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Bonnet Island Estate Wedding
NJ Wedding Photography at Weddings of Distinction venue The Bonnet Island Estate. The bride wore an exquisite lace gown by Lazaro and chose Reynolds Flower Shop for her bouquets and decor. Catering by Merri-Makers Events.
Read moreWeddings of Distinctions premier venue The Ashford Estate was just as romantic as I remembered it! I had the pleasure of attending their tasting with the fabulous Merri-Makers Catering on Sunday with some of the other top vendors in the wedding industry. Here are some great new wedding ideas!
Kate Duffy of Katydid Signature Floral and Event Design
Featuring invitations by Stephanie Somodi: Designing the Most Inviting Day
Michelle Santanello of MDS Floral Design
Magnolia: Exquisite Florals and Event Decor
Featuring invitations by Stephanie Somodi: Designing the Most Inviting Day
We had a wonderful time this Sunday at the amazing Weddings of Distinction venue The Bonnet Island Estate. This beautiful private estate in Long Beach Island is a serene retreat for your wedding. Merri-Makers Catering with over 30 years of catering perfection offered a tasting for their brides to be. Chef McCann, winner of the national 2006 Chef of the Year by International Caterers Association, offered up a scintillating selections of appetizers, salads, entrees and deserts. Sweet favors by The Bake Works were handed out to guests. A selection of Weddings of Distinctions best vendors was also on hand to offer advice and show their products.
Katydid Signature FLoral & Event Design created a lush English romantic table with ivy details, mercury glass vases and silver candlesticks. The table paired beautifully with invitations by Stephanie Somodi of Designing the Most Inviting Day. Her classic nautical invites and new silk boxed invites are just stunning. For something different Katydid also created a modern ice blue table collection which we paired with Stephanie Somodi's gray raw silk boxed invitation with art deco mirror inserts.
Michele of the award winning MDS Floral Designs created open & airy table settings. Her first setting inspires romance with classic ocean pastels and elegant high orchid centerpieces. Another setting was a nod to rustic elegance with burlap table runners and blue antique bottles filled with sweet nosegays. Invitations by Stephanie Somodi completed the look with soft blue invites with beach details.
Magnolia Exquisite Florals & Event Design went for a rustic country feel with white washed lanterns and birch candles which paired wonderfully with Stephanie Somodi's formal invites in rust tones with tassel accents. For a different feel Magnolia also showcased a whimsical beach table with shell accents.
After a rough few weeks for many people on the shore who experienced heartbreaking devastation in their beloved towns it was so wonderful to go back to this day down the shore for the wedding of Amy & John. This couples deep love of the natural beauty of their home state was something they wanted reflected in their simple, chic and elegant shore wedding. They choose The Bonnet Island Estate in LBI for it's serenity and natural wildlife setting and enlisted local vendors like Michelle of MDS Floral Designs and Merri-Makers Catering to create their farm fresh NJ theme. Amy choose a silk charmeuse gown from Nicole Miller that caught the breezes. She looked simply statuesque with a single orchid in her hair and simple pearl rope necklace and wedding bands by David Yurman. Her bridesmaids wore stunning vibrant blue dresses from Alfred Angelo from One Special Evening in Toms River with custom jewelry from Femmegems who they found on Etsy . MDS Floral Designs created lush bouquets of soft blues and greens with white lace binding to echo the breeze and soft waves. The bridal party was greeted with gift bags with wine, cookies from The Jersey Cookie Girls and other local themed treats. John chose a soft brown Michael Kors suit with tie by Burberry. He had his best man help with his custom vintage map cuff-links and they relaxed with thick pints of Guinness their favorite brew.
During the ceremony warm candlelight and simple starfish accents where set in the natural stone fireplace in Bonnet Island's rustic blue barn with soft green and blue wreaths of sea grass. Guests were greeted with programs by E. Kendig Design and beautiful pashmina shawls "A layer of warmth in the Jersey breeze". For the reception MDS Floral Designs created nosegays of white flowers and sea grasses bathed in candlelight with burlap table clothes and starfish accents. Merri-Makers Catering went the extra step to create a beautiful menu that highlighted local meats, fish and New Jersey farm fresh vegetables. The Bake Works created a lovely tired cake with orchid accents. The Chris Michaels Band kept the whole wedding party on the dance floor throughout the night. It struck me how cared for this couple was, how many people where touched by this couples friendship. The natural beauty of our landscape, what it has to offer and the love shown that day are wonderful reminders of the heart of the shore.
It's been wonderful reliving some of my favorite weddings through the years. Melissa & Rob's wedding on the beautiful Bonnet Island Estate was full of love, laughter and joy. Their engagement story was just magical! Rob led Melissa on a treasure hunt for clues around NYC. Clues were left at their favorite breakfast place, the place they first met, and the restaurant were they had their first date. The two finally met up at a restaurant and Rob greeted her with a bouquet of blue hydrangeas. Melissa thought, "This is it we are going to get engaged!" But Rob had more up his sleeve as he handed her a hand drawn map of NYC and the hunt continued. The final clue led to Riverside Park the scene of their favorite painting and after looking under every bench for the final clue Rob got on one knee and proposed. They had originally wanted a NYC wedding but when they saw the boathouse chapel at The Bonnet Island Estate it reminded them so much of Martha's Vineyard, their first vacation spot, they knew it was the perfect place. MDS Floral Designs used their wonderful story as the inspiration for their wedding day arrangements. Lush hydrangeas, simple seashells and blue ribbon embellishments were just the right touch. William Arthur fine stationary from Paper Peddler in Springfield NJ added to the feel with their crisp invites with a detail of the boathouse chapel. For the save the dates the groom, a talented artist, recreated their treasure hunt. The bride's father even built a mini version of the beloved boathouse chapel. A Melissa Sweet gown for the bride and marine blue bridesmaids gowns by Alfred Angelo were perfect additions. Merri-Makers Caterers offered exquisite service for the reception and The Savoy Stompers from Elegant Ensembles were a perfect fit.
It is always a treat to visit one of our favorite Weddings of Distinction venues The Bonnet Island Estate. Even in the winter there is something so deeply tranquil about the location with its bay views abundant wildlife and gentle breezes. To make things even more blissful we were joined by some of the most talented vendors as they created a feast of inspiration for the bride and grooms to be. Merri-Makers Catering offered up exquisite food & service. Stephanie Somodi owner of Designing the Most Inviting Day showcased a beautiful variety of invitations from rustic seaside bliss to black tie elegance. The truly talented floral team at MDS Floral Designs created an amazing range of tabletops from French Country to crystal & blue beach chic. The Cake Studio of Ocean City impressed us with his detail and imagination. Kate Duffy of Signature Floral & Event Design by Katydid outdid herself once again with tables of modern romantic elegance and rustic country charm. Thank you to the exceptional staff of The Bonnet Island Estate for creating another memorable experience.
Stephanie Somodi: Designing the Most Inviting Day
Signature Floral & Event Design by Katydid
Signature Floral & Event Design by Katydid
Jessica & Michael met on holiday in the Bahamas. She lived in New York; he lived in New Hampshire. Despite geographical differences they both knew it was love at first sight and two weeks later they had their first date. It was fitting that the two choose The Bonnet Island Estate on LBI to wed. The private island escape was such a peaceful backdrop with its lush grasses and wild birds it was as if the couple was still on holiday.
Michelle Santanello of MDS Floral Designs made elegant & airy bouquets wrapped in blush silk and sequins. Hand painted signs led the way to the ceremony.
The pre-wedding outfits were just way to cute!
Stephanie Somodi of Designs by Stephanie incorporated Jessica's blue & green theme in an elegant design for the invitations, programs, and menues. Jessica's hairpiece was antique silver with pearl.
The bridal gown by Michelle Roth available at Kleinfeld Bridal caught the light so beautifully at every turn.
Bubbles added a touch of whimsy & joy after the ceremony.
We fell in love with the twobirds bridesmaids dresses, one dress can be worn 15 different ways! Each girl wore her dress in a different style to complement their shape and they look so so comfortable. The flower girls were twirling all day long!
Jessica's mother & stepfather gaze at the newlyweds.
Michelle of MDS Floral Designs used crisp pinks and greens to create a warm & welcoming atmosphere complemented by candlelight and hand painted signs with sweet phrases. The bride's mother Charlene helped to plan every perfect detail aided by the fabulous Day of Coordinator Heather Furgeson. Merri-Makers Catering provided exquisite food and service as always!
Who else but french luxury shoe designer Christian Louboutin could have made the bride's ravishing red heeled stilettos?
The bride and her mother danced a mother daughter dance while watching a video montage of Jessica's father, a firefighter that passed away in 9.11.01. Jessica's engagement ring holds the diamond that her father gave to her mother.
Premier Event Rentals set up a fun photo booth complete with great costumes for the guests to enjoy.
A romantic sunset stroll on the reed covered banks of Bonnet Island completed the day!
We were so excited to have our first wedding at the stunning Mallard Island Yacht Club! We had so much fun at the tasting we couldn't wait to start photographing here and Lauren and Zachary couldn't have had a more beautiful day!
We were so honored to attend the first tasting at Mallard Island Yacht Club, the new sister estate to our beloved Bonnet Island Estate! Right on the water on Barnegat Bay this stunning 18,000 square foot yacht club is just divine. A charming boathouse with a stacked stone fireplace stands at the end of the pier, a perfect place for a romantic ceremony. Every detail, like the boathouse's wavy pane glass windows and pumpkin-pine flooring that were taken from a 1600's farmhouse, is absolutely exquisite.
In the main ballroom the dramatic Tiffany blue ceiling creates old-fashioned romantic atmosphere. Katydid Florist the arrangements for this table very clean and modern in design, with a strong black white and green theme in vintage silver vases.
We just loved the Groom's Shack which has a 'colorful' history as an army barracks and clam shack. With its rustic leather and tartan chairs and nautical theme it is just the place for a boys club. Below, MDS Floral Designs provided a Mackenzie-Childs inspired tabletop with sunflowers, yellow roses, and purple accents.
With showcases from some of our favorite vendors like MDS Floral Designs and Katydid Florist and exquisite food by the nationally renowned Merri-Makers we are just so excited to shoot there this summer!
