Wedding planner Stacey Kallenberg of As You Wish Wedding & Event Design in Midland Park enlisted Culinary Creations of Hillsborough to create a casually elegant reception that began with butler-passed drinks and hors d’oeuvres on the home’s front lawn, and later moved to a tented backyard barbecue. The buffet included whiskey-and-brown-sugar spare ribs, grilled chicken and Italian sausage, veggie kebabs, field-greens salad, pesto vegetables, black-bean-and-grilled-corn salad, and cornbread. Guests especially liked the couple’s signature drink—vodka-spiked Arnold Palmers served in mason jars.

The chocolate, yellow, and ivory color scheme was accented by mason-jar centerpieces with orange, white, and cocoa roses, as well as hydrangea, hypericum berries, and wheat sprigs. Rather than a cake, the couple opted for a crème brulée station, and chocolate-covered Granny Smith apples were presented in an antique fruit crate.

Cian surprised his buddies with matching chocolate-brown Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers, which made the guys feel right at home. Toward the end of the party, as the heavens opened and everyone ran from the tent to dance in the downpour, one happy guest observed, “We wouldn’t be doing this if we were at a country club!”

“The backyard concept worked for us,” adds Carla. “It was a memorable, manageable event, and I was able to visit with everyone.” After a honeymoon to San Francisco and Napa Valley, the couple is at home in Easton, Pennsylvania.

Sources:

PHOTOGRAPHER: Tania Lezak Photography, Ulster, PA, 215-510-5817; lezakphotography.com

WEDDING PLANNER: Stacey Kallenberg, As You Wish Wedding & Event Design, Midland Park, 201-421-6394; asyouwishwed.biz

CATERER: Culinary Creations, Hillsborough, 908-281-3894; culinarycreations.com

FLOWERS: Flowers by Connie Riemer, West Orange, 973-445-0036; flowersbyconnieriemer.com

BRIDE’S GOWN: Alvina Valenta from Bridals by Roma, Clifton, 973-777-9344; bridalgownsbyroma.com

GROOM’S SUIT: Banana Republic; bananarepublic.com

HAIR AND MAKEUP: Michelle Lo Conte, I Do Hair and Make-up, 973-975-7070; idohairandmake-up.com

BRIDE’S RINGS: Gregg Ruth rings from George Press Fine Jewelers, Livingston, 973-992-7797; georgepress.com

GROOM’S RING: Titanium Jewelry, 800-370-2646; titanium-jewelry.com

CUSTOM EARRINGS: Oddly Enchanting; oddlyenchantingluxe.etsy.com

STATIONERY: Designs by MK; designsbyMK.com

WEDDING MUSIC: Organist Ryan Malone, violinist Kathryn Andersen, and cantor Jennifer Behnke through

Sacred Heart Church, Bloomfield, 973-748-1800

WOODEN TABLE NUMBERS: The Back Porch Shoppe; etsy.com/shop/thebackporchshoppe

CHOCOLATE APPLES: Carol Weaver of the Occasional Treat, Midland Park, 201-888-2756

MONOGRAMS & SAVE-THE-DATES: Peek-a-boo Paperie; peekaboopaperie.com

TRANSPORTATION: 1962 white Bentley from Santos VIP Limousine, 732-596-1100; santosviplimo.com