Celebrations that feel like you.

Block Island Weddings, Planned from Fairfield County

We meet over coffee in Stamford. You take the ferry when it’s time to celebrate. Weddings, welcome parties and private gatherings, planned with care, styled with intention, and run so smoothly you’ll forget anyone was running them.

BLOCK ISLANd, For the love of Life.

Rooted in Block Island. Centered on Your Story.

Maybe it’s where you first fell in love. Your first vacation together. The place you learned to swim, spent your childhood summers, or return to whenever you need to feel like yourself again.

Whatever brings you to Block Island, we believe there’s a reason this place holds a piece of your story. And your celebration should reflect that.

At Merci La Vie, we believe every wedding should be a true reflection of the people at its center — never a template, never a checklist, but a thoughtful expression of your story, your style, and the things that matter most to you.

With nearly two decades of hospitality and event experience, from leading events at one of Stamford’s favorite restaurants to coordinating celebrations summer after summer on Block Island, we understand what it takes to bring people together and make a day feel effortless.

As locals, we know the island beyond its beautiful views. We understand its rhythms, its character, and the little details that make celebrating here so special. We bring that knowledge, along with a considered approach and an eye for the details, to every celebration we plan.

Our philosophy is simple: trust a local, make it personal, and let yourself be present.

The details are our responsibility. The memories are yours to make.

You Shouldn't Have to Take a Ferry to Plan Your Wedding

Planning an island wedding usually means trip after trip: the drive to the ferry, the hour across, a full day (sometimes a night) away, all through the off-season when planning happens and the boats run less often.

We do it differently. We're based in Stamford, so planning happens here, at your kitchen table, over coffee in town or by video when life is busy. We make the island trips so you don't have to. When you do cross, it's for the moments that matter.

  • Every planning meeting in Fairfield County. Your home, ours, or a favorite coffee spot in Stamford, Darien or Greenwich.

  • We scout Block Island for you. Video walkthroughs, photos and honest notes on venues, vendors and views.

  • One curated island visit. Two or three pre-screened venues in a single day, with the ferry and timing arranged for you.

  • We know both sides. Connecticut roots, a deep understanding of Block Island, and the ferries, permits and island timing in between. We also built and run Simply Block Island, the island’s local guide and shop.

WEDDINGS

Wedding Collections

Three ways to work together. Every collection is a starting point, never a limit.

Every wedding is quoted to its guest count, location and scope. Request our Client Guide for collection details and investment, as well as other à la carte options to fit your budget.

THE ESSENTIAL

Day-Of Coordination

You’ve planned it all. We’ll carry it across the finish line.

Vendor confirmations, a minute-by-minute timeline, setup direction, and calm execution from ceremony cues to last dance.

  • Planning call and handoff meeting in Fairfield County

  • A detailed timeline and vendor confirmations

  • A full wedding day on-site on Block Island

  • Setup, ceremony and reception direction

THE SIGNATURE

Wedding Management

A steady hand as the details come together.

Vendor management, final walkthroughs, an evolving timeline and rehearsal direction, beginning a few months out.

Our recommendation for Block Island weddings. We step in two to three months out and carry it home.

  • Everything in Day-Of Coordination

  • Planning meetings in Fairfield County

  • Vendor management and an evolving timeline

  • A guest ferry and logistics plan

  • Final island walkthrough and rehearsal direction

most chosen

THE FULL HOUSE

Full-Service Planning

A true partner from the very beginning.

Budget, vendor sourcing and negotiation, and full design development: one cohesive vision, start to finish.

From "we're engaged" to "we're married." We handle it all.

  • Everything in Wedding Management

  • Island scouting with video walkthroughs and your one curated island visit

  • Venue and vendor sourcing and negotiation

  • Budget build and tracking

  • Design and concept development

  • The guest experience: lodging blocks, ferry strategy, welcome bags

Before the Ferry: Celebrations at Home

A Block Island wedding starts long before the boat. We plan and run the moments in between, here in Fairfield County and on the island: engagement parties, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners and welcome parties, and day-after brunches.

Choose how involved you'd like us to be: Set & Direct (we style it and run it), Managed Event (we coordinate the vendors and timeline) or Full Production (we design it from the ground up).

Getting Your Guests to Block Island

Most of your guests will be coming from Connecticut and New York, so we plan around the ferry, not the other way around: New London or Point Judith, high-speed or traditional boats, group bookings, lodging blocks, and a guest travel sheet your guests can actually follow.

Also in Fairfield County

We also plan and coordinate private celebrations across lower Fairfield County: milestone birthdays, anniversaries, holiday gatherings and corporate events in Stamford, Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan, Norwalk and Westport. See all our weddings and events. Follow our latest celebrations on Instagram at @mercilavieevents.

Questions We Hear Often

Do we need to visit Block Island before our wedding?

Usually just once. We scout the island first, then plan a single day so you can see your top venues and meet key vendors.

Are you based on Block Island?

We're based in Stamford, Connecticut, which is the point. We plan with you here and are on the island when it counts: scouting, the final walkthrough and your wedding weekend.

How far ahead should we book a Block Island wedding?

Island venues and lodging book early. Twelve to fifteen months out is ideal, though we're happy to talk about any date.

How much does a Block Island wedding planner cost?

Every wedding is quoted to its guest count, scope and location. Request our Client Guide for collection details, or start a conversation and we'll put together a tailored proposal.

Do you work with Block Island vendors?

Yes. We coordinate island and mainland vendors, and we'll recommend the right ones for your day.

Do you plan events that aren't weddings?

Yes: welcome parties, rehearsal dinners, showers, milestone celebrations and corporate events, on Block Island and across Fairfield County.

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