This Memorial Day weekend and shoes optional wedding took place on the Howe Street Beach in Bay Head, NJ amongst barbecues and get togethers that mark the beginning of beach season every year. With her family’s Jersey Shore home just a couple blocks up the street, Jen spent many summer days relaxing on this very sand and swimming in the ocean. Those past memories made it the perfect location for a beautiful small and intimate wedding with family surrounding despite an overcast day. We timed our arrival to be at the beach before anyone arrived and prior to any set up being done to be sure to capture every candid moment from beginning to end. Soon, the groom, Soren, arrived a bright yellow jeep arrived with an assorted of tree branches tied to the roof. Taken from the place of his proposal to Jen, he and best man buried them in the sand to create a natural wedding alter on the beach. To accommodate the wedding party, boards were removed from the still closed beach ramp with a power drill Soren said that he just happens to always keeps in his trunk. Soon after, the family began to filter down onto the beach with grandma having an absolute blast being carried out onto the beach in her wheelchair. Soren took his place by the alter where you could see his eyes light up as Jen came over beach dune and into full view accompanied by her father. Family (and some nearby beach go-ers) looked on as vows, then rings, and lastly a kiss was exchanged making the couple officially wed. Hugs, well wishes, and congratulations were exchanged among all as we captured some quick family photos. With everyone else heading to a casual dinner, we stayed on the beach with the new couple for some playful portraits with their feet in cold ocean water and sitting on the jetty together. We then followed them as they walked back to the house stopping at the Bay Head Chapel across the street for some photos in a beautiful garden lit by the setting sun as it broke through the clouds. We wished them the best and parted ways on this amazing wedding day. Despite only being there for a couple hours, we love how the photos show the full story of the day with all of the little moments providing context for the ceremony.
