Dear Bonnet Island Estate Team,

It is difficult to put into words just how grateful we are for the extraordinary wedding you gave Carly and Jack. We knew Bonnet Island Estate was going to be a beautiful place for them to be married, but what we could never have anticipated was just how incredibly cared for the Bowen-Yeager family would feel from beginning to end.

Lauren and Jane were wonderful throughout the planning process. They made us feel every detail mattered and Carly and Jack’s wedding was just as important to them as it was to us. By the time the wedding day arrived, we had complete confidence everything was in the best possible hands.

And it truly was.

Frank, Lauren, Jane, Merle, and the entire Bonnet Island team gave us something, as parents of the bride, is almost impossible to give yourselves on a wedding day; the ability to simply be present. And not knowing if Jack was even going to be granted leave for his own wedding just days before due to military obligations, we all needed this!

We didn’t have to think. We didn’t have to look at a clock. We didn’t have to wonder what was happening next or whether something had been forgotten. Somehow, you were always one step ahead of us, quietly keeping everything running exactly according to plan. Instead of worrying about details, we were able to look around, take it all in, watch Carly and Jack marry their middle-school sweetheart, and truly enjoy every minute of it. That was an incredible gift.

Someone was always there to help, even with the smallest things—including helping us put on our shoes. At one point, I dropped a glass, and before I could even bend down, someone was there cleaning it up and telling me not to help. It was such a small moment, but it has stayed with me because it perfectly represents the entire day. Before we could even think about needing something, someone was already there taking care of it.

When the ring bearer got sick and we “recruited” a back up, who suddenly got cold feet when it was time for his big moment, Merle could not have been sweeter or more patient with him. She did her very best to coax him along and patiently attempted to pin on his boutonnière despite his change of heart! She handled him with such kindness and humor. It was one of those wonderfully imperfect little wedding moments that we will always smile about, and Merle’s patience made it even more special.

And then there was the food! Our guests continue to rave about it, just as they continue to rave about Bonnet Island itself. We have had so many people tell us Carly and Jack’s wedding was the nicest wedding they have ever attended. As parents who put so much thought and love into creating this day for them, there really is no greater compliment we could receive.

When we think back on Carly and Jack’s wedding, of course we will remember how beautiful Bonnet Island looked, the incredible food, the music, the flowers, and seeing everyone celebrating together. But we will also remember the people behind it all—the people who made us feel as though our family and this wedding genuinely mattered to them.

Lauren, Jane, Frank, Merle, and the entire Bonnet Island Estate staff, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

You didn’t simply give Carly and Jack a beautiful wedding. You gave our entire family the opportunity to experience their wedding—to be present for it, to enjoy it, and to make memories without worrying about anything else.

We will always look back on the day with tremendous happiness and gratitude, and Bonnet Island Estate will forever hold a very special place in our hearts.

With love and our deepest appreciation,

Denise and Family