The Bride Arrived By Horse and Carriage at This Wedding in Bermuda
Meghan Horstmann and Adam Klopp both grew up as Upper East Siders. They attended nearby schools and lived only blocks away from each other, yet somehow they didn’t meet until December of 2015, when Adam was seated in between two of Meghan’s best friends at a holiday party. “When they heard that he was on the market, they decided that we needed to date or, at the very least, meet,” Meghan, now the director of PR and marketing for the luxury children’s brand Bonpoint, remembers. “They connected us immediately, but we both were out of town for the holidays.” Meghan and Adam—a commercial real estate developer—continued to text despite the distance, and when they both returned to New York City post-vacation, they met for drinks the first week in January. “Immediately, there was a connection; a feeling that we had known each other our entire lives,” Meghan says. The two had been dating for two and a half years when Adam prosed at the John’s Island Club. He had planned a trip there so the two of them could celebrate their birthdays, which are only a week apart. “I thought it was a little strange we were going to Florida in the middle of August,” Meghan admits. “But I was thrilled to be together and to finally visit John’s Island Club, where Adam and his family have shared many special memories together.”
They woke up on Saturday morning, and Adam quickly sent Meghan off on various excursions: to the gym, to get a massage, etc. “Little did I know he was waiting for the ring to be delivered,” she reveals. When she got back to the house, he was finally ready to go down to the beach.
When they got there, swimmers had been summoned out of the water as storm clouds were rolling in. “I suggested we play a game of cards and have some rosé as the bad weather looked like it was hopefully going to pass, having no a clue that the ring was in his pocket and he was about to propose,” Meghan remembers. After about 45 minutes of Gin Rummy, the lifeguard blew his whistle, and everyone was allowed back on the beach.
“Adam was way ahead of me running down to the beach, and when we got to our lounge chairs, I instinctively said, ‘Let’s jump in!’ His witty reply-slash-proposal was ‘Speaking of jumping in…’ He then said some of the sweetest things, got on one knee, pulled out the ring and proposed,” Meghan recalls. “I immediately said yes, started crying and kissing him. We were brought champagne and flowers, and I soon found out that where we were standing was the exact same spot where his father had proposed to his mother 30 years earlier.” They knew they wanted to get married at the Coral Beach Club in Bermuda—Meghan’s family has vacationed there for generations, and she and Adam have carried on the tradition. It’s also where Adam’s parents went on their honeymoon. “Many of our closest friends had never been to Bermuda,” Meghan says. “So we wanted to plan a long weekend vacation introducing them to our best-kept secret, with our favorite activities and spots on our special island.”
Perched on top of a cliff in the midst of a lush jungle overlooking Bermuda’s famous pink sand beaches, the property spans 26 acres of the most coveted land on the island. The oldest part dates back to 1600s, and while the amenities have obviously been updated, the club has a charm that transports you back in time.
Meghan and Adam worked with Selange Gitschner and Matthew Strong, the founders of DASFETE, to combine authentic characteristics of the island, including its flora and fauna, with local craftsmanship. “We wanted the talent, beauty, and true magic of the island to shine on its own,” Meghan says.
On Thursday, they kicked off the weekend with a sunset dinner cruise on the Zara, a one-of-a-kind catamaran designed and built in South Africa by the Kempe family, local Bermudians. For this excursion, designer Alexandra O’Neil of Markarian created a light blue, floral embroidered cocktail dress that Meghan paired with MISH NY sapphire and diamond earrings and Tabitha Simmons heals. While a local band played reggae tunes, the couple and their guests set sail. They served traditional Bermudian fare aboard the boat, and everyone watched the sun set over the pastel homes. After docking at Darrell’s wharf, guests reconvened on the beach for a bonfire party.
The next day, Meghan hosted friends for lunch at her favorite spot on the island: Longtail Terrace at Coral Beach Club. “The terrace overlooks the club with the most breathtaking view of turquoise water and a pink sand shore dotted with yellow and white beach umbrellas,” Meghan says. “The lunch was a nod to Capri and my Italian heritage: fuchsia bougainvillea sprawling down the center of the table with lemons and Italian cuisine using all local florals and ingredients.”
Later that evening, Adam’s parents, John and Karen Klopp, hosted dinner at the Rosewood Tucker’s Point Golf Club. Cocktails on the green overlooking the harbor were followed by dinner in the clubhouse. “To immerse our guests into the Bermuda culture and get into the island spirit, the attire was Bermuda formal, so all of the men came dressed in the their brightly colored shorts, knee socks, and blazers,” Meghan explains. “It was a riot seeing everyone’s take on the dress code.” For Meghan, planning her looks was one of the most exciting aspects of the wedding—and she knew right away who she wanted to work with. One of her first positions out of college was working in PR for Isaac Mizrahi. “He is a genius creative, and those years were the most formative of my career,” she says. “Right after I said ‘yes’ to Adam, the second thought that came to mind was, ‘I hope Isaac will design my dress.’ I didn’t have a clear idea as to what I wanted, but right away Isaac announced that he had something in mind that he always envisioned for me to wear on the special day. I trusted him, and when I reviewed the sketches, I was speechless—it was the wedding dress of my dreams!” The bride’s “something blue” was shoe designer Tabitha Simmons’s idea: She embroidered Meghan’s name and wedding date in blue thread on the soles of her custom shoes. The ceremony took place on a beautiful 20-acre private estate called Mount Pleasant. Keeping with Bermudian tradition, Meghan arrived with her father via a horse and carriage. “For the first time in my life, I was early!” Meghan jokes. “I was so energized and ready for the day I had been planning and looking forward to for the last 10 months. When my dad and I walked down the aisle, I felt calm and overjoyed to be walking towards my future husband. It was surreal and powerful to express our love and commitment to each other, surrounded by the most important people in our lives.”
