A Surprise Hot-Air Balloon Appearance Made This Architects Golf Club Wedding One to Remember

Gisselle and Junior got the surprise of a lifetime at their reception at Architects Golf Club when hot-air balloons, coming from a nearby festival, landed on the lawn of their venue. The couple and their guests took some unbelievable photos with the giant balloons. The occupants of one of the balloons even gave them a celebratory bottle of champagne.

Gisselle & Junior’s Story

When Gisselle Heredia and Amarildo “Junior” Dal Bo met at work more than a decade ago, they were simply colleagues. But during the pandemic, with both finding themselves out of relationships, they grew closer and started dating in early 2021. “We’ve been inseparable since,” says Gisselle.

The Proposal

Gisselle, 27, loves spending time at the beach, while Junior, 39, is not a huge fan of days on the sand. Their compromise? Taking regular trips down the Shore to watch the sun rise over the ocean. One very early morning in May 2022, the pair got into their car at 4:30 am to make the drive from their home in Somerset to Long Branch, one of their favorite spots. Little did Gisselle know that Junior was planning to pop the question—and had even invited a large group of their friends and family to the beach to witness the proposal. “May sunrise is at, like, 5:30 in the morning,” Gisselle says, laughing. “So they were all up early.” Now that’s love.

Their Architects Golf Club Wedding

The pair tied the knot on August 5, 2023, in front of 100 friends and family members at Architects Golf Club in Phillipsburg, with some guests flying in from as far as Ecuador (on Gisselle’s side) and Brazil (on Junior’s side) to be there. The self-described “low-key” couple incorporated a lot of DIY elements into their wedding, and had friends and family pitch in wherever possible. Gisselle bought the flowers at Sam’s Club, and her best friend’s cousin—who used to work in the floral industry—arranged them. Gisselle had two requests when it came to her blooms: Use pink and white and “make it look pretty.” Requests granted! Meanwhile, Gisselle’s best friend runs a hair and makeup company, and styled the bride beautifully. Gisselle created signs and other decor details with another pal. The couple’s furry friends were also part of their special day. Their pooches, Peggy and Petunia, took pictures with the couple at their venue. Although they didn’t stay for the festivities, they were there in spirit in the form of signature cocktails named after them, doggy cake toppers, and adorable photo booth props for guests to hold.

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The Music

Music was a key consideration for the duo, who chose LJDJs to provide the tunes. “Junior’s biggest thing is he wanted everybody to have fun and feel included,” Gisselle says. “His family is from Brazil. My family is very much Hispanic and we listen to Hispanic music, as well as the majority of our friends. But we still have a lot of people who didn’t listen to Hispanic music.” The music turned out just as the couple hoped. Junior says his favorite moment was the duo’s first dance to Jason Aldean’s “You Make It Easy.”

A Hot-Air Balloon Surprise

Gisselle and Junior got the surprise of a lifetime at their reception when hot-air balloons, coming from a nearby festival, landed on the lawn of their venue. The couple and their guests took some unbelievable photos with the giant balloons. The occupants of one of the balloons even gave them a celebratory bottle of champagne.

Advice

“Plan everything out and make a list,” says Gisselle of one way she managed to stay stress-free.

Honeymoon

The newlyweds enjoyed a relaxing, luxurious trip to Cancun before heading back to New Jersey as Mr. and Mrs. Dal Bo. They recently moved to a new home in Bridgewater.