I did a fantastic wedding on May 14 at The Mill at Spring Lake Heights. First, let me say that for outdoor photo opportunities, the restaurant is top-notch. While the downstairs was busy with a dinner crowd and a big wedding upstairs, downstairs along the lake a private room held a small reception. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the best part of my experience at The Mill: the staff. The valets are the friendliest I’ve met and the banquet coordinator and waiters went out of their way to fix an issue that wasn’t their fault.

First, the view from the covered porch outside the room:

The view from the porch is tranquil

The cafe room downstairs that opens out onto the covered porch:

Wood floors and pendant lights create an intimate mood

The walk down to the ceremony garden is lovely throughout the year, but spring is lovely.

A short walk away from the restaurant is the path to the ceremony garden.

The ceremony garden can be filled with rows of chairs for larger ceremonies:

The ceremony garden along the lake.

The plantings along the lake offer a lovely background for photographs:

Lush greenery along the lake.

The centerpieces brought a shore theme inside:

The beach theme moves indoors through the centerpieces.

Despite the threatening skies, a brief sunshower gave way to perfect weather for the ceremony.

Although the rain threatened all week, the sun came out for Michelle and Bruce’s at-home wedding. They had a small wedding with only a few family members present, and it made me think about what it means to focus on who is important in your life. Their parents watched as we gathered in the living room to exchange vows in a way that was intimate and meaningful to them. Far more personal than if they had married at the courthouse. Afterward, the couple posed for a few photos together and with all their guests (all 6!). Once the ceremony was over, they headed out for a celebration dinner with those who mean the most to them.

While I love doing large weddings with exquisite details and amazing settings, I also love doing ceremonies for couples who are clearly in love and have complete focus on their relationship rather than a big party.

As a bride who got married in the living room 8 years ago, I also have a soft spot for home weddings.

Wow–the royal wedding has taken over all media this week. I watched the exchanging of the vows early Friday morning (I love that Kate left out “obey”!) and I think the connection to history is important. I loved both of Kate’s dresses, and Pippa’s, but I wanted to focus instead on what couples can take away from the wedding.

Prince William honored his mother throughout his wedding to Kate Middleton.

First, Prince William gave Kate his mother’s engagement ring. Wedding jewelry, whether it’s a grandparent’s band or necklace or a father’s cufflinks, give a tangible link to the past. While using a family member’s wedding or engagement ring is common, don’t hesitate to incorporate a brooch on the bridal bouquet or some unusual twist to help you feel your family member’s presence.

The ceremony location and the minister also gave them a link to Diana, a sense of continuity. I chose a wedding site across the street from where my grandfather was buried, which some found strange, but when I looked across at the cemetery as I got ready, I felt he was watching over me. He has also owned the diner on the opposite corner of the intersection, a place that remember fondly when I think of him, so the location of my wedding made a difference to me. Choose a location that had meaning to those family members you are honoring as another way to link to them.

Prince William also used hymns that had been played both at his mother’s funeral service and at her wedding to honor her memory. While I love this idea of using music that was important to a loved one as part of how you honor him or her, make sure you can listen to the song without becoming too upset. You want to find ways to honor your loved one that adds to your day and makes you recall fond memories, not that leave you overwhelmed with grief.

Kate, like Princess Diana, featured lily of the valley in her wedding bouquet.

Some speculated that an empty chair was left next to Charles for Diana, a chair that it seems Harry occupied for part of the service. However, the sentiment is one that, again, if its presence doesn’t overwhelm you, makes a statement that you are honoring that person. I have also seen couples place framed photographs on the empty chair to mark those who have passed.

Inviting those who were closest to his mother, including Elton John, also allowed Diana’s presence to be recalled at the wedding. Giving people who were close to the loved one who passed a special place at a family table or in the front row at the ceremony not only honors the memory but respects that person’s bond with your loved one, as well. Allowing your grandmother’s favorite sister to join your family in the front row at the ceremony also honors that part of your grandmother that lives on.

Perhaps most important, however, is that the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge asked for people to donate to Diana’s favorite charities in lieu of gifts. What better way to honor her legacy and include her in the day than to know that what mattered to her during her life lives on. Many couples today make donations to charities instead of wedding favors, and asking for donations to be made in lieu of gifts is another excellent way to honor a loved one on your wedding day.

Photo credits: Image 1: The British Monarchy; Image 2: US Magazine.

I’m so excited for their intimate at-home wedding this week. I’m seeing a lot of couples deciding to do personal, quiet weddings with their closest friends and family. Whether deciding to hold a wedding inside or outside, at-home weddings keep the focus on the people closest to you and new family being created. Even their dog will be in attendance! I’m so happy for them.

I had the privilege of visiting The Ashford Estate in Allentown, New Jersey, for an Association of Bridal Consultants meeting. In a word: luxury.

Photographer Bryan Madrid of Leonia generously offered his photos from the evening for this blog post (Thanks, Bryan!) [I'd also love to do a wedding with Bryan one day--what attention to detail and so unobtrusive].

Bryan Madrid Photography captures the exterior grandeur of the Ashford Estate.

The Barn Chapel offers a rustic location for the ceremony, with great acoustics and excellent seats for everyone. An oversize fireplace takes center stage, and it’s easy to imagine that fireplace filled with candles.

The Barn Chapel offers plenty of seating in an intimate space.

The estate has a number of guest rooms and sleeps 15–but no room is as lovely as the bridal suite on the third floor.

The bridal suite--fit for a regal couple.

We spent most of the evening in the ballroom, with soaring windows and marble dance floor. A lightning storm provided extra lighting effects, amazing to watch through all those windows. I couldn’t get over the flowers, by Petal Beach of West Long Branch. The dinner was divine, thanks to Main Street Catering. I recommend both vendors!
Some final shots:

The ballroom boasts amazing views of the grounds.

Main Street Catering provided an amazing meal.

The Ashford Estate ballroom offers high ceilings and a marble dance floor.

West Long Branch florist Petal Beach created several stunning looks.

I had a great first meeting with Jess and John about their October wedding at Sea Oaks in Little Egg Harbor. Sea Oaks is a lovely country club with a great outdoor ceremony area and, perhaps more importantly, excellent food. I’m looking forward to officiating! We’re working on a personalized ceremony complete with custom statements of appreciation, custom vows, and readings.

Thank you, Jess and John!

In mid-May, I’ll be performing a lovely beach wedding for Jim and Laura at a gazebo in Beach Haven.

Long Beach Island beaches are perfect for a New Jersey wedding.

Reserving the gazebo is a wonderful way to make the wedding accessible to those who have mobility issues on the sand (or just don’t like walking in sand!) while retaining the ocean background. With other 100 miles of ocean beaches, New Jersey offers a way for everyone to have a beach ceremony that meets their needs. I love that Jim and Laura met on a New Jersey beach and are keeping this a small family affair for the ceremony, with the ocean providing the soundtrack to the day.

Congratulations!

I’ve noticed an increase in the number of couples who are deciding they want to get married on the beach without turning it into a grand affair. Several couples have called because they’ve decided to rent a beach house for a week and entertain friends and family, culminating in the wedding at the end of the week. I love the idea of a family vacation, a time for new family members to get to know one another. This makes the ceremony and the reception a celebration among people who already feel like they know each other. Making the wedding retreat about the larger family also helps when there are children involved so they can meet the new family members over a few days rather than in a rushed encounter as part of an already exciting day.

Beach weddings offer a more casual wedding ceremony.

This weekend at the Rutgers Bridal Show, which I attended with Erik Kent from NJWedding.com, I had the pleasure of meeting the ladies of Vaseful, a New Brunswick, New Jersey florist. The flowers they had on display looked fantastic (big snowballs of white carnations!), which caught my eye.

But then Eric told me Vaseful’s secret: they are a non-profit florist that provides jobs to people with disabilities through Community Options.

So there it is: Great flowers, good cause. If you’re looking to make your next wedding or event a way to give back to the community, consider booking vaseful.

Congratulations to David and Beth who recently booked my wedding officiant services for their May wedding at the The Mill in Spring Lake Heights. What a lovely location, and it’s stunning in spring with everything in bloom. If you are looking for a great lakeside wedding venue with a beautiful outdoor ceremony space in Monmouth County, New Jersey, the Mill is a great choice.