1. Real Weddings

A Summer Beach Wedding at The Sunset Ballroom in Point Pleasant, New Jersey

Even though Kaitlyn Osborne (26, a teacher) and Brian Osborne (26, a web developer) met during college in New Jersey, they had a fun and romantic enga

Even though Kaitlyn Osborne (26, a teacher) and Brian Osborne (26, a web developer) met during college in New Jersey, they had a fun and romantic engagement in New York City. “Despite having a class together freshman year, we met during our senior year at Rowan University,” Kaitlyn says. “We were out with some mutual friends and were eventually left by ourselves. We began chatting quite a bit and then Brian put his number into my phone. From there, we began talking and hanging out more and more. We planned a trip into New York City on April 20, 2013. After walking around the city for a while, we decided to take a trip to Central Park. We walked all around and eventually made it to the fountain and lake in the middle of the park. Nearby there were row boats that you could rent. We decided to rent one and enjoy a different view of the city park. After rowing around a bit and seeing a wedding in the park, Bran jokingly mentioned that it would be a great place to get engaged if only he had a ring. Then, all of the sudden, Brian turned around with a ring, got down on his knee, and proposed. It was perfect!”When they started planning their wedding, they decided to wed in New Jersey, since it holds a special place in their hearts.“We decided to have our wedding ceremony at Saint Dominic Church in Brick, New Jersey,” Kaitlyn says. “Our reception was at The Sunset Ballroom at the Lobster Shanty in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. Being from the area and Brian having a family vacation home in the area, we felt it would be the perfect location for a beach-type wedding. We had also dined at the Lobster Shanty restaurant and knew the food was excellent. We did not really have a specific theme for the wedding. However, I would say that it was beachy and simple but elegant. The color palette was shades of blue. I had decided early on that I wanted my bridesmaids to wear blue, so I looked first for the shade of blue I wanted. I found the color Bluebird at David's Bridal and knew that was it. Everything from there on was based around the color blue.”Besides having a DJ and a photo booth, Kaitlyn and Brian’s guests were treated to a delicious menu. “The cocktail hour and reception were amazing!” Kaitlyn says. “During the cocktail hour, the guests enjoyed a large selection of appetizers and an open bar. During the reception, the guests were welcomed to the open bar and a selection of one of three main courses. They could choose chicken Marsala, filet mignon, or a seafood sampler. The food was absolutely delicious and there was plenty of it! I thought that the whole day reflected us as a couple. It was fun, simple and laid back, just like us. The guests were all involved in the reception and we think had a great time!”

Blue and White Wedding Invitations
Diamond Engagement Ring, Silver Wedding Bands
"My wedding dress was just beautiful!" Kaitlyn says. "It was a David's Bridal ball gown with a lace overlay and some beading at the top. It had a slight sweetheart neckline. It had just the right amount of poof and bling. The dress also had a train that we bustled for the reception. It was perfect!"
White Lace High Heel Shoes
"I also wore a veil with a blusher for the ceremony," Kaitlyn says. "The veil had beaded detail at the edge that matched my dress perfectly. The veil was also purchased at David's Bridal. My parents had purchased my earrings as a gift prior to the wedding. I also wore my mother's pearl bracelet and her mother's (my grandmother's) wedding ring."
"For my bouquet, I used all white hydrangeas and white roses with the base wrapped in blue ribbon," Kaitlyn says. "For the bridesmaid's bouquets, I used blue hydrangeas and small white roses with the base wrapped in blue ribbon."
"My bridesmaids wore short dresses in the color Bluebird from David's Bridal," Kaitlyn says. "Being that our wedding was in August, and it was no doubt going to be warm, so I thought short dresses would be best. I purchased their jewelry from Sunshine Daydream in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. They also wore a small silver heel purchased at DSW."
"Brian and his groomsmen wore tuxedos from Dante's Tuxedo in Freehold, New Jersey," Kaitlyn says. "The groomsmen wore a black tuxedo with black tie and black vest. Brian wore a black tuxedo with an ivory tie and ivory vest. Brian also wore a Tennessee Titans tie clip that I gave to him as a wedding gift. Also, Brian and the groomsmen's boutonnieres were a single white rose."
The Lobster Shanty in Point Pleasant
"I made the escort cards cards by writing the names and looping the cards through sand dollars using twine," Kaitlyn says. "I then put them all in trays of sand. With these little touches, I was able to tie in the beach theme."
"The Lobster Shanty had very pretty and large flower center pieces, so we decided to use them for the tables," Kaitlyn says. "We used Something Nice Florals in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, for all the wedding flowers. We used blue and green sea glass and seashells to decorate some of the tables. We also used candles in small and large glass vases filled with seashells and sand."
"At the end of the wedding, the guests were given a small bottle of wine with a ribbon wrapped around it to remember our wedding," Kaitlyn says.
"Our wedding cake was from Mueller's Bakery in Bayhead, New Jersey," Kaitlyn says. "It was a four-tier cake. We had two chocolate and two vanilla tiers filled with vanilla custard and strawberries. Blue flowers and white piping decorated the outside. A bride and groom cake topper was placed on the top tier. There was also a dessert table that included cookies, fruit and a chocolate fountain with various options to dip."
"The Sunset Ballroom had a large room with high ceilings and beautiful chandeliers," Kaitlyn says. "There were plenty of windows to see the water and a sunset. It created the perfect elegant feel we wanted for our wedding."