Audrey and Noel tied the knot just a few short months ago, and I am still in love with their intimate (dog-friendly) wedding at Van Vorst Park. If you have been thinking about having a small Jersey City wedding, Van Vorst Park is one of my absolute favorite outdoor wedding ceremony locations, and the open air rooftop at Porta has been a “go to” wedding reception venue for many micro weddings in Jersey City over the last couple of years. Van Vorst Park was the perfect wedding venue for Audrey and Noel especially because they play badminton there regularly. I love when any wedding element includes a personal touch.
Kind Review from this Small Jersey City Wedding
Over the past two years especially, I have really grown to adore small weddings (and the couples that choose them!). A smaller wedding really gives us a chance to connect and for me to see you and your relationship without the pressure a larger wedding might bring. I loved photographing Audrey and Noel’s wedding last May and I couldn’t be more grateful for this sweet review!
My husband and I were beyond lucky to work with Devin of Mile Square Moments for our wedding in May! Devin makes you feel instantly comfortable. You will not meet a more kind person! From the first meeting up until the end of the wedding day, we knew Devin had our back. She’s organized, professional, communicative, incredibly talented, and so fun on top of all that! She immediately felt like part of the family. Our photos are so special to us and perfectly reflect the joy we felt on our wedding day. We’re already dreaming of the next time we can work with Mile Square Moments. We can’t thank you enough, Devin!
Casual Getting Ready Photos at Home
One of the things I love most about smaller weddings is the relaxed and intimate atmosphere. I met Audrey at her and Noel’s apartment for her getting ready photos and everyone was having a good time. I took a quick second to admire (and photograph) her gorgeous 200-year-old earrings which were passed down from her grandmother. So sweet. Their apartment was just a quick 5-minute walk to Van Vorst Park and it was the perfect place to start the day. This was also where I got to meet their precious rescue dog Frankie who is the absolute sweetest (keep scrolling for dog-friendly wedding pics!).
From there, I met Noel at an Airbnb nearby to capture a few candid getting ready photos before we walked over to Van Vorst Park for their first look wedding photos. When I asked what he was most looking forward to on their wedding day, he said he couldn’t wait to see Audrey in her wedding dress. Knowing how stunning she looked, I couldn’t wait either!
A First Look at the Fountain at Van Vorst Park
There is just something kind of magical when a couple is friends first. Audrey and Noel met working at Cookshop (a hot spot in Chelsea, NY) and were friends for over a year before taking the leap and going on their first date. Audrey mentioned she had always been drawn to Noel’s eyes, and Noel had a weakness for Audrey’s dimples. I made sure to capture both during their first look (which was so incredibly charming and full of joy!).
Of course, we had to get solo shots of the entire crew! This is clearly one happy family of three.
Joyful Wedding Ceremony at Van Vorst Park Gazebo
Audrey and Noel walked down the aisle up to the gazebo together (with their dog, Frankie!). I could not get enough of them smiling at each other throughout the wedding ceremony. The ceremony was incredibly personal, with Audrey’s father officiating and the two of them reading personal vows. Audrey and Noel also chose to have a ring warming ceremony – which is when your wedding rings are passed between guests so they can bless the rings and infuse all of their good wishes. If you are looking for something sentimental to add to your wedding ceremony, I highly recommend this touching tradition.
Bubbles might just be one of my favorite wedding ceremony exit ideas. Just look how happy everyone looks! At the end of the ceremony, guests lined down the gazebo to welcome these two into married life.
Dog-Friendly Wedding Portraits
We took most of Audrey and Noel’s wedding portraits after their first look, but we snapped a few more with Frankie after the wedding ceremony. Frankie looked in her element – and you can tell that she puts the “baby” in fur baby. Such a sweet and special pup!
Small Jersey City Wedding Reception at Porta
I absolutely love capturing wedding receptions at Porta. I arrived a little before the newlyweds so I could capture a few setup shots, and their spring wedding color palette of blush, lavender, peach, and pale blue fit perfectly into the space. It felt both soft and romantic. With 37 guests in attendance, Audrey and Noel wanted a casual atmosphere where they could truly soak up each and every moment with their family and friends. The evening commenced with Audrey’s sister welcoming in the newlyweds and was complete with toasts that made you both belly laugh and tear up at the same time, a mouthwatering family-style dinner (with signature cocktails), and of course – a wedding cake.
Small Wedding in Jersey City
In case you can’t tell, I’m still soaking up every bit of joy from this small wedding in Jersey City. Although I always love large weddings, I’m leaning more and more into intimate weddings and elopements where you can really, truly connect with one another (I’m all about connection over here!). For more wedding inspiration in New York and New Jersey, head to our Mile Square Moments blog. I love sharing my couples’ love stories over here!
Make sure to scroll to the end for the vendor credits, but in the meantime enjoy these 35mm film portraits.
Vendor Squad
Reception Venue & Catering: Porta
Bride’s Attire: BHLDN
Mile Square Moments | New Jersey Wedding Photographer
Mile Square Moments is a New Jersey wedding photographer. We love telling our couples’ love stories through their photos. And we love getting to know each couple personally before we ever start taking photos. Getting to know our couples before the camera comes out allows us to better capture the chemistry that already exists between each couple. This is so, incredibly important to me. Do you love a night in binge-watching Netflix and aren’t afraid of a little PDA? Planning a wedding in Hoboken, NJ or beyond? Get in touch to inquire about our photography services. Or follow along for some fun love stories on Instagram. For more elopement inspiration, check out this fall wedding at Van Vorst Park.
