This New Jersey wedding captured by Tina Elizabeth Photography hits all the marks for a rustic soiree. Loose and organic florals, personalized decor, a location set in the hills of the Watchung Mountains, a soft blue color palette, and industrial elements to tie in the casual, yet sophisticated wedding Casey and Peter wanted. Continue reading below for all the pretty details. We promise you don’t want to miss this one.
By Tina Elizabeth Photography…It was a PERFECT June day beginning with makeup getting done, music playing and lots of smiles! Family was the focus and from the minute the ceremony was over the party was on!! Enjoy the gorgeous backdrop of this lovely wedding!
Our wedding is best described as elegant, traditional, and rustic meets industrial. It was important to us have a traditional church ceremony, and an indoor venue, but still be unique and match our less formal style. Casey did not want a ballroom and wanted to ensure guests were WOWed when they walked into the reception space.Casey and Peter chose the Stone House, nestled in the hills of the Watchung Mountains in NJ. They wanted an outdoor wedding but worried about weather. The Stone House was the perfect fit. They were able to get beautiful outdoor shots with TONS of greenery, especially with everything blooming this time of year, an indoor/outdoor multi-level cocktail hour, and an indoor reception with an attached patio and fire pits. It was the best of both worlds. As an added bonus, they chose the Lodge room within Stone House – their newest room which most of their guests had never been to before – and was far from a traditional ball room. The space was industrial with floor-to-ceiling windows, gray slate flooring throughout, wrought-iron chandeliers, exposed piping, and a large stone fireplace – rustic yet sophisticated. It offered a beautiful view of the mountains and lush gardens.Keeping with their traditional wedding, family was most important to Casey and Peter. At the ceremony (Peter’s family church for 30+ years), Casey had her father and step-father split the aisle to share in giving her away. Casey and Peter chose their siblings for their best man and maid of honor, and had their other siblings do readings. When the ceremony ended, Peter’s parents, Peter, Casey and Casey’s parents were formed on the church steps for a traditional receiving line. Guests were also surprised as Peter’s cousin played Croatian music outside of the church on his accordion to connect the families heritage, and excite guests for the reception. Casey and Peter may have even danced in the church parking lot as their family sang around them!
Our wedding look was based off our favorite colors, our interests, and our date. Although we had a romantic and traditional wedding, our fashion style is a bit less formal. We wanted to stay true to ourselves. A heavy ball gown would not match Casey’s personality, and a black tuxedo would be too formal for Peter. Casey chose an elegant sheath dress with timeless lace. It had a stunning low scoop back, and an illusion double extended train. Casey chose a finger tip veil, careful to not deter from the statement train, and simple jewelry to match her daily style, including a delicate bracelet inclusive of blue topaz (Peter’s birthstone) as her something blue. The bridesmaids wore matching floor length dresses in pale blue and the maid of honor wore the same fabric, but a different style dress in a slightly darker shade of blue. Casey’s mother happened to choose a navy blue dress with elegant sequins to tie it all in. Having the early summer weather allowed us to tap into Peter’s preferred style of a navy blue tuxedo, white shirt, white tie and brown shoes. To ensure he stood out from the groomsmen, their ties differed and were pale blue. Our fathers wore black tuxedos but were gifted ties from Peter and Casey with just a hint of navy and white for a consistent look. We both LOVE blues and whites, and being outdoors, so adding those colors with greens and golds was an obvious pick for June 1st.
We wanted our flowers to be lush, loose, and make a statement, and a compact look would not match our style. Casey chose a large bouquet filled with white and ivory roses/ranunculus, loose leafy greens of eucalyptus and italian ruscus, and pops of light blue delphinium. It was wrapped in satin ribbon with Casey’s great grandmothers ring adhered, and just a little bit of stem showing. The bridesmaids bouquets were a smaller version without roses. Boutonnieres mimicked this look. Our church altar and aisle pews were arranged with hydrangea’s/blooms .Centerpieces were just as grand and set in low glass vases. The flowers felt like they were overflowing out in a loose and romantic way. Next to centerpieces were taper candles in light blue and gold votives. Our flowers also carried over to our 4-tiered cake. Our flowers were the perfect compliment for our light blue dresses and navy tuxedos, and popped in our outdoor reception pictures with the green mountains as a back drop.
Part of the fun in planning was adding our own personal touches. We wanted guests to experience our love and our personalities, not just attend another venue’s wedding. Plus, Casey and her Mom love Pinterest projects! When guests left the church, they were given a wand with ribbon and a wedding bell that Casey and her mother made. As the bridal parties got on the trolley from the church, they were surprised with personalized koozies saying, Just Married and the wedding date. The entryway to the venue featured a pallet that Casey and her mother finished with the date Casey and Peter met, the date he proposed and the wedding date. The cocktail hour also had a large picture frame cork board filled with some of Casey and Peter’s favorite pictures and memories with a white ribbon around the frame. C & P was also made with pallet wood and on display with place cards. The sweetheart table was unique to Casey and Peter, and did not match the venue’s guest tables. Casey and Peter purchased their own ivory linen to serve as a runner across their table and drape to the floor. The front of their table was lined with lanterns from Casey’s sisters wedding.Back at the hotel, guests received welcome bags with hang tags thanking them for being a part of the special day, and personalized hotel door hangers with a fun phrase and to identify them as part of the wedding block. There was not a shortage of personal touches and DIY projects!
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Reception Venue: Stone House at Stirling Ridge / Photographer: Tina Elizabeth Photography / Second Shooter: Juliet Macey Photography / DJ: Jam Music Events / Floral Designer: Barbara Bell Design / Cake Designer: Palermo Bakery / Dress Designer: Maggie Sottero / Hair Stylist: DePasquale Salon / Bridesmaid Dresses: Bella Bridesmaids / Invitation Designer: Paper Rose Invitations
