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Danielle and Brendan at Rock Island Lake Club

Posted on December 13, 2019 by Ariana Baio


Brendan and I met online on Match.com. Our first date was at the Taphouse in Wayne, NJ and instantly we knew that this was forever. Not even 15 minutes into our date, Brendan asked me on our second date. The rest is history.


It was a cold winter day in January, and I was having a terrible day at work. When I got home, Brendan had the biggest smile on his face and got down on one knee to ask me. Suddenly that cold, winter day was brightened up.

Overall, the day had a rustic theme with classic touches. Since the rustic elements of Rock Island Lake Club really attracted us to the venue, we chose our colors and decor based around that. Our centerpieces were blue hydrangeas and the table runners were eucalyptus. Even when you look at the pictures it just looks like a magical fairytale with floral and greenery elements.

From the moment Brendan and I walked into Rock Island, we immediately knew it was where we envisioned our dream wedding. From the rustic elements to the supportive staff, we were immediately welcomed. Heather made our entire planning process a breeze and was extremely helpful. On the day of our wedding, the venue was transformed into our vision and nailed every single detail. Jessica, Michael, & Karly were saints the day of, and kept the entire reception running like a well-oiled machine. The staff was not only so attentive to us the day of, but to our guests as well. Two weeks later, our family and friends are still talking about the venue and the amazing team. Rock Island checks all of the boxes and we couldn’t imagine our wedding anywhere else.

Applewood bacon wrapped Filet Mignon, pan-seared Mahi Mahi, braised lamb shank and roasted chicken breast in a lemon/rosemary garlic sauce. Our cake had two different flavors! Two tiers were Oreo cake, and the others were a dulce de leche mousse filling with white cake.

My wedding dress was an absolutely stunning A-line gown from Essence of Australia. The gown boasted beautiful lace detail, vintage/romantic feel and cap sleeves. My bridesmaids and mom can attest to this since they were there when I first tried on the dress, the moment I put it on it just felt right and I felt so confident with it on. My bridesmaids said I was practically floating as I walked out with it on.

The moment the church doors opened and I saw Brendan standing at the end of the aisle.

I would say a lot of the custom made pieces I had personalized from Etsy. It just added a personal touch to the day.
Did anything go wrong?
Ironically, we were running ahead of schedule – which never happens at a wedding. I came out of the Rolls Royce and approached the church steps with my dad, and all of a sudden the priest flies out the door. I held my breath to prepare for whatever he was about to tell me. He informed my father and I that the church musicians were not there and thought our ceremony began at 5 pm (it was actually 3pm). The musicians luckily came only 20 minutes late. 5-minutes before they showed up I actually decided to get the show on the road with or without musicians. Needless to say, that would’ve been pretty funny and memorable if we did the whole ceremony without music!

“A Sky Full of Stars” Coldplay

No matter what, try to find one-on-one time with your new husband on the day of the wedding. Even if it means 5 minutes away from the cocktail hour. Find a quiet spot and enjoy the moment you will have with each other.

We spent the first half of our honeymoon in beautiful Napa Valley, CA and the second half of the week in Del Mar, CA. We got the best of both worlds experiencing Northern and So-Cal.

the details

Hometowns

Hamburg, NJ

Reception Location

Rock Island Lake Club

Photographer

Anthony Ziccardi

Officiant

Fr. Marcin Bradtke- Our Lady of the Lake Parish

Bride’s Gown

Essence of Australia

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