They Did It Their Way With a 40-Person Princeton Wedding

Their Story

Dana and Dan tied the knot at the Nassau Inn in Princeton on April 29, 2023. They met while both were living in Hoboken, and went on their first official date at Zack’s Oak Bar and Restaurant on December 13, 2015.

The Proposal 

On Easter of 2022, Dan set up an Easter egg hunt for Dana. “This actually didn’t seem suspicious to me, and I completed the hunt,” she says. “As I shook the final egg, however, expecting it to be filled with candy like the rest, it sounded different. To a mix of shock, fear for having shook so hard, surprise and, most of all, happy tears—I saw there was a ring inside.” She said “yes.”

Details of the Day 

Dana and Dan wanted to keep their wedding small, but found during the planning process that it was difficult to find examples of weddings that fell between micro and 70-plus guests, without sacrificing venue and vendors. “Basically, keeping all the elements of a large wedding, but at a smaller scale,” says Dana.

They decided to host their 40-person, family-only wedding at Nassau Inn.

Dana’s bridal shower theme included a watering can motif, so the wedding itself “was meant to symbolize in bloom,” Dana says. “In reality, we did get some April showers and moved the ceremony indoors two days prior. Ultimately, we were so happy with how everything turned out, even with the last-minute changes, as the vibe was truly more romantic, intimate, and focused on small details.”

In a note to their Jersey roots, another theme at their wedding was Hoboken and New Jersey, especially with regards to the music. “Yes, there was a Frank Sinatra dedication,” Dana says of Hoboken’s most famous son.

Choosing the Venue

“Dan and I both love history, so we did focus in on researching historic venues,” says Dana. They also loved Princeton itself, and being able to have their ceremony, reception and lodging on site.

Favorite Moment

Nailing their first dance to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley. They danced with simple but beautiful choreography courtesy of Sergei and Olga at Ballroom Dance of NJ in Summit.

Detail They Couldn’t Live Without

“We truly embraced our first name initials at our wedding in small details,” says Dana. “If you’re a couple with a name like Dan and Dana, you can either play it off, or go all in. We went all in, and truly branded the event with D&D throughout, even down to our cookie gift for guests designed by the sweetest, Nicole at Jersey Cookie Girl.”

Advice for Other Couples

“Be honest with yourself and instincts, and with what you as a couple want,” says Dana. “My takeaway is that, nowadays, tradition isn’t always the norm when it comes to weddings. No matter what you decide, your family and friends will ultimately support your decisions.

Even with a small wedding, I had a beautiful bridal luncheon to celebrate our upcoming nuptials with extended guests. My friends still threw me a bachelorette in New Jersey that ended up being one of the most fun days. Not overthinking things is easier said than done, but it works.

Honeymoon

Dana and Dan vacationed at Hammock Cove in Antigua, staying in a beautiful, standalone villa overlooking the water. Vicki’s Travel Designs planned their honeymoon.