Bonnet Island Wedding | Manahawkin, NJ | Lindsay & Chuck

September 3, 2021

Last weekend, I photographed Lindsay and Chuck’s gorgeous Bonnet Island Wedding in Manahawkin, NJ. They had a beautiful Summer wedding for their black tie affair and due to the pandemic, these two waited an extra year for their celebration! Their gorgeous day did not disappoint, I am so excited to share their Bonnet Island Wedding!

Lindsay and Chuck first met in Manayunk. Chuck was in the process of purchasing his first home and they spent that summer exploring the city and beach together. Their first date was in May of 2015 at Taqueria Feliz in Manayunk, Philadelphia. Lindsay says it has always felt natural with Chuck from day one. He is so warm and caring – there has never been any pressure to impress or be anyone but their authentic, silly, compassionate selves! They share so many of the same values and balance each other out in a way that has made them super compatible from day one.

Engaged on April 27, 2019, the proposal from Lindsay: “It was amazing! I was under the impression that we were at the beach for the weekend to celebrate my Dad’s birthday (which is on 4/27). As we were en route to happy hour, Chuck drove past the restaurant (claiming we had some time to kill – he rushed me out of the house) and stopped at the end of the island (“the point” where the ocean meets the bay). We walked out on the jetty, and as we were out there, Chuck got down on one knee and proposed. After an ecstatic, YES, my step sister came out from the rocks where she had been capturing the entire moment! Chuck even had champagne out there waiting for us to pop to celebrate the occasion. A few minutes later, our dog, Wyatt, came running towards us wearing a “my humans are getting married bandana”. My cousin and a few of my closest childhood friends followed shortly after. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better – we drove to my parents beach house and arrived to a party Chuck had coordinated with all of our immediate family and close friends. My brother and his girlfriend had flown in from California to surprise us! After an amazing party, Chuck insisted that we end the night at one of the local bars by our beach house. When we walked in, Chuck had arranged for a big group of our closest friends to travel down to be waiting by the bar to join in on the celebrations! SO much planning and coordination went into making a truly unforgettable night – I still smile thinking about it!”

Lindsay and Chuck’s classic black tie Bonnet Island wedding was the perfect day. You’d never know that there was a threat of thunderstorms all day and that it rained during their first look! My couple was absolutely glowing and radiant throughout the whole day and their happiness and excitement lit up every room they walked into. Lindsay and her mother worked together to create a flawless wedding and they thought of every detail down to the beach grass on each invitation and table setting. Their personalized day continued with a Jewish and Catholic ceremony underneath the beautifully decorated chuppah in Bonnet Island’s chapel. After they said “I do” and the glass was broken, these two happily walked down their aisle into the rest of their amazing night! Their dance floor was nonstop thanks to the Jellyroll Band and their lively hora and the rest of the evening was filled with a romantic first dance, sweet speeches and emotional parent dances. I am so excited to share this stunning wedding!

Lindsay’s advice for couples currently planning their wedding is to try to take a step back to enjoy the process. You are only engaged for a short period of time and it is a super exciting phase. Everything will work out in the end and once your big day comes – don’t sweat the small stuff! You have ONE wedding day so make the most of it and ENJOY every second! Now that these two are married, they have so many aspirations and hope to continue to travel since it is something they both love. They LOVE kids and they place an incredibly strong level of importance on family. These newlyweds are currently on an Hawaiian honeymoon!

Thank you to Lindsay and Chuck for choosing me to photograph your beautiful Bonnet Island Wedding!