1. Real Weddings

An Elegant, Nautical Wedding at Mallard Island Yacht Club in Long Beach Island, New Jersey

High school sweethearts, Monika Schule (28, a neonatal nurse practitioner) and Jeffrey Reisenauer (28, a NYPD police officer) fell in love with their

High school sweethearts, Monika Schule (28, a neonatal nurse practitioner) and Jeffrey Reisenauer (28, a NYPD police officer) fell in love with their Jersey Shore wedding venue, Mallard Island Yacht Club, thanks to it's endless opportunities for scenic photo backdrops. "It's the perfect blend of opulence and seaside comfort—the type of place where it feels right to walk barefoot in the sand with your ball gown on," says Monika. Channeling that vibe, the couple decided on a "nautical elegance" aesthetic for their summer wedding by the sea. They used a color scheme of French blue and champagne—a sophisticated twist on the typical nautical color palette—to pull it all off. Sweet, personalized details like the custom copper camargue cross that hung above the altar space during the ceremony and the "amperSAND" that connected their chairs at the reception were just a few of the things that made Monika and Jeff's day truly theirs.

The wedding invitations were printed in gold foil on French blue satin cardstock and displayed in champagne trifold envelopes.
Crystal Slingback Bridal Sandals
Monika carried a bouquet of peonies, English garden roses and white sweet peas.
Strapless Lazaro Wedding Dress with Ruffled Chiffon Skirt
The bridesmaids wore the same crinkle chiffon, empire-waist, floor-length dress from Amsale, in French blue.
"Jeff looked amazing in his classic tuxedo complete with tails," recalls Monika. "He wore custom anchor cufflinks—my wedding gift to him—with a white vest and white bowtie."
Monika wore a two-tier wedding veil with a hand-beaded trim.
Mallard Island Yacht Club Wedding Ceremony
Monika and Jeffrey had a custom copper camargue cross—a symbol of faith hope and love —made to hang above the altar space for their ceremony. It hangs in their home today.
Guests found their seating assignments affixed to calligraphed sand dollars which doubled as Christmas ornaments.
Mallard Island Yacht Club Wedding Reception
Monika handmade each of the table cards with hundreds of French blue Swarovski crystals. Each table was named after a different beach town on Long Beach Island.
The amperSAND that connected the couple's chairs at the reception chairs was made by Monika's best friend and decorated with sand from Monika's beach house.
Champagne and Gold Fondant Wedding Cake