Darren + Maris || Branch Brook Park Weddings
Even in the most unusual times…
Despite all the setbacks– rescheduling their April 2020 wedding date, being separated during the pandemic– Darren and Maris persevered. With a few weeks notice (and a permit from the parks department), we found out that they planned to host an intimate wedding celebration in early July.
Fast forward to 7/11, we find ourselves standing in the most famous park + staring at arguably the most beautiful church in all of New Jersey.
For Maris and Darren’s first look, we had the best spot in the park. Most famous for its collection of cherry blossoms, Branch Brook Park is a stunning green oasis during the summer months. We were blessed with an overcast sky for their first look, which really helped to turn down the summer heat for our first outdoor wedding of the year.
Surrounded by a small group of their loved ones, their wedding ceremony took place outside the visitors pavilion amongst the fresh summer air. We traveled through the park for some amazing portraits, exploring as we went along.
We capped off the wedding day with a traditional Chinese tea ceremony at the groom’s family’s home, followed by our dream wedding meal. Imagine bringing together your favorite gastronomic delights, spreading it across one large table, and inviting your loved ones to dine with you. That is what Darren and Maris did! Filipino barbecue from Tropical Hut, sushi, wraps, Chic-Fil-a nuggets, and the list goes on. For dessert, the bride’s close friend brought a Green Tea Mille Crepes cake from Lady M Cake Boutique in New York City.
You all have no idea how excited this made us. What more personal of a touch could there be than to bring all of those foods together and share it with loved ones? We really hope to eat more like this at future wedding events.
Warmest congratulations to our newlyweds, Maris + Darren!
RJ + Christina || Farmstead Golf and Country Club Wedding
Christina and RJ’s story began a little after college, when they met through online dating. Through that season in their life, they discovered so many more shared interests– good food, tasty beers, superheroes, and animals. Funny enough, all those interests were highlighted on their wedding day.
From the get-go, we had a very memorable time with this couple. Weather wise, we couldn’t have asked for a more pleasant autumn day. The fall colors were vibrant throughout the day, especially with all of the sunshine we had. We spent most of the day at the Farmstead Golf & Country Club, a beautiful gem nestled amongst the mountains and forests in northern New Jersey. Their ceremony took place outdoors, followed by a reception inside FGCC’s historic and very charming two-story barn.
Perhaps our favorite aspect of RJ + Christina’s wedding was all of the many details that were thoughtfully incorporated all throughout their special day.
First off, beers. It’s no secret that Christina + RJ love beers… Even their engagement session took place at a local North Jersey brewery. What better way to highlight that love than to include beers details in both their reception decorations, as well as the floral bouquets?
They also gave a big shoutout to DC/Marvel superheroes by giving the groomsmen masks as they paraded into the reception hall. When it was Christina + RJ’s turn to enter their reception, they wore animals masks and danced in to the tune of “What Does the Fox Say?” Not too long after, the bride and her father pulled a surprise dance routine out of their sleeves, followed by an evening of partying in every corner of the barn.
All the best to our newlyweds, Christina + RJ! #hopfuzzwedding
NaDea + Daniel || Addison Park Weddings
NaDea and Daniel’s wedding celebration was a long time coming. This spectacular couple was so well planned, organized and on top of all their email communications, we thought we were dealing with industry pros, not newlyweds.
Just one year earlier, we met up with this couple for their engagement session at Longwood Garden. A vibrant, down-to-earth couple who also happen to share the love for good food, we got a bit too excited when we heard about their honeymoon plans to Hawaii… So of course, we wrote them a giant email that included all of the local food recommendations on the island of Oahu that we wanted them to experience!
Regarding their wedding day, we had a truly wonderful time documenting their late September wedding extravaganza. The weather just as perfect as we had hoped– a healthy dose of sunshine, a little bit of clouds, and enough of the September breeze to keep us all comfortable. This was also our first time at stunning Addison Park, and the wedding venue certainly lived up to it’s reputation. We loved the effortless blending of their Chinese & American backgrounds, which included a surprise Lion Dance performance, and a very american (but lesser seen) broom jumping tradition at the end of the wedding ceremony. The dancing & speeches portion of the reception was so full of energy, we wish the party was extended for another couple of hours.
A very special + honorable mention goes out to the lovely wedding coordinator Carla of Details Made Simple. Without her professional guidance + wisdom on the day of, we really wouldn’t have had such a memorable wedding experience.
Thank you both for having us at your wedding day, and we wish you two the very best in your new lives together!
