July 1, 2010

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Kiersten Rowland, Prema Photographic

After high school sweethearts Ashley Berger and Jeffrey Papola got engaged, her sister and brother-in-law took the couple to the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton to celebrate. Ashley, who designs children’s clothing, and Jeff, a professional poker player and law student, loved the sculptures and found the grounds, complete with roaming peacocks, magical and enchanting. Looking for something different, they decided to have their wedding at the unique setting. “I wanted something more creative, artsy, with a little more culture attached to it,” she says, adding that the sculpture park is a “hidden treasure” not everyone knows about.

Artfully Planned

They were married by Methodist pastor John  DiGiamberardino on October 3, 2009, at “Nine Muses,” an outdoor granite installation in a secluded part of the grounds that features a platform bordered by nine Grecian-inspired standing figures. “We were really drawn to how we could get married on the platform with tall sculptures around us and with a small water moat, with lily pads and flowers,” says Ashley, who did not have a wedding party. “It felt so private and intimate.”

After the 4:30 p.m. ceremony, the couple, both 24 years old and from Howell, posed for pictures and gave their 120 guests an hour to enjoy the park before coming together for the outdoor cocktail hour. The rain held off just long enough, and the reception was hosted inside on the grounds at the Seward Johnson Center for the Arts.

Close friends and relatives of Ashley and Jeff made their wedding day come to life. Older sister Amanda Berger-Semko was Ashley’s informal wedding planner, and did the bride’s makeup and hair. “She pretty much helped me every step of the way,” Ashley says. The bride and a college friend designed her ivory, cocktail-length gown with a bubble hem. Another friend made Ashley’s bouquet of baby’s breath surrounded by peacock feathers, wrapped in the same brown velvet that formed a sash on Ashley’s dress. The peacock motif also made an appearance in the men’s boutonnieres and the tall table arrangements. Ashley was inspired by the wandering peacocks and their vibrant colors. “I thought it was so amazing, how beautiful they were,” she says.

She added colors of fall—gold, orange, and red—through saris used as tablecloths and other accents like candlelight and water pitchers filled with cranberries.

Ashley says the event gave guests a chance to not only see how happy she and Jeff were, but to see their personality as a couple. “It was interesting and nontraditional with the artistic beauty of the sculpture garden, intimate and unique with every element showing a different personal touch,” Ashley says.

After a honeymoon in St. Tropez, France, the couple is now living in Manhattan.

Sources:

PHOTOGRAPHER: Kiersten Rowland, Prema Photographic, Howell, 732-859-6347; premaphotographic.com

CATERER & CAKE:  Chez Alice Catering Company, Princeton, 609-586-5050; chezalice.com

CEREMONY: Grounds For Sculpture, Hamilton, 609-586-0616;  groundsforsculpture.org

RECEPTION: Seward Johnson Center for the Arts at the Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, 609-689-9134; groundsforsculpture.org

BRIDE’S GOWN: Custom-designed by the bride

BRIDE’S SHOES: Christian Louboutin from Neiman Marcus; neimanmarcus.com  

GROOM’S SHOES: John Varvatos from Neiman Marcus; neimanmarcus.com

GROOM’S ATTIRE:  Dolce and Gabbana from Neiman Marcus; neimanmarcus.com   

ENGAGEMENT RING:  Bentley Diamond Importers, Wall Township, 800-333-3426; bentleydiamond.com

WEDDING BANDS: Titanium Style, 888-633-5758; titaniumstyle.com