An Asbury Park Wedding Where Guests (and the Bride and Groom!) Got Custom Tattoos

Their Story

Niki and Jacob tied the knot at the Asbury Hotel on December 16, 2023. They met years before getting together, during a night out at the bar JR’s in Seaside Heights.

Once Covid hit, Niki, who’d been living in Los Angeles, was home in New Jersey more, and invited a mutual friend to a party she was throwing at her dad’s house. Jacob came with the pal and the rest was history.

“He says he knew he was in love when he saw me playing flip cup with a bottle of champagne,” Niki says with a laugh.

After spending the summer together, Niki decided to leave LA and move back to New Jersey to be with Jacob.

The Proposal

The couple got engaged at the River House at Odette’s in New Hope, Pennsylvania, on September 16, 2022.

Choosing the Venue

Niki and Jacob had more than 100 guests coming in from out of town, and they “wanted to show them a piece of us. We are from the Jersey Shore. Asbury Park screams Jersey Shore!”

They describe the venue as edgy, modern, different and, “most of all, us.” Features included a vintage photo booth, a Jersey-style diner, a bowling alley and a gorgeous lobby and bar.

Plus, the boutique feeling of the hotel, attached to the venue, really made everything feel cohesive, the couple says.

Details of the Day

The couple calls their big day the “black and white wedding of our dreams.” Guests wore all-black cocktail attire, and the couple had a massive checkered dance floor with a sea of disco balls hanging above it.

There were heavy candles with white floral arrangements, including roses, baby’s breath and black bunny tail. They were married in an all white draped tent under candles and string lights with a clear tent/roof top.

Favorite Moment

The couple’s favorite band, Nightly, performed a cover of “Iris” for their first dance, plus three other songs.

“This band is special to us; when we were doing long distance, we listened to their music to feel closer to each other.”

Detail They Couldn’t Live Without

A tattoo artist giving customized tattooed catered to the couple’s special day, including “till death,” a disco ball, and a record with N+J on it.

Advice for Other Couples

“Don’t rush into it. Take your time. Make sure the place is exactly what you want! You will know it’s right when you step foot in the venue.”

Honeymoon

Niki and Jacob spent their honeymoon in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, at the Xcaret Arte hotel.