Linwood Country Club Wedding | A Summer South Jersey Wedding | Priyanka and Connor

South Jersey Linwood Country Club | Peach and Blue summer wedding | Priya and Connor

Linwood Country Club Wedding. There are many gorgeous wedding venues in South New Jersey, and the Linwood Country Club is high on my list! The outdoor ceremony space overlooking the bay and the getting-ready room for the couple is outstanding. Priyanka (Priya) and Connor had a beautiful wedding day this past July. The weather was perfect, clear blue skies and not too hot—a fantastic Memories by Maria wedding.

Connor and Priyanka met in 2016 during the Ph.D. program in the Department of Physics at the University of Delaware. They were part of the same friend circle and got to know each other through standard courses they took as graduate students and TA duties. Their first date was October 2, 2017. They spent a lot of time together enjoying each other’s company. The dates continued, they both fell in love, and the rest is history. On June 15, 2021, at a firework show in NY, Connor had a ring and a question for Priya. Of course, her answer was, “ Yes, Connor! I will marry you! “.

Indian – Irish traditions

They chose their wedding theme as a combination of Peach Blossoms and Indian-American fusion (bringing out the Irish and the Bengali culture). Priya chose a desert coral color for her bridal party and grey for the groomsmen with a peach tie, a gift from Connor. Connor wore a black suit with a peach tie, and Priya had a gorgeous white gown with a long train. Priya loved her dress and couldn’t wait to get it on.

Several personalized decorations combined the Bengali (Indian) and Irish cultures that Priya and Connor had mixed throughout their day. There were mandalas and shamrocks. The couple welcomed their guest with Namaste and Fáilte. The knot decoration around the sweetheart table shows the two families coming together, and the Claddagh symbol indicates Friendship, loyalty, and love. There were photos of the love that came before theirs going back four generations. They even had some squishmallows for kids.

Priya’s family lives overseas, and they were able to witness the wedding virtually. Priya’s mom, Manorama, couldn’t attend the wedding in person due to a visa issue and Covid. Her family was up at 2 am in India to watch the wedding. Theresa and Tom Dolan, Connor’s parents, walked Priya down the aisle and welcomed her into the Dolan Family.

Mehndi, Duke Socks and a choreographed first dance

They had a small mehndi event the Friday before the wedding, which included Priya, Connor, the groom’s mom, and all bridesmaids. As per the Indian tradition, Connor’s name and a shamrock were hidden in Priya’s mehndi. Connor had a beautiful shamrock mehndi with a ‘P’ on his hand. The artistry was beautiful. Since most of Connor’s groomsmen are into board games, he created personalized cards and socks with images of their favorite games. To top it all, Connor and Priya had choreographed their first dance to the song ‘I love you baby (Can’t take my eyes off you).’ It was beautiful. I love when couples have a special first dance.

Linwood Country Club wedding

The outdoor ceremony was perfect. There were laughs as the flower girl didn’t walk down the aisle but ran to her mom, smiles when they read their vows and tears when Connor added a beautiful Bengali poem in his vows, which he learned from Priya’s sister. To their surprise, Connor’s Godmother said a few lines of her reading in Bengali, which touched both of their hearts. The wedding bouquet was a combination of beautiful peach flowers and greens. Something borrowed, a beautiful old family pendant, was added to the bouquet.

Advice for future wedding couples

After the wedding, I like to ask the couple to share any advice with other couples planning their big day. “Planning a wedding is a big/fun task that needs a lot of coordination. Our family helped us a lot with the wedding preparation; it wouldn’t have been this beautiful without their input. We suggest having a to-do list and a timeline and communicating each step with their partner. The wedding preparation itself is a beautiful journey, and every couple should savor each moment leading to the day of their ‘Dream Wedding.’ -Priyanka

They also wanted to give special thanks to their cousin Aimone, a very talented artist, and their aunt Kathryn, a beautiful interior designer, for adding personal touches and more to their wedding. They also thank their aunt Donna for hosting a Farewell Brunch at their beautiful beach house.

A beautiful couple and a gorgeous wedding day

It was so much fun getting to know these two. I loved Priya’s infectious smile and graciousness towards the event staff and myself. Learning about the different traditions was fascinating, and I was so impressed with the artistry of the henna designs. I wish these two lots of laughs and happiness as they start the next chapter of their lives.