When Courtney found out she was pregnant shortly after getting engaged, she made a decision most brides wouldn’t dare: she would plan her entire wedding in two months. As someone who works in the New Jersey wedding industry and knows many venues in the area, she had one place in mind—The Reserve at Perona Farms in Andover. One call to her friend Marley, the fifth-generation owner, and a Thursday in August was secured. By the time Courtney drove down to drop off her deposit, she’d already booked her photographer, DJ and hair stylist. Their August 7, 2025, celebration brought 175 of their closest family and friends together for a day of sage green florals, cinnamon donut favors and a moment no one saw coming: a gender reveal hidden inside the wedding cake.
Their Story
“We met on hinge over two years ago,” says Courtney. “From the first date, we knew that our relationship was end game.”
“We really took our time building our friendship. Then, after Jake was my date to a wedding, we both didn’t want to be just friends anymore. After that night we’ve been inseparable since!”
The Proposal
“Our engagement was truly so special,” says Courtney. “It was in Lake George, where our first vacation was together. Jake knew how much Lake George meant to me. I’d been going there since I was a baby and he knew it would be the perfect spot to propose! What was even more special—I was pregnant with our son too!”
Choosing the Venue
“Perona Farms sells itself,” says Courtney. “Each venue is so unique in its own way! Being in the industry, I’ve worked at all North Jersey venues, I can honestly say Perona is my favorite. The staff is so welcoming and the amount of things they accommodate you with, from curating your own menus to getting ready—it’s the best place!”
“I’m lucky to be friends with Marley, the fifth-generation owner of Perona, so as soon as we got engaged (and I found out I was pregnant), I called her right away and asked if pulling off a wedding in two months was even possible. I asked for August dates preferably a Thursday to save money, and she made it happen.”
“Once I secured the date, I immediately reached out to my vendors DJ Express, Moe Alyasini, and Ashley Raibick and had them all booked by the time I drove down to give my deposit to Perona. My biggest advice, whether you’re planning a wedding in two months or two years, is to book your venue and vendors as soon as possible. Everything else falls into place.”
Mo Alyasini
Details of the Day
“Since I was expecting, we planned our wedding in 2 months! The full wedding!” explains Courtney. “I planned my wedding in just two months because I didn’t want to have it after the baby arrived.”
“We saved a ton by getting our flowers from ShopRite and our invitations from Zazzle. I kept my bridal party small and focused on inviting our closest friends and family. We had about 175 guests.
“The color scheme was shades of light green. Our wedding favors were cinnamon donuts from Perona.”
Favorite Moment
“Our favorite moment was surprising our guests with the gender reveal in our cake! Our wedding was just with the closest people to us, so being able to share the gender of our baby with everyone was truly special and we’ll never forget it!”
Wedding Day Attire
“My wedding party had shades of green. My two bridesmaids and junior bridesmaid had dresses from Azazie. My sister, the maid of honor, had a beaded green dress from Gatti Nolli in Ridgewood. My husband had a white tux top and black pants with a bowtie. I had a lace beaded sweetheart dress with a long train!”
“For my dress, I went to Bijou Bridal and Belfiore Bridal, explained my timeline, and asked to see gowns I could either take home that day or have delivered quickly, and they made it happen.”
Advice For Other Couples
“I always tell brides, spend your money on your outfits, hair and makeup and your photographer. You will always look back on your pictures so you want to look and feel your best!”
“My mindset was to keep things simple, because at the end of the day, I was marrying my best friend. I was four months pregnant with my baby boy, marrying the man of my dreams at the venue of my dreams and I wouldn’t change a single thing about that day.”
Honeymoon
“We did a mini-moon to Crystal Springs Resort for the weekend! We wanted to save for a longer honeymoon after the baby got here and since we had my dream wedding planned and paid for in two months, it was best to save where we can! We eventually will go to italy!”
Nestled on 57 picturesque acres in Andover, New Jersey, Perona Farms is a fifth-generation family-owned estate that has been the backdrop for unforgettable weddings for over a ...
