Georgia & Dalton’s Nor’easter Wedding at Icona Windrift in Avalon, NJ

I’m not going to lie. When I saw that a nor’easter was headed straight for the Jersey Shore on Georgia and Dalton’s wedding day, complete with coastal flooding, I was stressed. I knew the wedding was still happening. In fact, I was told their wedding was going forward even as other weddings in the area were being canceled. So, I packed up my gear and headed toward Avalon, hoping for the best and wondering exactly what I was driving into.

As I approached the first traffic light on the island, I found out. The roads were so flooded that I literally couldn’t go left, right, or straight. I was still more than 50 blocks from the ICONA Windrift, and unfortunately, walking with all of my camera gear was not exactly an option.

Thankfully, Georgia and Dalton had an amazing wedding planning team working behind the scenes, and we were able to coordinate a ride with a family friend who happened to have a HUGE pickup truck. Crisis averted. Well, mostly.

We were all about an hour late, which is a sentence I never thought I’d write about a wedding day! But once we arrived, everything else went off without a single hiccup. We caught up on the time we lost, and looking through their images, you would never know that their wedding day started with me being stranded in a flooded intersection.

And honestly? From the second I walked through the door, it felt like any other wedding day. Georgia was SO happy to see me, and that immediately set the tone for the entire day. She and Dalton never let the weather get the best of them. They embraced the craziness, laughed about it, and focused on what mattered: getting married and celebrating with the people they love.

And I think their wedding menu said it all. Instead of their original signature drinks, the Mojito and Elder Flower Collins, they renamed them “Dark & Stormy” and “Hurricane.” I absolutely loved it.

Because if you’re going to get married during a nor’easter at the Jersey Shore, you might as well have a sense of humor about it.

A Beach Wedding, Even When the Beach Had Other Plans

Georgia grew up coming to the Jersey Shore and says it has always been her favorite place on the planet, which made the ICONA Windrift in Avalon the perfect place for their wedding. Dalton shares her love of the beach and ocean, too. In fact, Georgia says he is the only person who can outmatch her when it comes to bodysurfing.

Their wedding style was exactly what you would expect from two people who love the shore: beachy with a fall feel. Their first dance was “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young, and they chose to get married on the Harvest Moon, September 26, 2026. They even joked that maybe the moon was responsible for all of the flooding.

Luckily, an indoor ceremony had already been part of the plan, so the weather didn’t force them to completely change their vision for the day. Their ceremony was officiated by a family friend, and they exchanged incredibly personal and emotional vows.

Before the rain picked back up, we even managed to sneak outside. And when I say we were thrilled to get beach photos, I mean ALL of us were thrilled. We had just enough of a break in the weather to photograph Georgia and Dalton, their bridal party, and immediate family outside. For a Jersey Shore wedding photographer, getting even a few beach portraits on a day like this felt like winning the lottery. We even got some beautiful portraits of the two of them on the beach, which was especially meaningful because the ocean and the shore are such a huge part of their story.

From a Virginia Tech Party That Wasn’t a Party

Georgia and Dalton met during move-in week their freshman year at Virginia Tech. And their first meeting is pretty great.

They both thought they were heading to a fraternity party, only to discover that they had somehow ended up at a religious club interest meeting instead. Honestly, not the worst plot twist.

From there, they tried to convince themselves they were “just friends,” but it didn’t take long before they were inseparable. They had chemistry together, both the class and, clearly, something else, and Georgia credits Dalton with helping her survive all of her homework. They officially started dating during the spring of their freshman year and spent the rest of college exploring campus and getting to know each other.

Their first official date was at a little Greek restaurant off campus. Georgia remembers the spanikopita being delicious and the two of them staying far longer than they probably should have because they were too busy talking and learning about each other.

Before they were officially dating, though, they were often grabbing Chinese food together at a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant near campus. It’s those little memories that make their story so sweet. Their relationship wasn’t built around one grand moment. It was built around years of ordinary moments that became their life together.

Knowing You’ve Found Your Person

Georgia remembers realizing Dalton was the one during the fall of her sophomore year. She says she realized she could truly be herself around him and that he loved her for all of her quirks. He encouraged her to pursue her career dreams even when she didn’t believe in herself, and perhaps most importantly, she had never had so much fun simply doing nothing with someone.

Dalton had a similar realization. From the beginning, being around Georgia felt natural. Whether they were on a date or sitting around her dorm watching football, he felt completely comfortable with her.

After graduation, they faced a major decision. Georgia had been accepted into physical therapy school at VCU, while Dalton had job opportunities in other states. They could either allow their careers to take them in different directions or figure out how to stay together. Dalton chose Georgia. He moved to Richmond with her, knowing that what they had was too important to let go.

The ring would come a couple of years later, but he says that was the moment he knew she was someone he could never let go of.

A Proposal That Refused to Go According to Plan

Dalton’s proposal story is almost as chaotic as their wedding day.

The picnic was actually Plan C.

Plan A was a proposal during a trip to Puerto Rico, but the ring wasn’t finished in time.

Plan B involved proposing at Georgia’s family beach house in Stone Harbor. Dalton had planned to make dinner together, just like they did in college, and then take Georgia out to the beach during golden hour.

Then a hurricane showed up. Apparently, hurricanes have been a recurring character in their love story.

The Stone Harbor plan was canceled because of the weather, but Dalton was determined to propose that weekend. So he moved on to Plan C: a surprise picnic at a park overlooking the city and river. He picked out a quiet spot, gathered Georgia’s favorite treats, and arranged for one of her friends to keep her occupied while he set everything up. Everything was perfect.

Until five minutes before Georgia arrived, when three separate groups of people showed up and sat on the benches nearby. So much for a private proposal. Instead, Dalton proposed with an audience, and the strangers even gave them a round of applause.

Things didn’t exactly go according to plan, but Georgia said yes, and that’s what mattered.

They got engaged on July 14, 2024, and because it happened to be Bastille Day, they celebrated that night at one of their favorite French restaurants. The restaurant was packed for Bastille Day but managed to squeeze them in, where they drank champagne and watched the Bastille Day Can-Can dancers. Now Bastille Day has become part of their anniversary celebrations, too.

A Couple Who Loves Sports, Adventure and the Shore

When Georgia and Dalton aren’t wedding planning, you can probably find them watching sports. There is just one small problem. Georgia is a hardcore Eagles fan. Dalton is a Chiefs fan. Fortunately, they can both agree on Virginia Tech.

They also love cooking new meals together, exercising, trying new hobbies, backpacking and camping around Blacksburg and along the Appalachian Trail. And, of course, they love traveling.

They recently moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, and are excited to explore more of the area, travel domestically and internationally, and find as many places as possible with water the color of what they affectionately call “blue Gatorade.”

Eventually, they dream of owning a home by the ocean and growing old together watching sunsets at the beach. But first, they’re excited about the next chapters: getting their first dog, traveling, and eventually starting a family.

Finally, Husband and Wife

More than anything, Georgia and Dalton were looking forward to finally being married. They have already lived together for years, built a life together, supported each other through school and career decisions, traveled, camped, watched countless football games and navigated more than a few unexpected weather events.

But their wedding day represented something bigger. It was the official beginning of the next chapter of their life together. And despite a nor’easter, flooded roads, and a beach that very nearly disappeared beneath the water, they got exactly what they wanted.

They got married. They celebrated with their favorite people. They exchanged emotional vows. They danced like there was nowhere else they needed to be.

And they spent the entire day with the same attitude they brought to every other part of their relationship: together, laughing, and ready to make the best of whatever came their way.

And those dance floor photos? These two were WILD. They barely left the dance floor all night, and honestly, after everything the weather threw at them, I think they had more than earned the right to celebrate.

Georgia and Dalton, your wedding day may not have gone according to plan, but it was completely, perfectly yours. And I’m so glad I got to be there to photograph it.

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Phillips!

Here’s to a lifetime of beach days, blue Gatorade water, football games, adventures, sunsets, and hopefully fewer hurricanes.

Contributing Vendors:

Photography: Susan Hennessey Photography

Venue: ICONA Windrift

Hair & Makeup: Hello Beautiful Weddings

Wedding Coordinator: Just in Time Events

Florist: The Flower Company

Cake: The Bake Works

Band: The Exceptions

Officiant: Family Friend – Scott Hanlon

Are you looking for a photographer for your Avalon NJ wedding? Click here to fill out my contact form to request more info!