Crystal Point Yacht Club Winter Wedding at the Jersey Shore
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Jane + James
Heather and I piled into Heidi (the name we gave to our car) for our second to last wedding of 2021 with equal parts exhaustion and excitement. We have spent so much time on the road that we are scared to know the exact amount, but we ballpark a figure by how many podcasts and audiobooks we’ve rifled through. Surprisingly, we still have an amazing time in the car together. The old litmus test of taking a road trip with a significant other rings truer with every mile we traverse. A year ago to the day we were traveling to the first part of Jane and James’ wedding in Bayonne, New Jersey, and Heather would wind up giving birth to Capa just 12 days later. I still can’t believe how many weddings we did in 2020 and it made our 2021 wedding feel easier by comparison.
Jane and James’ first celebration was a beautiful trip down memory lane, as they got married in the church across the street from the school they attended as children. They held their reception at the Liberty House Restaurant in Jersey City, and it was attended by their closest friends and family as there were still relatively strict gathering restrictions. This year, on their anniversary, they got to host the wedding that they always wanted and it was nice to see some familiar faces! The camaraderie of James and his groomsmen reminded me of my relationships to my childhood friends and the kinship between Jane and her bridesmaids was genuine and sentimental.
The first time I ever visited the Jersey Shore was for Jane and James’ engagement photos so it was only fitting that the second time would be for their wedding at the Crystal Point Yacht Club. The newly renovated cocktail room boasted one of the prettiest white granite top bars I’ve ever seen. They also had a huge variety of beers and even had three taps where guests pour their beers themselves! (If Heather and I ever renew our vows I may book it here on that principle alone.) Off the back of the venue is a marina where we took Jane and James for a few quick romantic photos on the dock before the early winter sunset.
Typically the shortest days of the year frustrate Heather and I. I like to call it a helio-dependence. But since having Capa amidst the crazy snowstorms of winter 2020 these short days have taken on a different type of light. They remind me of the kind of coziness of coming inside on snow days and putting your wet gloves and socks on the radiator. How we’d throw some milk in a pot and tear open a pack of swiss miss with the dehydrated marshmallows and put a christmas movie on TV. Every one of us is lucky to have memories that are that vivid and peaceful, and lucky for Jane and James, now they have two.
Vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Venue | Crystal Point Yacht Club | Point Pleasant, NJ
Floral | Wild & Free Floral Design
Dress | Maggie Sottero
Band | Mike Dalton Band
Suit | The Tux Shop
Cake/Bakery | Tinton Falls Pastry Chef
Grayfields Farm Wedding in New Jersey
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Gray + Laura
I’ve always told people who don’t believe in ghosts that I’d pay for them to stay in a legit haunted house or hotel room. It’s not that I think that it’s actually dangerous but more that it will scare them in the same way I used to be scared of the monsters under my bed (that is, unless I leapt from the bed, in which case, they couldn’t reach me). Now I haven’t had a paranormal experience in a long time—but the photo that Heather took of Laura and Gray at their farm wedding in New Jersey this past weekend—that was the good kind of paranormal. The kind of feeling you get when someone you lost is there with you, watching over you.
Lens Flare? Don’t Care
During Laura and Gray’s golden hour session, they decided to stop by the pine tree that they planted for Gray’s late father, Chris. As they settled into a few poses, Heather kept noticing a flare following Gray around wherever he went. At first she thought it was a lens flare but the way it moved and the way it appeared she ruled that out. Then, as they went to the next spot, Laura and Gray’s favorite tree on their property on the other side of the house, the same flare appeared. Whether or not you believe in ghosts or the many other explanations for how that light appeared, I don’t really care. What I saw and what I felt gave me the sense of presence of life after death and that our energy lives on. This is the positive reality that I choose to believe in.
DIY Weddings
Weddings don’t have to be one-size fits all. You can prioritize or de-prioritize wedding details according to your needs. Laura and Gray didn’t want to have a lot of moving parts so they decided to host it on their gorgeous family farm in Allamuchy, NJ. They did, however, want the food to be amazing so they splurged on a high-quality caterer. They brought in a band, tent, tables, and a trailer restroom and had themselves a wedding to remember. Don’t get overwhelmed with details, instead, choose things that represent your priorities.
Relaxed Wedding Vibes
I always say that the vibe of a wedding comes from the top-down. If the bride and groom are relaxed, everyone else will fall in line, logistics included. Laura and Gray decided to have a more casual attire, jackets optional, because they wanted their guests to be comfortable in the August heat. Many think that the c-word (casual) is an invitation for friends and family to wear cargo shorts and a tuxedo t-shirt, but what happens more often than not is a dressed down, comfortable chic look. I for one, am heavily in favor of moving away from full suits or tuxedos during summer weddings, preferring a more customizable, fashionable style that Gray and his brothers absolutely crushed. Ladies, as for what you decide to wear, the floor is yours!
Laura and Gray’s wedding is one that will stick to me for a long time; if not for the spirituality, or the relaxed vibes, then it is because Capa got to come along. With a bunch of other little ones in attendance, the Grayfields wedding was the perfect blend of family and fun, class and comfort. Cheers guys!
It’s us!
The whole fam with Gray and Laura at polo the day after their amazing wedding. Reach out for your own photo needs below!
Chart House Wedding Photography in NJ
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Lily + Dan’s Wedding
Being invited to photograph any wedding is a privilege. But being invited to photograph the wedding of my childhood bestie is an extra special privilege and one that isn’t lost on me.
Lily and I met in pre-school and were fast friends, despite the fact that she came home from school to tell her mom about her new buddy “Feather” and promptly decided that I must be the spawn of hippie parents. (Little did they know, my dad wanted to name me Pinecone, so the assumptions weren’t that far off).
But as we grew closer, so did our parents, and for the next decade we had lived within walking distance of each other so there were endless playdates, hiking adventures, sleep overs, and I even managed to coerce Lily and her sister onto a horse one or two times. We went to the same schools and rode the same bus all the way up until 9th grade when I left for boarding school, but despite the distance, still managed to maintain our friendship as we formally grew up, went to college, began our careers, and eventually “settled down”.
“Settled down” is a term I mostly loathe, so please don’t take it too seriously. There is an inherent resignation in the phrase, which is precisely the opposite of how I feel at this point in my life. But it does sort of blow my mind to think that we are at the age where we can be getting married and having babies and it’s not scandalous.
When Lily and Dan first began dating, I was living in the UWS of the city at the time. And I remember joining them at the tail end of one of their early dates in midtown actually, but my fatal flaw was that it was during my "sober week” that I do the first week of each new year. We had a great time, but I do remember the bartender getting a little sassy with me for just ordering an iced tea late night at a bar….
Over the years though, their relationship grew and grew so I was both delighted and unsurprised when they got engaged! Getting the opportunity to photograph their wedding meant so much to me, as I was able to be so hands-on with both of them on one of the biggest days of their lives! And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t tear up at least a few times during their big day.
Clinton NJ Engagement Photography with Motorcycles
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Allie + Dan
Our business has a way of merging my old worlds with new ones, and I have absolutely loved reconnecting with friends in order to celebrate their engagements and weddings over the years. Allie and I met many years ago, when we were both working at Horsemen’s Outlet in NJ. I was riding horses full time and doing photography as a hobby, and I worked a few days a week at the local tack shop.
Fast forward to 2021 and we were able to hook up for their engagement-style sesh (Allie and Dan actually got legally married last year). I knew they were bringing their bikes, which is one of their favorite things to do together, but I didn’t realize just how cool it was until I heard a faint hum in the background as the two of them rolled up to their session. Their helmets glistened in the sun, and up the long driveway they pulled up on their motorcycles despite the cold temps that day. Totally badasses.
But their badassery was also met with such warmth and kindness, as Allie unhinged her storage spot on the back of her bike and pulled out a personal charcuterie box for me! What a great surprise, and so thoughtful, as I immediately dove into the cheese and fruits. Good food is the way to my heart, and there’s no better way to start a session than a little nosh, in my opinion.
We had a blast catching up while I also got to meet Dan for the first time! No matter how much changes over the years, it is reassuring to see certain qualities, like Allie’s love of animals and the outdoors, stay the same. I can’t wait to celebrate their wedding reception and party the night away with these two— I have a feeling it’s going to be one for the ages.
Liberty House Wedding Photography in Jersey City
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Jane & James
As Heather and I drove through Staten Island en route to Bayonne, NJ, for our last wedding of the year, all I could think about was pizza. To be fair, I’m one of those people who can have pizza once a day and not get sick of it. I had already researched where we would stop in Staten Island on our way back (Denino’s); a choice that was further supported by the groom, James. At the end of the day, Jane and James invited us to dine with their guests and the entire day tied a beautiful bow upon our crazy wedding season.
Jane and James grew up in Bayonne, which is a peninsular city across the Hudson River from Battery Park and the southern tip of Manhattan. Bayonne’s residences reminded me of a cross between Queens and the Jersey Shore; the way that the homes were stacked upon one another but still retained that neighborhood charm. They got married at the church across from the elementary school they attended, and the walk from each of their homes provided literal walks down memory lane.
Both Jane and James built their wedding parties with friends from their childhoods, and the hours leading up to their ceremony felt like a Saturday in the neighborhood. I bounced from room-to-room as the groomsmen laughed and recounted stories, poking fun at each other in the way that only lifelong friends can. It really is magical the way that our brain remembers details about spaces, connecting intangible, invaluable memories with tactile experiences and objects. That morning felt like walkthrough a family scrapbook.
Jane and James’s roman catholic ceremony was followed by an intimate reception in Jersey City at Liberty House Restaurant. But before we headed there, we took some epic wedding party pictures at sunset in Liberty State Park with the Freedom Tower in the background. We also took advantage of a beautiful, historic transit hub where immigrants coming to the United States used to convene before making their way to Ellis Island to be processed. Jane and the bridesmaids deserve a shout out for braving the wintry wind off the Hudson, doing their best to stay warm in the middle of December with their fancy furs draped about their shoulders!
I remember meeting up with Jane and James in the summer when we did their engagement photos on the Jersey Shore, and they were set on getting married in 2020. They held true to their word and it was heartwarming to see how many of their closest family and friends showed up despite all that was going on. With all of the uncertainty it’s comforting to know that we all have people in our lives that we can rely on, laugh, and brave the storm with. From summer beaches to winter events on the water, New Jersey packs a lot more fun than New Yorkers and Long Islanders like myself give them credit for. I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap the wedding season than share a meal with Jane and James and their guests--I guess the pizza will have to wait until next year.
Enjoy these pics from Jame and Jane’s NJ Wedding:
vendors:
Dress | Maggie Sottero | Kleinfeld Bridal
Reception Venue | Liberty House Restaurant
Ceremony Location | St. Andrew the Apostle Church
Our last 2020 wedding was bittersweet…
…We LOVED getting to celebrate with Jane & James and kissing 2020 goodbye wasn’t exactly hard, but it was also our last wedding before officially becoming a family of three.
