When Emma MacDonald and Payton Pritchard began planning their wedding, they knew it would take place in late summer. As a point guard for the Boston Celtics, Payton had an early inkling that his team would contend deep into the playoffs. It was a fitting decision—on June 18, the Celtics won their 18th championship, a big moment for Payton, Emma and the city they call home.

The win made the couple’s wedding a double celebration. The ceremony was officiated by Blake Griffin, who played for the team before retiring in April. “Everyone thought, ‘Oh my God, this is going to be the best summer ever — Payton is getting two rings: the championship ring and his wedding ring,'” Emma says. Players like Jaylen Brown, Oshae Brissett, Sam Hauser, Jaden Springer and Xavier Tillman were in attendance, as were coach Joe Mazzulla, Celtics governor Wyc Grousbeck and his wife, Emilia Fazzalari. The NBA championship trophy also made a special appearance. “There’s some kind of map or calendar that documents where they’re taking it,” Emma says. “They wanted our wedding to be one of the stops for the trophy.” Guests lined up for photos with the trophy.

As for the venue, Emma, ​​who grew up on Cape Cod, always knew she wanted a beach wedding in her hometown where guests, including Payton’s family living in Oregon, would get to know the area. “They could spend a week here before or after our wedding to really experience what I experienced as a child, because summer here is my favorite thing in the whole world,” she says.

The weekend kicked off Thursday with a night out with friends at the Tiki Bar at Ocean House in Dennis Port. Read on for more details, including fashion, NBA stars and Cape Cod chips.

The venue

Emma looked at three venues, but when she saw Wychmere Beach Club she knew it was the right one. “They’ve turned a jetty into a room,” she says. “When you look out the window you see the ocean, which is the coolest thing ever. Boats go by. When I walked in it felt perfect. I just love how it has an indoor and outdoor element. You can be out on the water or go in for cocktail hour.”

The tasting meal

On Friday, the couple hosted an all-white rehearsal dinner for the families and bridal party in their backyard. Catering was provided by Mahoney’s in Orleans, Massachusetts.

“(It was) more of a sit-down dinner,” Emma says. “I wanted it to still feel a little formal. Instead of baking clams where you tie the bib on and eat the whole thing, they passed around steak and lobster. It still brought in the Cape Cod, but (it was) a little more formal in the backyard. They also served caviar on Cape Cod chips, an exciting twist on a local favorite.

Later they went to Ember’s in Harwich Port, where they met all the wedding guests. “We snuck out early because we wanted to get to bed and get up early. We stayed together the night before,” says Emma. “People don’t usually do this, but we’re not very traditional.”

The next morning

When they woke up, Emma and Payton exchanged private vows they had written for each other. A local cafe, Lighthouse Keeper’s Pantry, dropped off pastries and coffee while Emma and her friends got ready.

The appearance

Emma found a Vera Wang dress that was not at all what she was expecting. “I wanted something really simple, elegant, not crazy at all,” she says. “The dress I chose is a huge princess-style dress. It has a corset top and lots of tulle at the bottom. It’s huge – not at all what I expected to wear.”

She added: “The dress I tried on before my actual ceremony dress was this beautiful Anne Barge, just an elegant, simple, strapless mermaid dress. I put it on and thought, ‘This is the dress. I love it,’ but it was just a little bit too simple for my sister. I went for a ceremony dress that was very edgy and fun, and then changed into a more elegant, comfortable dress for dancing, dinner, all that stuff so I’d be comfortable.” She finished the evening in a Monique Lhuillier mini dress.

The Officiant

Blake Griffin, a former Celtics player and close friend of the groom, officiated the ceremony. “He had been there since our third date,” Emma reveals. “He was Payton’s go-to guy when we started talking. He was playing in Dallas a few days later, so I flew out there and he nervously texted Blake and was like, ‘What should I do? Should I ask her if she wants her own hotel room?’ Blake was the guy who said, ‘Yeah, you should,’ and helped him. Then that night, he was the third wheel on our date. I got talking to Blake and he was like, ‘Oh, I know that’s the girl for Payton. He’s going to marry her in a heartbeat.’ Six months after we met, we got engaged. Blake was there from the start.”

The ceremony

Emma walked down the aisle as Lana Del Rey’s strings played “Young and Beautiful.” “The song was quite a surprise as it’s one of his favorite songs,” she says. “I can barely remember the ceremony. I was just so excited.”

The master of ceremonies received rave reviews for his performance. “Blake did such a good job,” Emma says. “Everyone in the audience was laughing and then there were moments when he was serious. I think everyone enjoyed that.” Payton, who is not usually a crybaby, admittedly shed a few tears.

“It really was an incredibly beautiful wedding,” says Blake. “Marrying Payton and Emma was very special for me. The whole weekend was perfect.”

The Party

Emma and Payton entered the reception to the Tems song “Me & U.” Emma and Payton’s maid of honor, best man, and fathers each gave a speech along with Jaylen Brown.

“The after-party was completely different from the cocktail hour, even though it was in the same room,” Emma says. “The cocktails were very sophisticated and fancy looking, and at the after-party, the entire ceiling was filled with balloons. There were glowing lights that made the room (colorful). We literally felt like we had walked into a club…nobody stopped dancing. There was a cigar roller outside, and the cigars had a little 11 (Payton’s jersey number) on them.” There was also a nacho bar to satisfy late-night cravings. “We went over there right before the end of the night to see if there was anything left,” Emma says. “Completely empty. Everyone loved it.”

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