Deanna and Christian enjoyed a golden hour sunset and lakeside views at Lake Mohawk Country Club for their September Wedding in Sparta, New Jersey.

We couldn’t believe their chemistry together right from the get-go at their cherry blossom filled engagement session at Waterloo Village. They’re so devoted to one another – and Deanna is a girl that certainly knows her angles for the camera! Their 4lb Yorkshire terrier Winston even joined them on the wedding day.

The Details

Deanna got ready right onsite at Lake Mohawk Country Club, in the Tower Suite. Christian got ready with the guys at Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Rockaway. The ceremony was only 5 minutes up the road at Our Lady of the Lake Parish. Although opting for a more traditional church ceremony, the couple still chose to have a first look and see each other beforehand. We got nearly all the important photos with the wedding party and families done, too! We always think this is a good idea, if the scheduling in the day allows for it. Then you can enjoy your cocktail hour and mingle with guests!

From the Bride, “The vibe is going to be rustic elegance. Table pieces will be planters, bird cages and plants opposed to traditional flowers. Bridesmaids will be wearing Azazie dresses in the color mulberry. September is the perfect time to transition from Summer into Fall. We fell in love with the venue due to the lake and mountains the venue is on. It is all about the location for us.”

For the overall day, they wanted natural colors evocative of their September wedding. The vision was lots of greenery and eucalyptus. As Deanna said, the girls wore mulberry while lanterns, bird cages and planters were used as decor.
Deanna and Christian love the vibe at Lake Mohawk Country Club because they are all about the scenery. The venue also offers “rustic elegance” unlike a traditional ballroom, but it’s more upscale than a barn. The views of both the mountains and lake sold them, they love being outdoors and it was the second venue they looked at. Additionally, with it’s close proximity to where they live, they knew it was the right fit.

The bride wore Madison James, altered by the talented team at Vesa Brides. They even managed to create a custom robe out of Deanna’s grandmother’s Victorian wedding dress. My jaw dropped when I saw it. I knew Veronica and the team at Vesa were amazing (I used them for my own wedding alterations), but I couldn’t wrap my head around how they repurposed this antique dress into a robe!

After some time spent with guests during the cocktail hour, the couple was able to quickly run over to the dock for more sunset photos. We walked them along the boardwalk as they danced and laughed. There was a sense of calmness by the lake, as locals were out on their boats chatting and enjoying the weather.

Dancing at reception was off the charts thanks to The New York Players band, and we ended the evening with a night shot out front by the big exterior Palladian window.

Tell us about yourselves!

“We first met in high school as friends and started dating when we were seniors in high school. We found out we went to preschool together when we accidentally found a school picture.

We first met when we were in high school both running cross country and track at Don Bosco Prep and IHA. Little did we know we went to Preschool together. We found out when Christian saw a Santa hat on my fireplace mantle during the holidays. It was the same Santa hat that he had in his house. My grandmother found the picture of us from preschool wearing the Santa hats. Now here we are ready to celebrate our wedding with you as preschool classmates and high school sweethearts.”

 

 

VENDOR NOTES

Venue / Lake Mohawk Country Club
Florist / Flowers by Sue – Sue Boonstra
Band / The New York Players
Makeup Artist / Amanda
Hair Stylist / Salon the Suite, Alexis LaGrotteria-Bellifemine
Officiant / Our Lady of The Lake – Father David McDonnell
Dress / Madison James – Vesa Brides
Bridesmaid Dresses / Azazie