This Wedding Photographer’s Big Day Had a Coastal-Chic Vibe

Arianna and Ryan got married at Linwood Country Club on July 13, 2024.

Their Story 

“Our love story began the way so many modern romances do—on Bumble,” says Arianna.

It was 2018, and at the time, Arianna was living in Hoboken while Ryan was about an hour away in Freehold.

“We must have matched while I was visiting home for the weekend,’ says Arianna, “a small twist of fate that would change everything.”

Their first date happened about a month later, and from that moment on, they were inseparable.

The Proposal

They officially moved in together in 2020 to Bradley Beach, which quickly became their favorite place.

“We absolutely love where we live, so much so that when Ryan was ready to propose, there was no better place than the front porch of our home,” says Arianna.

Their birthdays are just three days apart. As they were leaving for a combined birthday dinner with friends, he popped the question right outside their front door.

Details of the Day

“We wanted our day to be coastal, chic, timeless and colorful,” says the bride.

“We went for a color palette blue and yellow, which my mom and I have always loved.”

“Our florist, Betina, is a close vendor friend and I trusted her whole-heartedly and wanted the florals to be the main decor.”

They also wanted a fun, interactive seating chart as a statement at cocktail hour.

“So Ryan’s dad built us our custom golf ball wall,” says Arianna.

[RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Venues in New Jersey]

Choosing the Venue

As a wedding photographer, Arianna has worked at Linwood many times and absolutely adores the staff there. “They are top tier,” she says.

“I also knew how amazing their grounds and food were.”

“After pitching the idea to Ryan, we visited and he instantly fell in love as well.”

He loved that it was a country club, a location on the bay, had a ballroom with hardwood floors and a tented cocktail hour.

Favorite Moment

With rain threatening the outdoor ceremony, a last-minute downpour almost changed everything.

But just as it felt like they might have to move indoors, the skies miraculously cleared.

“Right as we started walking down the aisle,” says Arianna, “the sun broke through the clouds and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect, as ‘Here Comes the Sun’ played as our pre-planned processional song—fate!”

Detail They Couldn’t Live Without

“The flowers truly brought the whole venue to life,” says Arianna. “From our personals to the entryway to the ballroom and ceremony, Betina completely exceeded my expectations.”

Plus, their guests could not stop raving about how gorgeous everything was.

They also had Joey Cannoli during reception. “Having Joey was a last-minute decision, but everyone loved him and danced in a circle around him,” says Arianna.

Wedding Day Attire

Arianna wore a classic white A-line gown by Mikaella Bridal from Bridal Suite Boutique.

Ryan had an custom suit made from Indochino.

The bridesmaids all wore their own blue/patterned dresses and the MOHs wore yellow.

Ryan’s groomsmen rented from The Black Tux to closely match his custom suit.

Advice For Other Couples

The couple shared these pieces of advice:

“Don’t make too many decisions about design, decor, colors, etc. too early on because you will constantly change your mind.”

“Delayed honeymoons can be just as relaxing and enjoyable as right after the wedding.”

“Have a welcome party if you have a lot of out-of-town guests.”

“Don’t skip sunset photos! They are magical!”

Honeymoon

Arianna and Ryan got married in the summer but held off on doing a honeymoon until the winter.

“We just went to Mexico a few weeks ago and it was amazing. We loved delaying ours!”

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