Colorful Indian attire, gorgeous garden blooms, and spectacular fireworks— I love being a vibrant NJ wedding photographer, especially at the Palace at Somerset Park!
Why Rhinehart Photography?
Mareena shares, “We noticed Lisa’s vibrant colors, variety, and artistic composition right away! As a couple, we typically spend more time enjoying our surroundings versus taking a bunch of pictures, but seeing Lisa’s work had us thinking maybe we had a chance at some wonderful shots. Our skin tone differential is challenging to capture in photos; one of us is always too bright and the other is always too dark, so getting pictures that are more even and authentic would be amazing! We obviously hope to see some of Lisa’s excellent use of lighting in the finished set and can’t wait to go through everything she was able to capture.”
Why a Garden Wedding at The Palace at Somerset Park?
Mareena says, “As we were driving up to the Palace at Somerset Park for our initial visit, we realized that we had found a unique place. Even the entry landscape and driveway puts you in the right mindset for a special evening. Walking into the venue, through the cocktail room, and around the ballroom, it felt like the right place for us. The inclusiveness and value of the package were a huge plus. Add in the rooms and ambiance; it was exactly what we were hoping for. It was the feel that we wanted for our wedding day. The location was gorgeous and it spoke for itself.”
She continues, “We really liked the simple elegance of the space. Even without any decoration the rooms already felt magical. The cocktail room was a bar/library right out of a book, and the ballroom just took your breath away. The architecture of the building itself was another aspect we really enjoyed. The columns at the entrance really gave the place a grand feel. We were looking forward to our entrance into the ballroom. One of our favorite aspects of the ballroom was the stairs that lead down to the dance floor allowing us to have our spotlight moment without dragging it out too long.”
Mareena smiles, “We also loved the lushness and beauty of the garden area. As soon as we saw it, we knew that it would make for some amazing pictures. We were really looking forward to having our first look in the garden so we could have the vibrant colors and the happy feel that comes from all the natural sunlight.”
Palace Pre-Ceremony Preparations (say that 5 times fast!)
Mareena says, “We got ready at the Courtyard by Marriott in Somerset, NJ, and then headed to the Palace at Somerset Park for final preparations and pictures/video. Honestly, most of the day was a bit stressful for me. I was anxious at the start– it was the day that we had been planning for a year and yet it felt like there was still so much to do, but it also felt surreal.”
She continues, “As my friends started coming to my room to get ready, I still felt overwhelmed and anxious but I also felt happy and so loved. My friends are some of the most amazing friends a person could ask for. They are infinitely supportive. As we transitioned to the Palace the excitement started to grow and the reality of the day set in. Getting to see the decorations set up and essentially seeing our vision come to life helped to reduce the anxiety.”
Incredible ladies – – I love helping people to feel confident and beautiful, even self-proclaimed “I look awkward in pictures” people like Mareena! We were going for a cover of a magazine sort of feel and wow these girls knocked it out of the park!
Full Family First Look
Mareena recalls, “The first look with my dad and brother was extremely emotional. I didn’t expect them to cry and I had honestly never felt more beautiful than in that moment.”
She shares, “This might be one of my favorite pictures of my parents and brother. We haven’t always had the closest relationship but as we all get older we’ve grown closer. It’s been great having my mom be a part of this planning process. Having someone other than Nate to bounce ideas off of was so helpful. I’ve always been a little bit of a daddy’s girl, and having him cry and getting to have that moment before this picture of the first look was truly a once-in-a-lifetime memory. My brother and I tend to butt heads a lot. However, we would do anything for each other and that says a lot.”
Meet the Groom: He’s not Jesus, haha!!
Mareena laughs about their trip to India, “The trip to India was quite the ordeal. Between the endless hours searching for the right dress materials for the bridesmaids and meeting as much of the local family as possible, we were both incredibly exhausted. That said, it was great for the family in India to finally meet Nate and show him even just a little of our family culture. Everyone was excited to see him and while there were a few moments of confusion due to his long hair and beard (my family is Catholic, thus the Jesus reference), it was pretty clear that Nate just needed a haircut to be wedding-ready. Of course, it didn’t stop our wedding priest from getting a picture together with Nate and a picture of Jesus on the rectory wall.”
Nate shares about the wedding day, “I was enjoying getting some time with all of my friends. We don’t get a chance to all be together very often so it was definitely a happy memory being able to get ready with them all and hang out.”
Indoor First Look
Nate shares, “I honestly had a feeling before we even officially started dating. The day that I planned to ask her out, she reacted to a funny story that I told her by snorting the milkshake she was trying to drink. I knew at that moment that I wanted that fun-loving energy in my life! I love how passionate and driven Mareena is about everything she does in life. If she starts something, she’s going to give it her all until it’s completed to the best of her ability, whether it’s related to work, family, fun, or traveling. She’s the perfect companion, my best friend, and a truly wonderful wife.”
Mareena says, “For me, it was more gradual. As we started dating and spending more time together outside of work, I got to see what a caring and emotional guy he was. I also got to join him in some of the activities that he enjoys and his passion for these activities and for life in general made me fall for him. I love how thoughtful and caring he is. He is so willing to go out of his way to do something for me if it’s something that would make me happy. I enjoy how much he challenges me to be the best version of myself. He keeps life interesting and I just know that having him as a husband is the best decision I could have ever made.”
Nate adds, “We were originally hoping to do the first look in the outdoor, pseudo-shaded garden area, but in the end, we went with the indoor setting to avoid the worst of the day’s heat. The library was one of the most intriguing places in the venue, so if there was ever an indoor location for us two engineers to do our first look, it was in the place of learning!”
He continues, “Once I knew Mareena was in the room, but before I could see her, my senses were overwhelmed with a yearning love that immediately brought me to tears. All the anxiety fell away when I saw her and I knew I was getting to spend the rest of the day with my best friend and our loved ones.”
Mareena adds, “The first look with Nate took away all the feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious. I felt calm, it was like his presence protected me from all the anxiety.”
Modern, Vibrant, Fun NJ Wedding Portraits
Mareena says, “The photos that we took with the group portraits were definitely fun and hit a lot of the themes we wanted. The Vogue photo was obviously a classic and we can’t wait to see the finished product there!”
Here Comes the Bride: A Catholic Wedding with Nods to Indian Culture
Mareena smiles, “We are so grateful to Father Walter for flying from India for our wedding. He is the priest who baptized me and has been a family friend for longer than I’ve been alive. With my family being Catholic, it was significant to us that we pulled in some religious aspects for the wedding but it was extremely important to us to add the cultural traditions. The reality was this wedding was more than the two of us joining, it was also a joining of cultures.”
She recalls, “As the day progressed to the ceremony, I felt overwhelmed but with love. I was walking to Nate and we were going to spend the rest of our lives together, what could be better?!”
Nate says, “The ceremony brought me pure joy, once again. That was the moment I was waiting for: Mareena walking down the aisle, getting to declare our devotion to each other in front of our friends and family, and starting the celebration of the rest of our lives.”
Palace at Somerset Park Indian Wedding Traditions
She continues, “The red cloth was a saree and when used in a wedding like this it is called a manthrakodi. The red strings were taken from the saree and wound together to form a strong strand and a charm (a gold leaf with a cross) was added to them for Nate to tie around my neck. This string and charm are called the thali. In Indian culture, regardless of religion, these are both used to symbolize devotion and dedication. The manthrakodi is also a symbol of a husband’s ability to provide for and protect his wife.”
Mareena laughs, “We both wrote our vows at about 4 am the morning of our wedding day haha! And we both knew for a fact that it was exactly what was going to happen. Yay, joint procrastination!”
Different Perspectives During Different Moments
I have all the best equipment and move around like a little ninja using it throughout a wedding ceremony. Sometimes I’m up close with a telephoto lens sometimes I am far away with a wide angle lens, it just depends what I’m trying to capture, visually and emotionally. My goal is to allow you to relive your wedding day over and over.
18 Family Group Photos!!
It’s a marathon run and here are Mareena’s tips!
Mareena laughs, “I believe that we got 18 family portraits. I realize there was some doubt about being able to get all the pictures in a timely fashion but this isn’t my family’s first rodeo. I stole part of the idea from my cousin and what he did for his wedding and I added to it. For his wedding, my cousin had a list of family portraits with their included members. He assigned another cousin to manage the organization of the groups for their photos and, in doing so, they were able to move the pictures along quickly.”
She continues, “One thing we added to the process for our wedding was assigning each group a number and giving each family little cards with their associated number. The card also asked them to stick around after the ceremony for those pictures and to be prepared for when their group number was called. The first couple of groups had a few hiccups as the guinea pigs, but after the second group, things went smoothly, and we finished all the family pictures taken with plenty of time for the various groups to enjoy the cocktail hour.”
Mareena adds, “The one recommendation I would have for future brides is to focus on holding your bouquet and not worrying about whether you have an arm around a guest or not. The pose will be more elegant, and you can let the families organize themselves around you while you look your best.”
Golden Hour and Sunset at Palace at Somerset Park
Mareena smiles, “The first time Nate and I spent a sunset together was actually on our first date. We had met up for brunch and ended up spending an entire day together wandering around Philadelphia. While I was promised ice cream for that date, I didn’t get it until date number four. That date was relatively calm compared to the first three adventures we had; we just went out for dinner after a long day at work and decided to enjoy some ice cream for dessert.”
Palace Reception: Vibrant NJ Wedding Photographer
Mareen recalls, “That practice first dance was literally out of my dreams. ‘So Close’ is one of my all-time favorite songs and Dom played it for us while everyone else was in the cocktail area allowing us to spin around and have fun while I got to belt the song out to my heart’s content. It was literally a dream come true. It was also the one and only time we ‘practiced’ dancing to our first dance song. Besides that little moment of practice, we were dancing on pure instinct during the real thing.”
Nate smiles, “The speeches were especially fitting for his group and I was so glad they were all willing to share their memories with us. They came up with the unique format they used all on their own and it is definitely a memory I will always cherish.”
He adds, “I met two of the four lads when I was in kindergarten. The other two joined in third grade when we all ended up at the same school. We’ve been friends ever since, going on more than 26 years now. Three of them came out from St. Louis, MO. Two of them actually drove with their wives and kids. The other friend flew from Ohio to join us.”
Let’s Dance! NJ Indian Wedding Photographer
I love that Mareena and Nate changed during their reception– everyone seemed to love it!
Mareena says, “I changed into the saree because there may not have been another time for me to really wear it. It was fun to have a wardrobe change but also kind of stressful. If a saree isn’t draped properly, and getting it draped quickly was quite a challenge. I think it was worth it, though. It was awesome seeing everyone so excited when we both came back down with entirely different outfits.”
Holy Canoli/ Twice Upon a Time
She continues, “Sadly, we barely even had time to sniff the dessert station with as many photos as we wanted taken and all the people we wanted to see, haha! Luckily for us, the Palace hosts an annual Twice Upon A Time event where couples who previously got married at The Palace can come back and enjoy a full reception event without all the pressure of being the married couple. You just get to enjoy all the food, drinks, music, and ambiance without all the hassle. We’ll definitely be going back to actually have the full experience since we were so busy during our own wedding!”
Twice Upon a Time is such a great event that the Palace has. It’s a great opportunity for couples like Mareena and Nate to come back and just enjoy. I was the Vibrant NJ Wedding Photographer for this year’s event. You can read more about Twice Upon a Time here!
Baby, You’re a Firework!
Mareena recalls, “We were so surprised to hear about the fireworks, as we didn’t have them as part of our reception. But we felt so lucky to be able to capture those moments. We’re very excited to see how all of those photos turned out!”
Travelers / When Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
They share, “We have moved around the country together quite a bit for our careers already, starting less than a year into our relationship: Philly/NJ to Iowa to Missouri (for now!). We went from bustling city/suburban areas of the East Coast to the middle of nowhere Iowa, where cows outnumbered the people in our town. It was quite the adjustment, haha!”
Nate recalls, “The evening passed in a happy haze of dancing, food, family, and friends with Mareena by my side.”
Thanks, Mareena & Nate for having me as your vibrant NJ wedding photographer— I loved photographing your wedding!
Vendors:
- Venue: The Palace at Somerset Park
- DJ: Elite Entertainment
- Florist: A Touch of Elegance
- Videographer: Elite Entertainment
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