One summer night at the Grey Lady in the Hamptons, mutual friends introduced Claire Yingling and Matthew Doyle to each other. It wasn’t until they matched on Hinge the following fall when they finally connected. They shared their first date on Halloween at the now-closed Simon and the Whale. The day was commemorated with a Polaroid the bartender took—it is still framed in their home today.
For Claire’s 30th birthday, Matt planned a weekend getaway to Troutbeck in Hudson Valley. Little did she know, he had much more than a short trip planned. Matt got down on one knee in the property’s chapel with flowers, candles, and custom-labeled Champagne. Once the engaged couple returned to the hotel, both of their families were there, ready to celebrate the good news with dinner, shots, and an impromptu dance party.
A destination wedding seemed intriguing at first, but Claire and Matt realized nowhere could be as special as Claire’s hometown. “I always knew I wanted a late summer-early fall wedding because the weather is beyond perfect, and it’s the most beautiful time of year in Chicago,” she shares. They chose Shoreacres for its Lake Michigan views and proximity to her alma mater. Matt spent his summers on Cape Cod, so he loved the idea of marrying near the water.
The weekend started with a welcome party at the Chicago Botanic Garden. “We invited all our guests, so it truly felt like a weekend-long event and was the perfect way to kick off the wedding festivities,” Claire notes. They enlisted Jesse Deckard from Bliss Events to plan and design everything to perfection and Olivia Leigh Photographie to photograph the weekend.
Claire seized the opportunity to use her background in luxury and fashion and loved finding her bridal wardrobe. She incorporated some color in her Friday outfit for the garden-themed party. Thierry Roger designed her dress using floral Oscar de la Renta textiles that Claire and her mother found at Mood Fabrics. She complemented the look with a Pamela Munson x Schumacher clutch and diamond drop earrings pinpricked with a South Sea pearl from A.M. Feldman Jewelers. Matt felt very “on-brand” with the wedding aesthetic in his custom green basketweave J. Hilburn jacket that matched his bride-to-be.
Claire’s Carolina Herrera wedding dress was one of the first she ever tried on. “I could have danced in it all night but had to change into my second look because someone spilled espresso martini on it late in the night,” she notes. “Don’t worry, we got it out!”
Her veil matched the gown’s floral embroidery and sequin details. “I wish I could have somehow worn it again or for longer,” she says. “Veils should be normalized in eveningwear, in my opinion!” To offset the strapless back, RC Beauty’s Ashley Condron styled her hair in a chignon bun, and Rachel Reiman kept her makeup glowing. She paired the look with rare Manolo Blahnik heels her mother found. “They were honestly so comfortable that I never took them off, and I’ve since had them dyed black, so I can wear them for years to come.”
As for the custom pink sequin Markarian dress and Valentino stud pumps she wore to the disco after-party, Claire can only describe the ensemble as “pretty freaking fun.”
For the wedding itself, Matt wore a white dinner jacket, “which is what I always pictured him in,” Claire notes. His custom J. Hilburn jacket had the wedding date embroidered on the cuff, and he also sported Stubbs & Wootton velvet loafers. “From the entire wedding weekend into the honeymoon, Matt’s ultimate inspiration was James Bond, and he totally pulled it off!”
Claire’s bridesmaids all donned different white dresses that spoke to their personalities. They all, however, wore the same Sam Edelman platform sandals and Jennifer Behr Ines Earrings from Over The Moon. The groomsmen sported their own tuxes, but most wore custom Stubbs & Wootton loafers and pocket squares from Claire’s late grandfather’s collection.
On September 10, 2022, guests gathered for the ceremony overlooking the lake, as one of the couple’s friends—and talented musicians—played “Can’t Help Falling in Love” on the keyboard. Matt walked down the aisle to “City of Blinding Lights” by U2, followed by their families and wedding party as “Simply the Best” by Tina Turner sounded off from the violin. The priest from Claire’s childhood church officiated the sweet ceremony. “I think we both forgot more than 250 people were watching us the entire time!” she remembers.
The newlyweds absconded to a room in the club to pop Champagne and congratulate themselves on getting married before joining their guests for cocktail hour on the bluff. The tented reception kicked off with the Affinity Dance Band in full swing, and Claire and Matt entered to the tune of “September” by Earth, Wind, and Fire. The first dance to Dan + Shay’s “Speechless” even included fireworks before they grooved to Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody.” The speeches were tender and memorable.
Dinner by Shoreacres was delectable. The celebrations continued in the grill room with disco-themed details. Matt was in charge of the menu and took his job seriously, selecting a range of chicken fingers, a hot dog bar, mozzarella sticks, and mac and cheese. The ambient smoke machine set off the alarm, and the fire department did come—“but that didn’t stop us from dancing!” the bride confesses. Meanwhile, the luminous harvest moon shone down on the wedding party, reflecting off of the lake, all night long.
