A spring wedding at Lucien’s Manor | South New Jersey Wedding | Gina and Ryan

Meet Gianna and Ryan. A gorgeous couple whom I had the pleasure of meeting back in July 2019

They had a beautiful spring wedding at Lucien’s Manor Berlin Nj, a south New Jersey wedding venue.

Here is a little snippet of their love story

These two met in high-school and were friends for three years before they started dating! Their families have known each other for over 40 years; Their grandfathers knew each other through Ryan’s father who remodeled Gianna’s kitchen! How crazy is that?

During Easter of 2019, Ryan proposed to Gianna in the cutest way. At the family ‘adult’ Easter egg hunt Ryan planted the ring inside a plastic Easter egg for Gianna to find. Everyone was told that there is a very special prize this year and the hunt began! Her grandfather held onto the plastic egg and at the end of the hunt he handed the egg to Ryan. Ryan opens the egg and gets down on one knee and pops the question… without a doubt Gianna said yes! And the rest is history!

We chose Batsto State Park for their engagement session. The afternoon light and rustic location is perfect for photos.

March 7, 2020

What a  gorgeous day to get married! 

The day began at a family friend’s home, where Gianna got ready for her big day. When I arrived I began taking photographs of her gorgeous dress and wedding details — some of my favorite photographs to capture. The soft pinks, and dusty lavender were the perfect combination of colors for her day. Her bouquets were handmade and looked it…elegant and royal.

Once the girls were all in their robes and ready I snapped a few photographs. Then it was time to get Gianna in that gown! She glowed. The dress looked like it was made for her and seamlessly molded to her. Gianna knew this was her dress the second she saw it at the bridal shop. She saw it on the mannequin and knew it was the one. I love it!

Beautiful natural light

The house has beautiful natural sunlight pouring through the windows, which definitely makes for a happy photographer. Gianna gave her mother-in-law a touching gift and wore her mother’s wedding ring on her right hand. A tribute to her mom that made her feel as if she was right there with her on her special day.

After we got some pictures of Gianna and her bridesmaids I headed to Lucien’s to meet Ryan and his groomsmen. All of the guys were excited for Ryan who definitely seemed a little on the nervous side, just jitters though! I made sure to get a few photographs of some cheers-ing, getting ready, and some fun group shots. Ryan gave all his guys initialed cuff links and wanted me to make sure I captured a photo of them! They looked awesome! After getting some photographs of the guys practicing their model skills outside of the venue, and getting a few more photographs of Gianna and her girls…we were ready for a wedding! Gianna wanted to feel like a princess on her big day, and she absolutely did. She looked stunning and like royalty sitting on that couch.

Lucien’s Manor has a beautiful ceremony room

Their beautiful ceremony was held at Lucien’s Manor. A breathtaking room full of natural light from an extraordinary glass ceiling. Dazzling chandeliers decorated the room and sparkled in the light — this venue was perfect for Gianna and Ryan.

Down the aisle came the handsome groomsmen, gorgeous bridal party, and the cutest flower girls! Then it was Gianna’s turn…the look on Ryan’s face when Gianna walked down the aisle — wow. These two decided on not doing a first look, so this was extremely important for me to get a photograph of! Ryan’s face says it all. If I am not mistaken, there were even a few tears shed.

Gianna’s grandfather escorted her down the aisle, which was a truly beautiful touch to the ceremony. Their vows were handwritten to one another and love gleamed in their eyes. The officiant, Leslie Woodward includes a wine ceremony during her weddings.  Ryan and Gianna each added wine to the carafe then each poured a glass for the other.  They sealed their vows with a kiss as the sunlight filled the room.

Beautiful outdoor space

I loved this venue and this space. We were able to utilize Lucien’s Manor’s garden space for bridal party and bridal couple photos and it was perfect. It is a added perk for having a wedding a Lucien’s Manor, Berlin NJ. Such a beautiful landscape with gorgeous architecture. A bridge, gazebo, and brick path to a little private wooded area were among some of the stunning backdrops we utilized.

Ryan and Gianna had been perfecting their posing since their engagement shoot and had their nuzzling and dipping photographs down pat! They were perfect. The sun filtered through the trees towards the end of our photo time, I smiled…these are the perfect moments which makes for some beautiful photography.

Celebration time at Lucien’s Manor

After the cocktail hour, their reception began with a bang! The DJ welcomes the newlyweds with huge sparklers as they are introduced as Mr and Mrs. Every last detail was exquisite and royal, which truly captured what Gianna envisioned for her big day.  It started with their first dance was out of a movie– so dramatic and full of emotion. The spotlight beamed on them as Beautiful in White by Westlife played in the background! Friends and family surrounded the happy couple and the night was full of good food, fun toasts, and lots of dancing. I definitely held back a tear as Rascal Flat’s “My Wish” played for Gianna and her grandfather’s dance.

I loved witnessing the always hilarious and cute shoe game, the bouquet toss, and garter toss! Their cake was gorgeous as well and absolutely delicious! During the night we were even able to sneak away to snap a few more photographs! I always love getting a few pictures at the end of the night. It wraps the whole day up and captures that “WE DID IT!” vibe at the end of the night!

what a gorgeous day

A gorgeous and beautiful day for a beautiful couple. I think and hope all of their royalty wedding dreams came true! It was a fabulous day for a wedding Lucien’s Manor Berlin NJ. And this lucky couple will be spinning each other around in circles in Saint Lucia for their honeymoon.

Gianna’s advice to future brides is to soak it all in — it flies by!

I love to check in with my couples after their big day to hear their thoughts. Gianna and Ryan both said the day was everything they ever imagined and more. Gianna felt incredibly blessed and lucky to have had her grandfather walk her down the aisle. Her most memorable moment was leaving the chapel and realizing this was the moment she has always dreamed of!

Thank you for choosing me to capture your wedding story. Getting to know you both and being able to give you photographs and lasting memories of your big night is truly an honor. I look forward to being able to capture future memories for you as your love and family grow.

 

Vendors:

Officiant: Leslie Betts Woodward  856.625.4464

Hair Stylist: Maria Donnelly 856.905.2187

Makeup: Tina Basile  856.366.0216

Venue: Lucien’s Manor ​https://luciensmanor.com/

Caterer and Cake: https://luciensmanor.com/

Band/DJ: Addendum  http://www.basaramedia.com/dj-entertainment

Videographer:  Basara Media http://www.basaramedia.com/dj-entertainment

Wedding Gown:  Kay Bridal  ​https://www.kaybridals.com/