I always love a fall wedding (the colors here in New Jersey are truly incredible!), and Patsy and Will’s outdoor wedding at Woodcliff Manor was an absolute highlight of my season. Not only was the venue gorgeous, Patsy and Will infused personal touches throughout the day and it was just so emotional. These two are high school sweethearts, so there was a lot of laughter and happy tears throughout the day – that’s for sure! They couldn’t wait to get married and share the day with their closest family and friends and I can’t wait to share a little bit about their love story on the blog today!
First, an engagement story.
Patsy and Will have been engaged since 2018, after 11 years of dating. From the moment they got in touch with me, excitement was in full force. Whether I’m photographing a wedding or engagement photos, my favorite part is always getting to know each couple and learning more about their love for one another. I always say that it helps me capture the chemistry that naturally exists between them (and makes my job as a wedding photographer even more fulfilling!).
When I asked about their engagement, Patsy told me that she hadn’t been feeling well that day. Everyone around her was acting a little weird but she didn’t read too much into it because she was sick. When Will picked her up that evening (after insisting she not cancel their dinner plans!), he told her she wouldn’t need her coat and that he had a surprise for her. When they went downstairs, she saw he had decorated with photos of them throughout their 11 years of dating. He got down on one knee and said “Will you marry me?”
Patsy said the moment he proposed, her eyes flashed to 11 years earlier in high school when he asked her to be his girlfriend. She asked “why?” and he turned around and slammed his head on a locker accidentally out of embarrassment. It was one of the reasons she loves him, he’s just so incredibly sweet and adorable – especially in moments like these. Down on one knee, she saw the man of her dreams. When he proposed, she said a giant YES and turned around to see her closest friends and family who had just witnessed one of the happiest moments of their lives.
Fast Forward to their Wedding at Woodcliff Manor
One of the things Patsy and Will said they were most excited about on their wedding day, was seeing each other all done up in their wedding attire. When I met them at Woodcliff Manor, anticipation filled the venue. There were so many sweet moments during their getting ready photos, but a few that stood out to me were Patsy’s mom helping her into her dress, Will putting a corsage on his mother, and both of them reading letters from each other the morning of the wedding. Once they were ready, Patsy also had a first look with her father and her bridal party. I knew from the start this wedding would be one filled with happy tears!
A First Look Before the Wedding Ceremony
Patsy and Will chose to have a first look outside of Woodcliff Manor before the wedding ceremony, and take advantage of the gorgeous fall colors (and stunning outdoor views) of the venue for their couple portraits. After almost 15 years of dating, it was so special to have that intimate moment before the wedding ceremony began. You could tell not only how much they loved one another, but just how excited they were to finally be married!
An Outdoor Wedding Ceremony at Woodcliff Manor
If you are looking for an incredible outdoor wedding venue in New Jersey, Woodcliff Manor was absolutely beautiful. Patsy and Will’s wedding ceremony was so emotional, with personal vows and a close friend officiating the ceremony. During the wedding ceremony, Patsy and Will also created a “Unity Time Capsule” where they each had written a love note to one another and sealed it in a box with a bottle of champagne. It’s not to be opened until a milestone anniversary! After the ceremony, we took a few more photos with their wedding party during golden hour/sunset before cocktail hour!
Wedding Reception at Woodcliff Manor
I love when couples include personal details in their wedding ceremony and reception. Although Patsy and Will don’t have pets of their own, they incorporated their family dogs into their reception via signature cocktails. For the bride, they had a “Hazellini,” which was a delicious bellini named after their dog Hazel. For the groom, they had a “Rum and Coco” named after their family dog, a sweet Chow Chow named Coco. This was just the beginning of the details they included in their wedding reception! They also had a caricature artist there to draw them and their guests throughout the reception as a fun keepsake.
Patsy and Will’s wedding reception started with a grand entrance (their wedding party got loud!) and finished with everybody on the dance floor. The evening was filled with fantastic food, toasts that made you laugh and cry, and cake for everyone. It really was the perfect evening to celebrate their love story.
A Beautiful Fall Wedding in New Jersey
After getting to know Patsy and Will over the past few years, I could not be more excited to see what their next chapter holds. The two of them absolutely love to spend time with one another – whether that’s going out to a museum or park, waking up early to make pancakes, watching the stars at night, or staying in to watch some Netflix. Whatever the future holds, it’s going to be magic. I was beyond honored to play a small role in capturing their love story.
I hope you loved Patsy and Will’s fall wedding at Woodcliff Manor as much as I did. If you are looking for more New Jersey wedding inspiration (and a lot of love stories!), make sure to check out our blog here (I share new weddings weekly!).
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? Want a little extra fall wedding inspiration? Make sure to check out this stunning wedding at the Hill. We also love stories on Instagram. Make sure to say hello!
