We had an amazing time capturing every moment of this fall wedding day between this stunning bride and handsome groom at and around the The Grand Marquis in Old Bridge. We arrived at nearly 6:30 in the morning at the nearby hotel in Woodbridge amidst the getting ready preparations and jumped into photographing right away. After capturing all of the details of the morning, from hair and makeup and Caterina getting in her dress to the Joe getting on his suit, we were soon excitedly on our way down the road to the Grand Marquis. A romantic first look in the gardens flowed directly into portraits and a impromptu rehearsal of their choreographed first dance of the bride and groom. After seeing their moves, perfected in years of dance classes together, our only advice was to smile the entire time! Soon, their ceremony was set to begin inside one of the many elegant ballrooms. We carefully set up ours flashes to really make the lighting pop as Caterina walked up the aisle accompanied by her father and Joe saw her for the first time. Vows and rings were exchanged to a thunderous applause and the marriage was made official with a kiss. After stepping outside to capture some remaining family and bridal party photos, the new couple set off to greet guests and enjoy their during cocktail hour.
The reception began with grand entrances and an elegant first dance in the middle of the iconic Dome ballroom which we found aptly named for the huge vaulted ceiling above the dance floor. After toasts from friends and siblings, guests took their seats to watch the surprise entertainment (as is traditional in Russian weddings) of the night as dinner was served. From the shoe game and a blindfolded obstacle course to a dance off, everyone in attendance was soon laughing and cheering. The dance floor officially opened with guests flooding onto it and balloons were passed out for another dance contest to see which couple had the best groove without letting them slip. As the cake was cut, the viennese room was opened complete with a doughnut board and chocolate fountain. As the reception drew to an end, everyone lined up to give bubble filled send off for the newly married couple. In a first for us, we met the couple after their reception had ended for a few additional photos impossible to squeeze in the middle of a wedding day. At a nearby farm, the ever adventurous Caterina and Joseph walked into the corn fields and danced, hugged, and kissed as we captured some of our favorite photos from the day!
We always love to photograph both weddings and engagements in Central New Jersey nearby our home in Freehold. If you are looking for a wedding photographer or an engagement photographer, Contact Us for more information about or packages.
Also, see Caterina and Joe’s engagement session at Sayen Gardens at HERE!