June Wedding at Renault Winery | Stephanie & John

June 10, 2025

On June 1st, 2025, I photographed Stephanie & John’s June Wedding at Renault Winery in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey. There’s something undeniably magical about a wedding at Renault Winery, and this one was no exception. Set in the heart of South Jersey wine country, this celebration in the Vineyard Ballroom was the perfect blend of romance, charm and a french garden party vibe with rustic touches.

From the moment guests arrived, the beauty of the day unfolded like a dream. The couple chose soft, romantic details—lush florals in dusty pinks and creams, delicate candlelight, and timeless gold accents that shimmered in the ballroom’s warm glow. Every detail was thoughtfully curated, from custom signage to personalized touches, making the day feel intimate and deeply personal.

The real showstopper? The ceremony in the courtyard. With the Renault Winery as a backdrop, the bride and groom exchanged vows under a floral-adorned arch surrounded by family and friends.

The Vineyard Ballroom reception was equally breathtaking. Soft draping, twinkling lights, and a romantic palette created a dreamy atmosphere as the couple shared their first dance beneath the chandeliers. Guests dined, danced, and celebrated late into the evening!

Stephanie and John grew up around the corner from each other in a small town. They rode on the same school bus and attended all of the same schools from elementary school to college. However, John was two grades ahead of Steph and although they recognized each other’s names, they never officially met until college.

Their first date was to the movies in September of 2016. They saw a horror movie, which remains their favorite movie genre to watch together to this day! On the night of their first date, they stayed up late talking after they returned home. They developed an instant connection and soon realized that although they had lived separate lives up until that moment, they shared very similar memories and experiences growing up. It felt as if they had been there with each other all along. They have spent most of their time together since!

Engaged on 10/28/2023, the proposal:

“Every year towards the end of October, we plan a weekend getaway together. It has become a tradition and is our gift to each other to celebrate our dating anniversary. October 2023 marked 7 years together. That morning, Steph had just completed a particularly grueling stretch of 3 night shifts, working as an RN at a local hospital. She was overtired and asked to rearrange plans for the weekend but John stood firm and that’s what clued her in to the fact that he may have something planned.

John proposed on the beach at sunset during a full moon in Ventnor City, NJ. He asked his coworker, who was previously a wedding photographer, to capture the moment. Some of his other coworkers happened to be going to Atlantic City for a concert that same night so they stopped by on their way to help him set things up as Steph got ready. We had plans to go to dinner but at the last minute, John suggested taking a walk on the beach first as we still had some time to kill before the dinner reservation.

When we got to the beach, John grabbed Steph’s hand and guided her down the walkway. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the photographer and instantly knew what was happening. Rose petals led the way to a floral arch in the middle of the sand, with big LED letter lights that read “MARRY ME”, surrounded by more rose petals and tea light candles. After Steph said ‘yes!’ and the photographer took some more photos of us on the beach, Steph learned that John had arranged for both of our families to drive down and join us for dinner to celebrate.

We spent the rest of the weekend together in our cozy Airbnb by the sea, reminiscing on our times together and all that is yet to come.”

When Steph, a nurse and John, a teacher weren’t planning their June wedding at Renault Winery, they are big foodies, they love trying out new restaurants. They go to the gym together, binge watch tv shows, and travel whenever they get the chance. They love experiencing new things together.

Their advice for couples currently planning is to start planning early and take things one step at a time. Take time out to be present in the moment and enjoy this chapter of your lives. Steph & John are most excited to finally being married and getting to celebrate and spend the day with all of their loved ones.

This wedding was more than just a celebration—it was a beautiful story of love, told through elegant details and heartfelt moments. And Renault Winery was the perfect place for that story to begin.