If you aren't getting married in a church, you will need to hire an officiant for your ceremony. In NJ, your officiant needs to be ordained. Some couples choose to hire a professional, while others make the decision to go with a friend or family member as their officiant (who becomes ordained via an online certification). With the latter option becoming increasingly popular, we spoke to Alisa Tongg, who is an award-winning certified Life-Cycle Celebrant and ordained minister

Yan Schwartzman Photography While romantic, just taking a vow with your loved one in front of your friends, family and an officiant unfortunately doesn’t make you married. You need an important document to make it official- the marriage license. Today we review just how to go about obtaining your license so that you aren't scrambling to make plans last minute. Where to apply: If you both live in NJ, you’re in luck and can apply in the town that either of you reside in and yo

Photo by Sweetwater Photography Recently, many of our couples are opting to get married at their reception venue or non-religious location that is special to them. It’s especially nice for the couple and their guests when the ceremony is at the same location as the reception. This allows for guests to flow right into the cocktail hour, avoiding the need for shuttles, limos, and wait time in between. It also leaves the option open for couples as to who they would like to pre

Recently we got the opportunity to visit The Asbury Hotel, a brand new boutique hotel located near the beach in Asbury Park, NJ. We were so excited to finally see not only the wedding space but also the hotel and it definitely exceeded our expectations! The hotel has a very modern vibe and its ballroom matches that look and feel. Your guests will be greeted with valet service and their own entrance. If you choose to have your ceremony at the venue, we’d recommend using their

Photo by Off Beet Productions In August we will be doing our first wedding at Shadowbrook- a venue we have heard so much about but hadn't gotten the opportunity to visit. So, we decided it was time to see what it was all about! Our visit to Shadowbrook located in Shrewsbury, NJ was everything we hoped it would be. The driveway leading up to the estate is lined with greenery and maple trees and your first glimpse of the mansion may make you say “wow.” A little history about ho

Photo by Marie Labbancz Typically when couples begin their venue search they are planning for a Saturday wedding. Often, they have a weekend in mind or at least a month in mind. It’s great to have an idea of the month, day and maybe even weekend that you are looking for, but once you find the venue that you love, be prepared to show some flexibility with the day and date you had in mind. First, you may find a venue that you love that doesn’t have the weekend available you’d l

Photos by Sweetwater Portraits Jenn & Marc’s April 2nd wedding took place at Mallard Island Yacht Club in Long Beach Island, NJ. We worked with the lovely couple beginning 7 months out from their wedding and really enjoyed getting to know Jenn, Marc and their family. They were so organized that it made our jobs easy! Today we’re reviewing some of our favorite details from the wedding. To see more photos from Jenn & Marc’s big day, visit our Facebook album. Mallard Island If y

Makeup by Beke Beau Photo by Marie Labbancz Every girl who dreams of her wedding day also dreams of how fabulous she will look. She imagines flawless makeup, the perfect hair day and being in the best shape of her life. We talk to so many brides who are “sweating for the wedding” and pinning hairstyles galore. We totally get this! Why wouldn’t you want to look your best as you walk down the aisle? Getting glam is hard work, so we have a few tips when it comes to your dream lo

Escort cards are a great way to show your personality and get creative. They can be simple to make on your own and cost effective. Today, we're going to share some of our favorite shore themed escort cards! Starfish Cards Creating this look is very simple! Have a calligrapher or a friend with amazing handwriting write the cards out for you. Using a hole puncher, punch a hole at the top of the cards to attach the starfish using ribbon. There are plenty of sites to purchase sta

Would I put Megan and Aunt Becky together or would Megan go at Tim’s table? Will Erica feel uncomfortable being seated at the same table as Michael- they’ve been broken up now for over a year so I’m sure they’re over it…right? The interworking’s of your own family and friends can be very difficult to navigate, now throw your fiance’s family and friends into the mix and you are faced with what feels like a giant undertaking: the seating chart. Here are a few tips for getting s

While romantic, just taking a vow with your loved one in front of your friends, family and an officiant unfortunately doesn’t make you married. You need an important document to make it official- the marriage license. Often couples are scrambling last minute to make plans to get their license and many couples don’t even know how to obtain one. Since laws around marriage licenses are different in every state, we’ll break down New Jersey’s for you and provide links at the end

Photo by Kaitlin Noel Photogprahy The list of wedding traditions that have been going on for generations now can be pretty long. So, it’s time to think about which traditions you would like to include in your wedding day and which you’d like to ditch…because it is OK to ditch some! It’s easier said than done, but try not to let the opinions of your friends and family impact you too much when it comes to these, after all, it’s your big day! Here are a few traditions that we t