Annmarie and Josh couldn’t wait to get married – but that doesn’t mean they wanted to rush through wedding planning and skip all of the personalized details. They planned this gorgeous last minute wedding in just seven weeks (and as you keep scrolling – you’ll see just how incredible that is!). I can’t wait to share all of the incredible details (many which were DIY!) and a bit of their love story here on the blog today!
Here’s a little teaser: After meeting through a mutual friend, they started chatting and Facetiming daily for 3-6 hours at a time. Annmarie even said to her mom after a few days of getting to know Josh that “no one had ever tried to get to know me like this before!”. Needless to say, it was love at first sight for these two and you could feel the love they have for one another radiating on their wedding day.
Wedding Photography Review
While I didn’t have as much time to work with Annmarie and Josh as I normally do, I loved every minute in their presence and would happily relive their wedding day over and over again. Before I share more of their wedding photos, I have to share this sweet review:
I don’t have enough amazing things to say about Devin and the entire Mile Square Moments experience! I found Devin through her blog when exploring spaces throughout the Hoboken/Jersey City area and was immediately drawn to her photography style. She is able to capture such authenticity and beauty through her photos that will have you reliving your day over and over again.
My husband and I were absolutely blown away when we received our wedding gallery and couldn’t stop obsessing over the photos we received – a balanced mix of portraits and candid documentary-style photos that captured moments we were even too busy to experience during the day. Devin was THE most fun person to work with (if she wasn’t working the wedding I probably would have invited her anyway!) and was so attentive & detail oriented throughout the entire wedding planning process & day of event.
She made sure she was clear on what was most important for us to get out of our day and captured those moments beautifully. Forever grateful!
A First Look on a Beautiful Summer Wedding Day
I met Josh outside of the Atelier Ballroom 15 minutes before Annmarie arrived for their first look. I captured solo shots of Josh and then once Annmarie arrived, I set them both up for their first look. Annmarie and Josh read personal vows to one another during their first look and it was incredibly special. These two are truly best friends and it shows in every single thing that they do. While Annmarie identifies as a little more organized and type-A, Josh is fun-loving and reminds her to slow down. They are each other’s biggest fans and compliment each other constantly. During their first look and couples portraits, I was absolutely obsessed with capturing their genuine chemistry and connection.
Group Portraits Before the Ceremony
Annmarie and Josh chose to capture all of the group portraits before the ceremony, so that after they said their I Do’s they could enjoy cocktail hour with their guests! We met their family in the lobby of the Atelier Ballroom, and I captured some of their candid first looks before moving onto their group and family portraits.
Wedding Ceremony at Atelier Ballroom
Before they planned their last minute wedding, Annmarie and Josh were planning to elope. They decided to get married right away. But, they didn’t want to miss out on some of the more traditional wedding planning (and wedding day!) elements. One evening, when Josh planned a date night and they were walking along the beach (where they had their first date and first kiss!), it started pouring rain. Josh asked if Annmarie would dance in the rain with him for the rest of their lives. In her words, it was a really easy YES. On top of that, he even hired a photographer to capture the moment and had their family and friends waiting at a nearby restaurant for a surprise engagement party.
With the Manhattan skyline in full view, Annmarie and Josh’s wedding ceremony felt straight out of a fairytale. The two of them exchanged traditional vows in front of their family and friends. Then, they walked down the aisle as husband and wife with a playful bubble exit. Their ceremony felt incredibly intimate, which was exactly what these two had hoped for. From there, the ceremony rolled into cocktail hour inside while I captured some of the gorgeous reception details.
Modern Micro Wedding Details
When Annmarie and Josh decided to have a wedding instead of eloping, her mom went into full wedding planner mode and helped them DIY a lot of the decor and plan all the details. Love these centerpieces? Shoutout to Trader Joe’s! There were so many beautiful and uniquely personal details. One of the elements of their wedding day that was the most important to them was showing the combining of their two different cultures. One of my personal favorites from the day were the wedding favor spices. Each guest received a mini jar of Italian seasoning to represent her side of the family and a mini jar of Nigerian jollof seasoning for him! You were surrounded by nods to their roots throughout the day (and again during an attire change during the reception – keep scrolling!).
An Intimate Wedding Reception
While Annmarie and Josh chose to book a larger wedding venue instead of eloping, they were still hoping to capture the intimacy and essence of what makes them, them. They are both romantics at heart (and head over heels in love with each other). Naturally, they wanted their wedding to feel like a truly intimate and modern celebration. They definitely succeeded. One of my favorite moments during the reception was halfway through when they switched into traditional Yoruba attire. Every minute of their wedding day was pure joy. I was beyond honored to capture it.
A Last Minute Wedding to Remember
In just seven short weeks, Annmarie and Josh crafted a wedding that was not only impeccably detailed but deeply personal and rich in meaning. From their touching first look to their intimate ceremony overlooking the Manhattan skyline, every element told a story of genuine love, commitment, and the merging of two beautiful cultures. For more love stories, make sure to come find me over on Instagram!
Vendor Squad
Mile Square Moments is a wedding photography company based in Hoboken, New Jersey. If you are new around here, you should know that we love getting to know each couple personally. Wondering if we would be the right fit? You might be a MSM couple if you aren’t afraid of getting a little up close and personal in photos. We love natural chemistry and a little PDA around here! BUT, also enjoy a night in binge-watching Netflix. Are you planning a wedding in New Jersey? If you are, Contact us here to find out about our photography/videography packages. We also love stories on Instagram. If you are considering a Liberty House wedding, make sure to also check out this rainy and romantic wedding at Liberty House last year! Enjoy!
