional horse and carriage.
When deciding on a reception venue, the choice was an easy one as far as Jordan was concerned.
“Coral Beach Club is where I spent my summers growing up, so I was part of the community there and it’s a really special place to me,” said Jordan.
The majority of guests flew in just for the wedding, so Toby and Jordan wanted to create a memorable experience for them. In lieu of a rehearsal dinner, the couple welcomed their guests with a reception at the Mid Ocean Club. The day of the wedding, Jordan and Toby were able to kick back and had fun, as they knew the Coral Beach Club would take good care of their guests.
“I knew the service and staff at Coral Beach would deliver, and we knew the food would be excellent,” Jordan shared. “We just really wanted everyone to have a good time, so my focus was on the party.”
The highlight of the night for both the couple and their guests was the live music of The Broadway Project.
“Usually at a wedding, the bride and groom have a receiving line because everyone wants to see them, but our band had a receiving line at the end of the wedding,” laughed Jordan. “They really made the wedding and got everyone on the dancefloor.”
In addition to a traditional wedding cake, Coral Beach’s pastry chef put together a sumptuous dessert bar for Toby and Jordan’s guests to satisfy their sweet tooth. The day after the wedding, guests gathered at a recovery brunch on the celebration yacht ÜberVida, where they shared memories of the previous day in between jumping in to the crystal clear ocean.
“The weather was amazing and the Bermuda backdrop was beautiful,” gushed Jordan. “It’s one of the most beautiful places in the world and it’s very special to me. Seeing the fun all the guests had, and that they made this a vacation, was important. So many people will come back to Bermuda and that was such a highlight to see everyone have such a great experience.”
WEDDING DETAILS
CEREMONY: St. Anne’s Church
RECEPTION: Coral Beach and Tennis Club
WEDDING PLANNER: Elegant Occasions by JoAnn Gregoli
PHOTOGRAPHY: Howarth Photography Ltd.
FLOWERS: Suzan Sickling
CAKE: Coral Beach and Tennis Club
CATERING: Coral Beach and Tennis Club
MUSIC: The Broadway Project provided by EastCoast Entertainment; Tempo Entertainment Jazz Trio; Kate Ross Violin Trio and Trumpet; Sound Concepts
HAIR & MAKEUP: Vernon Gerstner-Cabral
TRANSPORTATION: Karl Terceira; St. George’s and West End Mini-Bus Service LTD.; Sam BDA Limo
LIGHTING: Great Sound Lighting
& Audio Visual
