Sarah Robertson moved to Australia when she was 23, for what she thought would only be a year, but after meeting Scott McKenzie at a bar in Sydney, she ended up staying for nearly four. The two dated for six years—on two continents—before he proposed during a hike in Big Sur. “We took a break by a waterfall, and Scott asked me if I wanted to do life together. I said of course I did—that’s exactly what we were doing for the last six years,” Sarah says. “He then clarified, ‘Will you marry me?’ I was genuinely shocked but said yes before hiking—more like prancing—back down the trail.”
Since Sarah grew up in the South Coast of Massachusetts and Scott is from Sydney, they both knew they wanted to wed somewhere outside, near the ocean. The bride’s family friends offered up their beautiful farmland on Buzzards Bay, and it ended up being such a magical setting for their October wedding.
When looking for her dress, Sarah had her eye on designs by Laure de Sagazan and booked an appointment at her atelier in New York City, as her first stop. The bride chose one of the first dresses she tried on. “The lace design was so unique,” she says. “When I asked about it, they mentioned it was from the archives of a Parisian lacemaker.” As the gown was made-to-order from the atelier in Paris, Sarah was able to add sleeves and lower the back to make her look truly custom. For shoes, she found a pair of Stuart Weitzman Nearlynude heels in seafoam green—her favorite color—and pinned to her bouquet was her grandmother’s wedding ring.
Sarah’s sister and maid of honor, Laura, complemented her well in Cynthia Rowley’s Talia flutter sleeve dress, and Scott’s sister and bridesmaid, Jody, wore the Arlo dress from Reiss. All the men and the groom looked handsome in navy suits from Suitsupply.
On the lawn, Sarah and her father walked down the aisle to “Here Comes the Sun,” and her best friend from college, Will Moger, officiated the sweet service. He had reached out to friends and family beforehand, and during the service, he asked people to stand, if they’d been a part of milestones in the couple’s lives that he selected to call out. “At the end, all of our loved ones were standing looking back at us,” Sarah remarks. “It was so overwhelming and beautiful, and Will went on to say, ‘Sarah and Scott, look out at those who are standing. Take this moment in, soak up the warmth and gratitude, the power of our support, and know that this group of people from literally all over the world is yours—we are your community.’”
After exchanging heartfelt and personal vows, the couple retreated to take portraits, while guests enjoyed a cocktail hour outside. Dinner from Russel Morin Catering was served family-style under a Sperry tent filled with beautiful florals by Farrissey Floral Design, candles, and linen hemstitch runners on each table. For dessert, Dunkin’ donuts and munchkins were available to keep the energy high for the rest of the evening with the band, Sugarbabies.
The newlyweds’ first dance was to “Riptide” by Vance Joy, and Sarah didn’t leave the dance floor for the entire night. After the reception, guests left and the wedding party stayed at the house. “We bundled up, sat by the fire pit, and shared stories from the amazing day,” Sarah says. “It was perfect.”
