Ashley & John might be one of the sweetest couples ever. I had so much fun photographing their small Ryland Inn wedding ceremony in New Jersey while Alan from Murphy Studio orchestrated the videography. I’ve teamed up with my insanely talented friend Alan from Murphy Studio to offer wedding photography + videography packages. Alan and I have a similar style when we capture wedding days so it’s a perfect fit. If you’re getting married in New Jersey, we want you to have as much fun as possible documenting your real moments!
Ashley and John’s day was incredible in so many ways. I can’t wait to share some of it with you in this post! The “big wedding” was pushed to July 2021 (still at The Ryland Inn). But in true pandemic wedding fashion, they kept their original wedding date (July 18, 2020) with this micro wedding.
Meeting the “Old Fashioned Way”
Who loves a good “how they met” story? Ashley and John say they like to call how they met “the old fashioned way” — through mutual friends! After a terrible date with another guy, Ashley’s friends convinced her to meet them at the Brazen Fox (a local pub in White Plains, NY). Her friends had been trying to set Ashley up with John for a while, so when John found out Ashley was going to be at the pub, he changed his plans at the last minute to meet her there. Talk about a leap of faith and just the right timing!
When Ashley arrived, she ended up chatting up some “cute guy at the bar.” When her friends arrived and saw Ashley with the “cute guy”, they said “I guess you two already met!” John was the cute guy! No more bad dates! And yes, she’s taking his last name!
Their Fall Engagement Story
It was getting close to Ashley and John’s 5-year anniversary and John planned the whole day for them to celebrate. For past 2.5 years, John has been in grad school, so time was not always on their side to do traditional “fall couple things” like apple picking and day trips to see the autumn foliage. When the day arrived, Ashley and John drove into Jersey City and grabbed brunch at Hudson and Co – one of Ashley’s favorite spots in New Jersey – and sat right along the water.
An Outdoors Proposal
After brunch, they were on their way to their next destination (which John kept as a surprise). They listened to music and belted out all the words to a couple of their favourite songs. “Big Big Plans” by Chris Lane and “Don’t” by Darius Rucker to name a couple. Talk about a little foreshadowing! Finally, they arrived an Apple Orchard – ready to pick apples! John said he read about this place online and there was a special spot that overlooks the most incredible view. He was walking so quickly and was starting to sweat when they arrived. When they got to the spot, he smiled and put his hand on Ashley’s back and said, “We aren’t here to celebrate our anniversary” and started to propose.
After the Proposal
After John proposed, a stranger started taking lots of photos. John swore he had no idea who he was and the man said he worked for the local paper and wanted to document it. Later, Ashley and John found out that John’s dad had hired him! After an INCREDIBLE day, when Ashley and John got back to their apartment, the surprises were not over. John gathered their immediate families there to celebrate – including a few from out of state! They finished the night at Arturo’s – a classic Italian restaurant in NJ. When I asked Ashley about the proposal, she said that she was so happy because all she really wanted was for their families to be close and together, and that is EXACTLY what John planned. So sweet!
Bride’s First Look with her Dad
This was one of my favorite moments of the day! Ashley and her dad had their first look outdoors and it was such a sweet moment. Although some first looks with parents can be captured spontaneously, I am really glad we took the time to plan this one more formally. There were tears and there were laughs! We got to capture it all.
A Ryland Inn Wedding Ceremony
In order to keep the original wedding date, Ashley and John decided to move forward with a small wedding ceremony at The Ryland Inn. Their only guests were their immediate families. One thing I love about minimonies is that you can feel all of the guests (and vendors!) are absolutely honored to be there. It feels so intimate and special.
When I talked to Ashley before the wedding, one of the things she was most looking forward to was to see John’s face as she was walking down the aisle. He definitely did not disappoint as you can see below the look was pure joy and excitement as she walked down the aisle.
Tequila Shots to Seal the Deal!
You can probably tell that this New Jersey couple loves to celebrate. With food, drinks, and of course, spending time with family and friends. One of the things John mentioned that he loved about Ashley is her positive energy. You could really feel that on this day.
In true Ashley & John fashion, the couple sealed their vows with a round of tequila. I LOVE when couples personalize their ceremony so needless to say, I was a big fan. Everyone was having fun on their wedding day!
Cheers to the Newlyweds!
I was beyond honored to capture Ashley and John’s wedding day. Alan (from Murphy Studio) and I had so much fun spending time capturing their original wedding date with them. It’s always fun to be around a couple who doesn’t take life too seriously and just wants to get married and be together. Ashley and John, here’s hoping marriage brings you lots of excellent dinners, outdoor adventures, and road trips where you sing the songs just a little too loud!
Vendor Squad
Mile Square Moments is a wedding photography company in New Jersey. For more information on our packages (including a Photo/Video package with Murphy Studio), you can head to our services page here. As you can tell, we love getting to know each couple personally. You might be a MSM couple if you love a night in binge-watching Netflix, but you also aren’t afraid of a little PDA in photos. Currently planning a wedding in Hoboken, NJ or beyond? Get in touch here to inquire about our photography packages. Prefer Instagram? We love sharing fun love stories on Instagram. For more micro wedding inspiration, check out Danielle and Andre’s Columbus Square Park Elopement.
