This Wedding Embraced the Bride and Groom’s Love of the Shore

Their Story

Elizabeth and Rob got married on April 30, 2022 at Clarks Landing Yacht Club in Point Pleasant. They met while Elizabeth was a senior at Drew University and Rob had just finished boot camp for the Coast Guard. It was Valentine’s Day and they were both at Morristown’s Iron Bar.

“I didn’t actually meet Rob that night—just saw him from a distance,” she says. But her friend and Rob’s friend did end up chatting—and setting up Elizabeth and Rob.

She initially wasn’t looking for a relationship, but after two dates, “I realized that this guy I had been reluctant to meet was genuinely a nice, fun and caring person. After we left the bar, he gave me a tour of the firehouse where he volunteered (which is now in the same town that I am a teacher in). We continued to talk and go on a few dates—going to the gym, trying new places to eat. About a month later, he asked me to be his girlfriend.”

The Proposal

Every summer the couple goes to Sandy Hook. “We absolutely love the beach and doing anything down the Shore,” Elizabeth says.

She was in complete shock when he popped the question on the beach there, and then invited their friends and family to a local restaurant to celebrate.

Choosing the Venue

“We knew we both wanted to get married down the Shore with a beautiful view. We walked into Clarks Landing Yacht Club, looked at each other and said, ‘This is the one!'” We fell in love with the beautiful view of the Manasquan River and knew we had to get married there!

Details of the Day

The couple chose a color scheme of navy, pink and gold to embody an elegant, romantic and nautical feel for their springtime wedding. The bridesmaids had pink dresses, and their pink-and-white bouquets matched perfectly.

For table centerpieces, they chose small, white-washed boxes with navy ribbon, filled with beautiful blue hydrangeas, pink O’Hara roses, and pale pink spray roses. Around the centerpieces were a mix of tall and short candle holders, filled with sea glass and seashells, further embracing the Shore location.

At cocktail hour, guests were greeted with a glass of Champagne with a blueberry at the bottom. The ice luge was a real treat. “Rob is a career fireman, and the ice luge was carved into a firetruck, with martinis coming down the ladder,” Elizabeth says. Food options included a seafood bar and a mac and cheese bar.

For dinner, guests started with a fresh fruit and chocolate bowl, followed by options of  Chateaubriand, veal Oscar or a seafood trio with shrimp, scallops and crab-stuffed flounder.

The wedding cake featured layers of Funfetti and white cakes with raspberry and fudge filling. The signature drinks were tequila, lime juice, club soda and lime garnish (his) and prosecco, pink lemonade, club soda and mint (hers).

The Bride’s Gown

“Growing up, I always knew I wanted the princess ball gown,” says Elizabeth. She chose a dress by Maggie Sorrento and immediately “knew it was the one.”

“I also knew there was a part missing. I loved my mom’s wedding dress, so I had the beautiful beading from it sewn onto my dress straps and made into a belt.”

Favorite Moment

“I have always been my daddy’s little girl, so it was very emotional when I did a first look with my dad, and when he walked me down the aisle,” says Elizabeth. “Rob and I decided not to do a first look before the ceremony, so it was such an amazing moment to walk down the aisle and have him see me for the first time. He got very emotional.”

Elizabeth, a teacher, also invited her students to the ceremony and says “it was so special to have them be a part of my day.”

A Special Guest

The couple’s cockapoo, Cooper, joined them at the church where they held their ceremony for photos. They also had a Cooper Cosmo as one of their signature drinks and a doggy to-go station at Clarks Landing.

Honeymoon

The couple honyemooned in Italy, visiting Venice, Florence, Bologna, San Gimignano, Siena, Rome, Sorrento, Capri, Positano and Naples.