Skyland's Manor Wedding :: Ashley + Ryan

Weddings

July 14, 2017

I count on both hands the number of times we have shot in the gardens of Skyland’s Manor, but this was the first time we have been on the inside of the gorgeous mansion. It was a rainy day as things heated up on what would be a fabulous day for Ashley and Ryan. I still remember their engagement shoot like it was yesterday. They took me to Sandy Hook beach for the first time and we had the most EPIC sunset ever. It was like getting a history lesson and winning the lottery all in one. SUCCESS! On the wedding day, we showed up to the girls’ room up the winding staircase to find everyone completely ready and early! That is a first! Everyone looked so cute in their button down denim shirts as we made our way in. Ashley is a sweet as pie and it only made perfect sense that her mom, grandmother, and girlfriends were too! Most of the bridesmaids were also part of her sorority and they performed a tradition of tying a blue ribbon around the bride’s waist. Everyone was so sweet and thoughtful and we knew it was going to be an awesome day.

The manor had the most gorgeous windows and woodwork with old chandeliers that gave the room such a timeless look. The dress was hung in the window like a work of art and the rooms were a perfect backdrop for the girls’ minty green dresses. Each dress was completely customizable and it was quite funny to see all the girls trying to help make each other’s dress unique with twisting and tying. Eventually, they all figured it out and each girl had a completely unique look just for her! It was then time for Ashley to get dressed with her mom and best friend. Ashley was another bride who thought she had just a zipper for her dress and soon found out- all those buttons were real! Ha! There was no crochet needle to help with the buttons, so her mom used her nails to do the job! The moment Ashley held on to her grandmother’s rosary was the minute we all lost it and the tears started flowing. That was immediately followed by seeing her dad for the first time. Soon after that, a box was delivered to the room by the mother of the groom. Everyone gathered around to see what the gift from Ryan was. She peeked in the box and let out a big laugh. What could it be? No one would have ever guessed it was Smirnoff Ice. Apparently, this is a game called, Icing. After some explaining and watching her chug that bottle within 60 seconds, we were highly intrigued! And don’t worry…he had to chug one earlier that day! HA! PS: I just want to try and explain the photo with the slippers…yes, those are very inappropriate slippers that were given to the bride on her bachelorette weekend! YEAH! 🙂

The rain was coming down consistently and forced us to do the first look inside. That wasn’t an issue for us because the manor is so beautiful inside! The small back to back rooms were filled with family and friends as we waited to see what the weather was going to do. Thankfully, it cleared up just in time and everything carried on outdoors! Hurray! The ceremony was epic with a long grassy knoll that was surrounded by tree lined sidewalks. It was intimate, quiet, and extremely sweet. Afterward, we were able to run around the grounds with the newlyweds as they prepared to celebrate in high style. The ballroom was lit up in multi-colored recessed lighting and the band was tuning up their instruments. All was set for a rocking dance floor. And boy were we right! Epic dances, toasts, friends, cake cutting, AND dance floor. The perfect combination for an unforgettable night.

We are so honored we were chosen to document Ashley and Ryan’s love story! Wishing all the best to the newlyweds. Congrats to them and their families on not only a beautiful wedding, but a beautiful marriage, too. Love you, guys!

Leaha & Jeffrey

Thank you to Krystal Pratt for assisting and shooting with us.