Their Wedding Day: Estate at Florentine Gardens
Thoughtfully planned details, fluffy pink roses, an all star line up of vendors, and the MOST joyful couple…it doesn’t get any more magical than that! Janine & Connor’s wedding at The Estate at Florentine Gardens was such an incredible day. I LOVED getting to work with my insanely talented friends at Michelle Elise Artistry, who’s hair & makeup skills are next level. And it’s always such a joy to work alongside my favorite video team, ToneMedia! Steph & Justin are wildly talented videographers, and the absolute BEST to work with! #TheDreamTeam You HAVE to see their sneak peek teaser video from the rose garden bride and groom portraits! Check it out below!
I loved all the special little details that Janine & Connor incorporated into their wedding day. The subtle Disney touches like the golden Mickey ornaments on each table at the reception, the alternate Disney themed invitation suite, and even the venue itself! Janine and Connor said Florentine Gardens reminds them of the ballroom from Beauty and the Beast!
Bride & groom portrait time is one of my favorite parts of a wedding day! Janine & Connor’s bride and groom portraits were all sorts of magical! The pink roses at Florentine Gardens were perfectly bloomed, and the PERFECT backdrop for their portraits! I am so excited to share their incredible day with you! But first, let me tell you a little more about their love story.
Their Love Story
Janine & Connor met through mutual friends (Janine’s college roommates knew his family). They met at a local sports bar in Stamford. As Janine tells it, “I was pretty nervous, but also excited to meet Connor! On my drive to the bar I remember asking my two girlfriends a thousand questions about Connor and his family since they grew up with him. With my luck, my directions had me go to the wrong bar so I was late. But once I arrived and saw him, there was an instant ease in his eyes and the way he hugged me hello. From then on all my nerves were gone and everything felt natural. From the way we couldn’t stop talking, and bounced jokes off one another, and had a ridiculous amount of things in common, we both said we’ve never had such a connection before.”
Want to hear how Connor popped the question?! It’s a good story! 🙂 In Janine’s words, “Our proposal is a long story, but definitely one of my favorites – its a handful! Connor and I were going to Disney World for 2 days in the parks, and then hop on a Disney Cruise for a week (we both love Disney!). Our first day, we arrived at Disney’s Polynesian resort and dropped off our luggage at the bell service because our room wasn’t ready, and we wanted to swim in the pool. Time goes by, and we were ready to check into our room, so we go to the bell service and they hand Connor his bag, but they couldn’t find mine. I stayed calm at first, but as time went by I started to get nervous. The hotel managers even began to look nervous, which wasn’t reassuring and just added to my anxiety. An hour went by and my bag was still lost, so the managers said they’d call us once they found it, and that we should continue with our vacation as planned. At this point I was NOT happy. Poor Connor had to deal with my negative attitude and paranoia that someone at the resort stole my bag and was keeping it or selling my belongings. It was not my finest moment, and on top of this – a monsoon hit out of no where. The bad weather dragged my mood down even more (like I said – I wasn’t pleasant) but Connor and I continued with our plans.
“I luckily had one dress in my small bag, so we showered and got ready to go to Disney Springs as planned. Once I got out of the shower we got a call from the hotel manager who said he found my bag! I was so relieved to get my bag back, and on top of that, the weather cleared up! Needless to say, I was no longer a scary person anymore…I was back to my happy vacation self. Connor suggested we take a picture at my favorite spot on the Polynesian beach before going to Disney Springs. We walked over, and Connor asked a girl sitting on a chair to take the picture for us, and that’s when he popped the question!! He actually knew the girl taking our picture/video (she was his friend who did the College Program with him). And after the proposal he had a professional photographer waiting for us to get a photo shoot around the resort! We were so lucky the weather cleared up and had a beautiful photo shoot with the sunset.
“The best part in my opinion is considering how Connor must have felt during the whole day. 1. I’m not a good flyer so he had to deal with me being a nervous wreck on the plane. 2. In retrospect – thank god they lost my bag instead of his because he had the ring in his bag! 3. Was he still going to propose to me if the hotel didn’t find my bag and I was in such a foul mood? 4. With the monsoon that rolled in he wasn’t going to be able to propose in my favorite spot on the Polynesian beach. In the end, everything worked out perfectly, but it could have been a much different story if things didn’t work out the way they did :)”
Isn’t that such a great story!!?! We took Janine & Connor’s engagement photos in Disney at the Boardwalk Resort, since Disney has such a special place in their hearts. I loved getting to travel somewhere so special with these two to tell that part of their story. You can check out their engagement session here!
To the Newlyweds
Janine & Connor, you two are the sweetest souls, and such kind, thoughtful people! It has been an absolute joy to be a part of this special season of your lives, and to capture all of these memories of your wedding day! When clients become friends, it means the world to me. And I can honestly say it’s couples like you who make being a wedding photographer the best job on the planet. I love you two with all my heart and am so excited for you to begin this next chapter of your story! Cheers to forever as husband & wife!!! xoxo
The incredible vendor team:
Reception Venue: The Estate at Florentine Gardens, River Vale, NJ
Ceremony: St. Anthony’s Church, Nanuet, NY
Getting Ready Location: Hilton Pearl River, Pearl River, NY
2nd Photographer: Tori Petrillo
Photo Assistant: Barbara Marcella
Videographer: ToneMedia
Hair & Makeup: Michelle Elise Artistry
Dress Designer: Pronovias
Dress Boutique: A Little Something White Bridal
Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Wedding Rings: Blue Nile Diamond
DJ: Jimmy Dee
Florist: Arcadia Floral Co
Cake: Palermos Bakery
Bridesmaids Dresses: Amsale Bridesmaids
Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Invitations: Papyrus & Inspirations by Amielee
Transportation: BBZ Limo
Donuts: Glaze Artisan
Cocktail Hour Pianist: Bob Rissolo
