The Tamesis
When Emma Quigley and Jeffrey Smolens moved to New York in 2022 and connected through Hinge, they thought they were complete strangers. But on their first date at Jajaja Mexicano in the West Village, they began to realize that what they call an “invisible rope” tied them together for the rest of their lives. “Jeff was a frequent presence on my childhood street, as close relatives – including Jeff’s future best man – were my neighbors and attended the same small private school [as me]“We also learned during our first Christmas together that my aunt had known Jeff’s mother for over 30 years during her career,” said Emma, who works in private credit. “
A year after Emma and Jeff became a couple, they moved out of the city and into a new home together in Jeff’s hometown of Darien, Connecticut. The following June, the two visited the newly opened Grand Island, a historic estate in their town that is now a public waterfront. “Jeff proposed privately on a cliff overlooking the water on a rainy weekend off,” Emma recalls. “I had an idea for a proposal that would come up in a year, but zero idea of what day it would be!” After making the suggestion, the technical consultant took Emma to The Inn at GrayBarns for a staycation celebration complete with flowers, a private dinner and a couple’s massage.
While planning their wedding, Emma and Jeff decided to capitalize on their love of the eastern coastline and purchased the Weekapaug Inn, a Relais & Châteaux property in Westerly, Rhode Island, on October 4, 2025. “Southern Rhode Island has always given us a sense of calm, and the Weekapaug Inn is the perfect location to share that sense of tranquility and tranquility with our guests on the weekends,” said Emma. “This acquisition ensures the intimacy we were looking for and allows us to build our own world through bespoke design, atmosphere and hospitality.”
Not only did Emma play the role of bride at the wedding, but she also took on the role of wedding planner. “It was humbling and nerve-wracking, but also rewarding. I had a very strong vision from the beginning and loved being immersed in the process – hiring each vendor individually and shaping the atmosphere bit by bit,” she said. Six months later, the couple also appointed Sarah Heaney of Leila James Events as coordinator, who took care of the rest of the logistics and managed the day’s process. The bride also credits her floral designer, Florals by Semia, for their creativity in creating the celebration.
The weekend’s aesthetic leans toward their coastal surroundings, including seashell patterns and organic, wavy design elements. However, there is nothing tacky about this theme. “Our wedding embodied a modern heirloom celebration: bespoke, artisan-driven, thoughtful,” Emma says of their vision. “Every element is created in partnership with independent makers, from hand-printed linens and custom jewelry to couture gowns reimagined as works of art.”
