Carolyn & Kevin’s Califon Wedding

When someone from Califon gets married, everyone from Califon knows about it.  It’s a 1 square mile town, and like a country song, we all leave this 1 square mile town for a while, but are drawn right back to it!  I for instance, left my hometown for DC and NYC, and now my mailing address is technically Califon!  Carolyn is another one of my sweet Califon brides, and I was so excited to be part of her and Kevin’s wedding day!

Carolyn got ready at her parent’s house, where she grew up, and when I arrived she had all of her details set aside for me. including a brand new bottle of perfume and her amazing florist from Solstice Floral Design made me my own bouquet for photographing details!! This really makes my heart sing!  I felt right at home with her 3 sisters as bridesmaids, plus 3 other friends who either went to Califon School (notice my super tall reflecting/deflecting assistant) or the high school we attended!

With Carolyn’s house 3 minutes from my parent’s house and the church we attended in our youth just 5 minutes away, at St. John Neumann Church we shuttled over to get this girl married!  While I’ve been to St. John’s hundreds of times, I had never photographed there, and the light was simply breathtaking, as their ceremony was beautiful.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds greeted their guests and headed out to the Architects Club in Phillipsburg.

To say the views are magnificent at this golf course really doesn’t do this place justice.  It’s hard to believe that such a place exists in New Jersey!  With perfectly blue skies and endless views, we decided that our bridal party must be in direct sunlight (not something we typically subject our bridal party to…) but they are awesome, and it was worth it.  Once we quickly photographed the bridal party, the groomsmen created their own posing system, as you will see!  I told them they were free to go to cocktail hour, but when I turned around, they had once again created their own formation.  Perhaps their inspiration was brought on by the bouquets they were holding?  If I’m being honest, they were really creative, and I am impressed with every single one of their “blue steel’s.”

We may have run a little over on time from the ceremony, but Carolyn and Kevin were happy to take a golf cart out by the water, for some “alone time,” with us by their side! We made it back just in time for the new Mr. and Mrs. to be introduced into their reception.  Kevin is a pilot, and once they were introduced, the model airplanes went soaring through the tent!  After our bride and groom finished their first dance, Carolyn brought her Dad out onto the dance floor for their father/daughter dance, to Joe Cocker’s “With a little help from my friends,” which choked me up a bit!

After dinner, Carolyn and Kevin followed us just outside their tent capture the glorious glow from the setting sun! I felt like we saw so much of their personalities come alive after some food and drink, and we were more than happy to capture it!

We ended the night with cake and flying model airplanes!  What more could one ask for?  Congratulations, Carolyn and Kevin!  We are so happy for you!

2nd Photographer:  Barbara Wentzel

Church:  St. John Neumann

Reception: The Architects Club, Phillipsburg, NJ

Florist:  Solstice Floral Design