A DIY Wedding at Church of the Holy Innocents in Hoboken, New Jersey

When Amanda Engborg (31 and a communications manager) and Christopher Murphy (31 and a woodshop teacher) couldn’t find a Hoboken venue, they created their own. “We thought back to an empty church that had been part of a house tour,” Amanda says. “I began daydreaming about what the space could look like with candlelit banquet tables and a dance floor.” With the site secured, they started clearing out cobwebs and junk with the help of volunteers. Chris fashioned decades-old altars into a brand new one, and Amanda’s mom transformed the garden behind the church with dahlias and mums. An old confessional was even converted into a photo booth. The ceremony program, designed by Chris’s brother, included a city map showcasing the pair’s favorite haunts, church included. Amanda wore her mom’s pearl earrings and carried maroon flowers, an ode to her grandmother’s velvet maroon skirt suit she wore for her own wedding.