Press
Asbury Park Wedding Weekend
We had the honor of hosting an amazing wedding weekend here at the inn. We were thrilled to be a small part of this couple’s special day… and to get to know them and their friends and family!
Janet & Sonia contacted us in January – initially to have a simple ceremony and dinner at the inn, but their wedding day evolved into all kinds of fun for them and their guests.
It started with breakfast here at the inn and then a portion of the guests moved to the Ocean Spa Suite with Janet for an afternoon of relaxation. We brought in masseuses Kristin Shaw (ayatanamassage.com) and Umberto from Tao Massage (taomassage.com) for individual treatments. Gloss Salon also sent over a lovely manicurist for the afternoon (glosslooks.com). Janet provided some mood music and the afternoon was topped off with lunch and mimosas!
Sonia and her pals took a different route – a scotch tasting! It was the perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon. The facilitator, Karen, paired each scotch with a snack so that the tasters could fully appreciate the flavors… and decide what to drink for the rest of the day!
And there were more activities! The couple had a jigsaw puzzle made for guests to assemble (it was a collage of pictures of Janet & Sonia through the years). Also, guests created a bucket list for the couple – everyone was asked to take a Polaroid of themselves and write something that Janet and Sonia must do at some point in their lives (i.e. ‘visit Paris in the Spring,’ ‘climb Machu Picchu,’ etc.). Such great ideas!
The crew eventually took a break from the fun to get ready for the ceremony and dinner. This gave Janet & Sonia the opportunity to get their hair and makeup done and take some beautiful photos at Asbury’s iconic casino and boardwalk.
There were some Indian traditions incorporated into the marriage ceremony (to honor Sonia’s heritage). The couple was adorned in flower garlands, walked around a lit candle and then passed the flame to their guests (who were all holding taper candles). They recited touching vows and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house!
Cocktail hour then commenced with BBQ pulled pork sliders, Asian meatballs and signature cocktails Old Fashioneds and Dark & Stormys. Dinner included a seasonal salad, braised veal and garlic mash, crispy Asian salmon and spicy noodles and more! And after some beautiful toasts by friends and family members, Sonia’s favorite combination was served for dessert – homemade chocolate peanut butter layer cake!
Everyone moved to the courtyard for a fire and s’mores… the weather didn’t quite cooperate, but they rounded out the night with cigars and after-dinner drinks on the porch. It was truly a memorable day.
And they weren’t done yet! The group gathered once more on Sunday morning for bagels, lox and a make-your-own Bloody Mary bar! They rehashed the wedding weekend and said their goodbyes after snapping a few final pictures. Guests departed with a lovely homemade favor – a pot of jam, made by Janet.
Janet and Sonia then jetted off to the Caribbean – a well-deserved getaway!
Here are some other local vendors that the couple used to make their weekend perfect!
Hair – Stephani Schwartz, 732-272-2926, imstephani@msn.com
Makeup – Hello Pretty Makeup by Sara Konvitz, 732-221-1206, SaraKMakeup@gmail.com
Flowers – Sunset Florist, 732-988-7455
Photographer – Girl Photography, girlphotography.info
Rehearsal dinner – Cross & Orange, crossandorangeap.com
Gourmet s’mores & treats – Vintage Sweets, vintagesweetsforyou@gmail.com
Scotch tasting – Karen Consiglio, 732-277-7884
All around awesome bakery in Asbury Park – Confections of a Rockstar, coarock.com
