New Jersey Backyard Wedding: Sammi & Kevin

Next up is the wedding of Sammi & Kevin! They are a kind and sweet couple who are great to be around, and you can really feel their energy when in their presence. They married back in June in Sammi’s family’s backyard in north New Jersey, like her big brother did a few years prior. This was another great day to document with my camera. From Sammi’s sister doing her makeup, to their incredible group of caring friends (one who made their cake), this wedding definitely was more of the good stuff that keeps me going. Here is their story, as told by our couple:

How did you meet? We actually met in grade school back in our home town. Sam is one year younger than Kev. We knew each other through shared friends but lost touch a little bit after high school. Kevin’s brother Ryan went to Ithaca and was on the football team there. Sam was finishing up her doctorate in Physical Therapy at the time and Kevin always made a point of reaching out to her when he was in town, inviting her to his family’s tailgates and hanging out during some long weekends.

The proposal: It was Friday and Sam had off from work that day while Kevin worked from home. Just your average Friday, beautiful October day, Sam went for run, we went out to lunch at a little bookstore / cafe and we had plans to meet up with a friend for the Head of the Charles Regatta which was that weekend. Sam came home that afternoon with a huge migraine and took a nap in the middle of the afternoon which she NEVER does. This would have been totally fine if Kevin hadn’t arraigned for a photographer to meet us at our favorite bench on the Charles River at sunset. Somehow Sam rallied and we hustled out the door for a walk down the Charles. Kevin mentioned that we should take a moment to enjoy some time on our bench and after catching the eye of the photographer he dropped to one knee and proposed. Later that night after calling around to family and friends Kevin surprised Sam with both of our families meeting us out at dinner in Boston.

What’s next on your calendar as a couple? We got married back in June and it has been a wonderful, whirlwind ever since! We enjoyed our honeymoon in Greece, unplugging for a bit before diving into the rest of the summer which has been filled with a number of weddings and bachelor / bachelorette parties. We are looking forward to things quieting down, enjoying the fall in Boston and hunting for a home to move into somewhere in and around the city.

How/why did you choose your venue? We chose Sam’s backyard because it was in the town that we both grew up in, it was a convenient location for most of our guests and it had sentimental meaning because Sam’s brother and his wife were married back there as well.

What were some of your favorite moments from your wedding day? There were a lot! First off the bat was our first look and finally getting to see one another dressed up and ready to be married with our immediate family by our sides. Somehow someway the rain held off and we were able to enjoy all of the space in the backyard along with some fireworks and late night partying. Just being able to have all of the people who mean so much to us all in one place was our favorite part of the day. We would also mention the part where we crowd-surfed our friend who is 6’9″, the dance-off when Sam’s cousin might have gotten a concussion, cutting our wedding cake with a pocket knife and when a torrential downpour hit right at midnight and we danced in the rain 🙂

Any advice for future couples planning their weddings? Do it together!

Is there anything else you would like to communicate? It can be a hectic time and things are not going to go according to plan and in the moment it will seem like a huge deal but once you walk down the aisle, and see one another standing there it will all feel right. Having a great photographer like Danette there to capture every moment, big and small, will help you to remember just how special of a day it is and how lucky you are! Also, definitely be sure to play Shout twice..