Category Archives: New Jersey

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

 

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   

 

Gianna + Zack

Gianna and Zack met at the very beginning of their freshman year at West Chester University.  During the first couple weeks of school, one of Zack's friends was placed into the same dorm room as Gianna, and she was introduced to Zack through her during their orientation weekend.  After that, their relationship continued to grow as they got to know... and then fall in love with each other.

Zack's proposal to Gianna was so touching!  At the last minute one day in late September, the two decided to drive to Ocean City, NJ instead of their planned apple picking date.  As they got closer to town, Zack asked Gianna if she wanted to drive past her grandparents' former shore home.  Afterwards, as that sentimental feeling was still in the air, they parked and walked to the ocean's edge.  Zack told Gianna to walk over and put her hand in the water and when she walked back to him, he grabbed her hand and told her, through tears, how much he loved her.  Then, he got down on one knee and asked Gianna to be his wife.  She of course, said 'yes'!  Now let's fast forward to their beautiful wedding...

Yes, it did rain on this wedding day, but the rain certainly didn't put a damper on anything!  The one thing we remember most from this fabulous wedding was how genuinely happy and excited this couple was for their wedding day to be here.  There was not one thing that was going to take away the smiles on their faces or the excitement in their hearts!

On the big day, Gianna got ready for the wedding at her home while Zack relaxed and readied with his groomsmen at The Westin Mount Laurel.  Gianna's beautiful bridal party wore long white gowns and carried such lovely bouquets in ivory, with just a hint of blush, from Addie Rose Floral Events.  Zack dressed into his classic black tux with a necktie and looked ever so sharp! And check out those sports-themed argyle socks the guys all wore!

And wow, Gianna was such a stunning bride!  She wore a gorgeous Martina Liana gown with a subtle fit and flare silhouette.  It had a dramatic sweetheart neckline and was covered in lovely sequin lace.  She accessorized with her mother's delicate tennis bracelet and a beautiful, lush bouquet with its handle wrapped in part of Gianna's mother's wedding gown.  Such wonderful tributes to her mom and to her parents' wedding day.

The two decided not to have a first look, but instead to save that special moment for the altar at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Marlton, NJ.  We loved seeing how overwhelmed with emotion Zack was at the sight of his bride walking down the aisle on the arm of her father.  It was such a moving moment and one we know they'll both treasure.  Their ceremony was so beautiful, with Reverend Jorge Bedoya leading the couple in reciting their traditional vows.  At the end, they were pronounced 'husband and wife' and shared in a kiss and laughter!

Before their cocktail hour began, the couple traveled to Lakeview Memorial Park for another terrific photo shoot with All My Love Photography.  It was so wonderful to work with the team at All My Love and the couple had a blast while their photos were taken... despite the rain that continued to fall!  They were such troopers, and had so much fun the whole time! Be sure to check out some of the photos from the day on All My Love's facebook page!

Gianna and Zack then continued on to The Merion in Cinnaminson for their reception.  We absolutely love filming at The Merion and couldn't have been happier to be there celebrating with such a wonderful couple!  And the ballroom looked so glamorous, with tables overflowing with tall floral centerpieces highlighted by flickering tea lights.  We were touched again to see the cards at the place settings letting guests know that a donation to the Cathdral Kitchen was made in lieu of favors (in their grandparents’ honor as they were very involved with helping this organization).   

The new Mrs. & Mrs. were introduced, then danced their sweet first dance together.  After heartfelt toasts from Gianna's father, her matron and maid of honor and from Zack's best man, the newlyweds shared dances with their parents.  They cut their beautiful (and so delicious) all-white cake from Isgro Pasticceria and Gianna tossed her bouquet, all in between high-energy dance sets brought to life by Center Stage Entertainment! All their friends and family had so much fun as they celebrated the enduring love and life that Gianna and Zack will share together.

As Gianna remarked later, this wedding was such a dream!  It was for Gianna, Zack and their families, but also it was a dream for us. It was so wonderful to work with such a sweet, thoughtful, easy-going and simply happy couple!  We wish them love, success and all the happiness in the world!

 

Photographer:  All My Love Photography -  Riverside, NJ    

Floral Design:  Addie Rose Floral Events - Berlin, NJ     

Hair Stylist:  Moxie Blue - Marlton, NJ   

Makeup Artist: Kiss n' Makeup Artistry- Southern NJ    

Wedding Dress:  Martina Liana

Wedding Shoes: Badgley Mischka    

Entertainment:  Center Stage Entertainment - Lindenwold, NJ   

Cake:  Isgro Pasticceria - Philadelphia, PA  

Transportation:  Albert's Transportation - Mt. Laurel, NJ

Officiant:  Reverend Jorge Bedoya - Marlton, NJ   

Church:  St. Joan of Arc Parish - Marlton, NJ     

Venue:  The Merion - Cinnaminson, NJ     

Accommodations:  The Westin Mount Laurel - Mt. Laurel, NJ