Desiree and Dylen at Aloft in Mount Laurel

Posted on November 28, 2017 by Allison Dupree

How did you two meet? Dylen was bartending at the Aloft in 2010. We met on August 23 2010, my first day working as the Events Coordinator at The Aloft! Over the years, we became friends only to fall madly in love. How did he ask? Dylen took me to a romantic gazebo in the heart of Haddonfield, NJ and had my favorite photographer there to capture it. He had a celebration dinner with family set up and a house full of candles and rose petals waiting for me when I got home. Such romance! Why did you choose your venue? We chose to host our wedding at the Aloft because, first of all, it is the best and deep in my heart I knew there was nowhere else that could compare. Secondly, we met there – fate brought us together and our story began between those four walls. It was only right to choose Aloft. [sponsor] What was on your menu? Dylen and I wanted to change it up since we have seen and worked hundreds of weddings at the Aloft. We had a cocktail hour before and after our ceremony with 3 live food stations and buttered appetizers. For dinner we served salad, gourmet breads and infused oils, had a sushi course and three more live action stations. For dessert we did an ice cream and water ice station and s’mores by the fire in the Backyard with homemade cookies and pastries. I am Italian and it’s a rule to make sure your guests have plenty to eat! What was your favorite moment? My favorite wedding day moment has to be getting married outside, at night under the stars, to the love of my life. It has always been a dream of mine. We had two live musicians and three singers, lights wrapped in all of the trees and a candlelight ceremony. It was pure magic!! I think I have a really close second memory though – Bringing out a 50 year wedding anniversary cake to my nana and papa. We played their first dance song and created a beautiful photo slideshow for them. It was extra special because 50 years ago my nana and papa had to cancel their wedding of their dreams at the last minute. My nana dreamt of that moment all of these years and Dylen and I were honored to be able to make that happen for them! Best part of the day? Although the entire wedding was a dream, I couldn’t live without saying our own vows. The ceremony and vows we shared with each other are the words that will take us through the rest of our lives. Did anything go wrong? Honestly, I am a wedding planner and I expected for something to go wrong, but everyone at the Aloft pulled together and made our wedding day the most special moment in our lives. We feel truly blessed to be surrounded by such love and wonderful people! Let’s face it, we are all family in a way anyway. Detail you couldn’t live without? All the twinkle lights outside and inside were my favorite detail. I can’t stop smiling when I think about them. Honeymoon? We took a mini-moon to Atlantic City. We had another wedding at the Aloft five days after mine and my bride would have been very upset if I left. We are going to take a honeymoon next year when everything settles. I love what I do and I would never want to ruin someone else’s special day by not being there.