Their Wedding Day: Summertime Florentine Gardens Wedding
Kristen and Jon’s summertime Florentine Gardens wedding was the perfect celebration of this incredible couple and their love! Florentine Gardens is an absolutely stunning wedding venue, and in the summer when all the flowers are in bloom, it’s especially magical! (The most perfect backdrop for photos!) And for Kristen and Jon’s wedding day the blooms were out in all their glory! I’m still dreaming about those hydrangeas!
There was rain in the forecast, and partway through their outdoor ceremony, the rain started falling. Everyone made a quick transition inside to an equally beautiful indoor ceremony space, and in in under 5 minutes, all guests were re-seated and joyfully ready to resume, and the ceremony picked up right where it left off. It was one of the most impressive things I’ve seen at a wedding. And the silver lining was that they got to make use of BOTH incredible ceremony backdrops! 🙂
Their reception was a BLAST! The dance floor was bumping all night, and shots were flowing – all their guests were having the most amazing time! Not to mention, Kristen’s second outfit for the reception was one of my all time FAVES! So fun! I can’t wait to share all my favorite photos! But first, a bit of their love story.
Their Love Story
Kristen and Jon first met at a mutual friend’s birthday celebration in Atlantic City. At the time, Jon thought Kristen had a boyfriend. Kristen said, “we stayed friends and started dating years later.” For their first date, they went to dinner at Zack’s – a local favorite in Hoboken! Which made it extra special when we stopped by for a few photos at Zack’s during their session!
When I asked Kristen & Jon to share with me one thing they love about each other, they gave such sweet answers. Kristen said, “I love that he is always very calm cool and collected when I’m not, and always supportive.” Jon said, “I love how persistent and diligent she is with everything in her life. No detail no matter how small ever gets overlooked.”
The Proposal
You’ve got to hear how Jon proposed! He gave me the inside scoop! He said, “I had decided in June that I was going to ask Kristen to marry me, as soon as we booked our trip to Hawaii for September. I loved the idea of a surprise proposal. To keep it a secret for the next LONG 3.5 months, I only told our close family and friends. I had researched the most scenic locations in Hawaii to pop the question. I took control of planning our trip itinerary to make sure I could plan around a sunset proposal. Ironically, I ultimately decided on a place that Kristen unknowingly picked out herself! – Makena Cove in Maui, also known as Maui’s ‘secret beach’.”
“That day we went to lunch across the island at a restaurant we were dying to go to but couldn’t get a reservation at- we went as walk-ins as soon as they opened and were lucky enough to get seated for one of the best meals we’ve ever had. We went to the beach after lunch to enjoy the sun and even got to swim up close with sea turtles! It was an amazing day, and I knew it was only going to get even better with a perfect ending at sunset.”
“We headed back to our hotel room to change to watch the sunset at the secret beach but as soon as we got to the hotel it started to rain. Of course. I had already told a photographer to meet us there and Kristen’s mom had glasses engraved with the date, so even though my anxiety was through the roof I was determined to make it happen. I texted the photographer to push the time back a half hour but knew that to get the perfect sunset shots I wouldn’t have as much time as I planned now.”
“We left for the beach and my prayers were answered- it stopped raining as soon as we got there. But, as if the rain and cutting it close to sunset time wasn’t anxiety-inducing enough, we got to the beach and saw that it was much smaller than I expected it to be. And there were people everywhere (so much for it being “secret” ! ). “
“I wanted to wait for the perfect moment but I knew the clock was ticking on sunset and the crowd wasn’t leaving. In fact, more people were coming. So It was now or never. Beyond nervous, I held Kristen’s hand and took her to the water. I asked her if she loved me, and then I asked her to marry me. And now the rest is history!”
To the Newlyweds
Kristen and Jon, thank you so much for having us as a part of your wedding day! It was absolutely perfect! We are so honored we got to celebrate with you and capture all the beautiful memories of this special milestone. We can’t wait for all that lies ahead for you two in this next chapter! Enjoy soaking up all the newlywed bliss! xoxo
Vendors
2nd Photographer – Ryan Hardin
Photo Assistant – Nina Sheffield Photography
Venue – Estate at Florentine Gardens
Hair Stylist – Hair By Danielle Miele
MUA – Makeup by Michele Eva
Florist – Olivia’s Florals
Invitation Suite – Art Paper Scissors
Dress Designer – Berta
Dress Boutique – L’Fay Bridal
Hair Piece – Bridal Styles Boutique
Groom Attire – Hugo Boss
Rings – Jewelry By Erdman
Bridesmaid Dresses – Show Me Your Mumu (Dusty Blush)
Bride Getting Ready Attire – Brielle’s Bridal Boutique
DJ – DJ Tony Gia (Sal)
Spray Tan – Glow Naked NJ
Cake – Palermo’s Bakery
Live Painter – Live Painting by Marina
Bridesmaid Getting Ready Attire – BedHead
