Caitlin Cail didn’t know if it was Dave Levanson’s kind wit and sense of humor, or the huge piece of lobster sitting on his plate that reeled her in, but the two ended up hitting it off immediately. In the summer of 2004, Caitlin and David met in Nantucket at a lobster/clambake hosted by mutual friends—both had spent their summers independently vacationing there with their families. Caitlin recalls, “He insisted I sit down and gave me his plate of lobster and corn on the cob. Most people would say it was a sacrifice to give up the lobster, but Dave kept insisting it was the corn that he loved.”

After talking at the clambake, they immediately became friends and stayed close throughout the summer. By the time Thanksgiving rolled around, Dave and Caitlin had begun dating. Dave, a true city guy, knew that Caitlin’s heart belonged to the country, which made his decision of where to propose to her an easy one. After a romantic dinner at a French country restaurant, Dave popped the question; without hesitation Caitlin said, “Yes.”

When it came time to plan the wedding, it was a no brainer as to who Caitlin would ask to help her; not only was Mimi Cail the excited mother of the bride, she was also a professional planner. “We wanted our wedding to have the energy and excitement of an all-out summer party on Nantucket, but with the elegance of a beautiful wedding,” Caitlin says. From the Jan Boyd calligraphy place cards to the white cymbidium orchids laced with sea fans and the delectable cake—a replica of a Peter Beaton hatbox.

Caitlin and David exchanged vows at the First Congressional Church of Nantucket. Caitlin wore a strapless Vera Wang gown and David sported a blue blazer, complete with a pink bow tie. The reception was appropriately held on The Galley Beach. Compasses were made for the escort table in an effort to creatively direct guests to their seats and servers went around pouring champagne from bottles-wrapped in celebratory sparklers—which were lit when the corks were popped. Felt party hats were distributed on the dance floor and a full-horn band played a variety of music, from “old school” songs to new age tunes. The guests danced the night away. “Once the hats were on everyone assumed another personality; the wedding had transformed from the formality of a wedding reception to the life of the party,” Caitlin notes.

The couple honeymooned in Italy. Sticking with their Nantucket theme, Dave arranged for to be picked up from the airport in Venice in a beautiful water limo, complete with varnished wood and chrome appointments. They enjoyed champagne and finger sandwiches fresh from the Cipriani hotel. Then it was off to Rome. Their friends arranged for a private tour of the Vatican and Ancient Rome with Maria Borghese, a member of the famous Borghese family and professor from the American University of Rome. Needless to say the experience was unforgettable and as Dave still likes to point out to his wife, “Wasn’t I wonderful to give you my corn on the cob.”

Written by Kate Martel