Melissa and Matt's Park Savoy Estate Wedding - South Jersey Wedding Photographer

I absolutely adore Melissa and Matt! After their engagement session I was looking forward to their wedding at The Park Savoy Estate so much. Rain was called for in the forecast but they didn’t allow that to put a damper on their day. They started off with an emotional first look out front of The Park Savoy where they exchanged their vows privately. After that we explored the grounds and made use of clear umbrellas when the rain decided to start. Matt and Melissa were troopers though and ditched them at times to get some beautiful portraits. The ceremony was full of more emotional tears as Melissa’s brothers walked her down the aisle. It was such a poignant ceremony filled with emotion and love. After the ceremony they partied the night away with all their family and friends in the gorgeous ballroom of The Park Savoy Estate.

Amanda and Matt's Windrift Beach Wedding - Windrift Hotel Wedding - South Jersey Wedding Photographer

Amanda and Matt had the most gorgeous wedding at the Windrift hotel in Avalon, NJ. The Windrift is a favorite of mine because it provides a stunning backdrop and they are awesome to work with. How can you go wrong with the stunning, blue reception room and a wedding on the beach?!

Matt and Amanda got ready at the hotel in their suites. It was a very relaxed morning full of laughs and some champagne! The weather was perfect for their ceremony on the beach and then portraits after. The sunlight on the beach was ah-ma-zing! The dunes behind the Windrift are always a favorite spot of mine for portraits. The sun just peaks over the top in a beautiful way that perfectly backlights the couple.

After we were done with the ceremony and portraits we headed inside for delicious food and the party! We love when the dance floor is packed and Amanda and Matt’s friend’s didn’t disappoint! They came ready to dance! It was such an amazing day from start to end!

Kayla & Stephen's Fall Sunflower Wedding - Carlucci's Waterfront Wedding - South Jersey Wedding Photographer

Kayla and Stephen had a beautiful wedding on the patio at Carlucci's Waterfront in Mt. Laurel, NJ. It was a stunning day and perfect for an outdoor ceremony. I enjoyed spending the morning getting ready with Kayla at their home and then we made a stop to take bridal portraits beside the lake in their neighborhood. Kayla and Stephen saw each other for the first time at the ceremony and there were many tears from everyone. I loved that they made the ceremony their own and did a peanut butter and jelly sandwich ceremony. It was a first for me and so adorable with mini mason jars and lots of laughs! After the ceremony everyone headed inside for an amazing dinner and dancing!

Melissa and Matt's Batsto Village Engagement Session - South Jersey Wedding Photographer

Today I have a beautiful, fall engagement session for you! Matt and Melissa met me at Batsto Village and we had such a fun evening strolling around taking their engagement pictures. Their pups joined us for the beginning and then we focused on just Melissa and Matt. Half way through Melissa and Matt also did an outfit change which was so fun! It mixed up the vibe and matched perfectly when we focused on the nature side of Batsto.

South Jersey Wedding

A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of shooting another backyard wedding along the water. Alyssa and Dan had planned a wedding at the Icona in Avalon, but when the pandemic nixed those plans they bounced back and planned a whole 2nd wedding in the span of just a few months! If you didn’t know their originals plans you’d never know that this wasn’t the wedding of their dreams all along! Dan did an absolutely amazing job transforming his parent’s backyard into a wedding venue full of greenery and flowers. The decor was absolutely gorgeous! Almost as gorgeous as the bride! Alyssa looked absolutely amazing and was so calm despite the hiccup in the weather. The rain didn’t quite cooperate for us, but it gave us a few breaks where we were able to sneak out for portraits and the tents provided the perfect cover for the ceremony and reception. It was such a beautiful day filled with close family and friends.

Rustic Backyard Wedding in South Jersey

Wedding season this year has mostly been postponed so it felt so nice to get back to work last weekend! Lindsay and DeWayne’s rustic backyard wedding was my first wedding back since the corona virus shut New Jersey down. I met them for their first look outside Lindsay’s family home and then we explored the farm. I was in heaven with a Harley Davidson, a big tractor, a vintage truck and lots of beautiful land to work with! We had fun taking portraits around the farm then did bridal party pictures before their intimate ceremony. Their ceremony was filled with the perfect amount of touching moments and laughs over personal touches they added to their vows. Lindsay and DeWayne then made a grand entrance into their reception on DeWayne’s Harley! I finished up the evening capturing their first dances and the touching speeches their friends and family gave. It was such a wonderful day from start to finish and the perfect way to jump back into weddings!

Summer wedding at the Bradford Estate

When I’m not shooting a wedding of my own I’m usually shooting with Susan of Susan Hennessey Photography and I love it! This August we spent a beautiful summer day at the Bradford Estate in Hainesport, NJ. It’s one of my favorite venues so I always look forward to going there.

I started the day off with the guys as they enjoyed playing pool and video games. After capturing the groom getting ready we headed outside for their first look and then portraits. The grounds at the Bradford Estate are amazing and give us so many options for portraits. The venue is always so nice about waiting to setup for the ceremony until we have time to use the grounds for portraits. It gives us so many options and the sunlight is always amazing there! After portraits the ceremony took place in the courtyard with the sun slowly setting behind the trees. The ceremony was touching and filled with many laughs and smiles. When the vows were exchanged we moved inside for the reception. It was such a fun day from start to finish!

Please enjoy this beautiful wedding I second shot for Susan Hennessey Photography!

Emilie and Elliot's Backyard Wedding

Emilie and Elliot had the most stunning wedding on their family’s home in the hills of Pennsylvania. It was the perfect day filled with friends and family and a breathtaking backdrop! I met both Emilie and Elliot in the house as they both got ready on separate floors. It’s always fun when I can do both the bride and groom prep because they are getting ready at the same location. As the house bustled with activity Emilie got into her gown with the help of her sisters and Elliot prepared downstairs with his groomsmen. Afterwards we headed out front for the first look then bridal party and family photos. I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful setting. We were surrounded by mature trees that helped keep the heat at bay and provided such nice light. Once it was time for the ceremony we moved around back where the ceremony was setup facing the hillside. Emilie’s father officiated the ceremony after walking her down the aisle to Elliot. I love when family or friends officiate the ceremony because it adds such a personal touch to the event. Once the ceremony was completed we headed back out front for the reception under the tent. Floral arrangements and beautiful greenery decorated every bit of the space to create a garden wonderland. It was amazing and I had so much fun capturing all the details that were so thoughtfully put together. It provided the perfect backdrop for Emilie and Elliot’s reception.

Renault Winery Wedding - Egg Harbor City, NJ

Angela and Mark held their wedding at the beautiful Renault Winery. They embraced the fall with pumpkins throughout their wedding decor, along with touches of wood and calligraphy. I’m not sure if I loved the glass pumpkin centerpieces or the pumpkins lining the aisle with the key moments of their lives together.

The rain threatened throughout the day to ruin the ceremony but it held off and they enjoyed saying their vows in the vineyard with the tall pines as their backdrop. Mark surprised Angela with a horse drawn carriage that whisked them off for some sunset portraits on the golf course. The final surprise came when zombies invaded during the entrances. They danced to thriller and then welcomed Mark and Angela in. The dance floor stayed packed all night long after that. It was an amazing day from start to finish!

Vendors:

Photography: Abbey Bradshaw Photography

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Renault Winery and Resort

Decorations & Design: Kara's Creative Crafts

Florist: Abbot Florist

DJ: BME Event Group

Baker: Emma's Farmhouse Confections

Bridal Shoes: Betsy Johnson

Groomsmen Suits: Jos A Bank

General Warren Inn Wedding - Malvern, PA

John and Meg traveled to Malvern to have their wedding at the historic General Warren Inn. It was a small, intimate affair with just their closest family and friends. It was such a beautiful day both in the weather and the love shared between them. We started out doing couple portraits around the grounds at the General Warren Inn and then they signed their marriage license making their marriage official! The moment was so sweet and shared with them and their two friends. Afterwards they spent the evening enjoying a dinner upstairs in the beautifully decorated room. Elopements are quickly becoming one of my favorite types of events to capture because they are so full of love and the small group makes it so special for the couple.

Mike & Kara's Trump National Golf Club Wedding - South Jersey Wedding Photographer

Sunday was the perfect day for a wedding at Trump National Golf Club in Pine Hill. I’ve been so fortunate to know the Cucinotta family for years so I was absolutely thrilled to capture their youngest son Mike’s wedding day! Mike and his fiancé Kara have been planning their wedding from their home state of Texas and everything came together beautifully. When I walked in Sunday morning to find Kara’s wedding shoes were cowboy boots I knew we’d have a blast together!

Kara’s boots were just the tip of the iceberg. Kara looked absolutely beautiful in her fitted lace dress topped of with a delicate pearl necklace and earrings.

The ceremony was held overlooking the trees and Philly skyline. The sky was such a stunning blue it made the perfect backdrop for Kara and Mike’s vows and ring exchange.

After the ceremony they celebrated with their families in the ballroom at Trump National Golf Club Philadelphia. The flower girls tore up the dance floor! Everyone else soon joined in and did their renditions of their favorite dance moves. It was such a perfect afternoon!

Chelsea and Matt's Running Deer Country Club Wedding {South Jersey Wedding Photography}

Chelsea and Matt were married earlier this month at Running Deer Country Club in Pittsgrove Township. We planned for rain for weeks but in the end it was such a beautiful, fall day! They were married at the Our Lady of Pompeii Church in Vineland and then we headed over to Running Deer. It was a bit of a race against the sun setting but we ended up with gorgeous light during portraits! The bridal party rocked it and then we headed out with just Chelsea and Matt to do their portraits out on the golf course. I have a favorite little nook with tall grasses that I love to shoot at. Chelsea and Matt trusted me when I asked the to jump into the middle of the weeds and the resulting portraits were so worth it!

Vendors that made it all possible:

Venue - Running Deer Country Club

Church - Our Lady of Pompeii Church

Photographers - Abbey Bradshaw Photography

Videographers - Command Performance NJ

DJ - By Design Entertainment

Florist - Shop Rite of Williamstown

Baker - Stella Baking Company

Shoe Designer - Badgley Mischka

Danielle and Jeffrey's Chalfonte Hotel Wedding {South Jersey Wedding Photographer}

Cape May holds a special place in Danielle’s heart so it was no surprise that their wedding was at the beautiful Chalfonte Hotel, Cape May’s oldest hotel. We lucked out with the weather and ended up with a gorgeous fall day. The rain changed the ceremony plans but Jeffrey and Danielle just rolled with it and moved it to the porch of the Chalfonte Hotel.. The wedding from start to finish was full of love and a lot of personal details and touches. For the first look we did it a bit different than normal. Jeffrey and Danielle held hands around a tree and then turned together to see one another. It was such a beautiful moment. I loved how they personalized it! During the ceremony their niece was the adorable flower girl and their pup served as the ring bearer (with a well tied on ring bag). Danielle’s godfather Tim officiated and gave a very emotional and heartfelt service. For the reception, Jeffrey’s sister Sylvia made the beautiful wedding cake. She’s not a professional baker but you’d never know it!

And for a final touch, the favors were made by the students at Jeffrey and Danielle’s school. Jeffrey and Danielle met at the vocational based high school in the Bronx where they work. Each class runs their own business and The Little Dipper Chocolatier is a booming business run by the class of one of their colleagues. Danielle and Jeffrey knew they wanted them to make their wedding favors because they're so beautiful and delicious. They also sell them so anyone who might be interested in ordering can contact Erica at ebesikof@schools.nyc.gov

Alyssa & Matt's Lucien's Manor Wedding - South Jersey Wedding Photographer

At the end of August I met up with Matt and Alyssa on a warm summer night to discuss their upcoming wedding. It has been over two years in the making and you could just tell they were so excited to be getting married. We spent over an hour chatting about everything and planning out their day. Fast forward to September and it was their wedding day!! The entire day went so smoothly and we ended up having beautiful weather!

Lucien’s Manor holds a special place in my heart because its where my own wedding reception was held and they do such an amazing job with every wedding. I hadn’t been there since they renovated the room and added the chapel outside. I was afraid we wouldn’t have space for portraits but Alyssa and Matt ended up with so many great portraits from around the grounds. They also had a beautiful ceremony filled with tears of joy and happiness (this happened a lot all day) in the new chapel. Afterwards, the dance floor was packed all night long as well as the photobooth!

The team that made their day special included:

Florist - Always Beautiful Floral Design by Stella

DJ - SEK Productions

Venue - Lucien’s Manor

Dress Designer - Maggie Sottero

Limo - Alberts Transportation

Luke and Kacie's Proposal at Prospector's Steakhouse and Saloon - South Jersey Wedding Photographer

I absolutely love shooting proposals. The excitement, the planning, the challenge of not being spotted, its all so much fun and it ends with one very happy couple! I loved helping Luke plan out how he was going to ask Kacie to marry him and it was an added bonus it was happening at one of my favorite places, Prospector’s Steakhouse and Saloon..

As we stood out in the rain with all of Kacie’s friends and family, huddled together under the side of the neighboring Walgreen’s awning, you could feel the excitement and nervousness radiating off Luke. Kacie was just inside the bar spending the evening line dancing with her mom. She had no idea what was about to happen! While she was busy we all snuck into the bar and stood on the opposite side of the room. Thankfully it was busy and she wasn’t expecting us so she didn’t even notice. Earlier in the night her mom had told her that she had entered them into a sweepstakes for a cruise so Kacie thought she had won when she was called out onto the dance floor. Instead Luke walked out and dropped down on one knee!

This is when Luke pointed out all of us to Kacie!