A Romantic Fall Wedding at The Mansion at Natirar

I love Cassie and Louis’ story. Their dads had been friends for years, but they didn’t know each other existed. When Louis’ dad invited Cassie’s dad over to watch a UFC fight and bring his family along, that’s the beginning of our story. Some time and a few more family get togethers later, Louis proposed to Cassie at his family’s lake house, where he lined the dock with candles, a detail that carried through to a romantic, candle lit, fall wedding at Natirar one year later.

Natirar is a spectacular backdrop for any wedding. In my opinion, the architecture really shows off in the late autumn. Everyone loves the Renaissance revival chimneypiece in the entry hall, but the warm oak paneling really embraces a warm and cozy feeling. On the outside, the pictures in front of the lead glass windows with the changing colored leaves of the ivy bring a pop of color to the background. Add a very large “lap dog” into the mix, and you have a perfect portrait.

Meet George, y’all! He is by far my favorite Dog of Honor this year. How can you not love him in his little tuxedo, with his tongue wagging about. But really, George is the perfect lap dog. He knows it. Wears that tux proud.

I think one of the reasons people like weddings, and wedding photographs {with dogs} in particular, is that behind the pageantry we see genuine emotion – we capture it and freeze it. The joyful moments of seeing the bride for the first time, the laughter that bubbles up when an 80 lb dog takes you down by sitting on your dress, and the groom’s tears as his bride walks toward him during the ceremony, that really only happen in a moment. But now we can see that unguarded moment forever.

I’m so glad Cassie and Louis chose to do a first look. I’m always happy to have more time for portraits, but especially when we have shorter days. It would have been such a shame to waste a 70 degree November day! Louis was also pretty anxious to see Cassie. Why wouldn’t you want to spend as much time as possible on your wedding day without each other? There wasn’t much direction needed for these two in terms of posing. These two are naturals – the evidence is in the pictures. Joyful portraits? Check. Model shots? Check. Candid moments of laughter? Check.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Cassie and Louis exchanged vows and then I was able to pull them away for just a moment to capture the newlyweds overlooking the park fading into twilight below. The back of Natirar gives you some of NJ’s best views. It’s rare to get so many portraits on the back lawn in late fall. Ordinarily I’m struggling with chilly wind, harsh direct light, or no light at all. But Cassie and Louis got all the classic shots of the Natirar view, with a unique backdrop in late autumn, golden autumnal light mixed with the blues of the seasonal shadows – something we rarely capture. For a photographer, it’s a dream come true – rich, fully saturated colors.

As the day turned to night, the ballroom glowed – Cassie and Louis, along with Cassie’s talented wedding planner sister, Rebecca Grace Events, did a particularly good job planning the room and mixing candlelight with little pops of color from the romantic florals. Don’t pass by the reception detail photos without appreciating these florals, which even made their way into the cake design. Sometimes the room gets lost amongst the guests, but all night long, the room continued to show off. The candles continued to burn as family and friends celebrated on the dance floor and with an amazing menu.

Cassie and Louis, it was such an honor to be part of your day! We loved laughing with you and capturing every moment of your beautiful wedding! Congratulations!

Venue: The Mansion at Natirar, Peapack, NJ

Wedding Planner: Rebecca Grace Events

Photographer: Lauren Kearns Photography

Florist: Peonies to Paint Chips

Officiant: Wedding Officiant

Hair: Ashley Raibick

Makeup: KC Glamour & Beauty by Kylied

Dress: Allison Webb NYC

Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo NYC & Dessy Group

Tuxedo: Garmany of Red Bank

Stationary: Art Paper Scissor

Videographer: Behold Films

Lighting: Lounge it Up

Entertainment: The Benjamins NJ