Standring-Carlson Wedding
Alexandra Standring & Jack Carlson
WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT
Alexandra Standring grew up in Bedford, attending Meadow Pond Elementary School, John Jay Middle School, and Kennedy Catholic, before heading off to college at the University of Miami (Ohio). Her parents, John and Melissa, moved back to the area from London when Alex was just 6 months old, and Alex enjoyed Bedford so much that she moved back in 2018 when she graduated college.
Unbeknownst to Alex, Jack Carlson grew up in Ridgefield, only about 12 miles away, going through the Ridgefield schools, before heading off to the University of Richmond. After graduation, Jack went to Spain for a stint teaching English, then moved back home to the quaint feeling of Ridgefield.
The two met in 2018, swiping on Hinge, and went on a first date at Truck in Bedford… and the rest, as they say, is history. “We love Truck and go back every year on our anniversary!” Alex shares And as Jack recalls their first date, “Funny enough, we both showed up about a half an hour early and so I went to sit at the bar, asking if an open seat was taken, and the person I asked…was Alex! She was there with her mom - probably scoping me out! But her mom ran off before I got the chance to meet her.”
The pair went on a second date at Blue Hill Stone Barns, and then began adventuring around the area together, with dates at Tequila Mockingbird, Luc’s, Solé, and Spiga. “We both really love walking around town in New Canaan and Ridgefield - they’re both such beautiful towns with so many cute things to do and shops to check out,” Jack says. And then, in early 2020, as covid hit, the duo got even closer - joining each other’s family bubbles, and hanging out all the time, Trying out lots of different baking recipes together was a frequent and favorite activity.
In 2021, Jack took a job in London for a six month term, and Jack and Alex maintained a long-distance relationship. Upon his return, Jack took Alex out to Sag Harbor for a weekend getaway…and proposed during a private wine tasting at the Wolffer Vineyard. “I knew what was up when the parking lot was empty, and there was a mysterious photographer hanging out… I began to smile ear to ear when I saw the flower encrusted pergola that we were being led to,” Alex grins.
The couple were married on October 14, 2023, at the Aldrich Mansion, in Warwick, Rhode Island. “The venue was beautiful; my Mom and Grandmother found it, and we loved how the church was right next door. I knew as soon as I saw it that it was where I wanted to get married,” Alex gushes.
“The day was perfect - it couldn’t have gone better,” Alex proclaims. “Everything went according to plan, and my parents even surprised us with a classic Rolls Royce to chauffeur us to the church, which allowed for a few private moments just before we walked down the aisle.”
An English-style chapel, the church has the pews facing inwards towards each other - with a full view of the procession. The couple exchanged traditional Catholic vows, and Alex wore Jack’s grandmother’s sapphire and diamond bracelet as a ‘something old’ and ‘something blue’.
Friends and family traveled from all over to attend the black-tie affair, with about 75 guests in total. Jack’s brothers, Bryan and Sam, served as his Best Men, and Alex’s sister, Taylor, was her Maid of Honor, at the black-tie affair with about 75 guests traveling from all over to attend. The couple even had a good friend who flew in from hours away, despite that he had to head right back to the airport right after the ceremony.
“As we walked out of the church after the ceremony, all of our friends and family were waiting outside…blowing bubbles! It was so magical and special; … it was so meaningful and made our day even more special,” Jack shared.
As the reception kicked off, Jack fed Alex hors d'oeuvres while her Mom bustled her dress, and the pair joined their guests to spend the evening celebrating their nuptials. “The venue was just magnificent,” Alex reminisced, “it had the feeling of West Egg Newport architecture with a moody dark wood paneled library that we used as a sort of large photo booth for guests, a grand ballroom, and even a room that we used just for dessert - it was so fun to have the party flow through the different beautiful spaces.”
The couple incorporated custom drinks, an ode to the family dog, Mocha, and both Father-Daughter and Mother-Son dances, as well as the customary first dance for the couple, to the tune of ‘Follow You, Follow Me’ by Genesis. “We went into the city for a few weeks before the wedding to take dance lessons to make sure that we nailed it!” Jack said gleefully.
The finale for the evening was Alex and Jack sharing a last dance to the Thomas Rhett song, ‘Unforgettable,’ which references the 14th of October - their wedding date, in its opening line, alone on the dancefloor. “It was such a special moment for us to share as the party wrapped up and our guests began to leave, getting to share one last dance and really soak in the perfect wedding,” Alex smiles.
The couple honeymooned in Thailand for two weeks this fall, and just got a dog named Tucker.
