Jen + Tim || Chimney Hill Estate Inn Weddings
In one of our last email conversations together leading up to their wedding day, we asked Jen what was most important on her wedding day. This was her response:
“In general, I am going for a very laid back ceremony and reception. I’m not very sentimental when it comes to items, but I am with the people in my life. A theme that keeps popping up in my head in the planning of the details is the phrase ‘Rejoice always’ from 1 Thessalonians 5:16. So that’s what Tim and I are trying to do, and what we want this ceremony and reception to be about.”
We’re so thankful for the opportunity to document their wedding celebration. Beyond the delicious brisket, curiously fuzzy alpacas and the beautiful May weather, it’s always refreshing to have a bride + groom whose heart is focused on something Greater than a perfect execution of wedding day details.
For the record, we absolutely loved working at the Chimney Hill Estate Inn in Lambertville, NJ. The staff were incredibly cordial, and everything from the food to the grounds to the alpacas made for an impeccable experience. A very special thanks is in order to staff + management at the Chimney Hill Estate Inn. Only with their cooperation and service did we truly enjoy our visit there.
Josh + Vanessa || Royce Brook Golf Club Weddings
Autumn is quickly becoming our favorite season to photograph weddings, and Josh + Vanessa’s celebration is one more reminder of that.
This couple couldn’t have picked a better time to tie the knot. The weather on their big day was absolutely perfect, and the entire wedding day went forward without a hitch. The most enjoyable part of our day was realizing how relaxed our newlyweds were throughout the day. Vanessa + Josh exchanged marriage covenants at the Calvary Baptist Church in village of Millstone, NJ, followed by a wonderful reception at the Royce Brook Golf Club in Hillsborough. Not only were we blessed with the full array of fall colors, but also we had superb weather to go with it. To top it all off, we were blown away with the fall colors + dramatic clouds that surrounded us during the afternoon portrait session.
Beyond all the dancing and music, there were two games during the reception that we will definitely never forget. Typically after the bouquet and garter toss, the two resulting catchers get the center spotlight on the floor. Instead of having the winning guy put the garter on the winning gal (the maid of honor, in this case), the guy was blindfolded before he made it to the dance floor. Quickly, the maid of honor switched with another guest from the crowd, and a good comic relief ensued.
After the speeches, masked groomsmen “kidnapped” Josh away into the parking lot, unaware that he was about to lose his pants. You heard right; the groomsmen brought him out to the parking, removed his suit pants, and told him they’d be right back. They tied the pant legs off, returned to the reception, and collected money from the wedding guests inside. The money was later determined to be a surprise monetary gift to the couple on their honeymoon.
All in all, everything turned out all right that day… just as our bride + groom had hoped for.
Thanks again to Josh + Vanessa for inviting us along for the celebration, for giving us the “o.k” to use sparklers near their wedding bands, and we wish them the very best in their new life together.
Eileen + Frank || Weddings at The Grand Marquis
When we first met Eileen + Frank a few months ago for their engagement session, we quickly warmed up to their easy-going personalities. There was nothing cheesy or mushy about them– their naturalness with each other was ticket to win us over right away. Fast forward four months to this past weekend– their wedding weekend– and we were fortunate enough to get a greater glimpse of the love story that this lovely couple is writing together.
Everything about their big day went off without a hiccup. All those months of planning by our newlyweds had paid off. The wedding day itinerary had plenty of cushion time, and we were so elated to see the gorgeous (yet slightly chilly) spring weather finally come upon us.
Eileen + Frank were married at the beautiful St. Cecelia Church, followed by a wedding reception at the Grand Marquis of Old Bridge. We cannot write about their wedding day without giving due credit to the bride + groom on spearheading a jampacked + exciting wedding day that was very much on-time from start to finish. Beyond their impressive punctuality, we really enjoyed watching the laughter, the tears and all the moments in between as they happened throughout the day.
Here’s a cool wedding tip we learned today: if your shoes fit a little too tight, fill up a ziploc baggy with water, place them in your shoes, and toss them in the freezer for a few hours. The frozen water should lend a little bit of stretch to your shoes. Trust us… our bride did this, and it worked.
Congratulations once again to Eileen + Frank, and thank you for letting us be there to document your marriage celebration. Don’t forget to visit our facebook page! You’ll see more images from their wedding day in the coming weeks.
