Ann Griffin and Austin High were married in Nantucket, a place that has long held meaning for Ann and her family. Growing up, summers on the island were a constant—days spent near the harbor and traditions that shaped how Nantucket came to feel less like a destination and more like home. When it came time to plan their wedding, the island offered not just beauty, but continuity.
The couple met after college on a blind date arranged by Ann’s childhood best friend. They gathered for cocktails and oysters at Pearl Dive in Washington, D.C., and talked until the restaurant closed. Five years later, Austin proposed during a winter trip to Park City, surprising Ann with dinner in an alpenglobe overlooking the mountains before joining friends and family for a weekend of skiing and celebration.
From the outset, the wedding vision centered on creating a full Nantucket experience—one that felt joyful, immersive, and unmistakably rooted in the island’s character. Rather than hosting everything in one place, Ann and Austin chose venues across Nantucket so guests could experience the island as they know it, from town to Siasconset.
Planning and design were led by Maggie Stewart Events, who worked closely with Ann and her mother over the course of a year-and-a-half. Hydrangeas became the defining motif of the weekend—as Ann puts it, woven throughout nearly every moment was “a sea of white and blue hydrangeas.” Flowers on Chestnut brought the vision to life, beginning with a hydrangea bar at the welcome party and continuing through the ceremony and reception.
Ann worked closely with stylist Blair Young of Styled Young, a longtime friend, to curate fashion for the entire weekend. The goal was timelessness—pieces that felt appropriate to Nantucket’s understated elegance while allowing room for personal touches. For the welcome party, Ann wore Alexandra Pijut’s Rainey Dress, adorned with floral appliqués, arriving by boat at Great Harbor Yacht Club alongside Austin.
On the wedding day, she chose a vintage Oscar de la Renta dress paired with a Peter Langner veil, Manolo Blahnik shoes, and jewelry layered with meaning: Dior earrings worn by her mother and sister on their wedding days, and a Nantucket Pageo ring gifted by her father. Austin wore a blue Canali tuxedo—his Nantucket interpretation of black tie—finished with his father’s bow tie.
Photography was captured by Rebecca Love Photography, who documented the weekend with a focus on movement, emotion, and the many unscripted moments that unfolded across the island. Videography by Yellow Productions preserved the ceremony’s music-filled gravitas and the celebratory rhythm of the reception.
On September 9, 2023, at First Congregational Church, where Ann’s family attended while she was growing up, a hydrangea arch framed the entrance. Large windows were left open during the ceremony, allowing a breeze from the harbor to drift through as a quartet, organist, and trumpet led guests in song. The ceremony itself was intentionally expansive, with all 21 members of the wedding party standing alongside the couple. Music played an essential role, reflecting both families’ traditions and anchoring the ceremony in something deeply familiar. “The minute we heard the whole congregation begin singing, the tears started flowing,” Ann shares.
Following the ceremony—as cocktail hour came to a close—a bagpiper emerged on the green, signaling the transition into the evening. The moment allowed Ann and Austin a brief pause together before stepping forward—an opportunity to take in the setting, the guests, and the significance of the day.
Guests gathered under a tent on the golf course at Sankaty Head Golf Club. Boxwood greenery lined the entrance, and hydrangeas filled the space, designed to feel lush yet natural against the coastal setting. The tent remained open as the sun set, with Nantucket fog rolling in later that evening—an unmistakable island moment.
Inside the club, the couple cut into a five-tier almond and red velvet cake adorned with hydrangeas, a design that grew from an initial three tiers after their stationer’s simple suggestion: why not five? Paper goods were designed by Preppy Pink Pony, whose custom stationery suite spanned invitations, programs, and weekend materials. Ann describes the paper details as one of the most memorable parts of the process—each piece designed to reflect “Our Nantucket,” tying together tradition, place, and personality.
The dance floor came alive under the direction of Encore, a nine-piece band from Wilson Stevens. Motown filled the room as sailor hats and light-up glasses were passed out, and Ann recalls barely sitting down all night. “We love a good dance circle,” she says.
The celebration continued late into the night at the “town bar,” with espresso martinis, dancing, and a final stop at Stubby’s before guests departed. A hurricane delayed many flights the following day, extending the weekend with an impromptu gathering at Jetties Beach—a fitting, unplanned ending to a weekend defined by island rhythms.
Originally bound for Bermuda, Ann and Austin pivoted their honeymoon plans west when weather intervened, settling into Santa Barbara instead. They stayed at El Encanto, spending their days sailing, wine tasting, and resting poolside.
