Katie and Mike wed on October 21, 2023, at the Mill Lakeside Manor.

Their Story 

After college, Mike and Katie both started careers in Manhattan. They unknowingly frequented many of the same NYC bars and restaurants for years.

Finally, their paths crossed in February 2021. Their first date was at River & Rail Cantina in downtown Cranford. The two of them hit it off immediately, and quickly realized just how much they had in common.  A few highlights from the evening included bar hopping, really bad renditions of country songs, and of course, Irish car bombs.

In some ways, their meeting felt serendipitous, and they like to think it was fate that stepped in that night. Somewhere between seeing each other for the first time and saying goodbye for the night, they both knew it would last forever.

The Proposal

It was a typical lazy Saturday morning in April of 2022. Mike and Katie went out to breakfast followed by a walk in their favorite neighborhood park. A few steps into their usual route is when Mike got down on one knee!

He had a photographer there who captured the moment (@dtjphotography on Instagram) and the gorgeous cherry blossom trees that had bloomed just days before.

Mike had a surprise engagement party planned for that afternoon at a local restaurant/bar, and all their friends and family joined to celebrate.

“It was an unforgettable day,” says Katie.

Details of the Day

“We didn’t go into wedding planning with a specific theme in mind per se, but as everything came together, traditional and romantic vibes shined the brightest,” says Katie.

There were lots of soft hues, beautiful florals and elegant stationery. The overall vision was for the wedding to be timeless, from the bride’s gown to the cake, venue and everything in between.

The bridesmaids wore rosemary dresses and the groomsmen dark gray suits with bowties to match the girls. The bride opted for a simple gown with a sweetheart neckline, A-line silhouette, long train and handmaid lace shoes (from Jade Bridal Shoes on Etsy). The groom went with a classic black tux.

“Our color scheme featured lots of greens and golds, and the floral colors included hues of peach, burnt orange, toffee, ivory and mauve, alongside pampas grass (my favorite part!),” says Katie.

For favors, the bride and groom went with personalized wine corks!

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Choosing the Venue

“A fun fact is that we only looked at one venue and immediately knew it was the one,” says Katie. “The Mill Lakeside Manor speaks for itself. They are top notch. Everyone there is so professional, and they truly care about each and every one of their couples.”

Plus, the bride and groom love their home state of New Jersey and the Shore area is just so beautiful in the fall.

Favorite Moment

“One thing we will never forget is how the sun came out 30 minutes before photos started, after many weekends of rain,” says Katie.

Detail They Couldn’t Live Without

“We never could have anticipated how amazing the toasts were, ” says Katie—especially when the bride’s parents announced that Taylor Swift would be joining the reception as they brought out a cardboard cut-out of the pop star.

“Another aspect that was so special to us was having our close friend Chris as our officiant, and his daughter Piper our flower girl,” says Katie.

Advice for Other Couples

“The wedding is about one thing only, and that is the couple getting married,” says Katie. :Surround yourself only with the people who know that to be true!”

Honeymoon

The couple went to Bali. “It was a 24 hour flight, but it was so worth it,” says Katie. “We stayed for about 10 days. We saw everything from the breathtaking shores of the Indian Ocean to the elephants and monkeys living in Ubud.”

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