There are SO many things I can’t wait to share about Tania and Sam’s Jersey City wedding. You know that here at Mile Square Moments, we love to photograph weddings for the deep in love and hopeless romantics of the world. This was definitely one of those. The bride’s parents weren’t able to make it to the wedding because of travel restrictions, so we live-streamed throughout the day to keep them close. Tania also incorporated some wedding photo moments that were inspired by her own parents’ wedding in Mexico. Seriously – keep reading for one of the sweetest and most sentimental weddings I’ve had the pleasure of shooting this year.
Planning Engagement Photos in New Jersey
I have actually known Tania and Sam since fall of 2019 when they reached out with interest in wedding photography. I LOVE when couples reach out early to confirm availability. Especially for 2021 and 2022, space is filling fast because of all the postponements and reschedules. You can always contact me here to check availability and make sure I have your date open. I would be thrilled to be a part of your day!
You have your wedding photos forever, so you need to book someone who’s style you absolutely love, and someone who makes you feel comfortable on the day of. You are going to have questions. 9 times out of 10, I hear couples mention they are worried about looking awkward in photos. But guess what? Here at MSM, we aren’t afraid to get up close and personal and a little PDA is definitely encouraged. This might be your first time in front of the camera, but it’s definitely not mine and I am happy to guide you every step of the way. It’s also why I strongly encourage booking engagement photos. It gives us all a chance to get comfortable with one another and you in front of the camera. Plus, we can have fun with it! These dreamy space-inspired engagement photos with Sam and Tania just prove it.
Love a good engagement story as much as I do?
Seriously, I encourage my couples to spare no detail and tell me EVERYTHING. The night before Tania and Sam got engaged, they were up all night going to a concert – one of their favorite things to do together. The next morning, before they were going to visit Sam’s grandmother, Sam took Tania to look at a lighthouse in the area knowing she loves them. Standing on top of large rocks, Tania turned to ask Sam a question and there he was, down on one knee. Tania said YES. The rest of the day was spent celebrating and Tania Face-Timed her family letting them know about the engagement!
Wedding Details & Taking Getting Ready Photos Together
Like I mentioned above, unfortunately, Tania’s parents weren’t able to make it to the wedding. They were, however, included in the entire day, starting with the getting ready photos! We always had the laptop open on Zoom. Tania was such a sweet bride, with such attention to detail. She wore her mother’s wedding dress altered to fit and looked absolutely stunning. It was really sweet. Another example of Tania’s attention to detail and thoughtfulness was the bridesmaid gift bags she created with stunning delicate jewelry.
The groom and groomsmen also looked absolutely dashing in their dark suits and pops of gold. Am I the only one who loves that Sam’s tie matches the dress Tania wore to their engagement photos? Everything with these two just flowed together perfectly.
Choosing Locations for their First Look
Having a first look means that we have a lot more freedom in deciding how much time we need before the wedding. Often, in a traditional wedding timeline, we are lucky to have three hours between the ceremony and reception which can be quite limiting if you have certain locations in mind. You can probably already guess that for Tania and Sam, each location had a special meaning.
At first, we started in Van Vorst Park. After, we drove together to Washington Square Park where Tania and Sam first met for their first date. On their first date, they headed to Starbucks and then Tania went with Sam to an audition at NYU (where she is an alum!). We were lucky enough to have planned time to take photos in both of their first date locations: Washington Square Park and the dreamy cobblestone streets around NYU.
A Stunning Wedding Ceremony at the Gazebo at Van Vorst Park in Jersey City
Tania and Sam were originally going to get married on a Hudson River Yacht Cruise on October 17, 2020. Forced to reschedule, they decided to move their plans to their dating anniversary on October 15. Truth be told, they were always planning to get legally married on the 15th because as you can already tell, these two are very sentimental. In a few of the photos, you can see the computer setup to live stream the whole event to include Tania’s family in the entire day. Of course, Tania and Sam also wrote their own vows. Unsurprisingly, I don’t think there was a dry eye among their guests!
When they decided to change plans and have a micro wedding on a new date, they enlisted the help of the Love Wed Collective – a micro wedding collaboration. I was already the wedding photographer booked (and am also the wedding photographer when you hire Love Wed Collective), so it was a seamless transition. We just brought a few of my favorite vendors to work with onboard, and got ready to make some magic happen for the two of them. Make sure you check out the other Love Wed Collective vendors at the end of this post!
Jersey City Wedding Reception
Tania and Sam’s micro wedding reception was laid back and very intimate. With less than 30 guests, they shared toasts (lots of tears and laughs!) and a family style meal at Porta. Again, we recreated a few of her parents’ wedding day photos – both the entrance (walking in hand in hand) and the cake cutting. I am so happy that Tania had shared this vision with me to recreate her parents’ wedding photos as an extra way to include them in their day. During the reception, it was also Sam’s turn to shine as he created an incredible and unique playlist during dinner, filled with a punk/emo playlist that really added to the evening ambiance. From the start, Tania knew he would put a lot of work into the music and he did not disappoint!
Jersey City Wedding Inspiration
If this post didn’t provide all the sentimental moments and special touches you need, I really don’t know what will. It felt like absolute magic. Tania and Sam’s wedding may just be one of the most sentimental weddings I have ever been a part of and I loved every minute of it. I am all about capturing all the big and little moments (after all…I named my company after moments!) and even though COVID threw these two a few curveballs, I can’t imagine the day more incredible than it was. Congratulations!
Love Wed Collective Vendor Squad
More Incredible Vendors
Reception Venue & Catering: Porta
Mile Square Moments is a New Jersey wedding photographer for the deep in love and hopeless romantics. We capture amazing moments and authentic love stories for couples in Hoboken, New Jersey and beyond! Get in touch to inquire about our photography services or follow along with fun love stories on Instagram. If you want more Love Wed Collective micro wedding inspiration, check out this Micro Wedding in NYC. Enjoy!
