This rustic beach wedding incorporated the past, present, and promising future of two high school sweethearts who are madly in love! Erik and Selena were two Basketball stars who fell in love at first sight, and their vibrant intimate wedding celebrates the joining of their loving families. Their genuine connection is narrated through these stunning photographs taken by Magdalena Kernan, which are nothing short of perfection! From kicking their shoes off in the sand, to fun on the boardwalk, there seems to be peachy happiness all around on this special day!
How They Met:
“Erik and I met in high school in South Jersey. We both played basketball in high school but for the two rivaling schools in the district. I saw him at a game and immediately said to my teammates, “I am going to marry #33.” Fast forward a few months later, we were going to prom together and officially dating. I truly think it was love at first sight. Erik and I were both young and tried to “play it cool,” but I knew he was the one from the start.”
The Proposal:
“Erik and I’s childhood homes were down the street from each other and it wasn’t uncommon for me to pick up pizza for them on my way over for dinner in high school; we were both home for Thanksgiving and I was heading over to Erik’s house for dinner and was asked to pick up pizza in Smithville Village. The little shopping area was all decorated for Christmas. When I got to the pizza place and asked for Nelson, the waitress told me that what I was looking for was outside. When I confusingly made it outside, Erik was standing on a dock on the lake covered in Christmas lights and got down on one knee and proposed!”
Wedding Day Obstacles:
“The only obstacle was the trolley getting stuck in traffic and ending up not showing up to transport us to the ceremony. We ended up piling into cars and it was all ok, but was extremely stressful in the moment!”
Wedding Planning Process:
“My wedding planning process was actually very smooth. I have a wonderful relationship with Erik’s family so between my family, his family, and my friends, we had a lot of help. Erik is also the most easy-going person you can meet, so he was extraordinarily low maintenance. Every part of our wedding had been associated with a part of our life at some point; for example, our flowers were done by my old neighbor and her daughter (who used to be my babysitter). Our photographer was actually in one of Erik’s undergrad classes and is from Ocean City. My wedding dress was from a small boutique in Philly, where we now live. My mom’s best friend from childhood, who is like a second mom to me, did our centerpieces. Our cake was actually a pile of white cream donuts from a small bakery in Ocean City that our family has eaten on vacation for years. It all just felt right and truly brought our two lives together and incorporated our two families.”
The Wedding Day:
“Our wedding day was absolutely perfect, and my favorite day of my life. Was it stressful the morning of? Absolutely!! (The trolley that was supposed to drive my bridesmaids and me to the church was stuck in traffic!! We had to pile in cars and drive to the church and ended up being late to my own wedding!) But once I started walking down the aisle to Erik, everything was perfect. The only way I can describe it was the most beautiful day, marrying my best friend, with all of the people we love to celebrate, eat, drink, and dance with us. I have never felt more beautiful and more loved than on my wedding day.”
“The ambiance of our wedding, according to my mother-in-law, was fun; which I feel like describes our relationship pretty well-we had the song “Everything is Awesome” from the Lego movie play at our wedding! The design was rustic, beach theme; I wanted everyone to feel comfortable and just have an awesome night.”
“Erik and I have been together for almost 7 years. He is truly my better half and brings out the best side in me. Our life together is so fun and we have been blessed with a wonderful marriage!”
Choosing Wedding Vendors:
“I toured a few venues in our region with my mom and mother-in-law. The three of us narrowed it down and Erik and I went to the final two and decided on the Flanders. My family had recently moved to Ocean City so it ended up being a perfect location. The wedding coordinator, Karen, is what convinced me the most to choose Flanders; she made me feel like she was going to be in control and make sure that everything was going to go smoothly and perfectly- and it did!”
Photography: Magdalena Kernan (MK Captures) | Ceremony/Reception Venue: St. Peter’s United Methodist Church & The Flanders Hotel; Ocean City, NJ | Event Planner: Bride | Florist: Petals and Paper | Hair & Makeup: Mother of the Bride | Gown: Sarah Seven from Lovely Bride, Philadelphia | Suit: J. Crew | Catering: The Flanders Hotel | Cake/Desserts: DIY & Donuts, Dots Bakery | DJ: Dance Party DJ | Stationery: Wedding Paper Divas | Transportation: Wildwood Trolley |