It’s 2020, Covid is happening, you have a wedding coming… now what? Brittany & Zak moved their wedding plans from a large upscale venue to an intimate outdoor reception on the water. That’s right, they created a New Jersey Boat Wedding! It’s been a year to be creative, roll with the punches, and learn to celebrate how we can. That is exactly what they did.

I originally met with Brittany and Zak over a year ago and carefully planned a timeline with them to incorporate their wedding party, family, Greek Orthodox Ceremony, the beauty of their venue and their hundreds of guests. Then just a month and a half before their wedding, the pandemic of 2020 hit. I was so heartbroken for them when I reached out to see how they felt about their May wedding. Honestly, like so many other couples out there, they didn’t have an answer. Shock is about the best word to describe it. So come April, the wedding was cancelled altogether and ideas of re-planning were starting to brew.

The re-planning process was not so quick and easy. Brittany recalls the initial cancellation as the most difficult part of the planning process. It was nearly impossible to wrap their heads around what their celebration and commitment to each other would look like now. Instead of jumping to a new date, they took the time to really think about what was right for them, and an intimate celebration with their closest family was the right fit. It all came together just a few days before their new wedding date of August 29, 2020.

“Receptions had a lot of restrictions with COVID, so a boat was the best we could do! Being open air, inside/outside space, and for a small group of immediate family only, it seemed like the perfect solution.  While it was heartbreaking to cancel our original wedding and all of our plans, the second/rescheduled  version was even better than we could have ever imagined. Micro doesn’t have to equal not fun or special! The micro wedding allowed us to truly spend time with our guests (immediate family) and take it all in.” – Brittany

Even with this New Jersey Boat Wedding plan, the Bride and Groom were able to incorporate a lot of their original plans and kept their vendors together. Brittany got ready in her family home while Zak got dressed with family at the new home of him and his fiancé. The couple met that day at their Greek Orthodox church where they said their vows in front of all their immediate family inclusive of a live stream video to friends!

Plot twist: a hurricane had been threating the weather on the day of their new wedding! Imagine the stress that can bring when your reception is on a boat! Luckily, the church doors opened up after their ceremony ended to gorgeous sunshine and they road off to the dock with the top down on their convertible. Talk about meant to be!

My favorite part of their day was the added detail of a little surprise from the Bride’s parents. Their name in the sky! Yes, an airplane flew around the Statue of Liberty with a banner inclusive of their names and wedding date, just in time for the wedding reception to cruise up on water for the amazing view.

Just like Brittany said, intimate does not mean the fun is gone. The magic of love is really everlasting and overcomes all. I think this is a wonderful lesson we should all take from 2020.

Peach & Pit: The pit was the anticipation/anxiety of the impending rain (from a hurricane!). The peach (aside from marrying my best friend) was the perfect afternoon of weather that actually came through. When we walked out of the church the sun was shining and the boat cruise had amazing weather straight down the Hudson and back!

Vendors:

Dress: Vera Wang

Bridesmaids Dresses: David’s Bridal

Groom’s Suit: Calvin Klein Tux

Bride Shoes: Badgley Mischka

Florist: Florabundance

Hair & Makeup: Alex Rizzo (@makeupandhairbylexx)