In 2020, Tara Rotondo and John Guay both found themselves back home in Rhode Island and were set up on a blind date. “Our parents lived in the same neighborhood, and a mutual friend stepped in to play matchmaker,” Tara says. “Since everything was closed, our first date was a walk on the local bike path. Our walks evolved into backyard hangouts, to beach dates in the summer, and before we knew it, a year had gone by.”
Two years later, John arranged for a private tour of Jupiter Lighthouse near Tara’s parents’ second home in Juno Beach, Florida. “There was a photographer at the top, where he proposed,” Tara says. “When we got back down to the bottom, there was a violinist playing ‘Married Life’ from the movie Up, one of my favorite intros to a movie ever. We then drove back to my parents’ place, where they were waiting to celebrate along with John’s parents.”
Florida holds a special place in the couple’s hearts, and so they decided on a Palm Beach wedding. “We knew from the get-go that the Flagler Museum was where we wanted to have our wedding,” Tara says. “It is such a beautiful, historical site that checked all the boxes. We wanted a venue that could host people in different spaces and allow us to create an aesthetic that complemented each one.” Plus, the museum’s architecture seemed to harken back to the mansions of Newport, Rhode Island, where Tara’s parents were married. “It was like a little piece of home.”
Aesthetically, the couple with Jessica and Michael Masi of Over The Moon Editor’s Pick Planner Masi Events leaned into the old school glamour that is so specific to Palm Beach, from the rehearsal dinner at Lola 41 to the welcome party at BiCE, and of course, the wedding and after-party. This informed her style choices, too. “I didn’t make any decisions about my dress or bridal style until we picked the venue,” Tara says. “I wanted that to help dictate the style of my dress, the fabric, the veil. I wanted a dress that felt organic and as unique as that space.”
The bride’s friend ended sent her an image of an off-the-shoulder Monique Lhuillier style, and Tara was smitten. “I fell in love with it,” Tara says. “The fabric looked so light and elegant, and I had never seen anyone in it before.” She called ahead to make sure Mark Ingram Atelier would have the dress on hand for her upcoming appointment. “It’s cliche, but the minute I tried it on, I just knew this was it. . .It fit like a glove, and the tulle was unlike anything I’ve ever felt. The dress was so light and felt weightless when I moved.”
But it was her floral Toni Federici veil—which she initially tried on “just for fun”—that brought everything together. “The veil ended up being the anchor for my bridesmaids’ dresses, our wedding stationery, and florals,” Tara says. “I assigned each of my bridesmaids a color of one of the flowers on my veil, and I worked with Jasmin of Linden Illustration to incorporate the flowers and colors into our invites.”
For her second look, which she kept as a complete surprise, Tara wanted to really shine. “If you know me, you know I love anything with glitter or sparkle,” she says. “As I was scrolling Instagram one night, I saw this incredible jeweled gown by Liz Martinez on Spina Bride’s page. When I tried it on, I didn’t want to take it off.”
On December 2, 2023, after the bride got ready with Daniela Gozlan, Tara and John exchanged private vows before the ceremony. “It helped take the nerves out of everything,” Tara remembers. “We were both in a ‘Let’s do this!’ mindset.”
Then, guests gathered inside the historic Kenan Pavilion, outfitted with incredible florals by Richard Grille Events. “We loved how unique the space felt. It’s open and airy, has this incredible patina coloring, and features a rail car that was from the first Flagler rail train in 1912,” Tara describes. The ceremony was short and sweet, officiated by her younger brother. “He has this deep voice and stage presence, and really knows how to work a room,” Tara says. “He was a natural and made everyone laugh.”
Afterward, it was time to party. “Food was a huge priority for us. We had a raw bar with a custom ice sculpture that matched the crest on our invites, a traveling burrata station, and so much more,” Tara shares. “Constellation Culinary Group did all of the food, and everything was so flavorful and delicious.”
There were heartfelt speeches from parents and siblings, and the newlyweds danced to the Frank Sinatra classic “Fly Me To the Moon,” performed by Tropics Entertainment band Libido. “It was all so much fun,” Tara remembers. “The best part was when the band played ‘Crazy in Love’ and got on the dance floor with their trombones and trumpets; everyone loved it. We served mini espresso martinis on the dance floor and had an after-party outside at Cucina, with a lot of pizza and Champagne!”
