Fireworks, a custom gold debossed dancefloor, the sweetest pup, and a stunning black and gold wedding theme fill Kim & Erik’s wedding blog!
Why Rhinehart Photography?
Kim shares, “Working with Lisa on our wedding day was everything we could have imagined and more! Lisa was so dedicated to finding the best photos and incorporating interesting and creative elements! We enjoyed working with Lisa and spending the day with her! She was so fun to be around and helped to make our day special through quiet moments with just Erik and I, group shots with our families, and fun poses (the “vogue” shot) with our friends and wedding party.”
She continues, “We are hoping for a combination of “traditional” and “creative” photos; candid and happy shots (crying, smiling, and everything in between); and our favorite memories captured (exchanging of vows, entrance, vogue shot, fireworks and right after, cake cutting, first dances, dancing during the reception, etc.)
Kim says, “For me, both the details and the wider shots are the best combination!”
Black and Gold Wedding Details
Kim smiles, “I loved our black and gold wedding theme, we felt it was classic and also came together beautifully with the venue and with the white bouquets and floral arrangements. We also loved the gold accents throughout.”
Kim gathered all of her important details together. She included: 3 rings, the invitation, and jewelry. She also included extra ribbon in her color palette and I found a black tablecloth that wasn’t being used. Both were perfect for their black and gold wedding aesthetic!
Parent Preparations at the Palace
Say that 3x fast, haha! All the emotions, they are so close, she is their only…
Kim shares, “The time that I got to spend with my closest friends, sister-in-law, my mom, and mother-in-law is one of the moments that stand out the most from the wedding day. We were relaxed (though I was a little jittery!) and I had the best time being surrounded by them and felt that I had a few special moments with my mom too. Our hair and makeup team were also so fun and did such an amazing job!”
Here Come the Gentlemen!
Erik says, “From spending the morning at Top Golf with a larger group of my oldest friends to arriving at the Palace with the groomsmen and my dad to get ready, the day leading up to the ceremony was perfect. They kept me relaxed and made the morning very memorable.”
Palace at Somerset Park First Look
Kim shares, “We met in college in 2013 at The College of New Jersey, during the end of the Spring semester, right before Erik graduated! (I am a year younger, so he was a Senior and I was a Junior). We met at a college fraternity party through a mutual friend. We fell in love that summer spending our days at Erik’s beach house in Sea Bright.”
She smiles, “The emotions from my Dad during our first look and then seeing Erik, wow… Erik looked so great in his tux, bow tie, and gold jewelry. It was weird and awesome to finally see each other after all the hype, planning, and build-up.”
Erik adds, “It was so exciting to turn around and see Kim standing there. She looked amazing and her dress was even more beautiful than I imagined. After the first look, I felt so relieved and ready to start the festivities! Going back inside and toasting the Johnny Blue with the groomsmen was a perfect ending to the moment.”
Why the Palace at Somerset Park
Kim says, “We fell in love with The Palace from the moment we walked through the door. We loved both the indoor and outdoor spaces, in particular the timeless look of the columns outside at the front entrance, the cozy/library feel of the cocktail hour room, the space to linger outside with the fire pits, and the elegance of a ceremony in the Grand Foyer with the staircases as the backdrop. We were also most excited to experience the fireworks during the reception, and lots of dancing in the ballroom!”
Calling All Models, I Mean Wedding Party Members 😉
This crew was amazing– fun, caring, up for anything! When I asked them to stand in the direct sunlight and helped them to bring out their inner super models, they were totally game and joined right in, and wow, did they nail it!
Ceremony Grand Entrance
Kim shares, “The ceremony was beautiful and everything we hoped for and more – from the way the florist set up the flower pedals down the aisle with the candles, the Grand Foyer’s beautiful chandelier and staircase, and Craig Scott Band’s amazing musicians and instrumentals. It was so memorable for me to watch everyone walk down the aisle (I watched from above/at the top of the stairs) and here the music transitions, and finally, to brave my fear of the stairs, walk arm in arm with my Dad, and meet Erik at the end of the aisle.”
Sunset Getaway at The Palace at Somerset Park
Erik smiles, “I will never forget rushing upstairs after the ceremony to enjoy the sunset together and just feeling so happy that we had just gotten married and so relieved that the entire day had gone so smoothly and just enjoying that quiet moment to ourselves.”
Black and Gold Wedding Reception
Kim smiles, “I was also blown away by the ballroom and how spectacular it looked with the floor wrapped with our monogram, the centerpieces, the flowers winding up the staircase, and the overall glow/feel of the room. I loved that Erik and I got to see it first together before any guests were there.”
Heartfelt Wedding Traditions
Kim shares, “My Dad’s speech, our matron of honor’s speech, and best man’s speech were clearly from the heart. I listened to every word and felt that each person really put their memories and personal touches/feelings into the speech. It was fun to refer back to some of our oldest memories and how we have all come together.”
I Knew this Party Would be Phenomenal
It started with the energy of the wedding party when I arrived, they were fun, already bopping around while getting ready. Then I saw the music from one of the band members– handwritten, well worn, this group knows how to play!
Kim shares, “We had so much fun dancing and the band was awesome! We loved how interactive and engaging the band was and having everyone up and out on the dance floor. The singers and instrumentalists blew us away, especially with their constant interaction with the crowd!”
Shout out to the Craig Scott Band!
Baby You’re a Firework!
Another place for the black and gold wedding theme to really shine!
Kim smiles, “The fireworks were incredible! We kept thinking they were going to end, and then they kept going with more and more beautiful bursts of light and colors. I remember looking behind us and seeing everyone watching in awe and it was truly such a special moment. Guests are still talking about the show. The cake cutting was also fun and we loved having the little Finnley cake detail to incorporate him into the moment!”
End of the Night
Kim reminisces, “I loved that Erik and I got to spend a couple of “special moments” with just the two of us – in particular what stands out to me are our first look, seeing the ballroom together for the first time (just the two of us), our entrance/introduction into the ballroom and a few moments right before that (exchanging gifts/cards, eating the cocktail hour food), of course our ceremony and exchanging the vows, our sunset/champagne moment right after the ceremony, the fireworks, and the “smokey” photo moments right after the fireworks.”
Erik shares, “We’ve been together for 10 years! There was a lot of anticipation about when we would FINALLY get married.”
Kim smiles, “We both had so much anticipation for our wedding day – a combination of nerves, excitement, relief (from all the planning!), and so much happiness to be celebrating with our friends and family. At the end of the day, we felt so relieved and happy!”
Vendors:
- Venue: The Palace
- Band: Craig Scott Band
- Hair/Makeup: Melissa D’Aloia & Co.
- Florist: Marquis Florals
- Bakery: Palermo’s
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