Montclair Art Museum Wedding from Arielle Doneson Photography

This gallery is magic. The kind of magic that makes me want to get up out of my chair here at SMP HQ and do cartwheels.Or spirit fingers at the very least. Because it’s a gallery full of moments captured so beautifully by Arielle Doneson Photography and perfectly place thoughtful details by Simply Chic Wedding & Event Design. It’s the story of two opera singers finding love and tying the knot in the most beautiful ways, so trust me when I say it’s a gallery that cannot be missed. See it all right here.

From Becky Vanderbeck of Simply Chic Wedding & Event DesignSara and Chad wanted the overall feel of the wedding to be that of  family. Many of the guests were either close friends or family, and the couple wanted the event not to feel like a traditional wedding but rather a dinner in their home, which is why they chose a family-style dinner at the reception. Many of the details incorporated in the overall design represented moments in their love story or their family.

Instead of doing numbers to mark the tables, we named each table after a city they toured together while singing in various operas. To represent the coming together of their two cultures, the escort cards were shaped like maple leaves to represent Chad’s Canadian roots, while the clothespins that held the cards were the colors of the Italian flag, representing Sara’s heritage. At the church, we had picture frames on the aisles of their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents on their wedding days. The fabulous ring bearer box was made to look like the book “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” which is the opera they were singing when they first met.

The aesthetic theme for the wedding was “a Tuscan garden at twilight.” The centerpieces had mismatched vases with garden-inspired flowers and herbs. We wrapped votive candles with a lace ribbon tied with dried lavender and fresh herbs. When they were lit, the scent was like being in an herb garden! Another fun detail was the custom cocktail, a lavender-scented lemonade in mason jars. We hung globe string lights from the ceiling of the museum. Though typically they are used for outdoor weddings, we felt the globe lighting would make the space feel more romantic.  The museum space has incredibly high ceilings (40 feet) but by stringing the lights the way, we did we were able to bring the ceiling down and make the space feel more intimate. Not to mention, they added a nice romantic glow, like a Tuscan garden at twilight.

Wedding Photography: Arielle Doneson Photography / Ceremony: Westside Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood, New Jersey / Reception: Montclair Art Museum in Montclair, New Jersey / Wedding Planning: Simply Chic Wedding & Event Design / Floral Design: Laurelwood Designs / Catering: Orange and Olive Caterers / Italian Pastries + Cookies: Rispoli Pastry Shop in Ridgefield (201-943-6002) / Gelato Cart: Gelato Giuliana / Wedding Invitations: Custom via Arrow Stationery / Band: Matt Bilyk & Doug Ferony Big Band / Catering Rentals: Something Different Party Rentals / Chairs, Tables, Linens: Party Rental Ltd. / Museum Lighting: Simply Chic Wedding & Event Design + JB Lighting Production / Ring Bearer Box + Flower Girl Banner: DIY by Cindy Petrocelli, the Bride’s Mother / Wedding Dress: Custom via Jaehee Bridal / Jewelry: Custom via Euphoria New York / Bride’s Veil: Custom via Occansey Designs + Grandmother’s Head Piece / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Hair: Rosemary Petrocelli-Mitros of La Vie en Rose Salon in Fort Lee (201-947-1099) / Makeup: Alex Michaels / Groom’s Suit: Collezioni Uomini in Englewood Cliffs (201-944-8330) / Groom’s Shirt + Tie: Vero Uomo / Groom’s Shoes: From Italy