An Elegant Wedding With a Standout Cocktail Hour

Dom and Ariana got married at The Grand on October 25, 2024.

Their Story 

Dom and Ariana met on a dating app during the summer of 2016 and then met up at a local Bayonne restaurant. “We spent the summer going on beach trips, road trips and the rest is history,” she says.

The Proposal

In September 2022, Dom was turning 30 and decided to trick Ariana into thinking that she was helping plan a surprise party for him.

Before going to his ‘birthday dinner’’, they made a pit stop in Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island where they had taken their first photo together.

“Once we reached the picturesque spot underneath the Verrazano Bridge, Dom’s best friend showed up to record us and Dom got on one knee,” says Ariana.

Details of the Day

Their colors were dusty rose and neutral tones and they incorporated pampas into the florals to add an autumnal touch.

[RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Venues in New Jersey]

Choosing the Venue

“We chose The Grand because of the amazing and bountiful cocktail hour,” says the bride.

“We still have yet to attend another wedding with such a big cocktail hour and it’s still all that our guests talk about as well as our surprise grand entrance coming up the floor through the elevator,” says Ariana.

[RELATED: Looking for a photographer? Start your search here!]

Favorite Moment

“My favorite moment was the roar of cheers as we surprised all of our guests with our elevator grand entrance,” says Ariana.

Detail They Couldn’t Live Without

“One detail I could not have lived without was our audiobook and our custom venue watercolor frame that we had our guest sign and is now hanging up on our wall,” says Ariana.

Wedding Day Attire

Ariana wore an Essence of Australia gown and Dom wore a royal blue tux from NY Man Suits.

Advice For Other Couples

“My advice for other couples is to do the longer engagement if possible and make sure you book a venue as soon as possible,” says the bride.

Honeymoon

The newlyweds traveled to Porto, Portugal and Barcelona, Spain.

Sign up for our Something New newsletter for weekly wedding ideas, inspiration and advice from New Jersey Bride—sent right to your inbox!