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Stephanie + Jason

Stephanie and Jason's wedding was our first for this year and we couldn't have been more excited to capture their big day and kick off the new (early!) wedding season!  They're such a sweet couple and were such a joy to film!

The two met through mutual friends in Washington, DC.  Steph's best friend from college invited her to play on a kickball team there, and Jason just so happened to be on that team.  They met that very first day of games, a day that marked the beginning of a beautiful relationship!

Jason's thoughtful proposal plan years later was sure to incorporate the place and people that drew them together in the beginning.  On one of the warmer November days, they went down to Washington, DC for a day trip to see the sites. After visiting the National Monument and on their way to the Capitol Building, Steph noticed that Jason had fallen behind her.  She turned to see that he was on one knee, asking for her hand in marriage!  She said yes!  Friends and family were notified first, of course, then they visited Arlington National Cemetery (where Stephanie's grandmother is laid to rest) and had lunch with the same friend from Steph's college who set them up at that eventful kickball game!

Let's fast forward a bit to their beautiful wedding day!  Jason and his groomsmen prepared for the day at a hotel while the team at Anthony J Hair Studio professionally styled the bridal party's hair and applied their makeup for the big day! Then, it was off to Steph's parents' home so she and her bridal party could get dressed.  Steph's bridesmaids wore such lovely matching deep navy blue gowns, only her maid of honor's featuring a different neckline, in keeping with the couple's navy and silver color scheme.  Their bouquets from Fleurdlin in pink and white looked delightful against the navy blues.

With some help from her sister, her maid of honor, Steph put on her gorgeous trumpet silhouetted dress, all covered in lovely lace.  It featured a sleeveless design with an amazing halter neckline and delicate buttons down the back.  In her long hair, she had a mid-length veil and a dazzling hair clip.  Steph looked so beautiful!

We were thrilled that the two exchanged love notes on their wedding day and were there to capture Steph reading hers aloud during a quiet pause in morning preparations.  We always love to listen to and film these card readings because it's one of the most emotional, personal parts of the day.  And it's a perfect way for the couple to communicate for the first time on this important day.

The two decided to keep with longstanding tradition and skip the first look before the ceremony.  So Steph and Jason saw each other for the first time as she entered through the doors on her father's arm at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Sewell, NJ.  Jason's expression at seeing Stephanie for the first time in her gown was wonderful...he just couldn't stop smiling and couldn't stop looking over at her as he walked her those last few steps to the altar.  They had a beautiful, traditional wedding Mass and recited their marriage vows to each other.

Then, Philadelphia Trolley Works whisked the wedding party away to the reception venue.  Steph and Jason chose Trump National Golf Club Philadelphia for their fantastic reception, and before joining their friends and family in the clubhouse ballroom, enjoyed another fun photo shoot, even taking a walk together in the bright sun outside! We always love working with Ray Hennessy and his assistant at Crushed Box Photography (formerly KGM Expressions) and this day was no exception!  The whole bridal party had a terrific time posing for formal and candid photos, ignoring the slightly chilly weather, and looked simply great together!

Steph and Jason then entered the ornate ballroom to the cheers of their friends and family!  The two danced a rollicking, perfectly choreographed intro dance which led right into their slower, beautiful first dance on the grand ballroom floor.  The couple seemed to be dancing on a cloud.  After the first and second courses of dinner, Steph danced with her father and Jason with his mother.  Following that, we were treated to wonderful toasts from Steph's maid of honor (her sister) and from Jason's best man (his brother), an outpouring of love for the couple.  Then, guests danced the night away as DJ Jason Roy played the music that kept the whole place rockin'!

Steph noted afterwards that the day went by so fast, which honestly is something we hear so often from the couples we film.  We're so glad we were there to capture their day so they can watch all the highlights and relive the memories for years to come!  Congratulations and best wishes to Stephanie and Jason!

 

Photographer:  Crushed Box Photography - Clementon, NJ

Floral Design:  Fleurdlin - Washington Township, NJ

Hair Stylist:  Anthony J Hair Studio - Sicklerville, NJ

Makeup Artist:  Anthony J Hair Studio - Sicklerville, NJ

Ceremony:  Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church - Sewell, NJ

Officiant:  Rev. Msgr. Roger E. McGrath - Sewell, NJ

Transportation:  Philadelphia Trolley Works - Philadelphia, PA     

Entertainment:  DJ Jason Roy - Philadelphia, PA

Cake:  DiBartolo Bakery - Collingswood, NJ

Venue:  Trump National Golf Club Philadelphia - Pine Hill, NJ

 

Jacquie + Dan

Our final wedding for 2018 was so beautiful and definitely was such a fantastic way to end the year!  It was just before Christmas that Jacquie and Dan were married at the Inn at Mendenhall, a lovely boutique hotel in Mendenhall, PA.  Their entire wedding event was held at this delightful venue, with their ceremony and reception taking place in the Grand Ballroom.

This sweet couple met at a New Year's Eve party given by one of Jacquie's best friends.  Her friend had gone to college with Dan's best friend, who was also invited to the party, and Dan came along with him that night.  Jacquie and Dan met and hit it off immediately.  The following morning, Dan called Jacquie and asked her out (for the second time, as he actually already did once the night before!) and the two have been inseparable since!

Dan's proposal was brilliant!  Both he and Jacquie are board game fans but since both were very busy, especially Jacquie who was in grad school and working full time, Dan asked her if they could keep a game out on the coffee table to play in the evenings whenever they could.  Jacquie picked a Harry Potter deck building card game.  A few days later, Jacquie came home to see the game all set up and ready to go.  As Jacquie drew cards and flipped them over, she noticed that one of her new cards was different.  This card was actually a replica with a picture of the engagement ring and instructions to "Gain 1 Ring" on it...  Even though she now knew what was going on, Dan told her however that her turn was over, so she had to wait for his full turn and then play her own hand before she could play her ring card!  When she did, Dan pulled out the ring box and asked Jacquie to marry him.  She said 'yes' of course!  We don't know that official final score but we'd say they both won this game!

Because Christmas was just around the corner, the Inn at Mendenhall was decorated so festively for the holidays on Jacquie and Dan's wedding day.  The couple continued the wintertime theme and chose the divine color scheme of Ink Blue, Cabernet and Gray to compliment.  Of course, there were also a few subtle nods to Harry Potter to tie in that fun proposal!

Jacquie and Dan got ready for the big day in separate rooms there at the inn.  Jacquie's bridesmaids wore Ink Blue gowns in keeping with the chosen color palette and Dan dressed into a dark gray suit, while his groomsmen coordinated with light gray suits with matching blue ties.  The couple also had a bridesman and a groomswoman who wore a gray suit and a blue dress to match the group and we loved how they mixed it up with their wedding party a bit!

Jacquie was such a beautiful bride, wearing an amazing off the shoulder gown with a wonderful princess silhouette.  It featured a plunging v-neckline, a gorgeous open back design and a sparkling belt.  It was very sleek and very modern, reminding us of the Duchess of Sussex's classic, chic wedding gown, but just in ball gown form.  Simply stunning!  Her exquisite bouquet from Matlack Florist was overflowing with lush blooms in white, blush and deep burgundy.  And while outdoors, Jacquie wore an amazing gray cape lined in blue!

Before continuing on to the Grand Ballroom for the ceremony, the two met up outside for a first look and we loved their genuine reactions and sweet little kisses!  Pat and Stuart from Pat Robinson Photography were there to capture this moment for Jacquie and Dan's wedding photos, along with all the wonderful memories from the day, and it was such a pleasure to work alongside them.

Jacquie and Dan's ceremony was so personalized and so special, with Jacquie's brother, Ashton, serving as the officiant.  Jacquie also wore her grandmother's engagement ring during the ceremony to honor her memory on this important day.  They recited their loving vows, exchanged rings and made it official!

Their reception followed there in the ballroom, decorated beautifully with with evergreen garlands draped along the top of the staircase railings and a bright Christmas tree below.  The tables displayed lovely floral centerpieces in white and red blooms and snow globes in keeping with the winter wonderland theme.  And their fantastic five-tiered wedding cake from The Master's Baker had a Harry Potter themed "Always" cake topper!

Jacquie and Dan entered the room down the staircase together, and the newest married couple danced their first dance together on the ballroom floor.  It was so sweet and so wonderful to watch as they kissed and danced!  Later on, there was a special dance announced for Dan's grandparents who were celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary!

Everyone had so much fun dancing the night away, especially the kids who really got into the groove!  A-1 Entertainment did a fantastic job with keeping the guests laughing and dancing all night.  All their guests had such a blast!

This wedding event was truly an amazing celebration of the love of two wonderful, kindhearted people and we were so blessed to be a part of it.  Congratulations and best wishes always to Jacquie and Dan!

 

Photographer:  Pat Robinson Photography  - Wilmington, DE

Floral Design:  Matlack Florist - Nicole Coyle - West Chester, PA

Hair Stylist:  Happily Ever After Hair - Cherry Hill, NJ

Makeup Artist:  Makeup by Alyssa - Alyssa McCourt

Wedding Dress:  Martina Liana - Style 981

Officiant:  Jacquie's brother    

Entertainment:  A-1 Entertainment - Vineland, NJ

Cake:  The Master's Baker - West Chester, PA

Venue:  Inn at Mendenhall - Mendenhall, PA

Elizabeth + Ray

Like we've found with so many couples we've had the pleasure of filming over the years, Liz and Ray met each other through mutual friends.  The two hit it off immediately, locking eyes when they were introduced, and talked with each other all evening long.  Before they parted ways for the night, they exchanged phone numbers, promising to reach out again right away.  They were surprised at how much they had in common, so much so that Ray even jokingly proposed to Liz that first evening!

The real proposal came one evening after Liz came home from work.  Little did she know that Ray had been practicing his proposal speech with her father all day!  They went for a walk in the park across the street from them and Ray began to reminisce about how they met and about his fake proposal.  Then, Ray told Liz, "If I were to do it again, I would do it like this..." as he got down on one knee and asked Liz to be his wife!  And this time she said 'yes'!

Liz got ready for the day with her bridal party at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Mt. Laurel, NJ.  Salon Muse styled the party's gorgeous hair, then their makeup was perfected by Make Me Sparkle.  As her bridesmaids dressed into their beautiful long, red gowns, Ray and his groomsmen and groomsmaids were also getting ready at the hotel, dressing into their modern black suits with red neckties and long, black gowns.

Later at her venue, Liz put on her amazing Maggie Sottero wedding gown.  It featured three-quarter length sleeves and a gorgeous lace illusion bateau neckline.  The beautiful lace overlay covered the entire gown from top to train.  And she accessorized her short hair with a mid-length veil attached with a sparkling headband that coordinated perfectly with her dress.  Liz was such a stunning bride! The couple chose the timeless and very formal color scheme of red, black, gold and ivory for their event, and we loved how that vivid red on Liz's shoes really popped against her white dress!

Liz and Ray decided to have an exciting first look before their ceremony was set to begin.  So there in the chapel at Lucien's Manor in Berlin, NJ where their ceremony would soon take place, the two saw each other for the first time on this special day.  Their ear-to-ear smiles were so sweet!

After the first look, the couple and their bridal party enjoyed a fun and creative photo shoot outside at Lucien's Manor, where the couple even practiced their first dance!  We were so happy that Liz and Ray's photographer was none other than Serena Star Photography!  We filmed Serena's own wedding with our sister company, Cord 3 Films and then later filmed another wedding where she and her husband, Dave, were also guests!  It was so fantastic to be working with Serena, Dave and her team!

Beautiful music by Party of Three announced the start of Liz and Ray's marriage ceremony at Lucien's Manor.  It was a wonderful ceremony, filled with such special, personal touches, which included their lovely, custom-made vows to each other.  Before long, they were pronounced 'husband and wife' and shared that momentous first kiss!

Always glamorous, Lucien's Manor was decorated so beautifully for this wedding event and included masks and other décor for a masquerade party theme.  Rosebud Floral Art provided such amazing floral centerpieces overflowing in luscious shades of red.  Their fabulous wedding cake from Lucien's was a masterpiece and Liz and Ray's cake topper featuring characters from The Nightmare Before Christmas was so unique and so much fun! This entire wedding was planned and executed perfectly with the professional help of Alissa at Kiss of Bliss!

After the newest Mr. and Mrs. were introduced at the top of the staircase, Liz and Ray danced their first dance together on Lucien's dance floor.  Then, we heard some truly fantastic toasts from their family and wedding party.  We especially loved how their wedding day was described as the beginning of their new story, with this day marked as "page one, chapter one".

DJ services from East Coast Event Group brought the music that kept the party rockin' all night long!  And the packed dance floor proved everyone was having a ball!

Congratulations to Elizabeth and Ray!  We wish you all the best as you begin this new chapter in your life together!

 

Photographer:  Serena Star Photography - Pittsgrove Township, NJ  

Floral Design:  Rosebud Floral Art - Pitman, NJ

Hair Stylist:  Salon Muse - Mt. Holly, NJ

Makeup Artist:  Make Me Sparkle - Lumberton, NJ

Wedding Coordinator:  Kiss of Bliss - Alissa - Marlton, NJ   

Wedding Dress:  Maggie Sottero

Entertainment:  East Coast Event Group - Langhorne, PA   

Ceremony Music:  Party of Three - Williamstown, NJ

Cake:  Lucien's Manor - Berlin, NJ

Venue:  Lucien's Manor - Berlin, NJ

Accomodations:   Holiday Inn Express & Suites - Mt. Laurel, NJ  

Danielle + Deric

Danielle and Deric met when Danielle was in high school and her best friend (and bridesmaid), Krista, moved to another town.  Krista had become good friends with Deric at her new school.  Because of their friendship, Danielle saw a lot of Deric... when Danielle would see Krista and her group of friends, Deric would usually be there too!  A few years younger than Deric, Danielle initially didn't want to date him seriously, but rather wanted to continue to just have fun in high school! But after a few years, she finally decided to go on a real date with Deric in April of 2014, and they've been together as a couple ever since!

We were so happy when Danielle called us one day after her photographer gave her our contact information.  Her photographer happened to be Alisha LeDonne, a fantastic professional photographer whose beautiful wedding we had filmed about a month earlier with our sister company, Cord 3 Films.  We were available for Danielle and Deric's wedding and excited to be filming their day... and to be working alongside Alisha too!

Danielle got ready on the morning and early afternoon of her wedding day at her home.  During this time, she made sure to take a moment aside from the hustle and bustle of the day to read the beautiful letter that Deric wrote for her.  In it, Deric told her that "when asked what he loves about her, it's easier to say what's not to love".  His love note was so thoughtful and well written... we were so touched by his entire letter.

Then, Danielle dressed into her amazing strapless wedding gown from KittyChen Couture.  It had a subtle fit and flare silhouette, a beautiful sweetheart neckline and was covered in gorgeous, glittery beadwork.  Danielle was so stunning! In her arms, she carried a lovely, romantic bouquet in watercolors of pink and white designed by Anastasia Rivera.

In their matching pink robes, her bridesmaids got to see Danielle in her gown and helped her with her accessories before dressing into their beautiful plum colored gowns.  It was now almost time for Danielle and Deric to make it official!

The two decided to forgo a first look before the ceremony and instead, saw each other for the very first time that day as Danielle entered through the church doors at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Turnersville, NJ.  As she walked down the aisle on the arm of her father, you could see the joy written on Deric's face as he watched his love approaching.  And it was equally touching to see how emotional Danielle's father was as he was 'giving his daughter away'.  The two had a traditional wedding ceremony and were soon pronounced 'husband and wife'!

After their ceremony, we traveled to their glamorous reception venue, Brigalias in Sicklerville.  Before joining the party though, we had such a great time filming the couple and wedding party during their photo shoot with Alisha LeDonne!

The couple entered the stately Victorian Ballroom at Brigalias by descending the grand staircase to the cheers of their friends and family!  When they reached the dance floor, Danielle and Deric shared a wonderfully choreographed first dance together as husband and wife, where Deric effortlessly picked her up in the air!

When everyone was seated, Danielle's father welcomed guests and toasted the couple with a warm and heartfelt speech.  Following his message, Danielle's maid of honor and Deric's best man gave such phenomenal toasts as well.  We love it when the toasts and speeches are delivered so naturally and are full of both funny and sweet sentiments.

After dinner and those super-sweet parent dances, it was really time to party!  DJ Joe Albano from SEK Productions set the tone for an amazing evening and provided the music that kept everyone dancing all night!  And definitely, a great time was had by all!

Thank you so much, Danielle and Deric, for allowing us to share in your wonderful wedding day.  You're such a sweet couple and we can see you were truly made for each other too!  As Deric wrote in his letter to Danielle, "This is just the start..." as you have "many more adventures to go on."  We all wish you a lifetime filled with love and happiness together!

 

Photographer:  Alisha LeDonne Photography - Turnersville, NJ    

Floral Design:  Anastasia Rivera  

Hair Stylist:  Leah Silberman 

Makeup Artist:  Beyond the Brush - Allison Martz - Runnemede, NJ  

Wedding Dress:  KittyChen Couture

Entertainment:  SEK Productions - DJ Joe Albano - Cherry Hill, NJ 

Cake:  Country Sweets Bake Shoppe - Woodbury, NJ 

Officiant:  Monsignor Roger McGrath - Turnersville, NJ  

Church:  Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church - Turnersville, NJ   

Venue:  Brigalias - Sicklerville, NJ