Jessica and Carl celebrated their first wedding anniversary this past weekend, and so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share their gorgeous wedding at Addison Park! There were so many things I absolutely loved about their wedding day. First, Addison Park was already decorated for Christmas, and I just love all of the Christmas touches that found their way into their wedding gallery. Just looking at these photos gets me in the holiday spirit. I also loved the opportunity to work with New Jersey wedding videographer Murphy Studio, who partnered with me to capture both their wedding day AND their engagement photoshoot (keep scrolling if you have ever considered an engagement video before!). Needless to say, I think you’ll love this December wedding as much as I do!
Engagement Photos & Video
Although I’ve traveled across NJ, NY, and beyond for wedding and engagement photos, if you’ve followed me for a while, you know that Hoboken has my heart. I met Jessica and Carl in January 2021 for their engagement session and we hit it off right away. These two just might love Hoboken as much as I do! We captured outdoor engagement photos in a few of my favorite Hoboken places and then began to count down the days until we could meet again in December for the main event!
Keep scrolling for their engagement video! While you may not have considered an engagement video before, I’m going to encourage you to invest right alongside with your engagement photos.
A Dark & Moody Wedding Color Palette with Playful Personal Touches
While Jessica got ready on-site at their wedding venue, Carl got ready at the Holiday Inn nearby. Their color palette was dark and moody (with rich black and red wine-colored accents). While absolutely beautiful, they also added some personal touches (Jessica added a couple of charms to her bouquet and Carl added a photo of him and his dad to the back of his tie). I have to be honest with you, even after five years as a Hoboken wedding photographer, true love never gets old. I absolutely love when couples make their wedding day their own and firmly believe the more personalized you can make your day, the better. We were off to a great start!
A Winter First Look at Addison Park
Like I said before, true love never gets old. Jessica and Carl had been dating for five years by the time their wedding date rolled around but it felt like they had known each other a lot longer! Their lives are filled with coffee dates, long car rides, board game nights, and watching cooking shows together. It sounds pretty perfect to me! When you find someone you can completely relax with at home, that’s when you know you’ve found your person.
I knew one of the moments Carl was most looking forward to on their wedding day was seeing Jessica in her wedding dress for the first time. Their first look did not disappoint. Despite being a chillier winter day in New Jersey, these two brought the heat! We set up their first look outside at Addison Park and then their wedding party joined us for their group photos before the ceremony.
Addison Park Wedding Ceremony
During the wedding ceremony, Jessica and Carl exchanged personal vows and sentiments like “I don’t know now where I end and we begin” and “everything about you is my favorite part of you”. The entire ceremony was incredibly heartfelt and as their wedding photographer, it felt truly special to witness. I think one of my favorite moments was when Jessica looked at Carl and said, “If I can give you half the security that you have given me, I will call it a really good marriage”. I don’t think anyone had any doubt that’s what’s in store for these two.
Addison Park Wedding Reception
If you are not used to being the center of attention and are a little nervous about it on your wedding day, you are not alone. Being introverted, Jessica mentioned she was most looking forward to the wedding reception so that she could relax and enjoy herself without the pressure of everyone’s eyes on her! That’s a completely normal reaction so if you aren’t used to being in the spotlight, just know that it’s completely okay!
Throughout their wedding day, Jessica and Carl kept things mostly traditional while infusing their personalities and love story in every moment. Their wedding reception was no exception. Their wedding reception had everything you would expect (first dances, toasts, a cake cutting) but it also had a few unexpected personal touches too (like green leopard hats on the dance floor and a cigar bar outside!). It was an absolutely incredibly evening and I loved documenting Jessica and Carl enjoying every second.
A December Wedding to Remember
They say when you know, you know. In Jessica and Carl’s case, everyone around them could tell, too! The two of them compliment each other so well. When Carl proposed to Jessica at Laurita winery, she responded “Are you serious?!” instead of an immediate yes (which was implied, of course). Needless to say, he was. I can’t wait to see what these love birds do next! For more love stories (and weddings across New Jersey and beyond), make sure to come find @milesquaremoments on Instagram.
Vendor Squad
Mile Square Moments is a wedding photographer based right here in Hoboken, New Jersey. We get to know each couple personally. Every time. You might be an MSM couple if you aren’t afraid of getting a little up close and personal in photos (PDA is A-okay!) but also enjoy a night binge-watching Netflix just the two of you. Are you planning a wedding in Hoboken, New Jersey? Or beyond? You can contact us here to find out about our photography and videography packages. Or, if you want, we are constantly sharing love stories on Instagram. For more stunning NJ wedding inspiration, check out Alex and Matt’s wedding at The Conservatory at the Sussex County Fairgrounds!
