A Rustic, Beach Wedding at The Grand Hotel in Cape May, New Jersey

Krista Goodwin (34 and a receptionist) and Joseph Handlin (37 and Assistant Vice President at Bank of America) met way back when in 1996 through Joseph’s brother Sean, who happened to be good friends with Krista. At their first meeting, Krista was seeing someone else, but a close friend formed. Over the years, the pair stayed in touch through the occasional e-mail or card, but continued to live their own, separate lives. In May 2009, Joseph made a surprise visit to Wildwood, where Krista lived, and the pair managed to connect. After catching up on lost time, Joseph revealed that he’d had a crush on Krista since the day they met. Needless to say, this was a turning point in their relationship and a few years later, Joseph popped the question, taking Krista completely by surprise with a proposal at the beach on Primrose Ave. under a brilliant display of fireworks.When it came to planning their wedding, Cape May, NJ seemed like the perfect location for the monumental occasion. Krista is a native of the Wildwoods, Joseph vacationed there often and it is where they relationship really began, so a wedding in Cape May County was only appropriate. The Grand Hotel, situated right on the beach, captured the essence of all of the things the couple loved about the area. Krista and Joseph exchanged vows on the hotel’s sundeck with views of the sparkling Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop, followed by a reception in the Penthouse Ballroom. A rustic theme was the inspiration for all the day’s details, with Krista making everything from the framed, beaded table numbers to the vintage-inspired seating chart (made with windows from her grandmother’s home and Hereford Inlet Lighthouse) and the burlap and twine-wrapped centerpieces for cocktail hour. Touches like vintage family wedding photos and Krista’s locket bouquet wrap introduced a hint of sentimental meaning to the decor. “Overall we wanted a wedding that was going to be a celebration of our love for each other, family, and friends,” says Krista. As a horticulture enthusiast, the flowers were an important element for Joseph. The couple opted for fresh bunches of hydrangeas, ranunculuses, garden roses, dendrobium orchids, stock and waxflowers in the wedding’s bright color palette to add a cheerful pop of color to the reception and ceremony.