Reality star Jenni “JWoww” Farley is used to bringing the drama on shows like Jersey Shore and Snooki & JWoww. So when it came to planning her October 18, 2015, wedding to Roger Matthews, Jenni wanted to be sure she made an entrance that would wow her guests. With that in mind, she walked down the aisle in a show-stopping YSA Makino gown covered in lace and diamantes, featuring sheer sleeves, a plunging neckline and a 10-foot train. “I’ve always loved Disney princesses and really wanted a dramatic dress for the ceremony,” says Jenni. “Many brides are going for a simpler look now, but I wanted the complete opposite!”
Their story: Jenni and Roger—who met while she was on Jersey Shore—got engaged three years ago. And that extended wedding planning phase definitely came in handy. The couple immediately chose Addison Park in Keyport, but their overall vision for the décor didn’t stick. “My planner reminded me that when we first got engaged, I wanted everything white with accents of red,” says Jenni. “Obviously, I changed my mind about that!”
Color palette: Instead, she chose cream and lavender (her grandmother’s favorite color and scent). Jenni and Roger wrote their own vows for the non-traditional ceremony, with their daughter, Meilani, wearing a mini version of her mom’s wedding dress, and the family’s dog, Diesel, also playing a part in the vows.
Special gown: After the ceremony, Jenni changed into a mini-dress that she co-designed with Stephen Yearick at Castle Couture in Manalapan. It featured a corset halter top and a pink skirt comprised of 8,000 ostrich feathers (opposite). “I was dying over this dress—it was beyond perfection,” says Jenni. “It was fun, and I could dance in it.”
Details: The couple chose their October date because fall is the groom’s favorite time of year, and they made sure to incorporate elements of the season. More than 300 guests—including nearly 40 friends and family members in the bridal party—were served a selection of soups at the cocktail hour and a variety of steaks (there were vegetarian options as well). The five-tiered wedding cake featured a caramel apple layer, along with traditional favorites like vanilla, chocolate and red velvet.
First dance: The couple danced their first dance to John Legend’s “All of Me,” and when guests weren’t tearing it up on the dance floor, they were busy taking pictures in the reception’s photo booth. “The company we rented the booth from made us an album with every photo taken that night, so we have a great guest book with everyone in it,” says Jenni.
The highlight of the reception, though, came when the newlyweds announced that Jenni is pregnant with their second child—a secret they kept from even their nearest and dearest. “Our planner came up with this great idea of turning the poster board around to reveal a photo of Meilani wearing a ‘Big Sister’ T-shirt, and it brought all of us to tears,” says Jenni. And while the pregnancy has postponed the couple’s planned honeymoon to Greece—their son is due in May—the couple wouldn’t have it any other way. “We’ll go in a year or two as a family, so it will be extra special,” says Jenni.
Don’t forget to check out a look inside JWOWW’s wedding Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3
Addison Park
Manny Carabel, MTC Photography
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