Lawyers Sara Catherine Ainsworth and John Reeve O’Gorman met in class, when she overheard him complaining about administrative difficulties and offered to help. Then he joined the journal she co-founded, and after meeting to discuss his role, she texted a friend saying, “The next person I date is Jack O’Gorman.”
After dating for a year-and-a-half, he proposed while on a trip to her hometown of Seattle. “I wanted to ask her father in person,” he says. “I proposed on a walk with our French bulldog at the arboretum.”
Sara’s favorite place in the world is her parents’ house in the French countryside, and Jack immediately agreed when she suggested it for their wedding venue, despite him never having been to Europe before. “We decided that we wanted the wedding to feel like a family garden party—a little eclectic and not too fussy,” she says. “We wanted flowers that looked a little wild, and of course, there had to be purple—my favorite color.” To help bring their summer celebration to life, they hired Nancy La Tart and her amazing team at Fête in France.
Since this might be the only opportunity for Sara to wear a ballgown with a train, she took full advantage of that while shopping for her wedding dress. At a Monique Lhuillier trunk show at Carine’s Bridal, she had her eye on colorful, floral, tulle gown. “It was dramatic, but not overwhelming, and would fit in beautifully with the flowers of the French countryside,” Sara says. Once she tried it on, she knew it was the one.
For the reception, she found a purple Badgley Mischka dress in a consignment shop that fit perfectly. “I knew I was going to wear my lilac block-heel sandals from Target because they are incredibly comfortable, matched the reception dress, and I didn’t mind if they got ruined in the process of walking on the lawn.”
Beauty-wise, Sara wanted a natural look, and used actress Emma Watson as inspiration. Allison Depriestre made sure she looked like herself and matched her red lipstick to the red florals on her dress. For her hair, she wanted something romantic that would keep out of her face. Ciara Constenoble managed to get Sara’s hair to stay curled through the next morning and gave her a perfectly styled, pulled back look.
Jack wore a gray Hugo Boss suit and French bulldog cufflinks, as a nod to their puppy, Ladybird, who couldn’t attend the festivities. He also carried a vintage handkerchief from Sara’s grandmother’s antique store. The groom bought all his groomsmen their ties, belts, and pocket squares, while Sara gifted her bridesmaids Roxanne Assoulin earrings that matched the colors in her gown.
Before the ceremony, a champagne cocktail hour greeted their guests, and the couple’s families got together for a pre-wedding toast. Once the service began, Sara’s uncle sang “Ave Maria,” which he sang at her parents’ wedding, and she walked down the aisle with her mom and dad to the purple floral arch. The bride’s grandfather is a Presbyterian minister, so he officiated, just as he had done at her parents’ wedding too.
“My sister read an excerpt from Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court decision that legalized gay marriage,” Sara says. “This case not only grants marriage equality to all but beautifully explains the role that marriage has in secular society. As lawyers, it felt very us.” The two walked out as a married couple to Louis Armstrong’s rendition of “La Vie en Rose.”
At the second cocktail hour, signature drinks called “The Ladybird” (a Tom Collins with herbes de Provence) and “The French Blonde” (vodka, elderflower, and grapefruit) were served, and then guests headed to the tent. Dinner was catered by Entre Mets & Fragrances, who served zoodles with scallops, spit-roasted lamb, potato purée, and vegetables among gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options.
After the meal, the newlyweds danced to “Beyond” by Leon Bridges, and Sara danced with her dad to “Father Daughter” by Paul Simon. “I was surprised he made it through without sobbing—he had been practicing!” the bride says. Then the dancing continued until 2:00 a.m. “Everyone piled into coaches with ham and cheese baguettes to go back to the bigger town or Paris when the party ended.”
