Colorful Backyard Wedding at the Bride’s Family Home | Summit, NJ

Clare and Andrew planned a backyard wedding at her family home—à la Father of the Bride! But don’t let the laidback setting fool you. The couple and their planner took advantage of the blank slate of the property to craft a vibrantly colorful, fully personalized wedding day from the ground up. Capturing all of it was a true pleasure. See how every meticulously chosen detail came together, below.

A Convertible Custom Bridal Look

Clare, a couture lover, wore a custom Tal Kedem gown for her big day. With two removable elements—a sheer, high-neck jacket and bows to adorn the gown’s sleeves—the piece ultimately converted into three different looks. Clare wore the former to add extra coverage for the couple’s church ceremony. Then, she removed it for portraits, eventually adding on the bows for a fun touch! However, as the couple’s photographer, my favorite part of her gown was the multi-layered tulle skirt. The floaty fabric moved with effortless grace wherever she went and photographed beautifully.

An Elevated Backyard Wedding

The couple’s desire to customize every aspect of their wedding day led them to choose Clare’s family home as their cocktail hour and reception location. By “building” a venue from scratch, they could curate every design detail and experience exactly as they envisioned.

Cocktail hour was poolside, with various cuisine stations for guests to sample, from sushi to authentic Mexican tacos. In an inversion of the typical wedding timeline, the toasts occurred during cocktail hour, to allow plenty of time for dancing during the reception.

When it was time for dinner, guests entered a draped tent installed on the side lawn. Inside, colorful floral chandeliers hung above the parquet dance floor, and a side lounge complete with cozy throw pillows offered guests a place to rest their feet and enjoy a quiet conversation. After the cake-cutting ceremony, the lounge became home to a custom espresso bar!

The intentionality poured into planning a backyard wedding like Clare and Andrew’s is a labor of love reflected by the captivating result. Documenting this day was an honor! Whether you are planning a wedding close to home like Clare or in your favorite destination, I would love to hear about your plans. Let’s connect so we can curate something stunning.

Vendors:

Photography: Liz Andolina

Planning, Design, and Flowers: The Joy Standard

Bridal Gown Designer: Tal Kedem Bridal

Bridal Salon: Elizabeth Johns Bridal Couture