A Rustic Lakeside Wedding at The Rock Island Lake Club in Sparta, New Jersey

Pamela (Pam) Pichardo (30 and a nurse) wanted her wedding to Michael Teehan (31 and a science teacher) “to feel like a big family gathering,” she says. The Rock Island Lake Club had just the relaxed, rustic vibe they were going for, with woodland paths, farm tables and water views. They brought in rose gold accents and candles, plus DIY touches like a handmade escort card board and centerpieces. An extended cocktail hour of bacon-wrapped scallops and braised beef led to a dinner with a whole roasted pig and a pudding-filled chocolate cake. At the end of the night, the couple invited guests to take flower arrangements home in mason jars. The bridal bouquet contained blue thistle, delphinium and roses. Pam and Michael married in the church where the groom’s parents wed. Pam changed into a sheath that was easy to move in, helping the couple nail the choreography for their first dance, a pop-salsa medly. On tables, the pair built the crates for the centerpieces, used engraved wood ornaments as place cards and attached rose gold skeleton keys to escort cards.