Michael Whitton & Doug Gellenbeck
Water Mill, New York
September 12, 2009
More is more,” a mantra espoused by legendary interior designer Tony Duquette, was the major inspiration for Doug and Michael’s wide-ranging Hamptons affair. That, plus a recent trip to Morocco, frequent pilgrimages to Burning Man, and the bohemian vibe of the wedding in Rachel Getting Married. Their friends (owners of beloved tchotchke shop Pylones) offered their sprawling horse sanctuary in Southampton as a blank slate where Doug and Michael could bring that vision to life. “We wanted people to use the property and keep their imaginations going,” says Doug. “To have a journey through the night.” Their ceremony was held under a handmade chuppa by the field, cocktails were served poolside, dinner took place in a barn transformed into a glittering menagerie, and fire dancers kicked off the party outside a nearby tent. “As difficult as it was to orchestrate, the main reason we had a wedding was to have family and friends around,” says Doug. “My granny had been battling cancer, and she was so happy when we told her we were getting married,” Michael recalls. “This woman who was so weak jumped out of her chair to hug us.”
As told to Thessaly La Force.
The Details
Doug’s Suit and Shoes: Gucci
Michael’s Suit and Shoes: John Varvatos and Rock & Republic
Flowers: Jared Reichert Designs
Invitations: Bell’Invito Letterpress Studio
Caterer: Food for Forks
Michael Whitton & Doug GellenbeckPhotographs by Image Singulière
“We made the chuppa out of PVC, Styrofoam, and rakes; by the time we were done, it weighed, like, 40 pounds.”
“We hauled all these branches out of the woods and spent a month painting them, and then we suspended them from the ceiling.”
“We had a table of little trinkets we found at garage sales, and we tied each person’s name to their trinket. Their seat number was on the other side.”
