Lauri & Paul – wedding – Nanina’s in the Park

When the groomsmen are ready to bust open their suits to show their superhero T-shirts … you’re in with a fun crowd. Now add an elegant bride, and you have an interesting mix for a wedding day! Lauri and Paul, it was a delight working with you and your families and friends!

A few details about the day: the groom and bride’s prep was in the morning at the venue, Nanina’s. The ceremony was a Catholic one, performed at St Lucy’s in Newark. After the ceremony, we headed back to Nanina’s for the family portraits and wedding party photos. And of course, our couple, Lauri and Paul. I love photographing at Nanina’s with the beautifully kept gardens which make a superb setting for the photos.

I sent a Q&A set to Lauri and Paul, and here they are with a few words about their wedding day:

How did you first meet?
We meet through mutual friends, 10 years ago. They set us up on a blind date.

Why did you choose Nanina’s In The Park as your wedding venue? What did you love most about it?
We feel in love with Nanina’s it was so elegant. The price was decent compared to the other venues that we looked at but we got so much more. It had the gardens that we wanted so that we could take pictures since we knew time would be tight. Additionally, everyone raved about how beautiful Nanina’s was and how excellent their food was. We too were impressed after the tasting. We loved how comfortable the atmosphere was and the service we received.

Tell us about your dress, shoes and other accessories!
My shoes were Audrey Brooke’s Nana platforms. They were exceptionally comfortable. I bought them at DSW. My veil was purchases at Macy’s Demetrios. My headpiece was handmade by my hairdresser/makeup artist Magda. My earrings, were Nadri Framed Cubic Zirconia & Crystal Drop and my necklace was Nadri Boxed Framed Round Cubic Zirconia Necklace (Nordstrom Exclusive). It was love at first sight and both perfectly matched my engagement ring. My wedding toppers were cute bride and groom penguins that were handmade in The Netherlands.

What was your wedding inspiration? 
Elegance was my wedding motivation. My theme color was my favorite color purple. I decided to go with purple and silver since they complement each other very well. You could see this in my up lighting, bridesmaid’s dresses, cake ribbon and flowers. I absolutely love orchids therefore, I wanted to include them in my centerpieces.

I wanted my guest to be comfortable and have exciting reception. Having a day wedding worried me as I wanted my guests to have the same experience as an evening wedding. I wanted to create an elegant day wedding but make it as lively as a night wedding. Additionally, we purchased photo booth picture frames so people would have those memories.

What song did you walk down the aisle to?
I walked down the aisle to classical “Here comes the Bride”.

What song played for your first dance and parent dances?
Our first dance was to Lonestar’s Amazed. The father –daughter song was to a Portuguese song “Noiva Linda” by Alberto. The Mother-Son song was Christina Aguilera’s “Por Sempre tu” Spanish version of “I turn to you”.

What was your favorite moment during your wedding day?
For me, I honestly just wanted to day to run smoothly. I knew and expected things to go wrong. My bridal party and flower girl looked amazing. Seeing them all dressed up filled me with joyful. Once I saw all the details that I had worked on come into place at the venue and church really made tear up with happiness. It’s truly gratifying, although I did get sad once it was over.

My favorite moment was walking down the aisle and seeing all the people that came to celebrate with us.

Both my husband and I have never danced with our parents. When we had to pick our parent dance songs we were worried and shy about the whole dancing in the spotlight. But the happiness and look on our parent’s eyes is a moment we will never forget.

What was the biggest surprise on your wedding day?
How well my father danced our father daughter dance.

What advice would you give to future brides for their wedding day?
Your wedding day will go by in a flash. Most people tell you how fast it goes but it goes much faster than one thinks. Things will go wrong (unless you are truly lucky) but it’s how you treat and fix the situation. Everyone wants thing to be perfect especially because you worked so hard on planning your wedding. But honesty, don’t sweat the small stuff. Truth is, most people won’t notice what was missing or went wrong unless you tell them unless it was something major. Enjoy your wedding day and make sure you eat and dance the night away. Have Fun!

Why did you choose me for your photography?
We wanted someone modern that would give us the type of photography we both love. I love those classic wedding shots but I wanted more modern pictures and styles. Photography is an art and your passion for your work should show through your images. We wanted someone that could capture the image without the use of heavy filters to make the image look better. Once we meet with you at the studio and you showed us no matter what the background was or where you captured the image. You took an amazing shot each time.

What’s next on your calendar as a couple?
Enjoying our time as a married couple for 1-2 years before we decide to have children. Christen our goddaughter Samantha.

Lauri + Paul