A Tinder-Match Roadtrip Led to a Harvard Art Museums’ Reception

Photo by Cheryl Richards

The Story

As a New England newbie, Kasey Catlett failed to anticipate just how long the drive would be from Worcester, where he had recently settled, to Newburyport, where he was to meet up with Guy Pacitti for dinner after matching on Tinder. As such, Kasey arrived 45 minutes late. Luckily Guy stuck around, and the rest, as they say, is history.

On June 26, 2021, the sixth anniversary of the marriage-equality ruling, Kasey proposed in Maudslay State Park. A professional photo shoot followed. Despite the surprise, both men were wearing suits. “I told Guy that we had to dress up for an employee spotlight my company was doing on me,” Kasey says. Back at their house, family and friends were waiting to celebrate over a catered brunch in the front garden.

Meanwhile, anticipating a proposal sometime in the next year, Guy had organized a surprise engagement gift for Kasey. Having seen his future fiancé swoon over a painting by Guillermo Estrada Viera every time they walked by Galería Cubana in Provincetown, Guy bought the artwork and stashed it with their upstairs neighbor in Newburyport for nearly a year. When Kasey realized the piece had been sold, he was crushed. “I hope it found a home with someone who loves it as much as I do,” he remembers saying.

Fast-forward to the garden engagement party. As guests began to depart, Kasey’s closest friend called him inside. “I thought, oh my God, someone spilled wine on the couch, but there was the painting hanging on the wall,” Kasey says. “It makes me happy every day.”

The couple’s wedding day in November 2022 continued the artistic theme, with a reception in the Harvard Art Museums’ soaring Renzo Piano–designed Calderwood Courtyard and portraits in front of bold artworks by Rashid Johnson and Franz Kline. “Supporting the arts is very important to us,” Kasey says. “We picked pieces that both spoke to us as individuals and would make great photos.”

Photo by Cheryl Richards

Photo by Cheryl Richards

The Details

The Bracelets

Kasey marked the engagement with engraved cuff bracelets. His inscription reads, “The day our love won,” while Guy’s reads, “Every damn day”—which is also the phrase Guy used instead of “I do” at the ceremony. “It’s our way of saying I love you,” Kasey explains.

The Venue

Guy sought a venue that offered a meaningful experience for their guests. “Guests could wander through the galleries during cocktail hour,” he says of the Harvard Art Museums.

Photo by Cheryl Richards

The Cake

Jenny’s Wedding Cakes mimicked the watercolor design of the stationery suite on the cake using purple fondant atop vanilla Italian-meringue buttercream. The flavors inside? Mango–passion fruit and toffee mocha.

The Place Cards and Table Numbers

The Minted place cards and table numbers featured purple watercolor artwork. Placing them on easels reinforced the museum theme.

The Flowers

New Leaf Flores created elegant arrangements incorporating protea, one of the oldest flowers on earth and a must-have for Kasey. “I admire the perseverance and resiliency they embody,” he says.

Photo by Cheryl Richards

The File

Cake
Jenny’s Wedding Cakes

Caterer
The Catered Affair

Ceremony Music
Arreaux Strings

Cuff bracelets
Tiffany & Co.

DJ & Lighting
Meritage Entertainment

Flowers
New Leaf Flores

Grooms’ Attire
Indochino

Rings
Blue Nile

First published in the print “Real Weddings” package of the August 2023 issue, with the headline “The Art of Romance.”

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