Avalon Yacht Club Beach Wedding | C + D

When a couple makes a wedding day their own, it’s an absolute joy to be a part of. Caroline + Dan hosted an amazing wedding weekend, with their closest connections and one hell of a party to celebrate! Their oceanside ceremony on the beach felt intimate while ensuring their full guest list could be present, and the entire weekend was centered around family and friends. This Avalon beach wedding was a special one, from rehearsal dinner full of heart-felt and laughter-inducing speeches, to a “just married” getaway boat after the ceremony! Scroll to read and see more of Caroline + Dan’s Avalon Wedding Weekend!

The Rehearsal

When you say the floor is open for speeches, you never know what’s going to happen…

Caroline and Dan’s beach rehearsal was followed by their rehearsal dinner at Ristorante Polpo. After a beautiful welcome by Dan’s dad, he opened the floor for and words of encouragement or stories about the couple those present would like to share.

Dan’s lacrosse buddies and old house-mates told stories of their first time meeting Caroline. Caroline’s friends dished the deets on her crush on Dan before they officially met. And their nieces (all flower girls!) said how happy they were that Uncle Dan would officially be their uncle- and thanks for the ice cream on their roofdeck last 4th of July while watching the fireworks! *side-note: They were actually on their friend and bridesmaid Alexa’s roofdeck!*

After an evening of loving (and a little roasting) of Caroline and Dan, their wedding party went to the Avalon classic: The Princeton, where they met up with all the guests who had traveled into town for the wedding.

The Wedding Day

Caroline’s wedding day details were elegant and fit perfectly with her oceanside beach ceremony.

Caroline and Dan met in college at Drexel University. It was definitely one of those moments that they saw each other and  “knew.” So after one of the party’s at Dan’s lacrosse house, Caroline and Dan were officially an item and you could say, the rest was history! And for good reason, many of Dan’s teammates and former housemates were standing by his side as he and Caroline said, “I do!”

Caroline + Dan’s first look on Avalon’s 9th Street Jetty was unforgettable- and the same place where Dan had proposed a year before!

Nothing beats the anticipation of a first look – except for maybe the reactions that follow!

The wedding party was one of the largest I’ve photographed – 11 bridesmaids, 4 flower girls and 13 groomsmen! They were such a fun wedding crew! After Caroline + Dan had their private first look, the wedding party piled out of the party bus to join us on the jetty for wedding party photos.

One of the beach wedding perks that no one ever talks about – shoes are always optional! 😉

The day of the wedding, Caroline and Dan had to make a game-time decision about whether to have their wedding ceremony on the beach or not. The forecast was calling for rain at the exact time the ceremony was set to start! But after consulting one another, their wedding coordinator, and the radar, they decided to go for it and have the ceremony on the beach as planned. The rain held off until just after they said “I do”, and everyone stayed dry while Caroline and Dan had the beach wedding of their dreams. 

After the ceremony, a boat was waiting at the pier to take Caroline and Dan on a private “just married” cruise to their reception!

Your bride and groom portraits are a great opportunity to sneak away and do something different!

I love how they planned a private boat ride for just the two of them. I tagged along for some behind-the-scenes photos too, but really just let Caroline and Dan do their thing 🙂 Having a few minutes alone together after your ceremony is such a beautiful way to start your marriage, and a nice reprieve before you go party with your guests!

 

The reception was an absolute blast – friends lit up the dance floor, the band was INCREIDBLE and everyone present had an amazing time! Their Maids of Honor and Best Men speeches were some of the best I’ve heard: nothing beats a good story, a little bit of a roast, and a heartfelt congratulations!

 

 

The best way to end your beach wedding night?! A surprise visit from Mr. Softee!

 

Caroline and Dan’s Wedding Team:

Lead Photographer: Kerry Anne Photography

Wedding Planner: Millie Portes 

Florist: Salty Rose Floral

Cake: Madison K

Band: The Heart Beats 

Venue: Avalon Yacht Club

Second Photographer: Rachel Roshani 

Hair: Madison Cox

Make Up: Gianna Giacona

Ceremony Chair Rental: AC Party Rental

Ceremony Violinist: Brooksley Bishop

Videographer: Stephen McLaughlin 

If you loved this wedding, check out this Coastal-Farmhouse- Inspired wedding at Little Egg Harbor Yacht Club in LBI.

 

Interested in wedding weekend coverage for your own wedding? I’m in New Jersey and travel worldwide, so contact me if you want more info!