When Madi Kahn first met Jake Silpe during their senior year at the University of Pennsylvania, he was the captain of the basketball team. “I quickly became the team’s biggest fan,” she jokes. The duo dated for five years before getting engaged in the Hamptons over Thanksgiving 2023.
The New Yorkers knew they wanted to escape the fast pace of Manhattan for their wedding weekend and had one unique qualifier: “Jake and I are both athletes, and grew up going to camp, so we wanted sports and outdoor activities to be a big part of our guest experience,” Madi says. They heard about The Ritz Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee from a friend who had attended a wedding there and flew down to visit. “Right when we stepped foot on the property, we knew it was the perfect place for us,” Madi says. “It has a slow-paced, relaxing feel to it, being so remote. We were excited to have our wedding in such a peaceful destination that would allow us to take in every moment. We also wanted all the guests to be able to stay together on the same property, so they could hang out and bond with each other like an adult camp.” They enlisted Over The Moon Editor’s Pick Planner Victoria Dubin Events and photographer Heather Waraksa to bring the weekend to life.
The bride works in fashion, so she knew she had to go big with her wedding wardrobe. As soon as the venue was locked in, she began curating looks that would fit the destination. And on the day-of, Maisie-Kate Keane helped dress Madi. The bride’s welcome dinner look was a practice in patience. “I knew what I wanted to wear to my welcome dinner a year before my wedding,” Madi says. “I saw a photo of the Tom Ford dress online and knew I needed to find it. I set multiple alerts online across different websites, and after months of searching, I was able to find it.”
Ironically, after such a hunt for her welcome dinner dress, the wedding dress itself practically fell into her lap. “My wedding dress was actually the first dress I tried on. My first appointment was at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City, and the day I went happened to be the Sareh Nouri Spring 2025 trunk show,” the bride says. “I immediately pointed to the dress and gasped and said, ‘I need to try that on.’”
Her second dress, a draped Lihi Hod from Spina Bride, paid homage to the reception tent’s draped decor. “I wanted to add some movement, so I ordered a silk neck scarf online that matched the dress perfectly as an amazing accessory,” Madi says. The final look also played off decor—but this time of the glitzier after-party space. “I knew I wanted to wear a minidress, and knew the colors in the room would be silver and red. I set my search to silver and red mini-dresses, and I loved how the flowers on the Oscar de la Renta dress tied into my [wedding dress], while matching the decor in the room. It was the perfect outfit to end the night in.” A hair stylist from Olivia Halpin and makeup artist Lauren Stein gave Madi a sleek low bun and romantic glam that complemented each and every fashion look.
On May 3, 2025, Madi and Jake exchanged vows overlooking Lake Oconee, beneath a chuppah adorned with twisty ombre florals by Birch Events. “The ceremony was the highlight of our wedding for me,” Madi says. “I felt so happy, in love, calm, comfortable, and at peace. It was the perfect environment to start the rest of our lives together.”
The evening had a finely curated flow, even down to the color palettes. “When it came to ceremony decor, I wanted to lean into the colorful spring flowers already at the venue, with a wooden chuppah to blend into the natural beauty of the forest,” Madi says. “I wanted to go for a slightly different aesthetic for the reception since it was in a white tent, leaning into romantic draping and candles that set the tone for the night.”
The large tent—which held 250 of their loved ones—felt intimate with wall-to-wall and ceiling draping. Clouds of white hydrangea hung overhead, and abundant candlelight glowed. At the front of the room, an all-white stage was set for their Jordan Kahn Music Company band. “There was so much dancing,” Madi says. “My favorite part was at the end, when the band played the last song, an amazing ‘Country Road’ remix, and Jake and I went crowd surfing together holding hands.”
Then the horns led guests from the tent into the hotel ballroom for the after-party, which showcased a totally new aesthetic. “For the after-party, we wanted to turn up the color and party with red draping, red lights, and silver disco balls,” Madi says. “If I had to guess, our after-party was Jake’s highlight of the wedding. His shirt came off very early and stayed off for the rest of the night. Our DJ brought a steam sprayer, so we got to spray the crowd and each other. It was the best time.” The newlyweds explored Singapore, Bali, and Sumba on their honeymoon as they reminisced on all the wedding-camp memories.
