A Love Story in Pink: Caitlin and Zach's Exquisite Wedding at Hamilton Farm Golf Club

Love Story

Caitlin and Zach's love story began at Villanova University,where they both lived in what they jokingly call "the WORST dorm on campus." Despite their proximity, fate had other plans for their initial meeting. "We had friends from the same fraternity and that's how we met - at a frat party," Caitlin laughs.

What started as a friendship quickly blossomed into something more. "We started as best friends and study buddies, then dating mid-sophomore year," Zach recalls.

Separated by miles but united by heart, they weathered three years of longing. Now, seven years after fate's first encounter, their story writes a new chapter.

Zach proposed to Caitlin at Normandy Beach, NJ where Caitlin’s family has a beach house and this is her favorite place in the world. He surprised her with their families and friends from Colorado, NJ, and both high school and college to celebrate all weekend on the Jersey Shore. “Total shock! I thought it was just another fun visit with the family,” Caitlin shares.

Caitlin and Zach's wedding was a beautiful blend of elegance and personal touches. Set against the backdrop of Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone, NJ, the couple welcomed 264 guests to celebrate their love on June 21, 2024.

"Growing older I grew out of what would be stereotypically "girly" and stopped wearing bows and loving pink," Caitlin shares. "Then through the wedding process I surprisingly gravitated towards pink tones and florals. This ended up in the decor, bouquets, bridesmaid dresses, and my mom' MOB dress .. which was stunning and even had a gorgeous floor-length bow in the back."

The couple drew inspiration from Love Shack Fancy, incorporating lots of greenery, wood accents, and candles into their design. Jardiniere Floral brought the couple's Pinterest vision to life with stunning centerpieces, including magnolia branches with hanging votives and greenery adorning the ballroom chandeliers.

Despite a heat wave on the day of the wedding – with temperatures soaring to 100 degrees – the couple's joy was undampened. “We all danced and sweat and had so much fun we didn’t even notice it after a couple of minutes!" Zach laughs. Caitlin adds that "being together with all of our friends and family at a beautiful location for our wedding celebration," was definitely the best part of the day.

Caitlin's gratitude for her mother's help shines through as she speaks. "I'm forever grateful to my mom who planned this wedding and helped me so much through this process. Without her, nothing would have been as successful and amazing!"

As the wedding day approached, Caitlin had her own worries. "I worried that time would fly on the day of and we would not get to spend as much time together on our wedding day," she shares. However, her fears were unfounded. "We ended up time managing well and saying hi to everyone while also having some time with just us as well," she adds with a smile.

Despite the challenges, Caitlin found joy in the planning process. "Having quality time to plan with my mom and have fun throughout the process!" she says. "We had so much fun together and it was such a great bonding opportunity as well with me being far away in Virginia."

Morning details

The couple paid homage to their families and shared history through thoughtful details. Caitlin wore a spoon ring that belonged to her grandmother, continuing a family tradition. "She had a tradition where she turned her silverware (in this case a spoon) into jewelry for all the women in our family," she explains. “ALSO the Bride & Groom champagne glasses at our table were my great grandmas.”

For her "something old," Caitlin wore her mother's cross necklace. Her "something blue" was her great-grandfather's Villanova college ring, pinned to her bouquet. "My great grandfather, grandfather, dad, brother, and me all went to Villanova," she says proudly. “AND my purse was made from my mom's wedding dress.”

Exquisite invitations, crafted by the talented hands of Little Black Dress Paperie in Morristown, NJ, promised an affair of unparalleled elegance. Every detail was a testament to the couple's thoughtful and romantic vision for their special day.

Bride getting ready

Caitlin's journey to find the perfect dress was unexpectedly emotional. "Even with my own wedding dress I was not looking forward to the process of salons and trying on a million options," she confesses. "My mother took me to Elizabeth Johns, Christine at the salon, helped us curate specific looks that fit the classic but unique style we were interested in. She offered to ship dresses to the store for us to try and when the Bogan Loves Bridal dress arrived I came out of the fitting room in tears. I had never seen anything like it.”

Caitlin's journey to becoming a bride was filled with both excitement and surprises. The venue's bridal suite, with its gorgeous floral wallpaper, provided a stunning backdrop for the getting-ready photoshoot.

The bride's final look was a culmination of careful choices and unexpected twists. "Funny enough, I had an amazing designer pair of shoes gifted to me by my mom.. and they ended up sooo uncomfortable I couldn't wear them," Caitlin shares with a laugh. "I ended up with a simple design shoe by Badgley Mischka."

Her veil became a standout accessory, custom-made by Kiera Elise collection. "We picked a pearl veil at Elizabeth John's and Christine at Elizabeth John's had the idea of adding the florals," Caitlin explains.

Caitlin's bouquet, crafted by Jardine Fine Flowers from Bedminster, NJ, featured pink peonies. "They were stunning," she says. "I grew up with them in my parent's yard and knew I wanted something that wasn't seen all the time and definitely not roses."

The bridesmaids looked radiant in dresses from the Dessy Group. "I was excited about the Dessy Group dresses for the bridesmaids," Caitlin gushes. "It was very economical for my young bridesmaids starting careers.. and it offered them to pick the cuts they liked for themselves. I wanted to make sure everything was elegant and they felt their best.. but without asking them to spend so much money on a day about me."

Groom getting ready

In the hushed sanctuary of the venue’s library, Zach donned a classic tuxedo from Prima Tuxedos, his heart echoing the anticipation of a love story about to unfold.

First Look

Against the regal backdrop of Hamilton Farm Golf Club's mansion entrance, the stage was set for a moment etched in eternity. As their eyes met for the first look, time stood still. "The venue is a golf course, but steeped in history and has the most stunning grounds and garden," Caitlin gushes. It was the perfect backdrop for such a special moment.

Photoshoot before the ceremony

Taking advantage of the venue's beautiful property, the couple and their wedding party posed for photos around the grounds, capturing the essence of their love against a canvas painted by nature, a perfect prelude to the vows they would soon exchange.

"The venue offered a beautiful bridal suite and an area for the groomsmen," Zach explains. "So it made complete sense to utilize that for getting ready and have the property as our backdrop for photos."

Ceremony

In the serene embrace of the Church of Christ the King in Vernon, NJ—a place already dear to Caitlin's heart from her confirmation days—she and Zach pledged their love to one another. Caitlin had always felt a special affinity for this church, preferring its intimate aisle and the stunning beauty of its grounds over other family church options.

Their ceremony was graced by the poignant tradition of the unity candle, a luminous symbol of their separate lives melding into one harmonious existence. As Caitlin gracefully proceeded down the aisle to the timeless notes of the Bridal Chorus, the air was thick with emotion, encapsulating a moment of pure, heartfelt commitment.

Photoshoot after the ceremony

Stealing away for a stolen moment amidst the enchantment of the garden, the couple captured the essence of their love in intimate photographs, a cherished memory born from the heart of the celebration. "It wasn't as terribly hot anymore," Zach remembers. "And the golden light was breathtaking in the garden."

Wedding Venue & Decor

Hamilton Farm Golf Club provided a stunning setting for Caitlin and Zach's special day. The venue choice was a family affair, as Caitlin explains: "My mom (she knows everything!) scouted it out with my dad prior to us getting engaged." The couple was immediately drawn to the venue's welcoming atmosphere. "The staff was remarkable and so kind and Hamilton Farms is so stunning and welcoming," she adds. "It felt like home when Zach and I toured it and the friendly energy was exactly what we wanted. The food and the views are spectacular as well!"

Caitlin and Zach's vision came to life through a carefully chosen color palette of pink and white, complemented by lush greenery and warm wood accents.

Personal touches were evident throughout the decor. The couple incorporated numerous personalized items, including custom menus, bar signs, table signs, and a unique seating chart. Even the smallest details, like napkins and drink stirrers, bore their personal stamp.

Reception

Filled with warmth, joy, and impeccable style, the reception was a testament to the couple's love and the enduring bonds of family. As the newlyweds made their grand entrance to "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," the energy in the room was electric.

The couple’s first dance to 'Forever After All' was a moment they'll never forget. It felt like they were the only two people in the world. The emotional father-daughter dance to "My Wish" and the mother-son dance to "Forever Young" added to the evening's sentimental moments.

The couple's indecisiveness led to a delightful surprise for their guests - a four-flavored wedding cake. "We were so indecisive it was all delicious," Zach laughs. "Chocolate with fresh cream, red velvet with cream cheese frosting, lemon cake with lemon curd and blueberries, strawberry cake and fresh cream and fresh strawberries."

Caitlin and Zach were effusive in their praise for their vendors. "Christine at Elizabeth Johns went above and beyond on everything and made us feel so incredibly comfortable," Caitlin gushes. "Part of why we booked our venue was the sales manager, Collette. Jardiniere made all of our flower dreams come true!"

The couple had special praise for their photographer, Alicia from Peach Photography. "We absolutely loved having Alicia as our photographer. Her assistant Barb was amazing as well! These ladies were so much fun and captured our day so beautifully," the bride shares. "Every detail of the day, every person involved in the wedding, and all of our friends and family were photographed and my now husband (feels crazy to say!!!) and I had so much fun going through all of the pictures and smiled so much. We had a heat wave on the day of our wedding but you never would have guessed it because of the angles and photography skills Alicia has. We are so grateful to her for making our day so special and that we can relive those memories forever."

One unique aspect of their wedding reflected the couple's dedication to their medical careers. "Zach and I both work in medicine and we learned of the opportunity to repurpose our flowers through Forget Me Knot which is a non-profit organization that donated our wedding flowers to medical facilities and hospice centers to bring a smile to the patients’ faces," Caitlin explains proudly. "The fact we could share our wedding flowers with patients in NJ really was special to us and we loved this aspect of our wedding as we dedicate our day to day and careers to medicine this was a good way for us to give back and hopefully make someone’s day because the flowers from Jardiniere were stunning!!!!!"

Caitlin and Zach add heartfelt advice for future brides and grooms: “To dance, have fun, enjoy each other’s company, and soak it all in! Smile a lot. The energy the bride and groom bring really sets the tone for the day.”

As the last dance played and guests began to depart, Caitlin and Zach held each other close, savoring the final moments of their spectacular celebration.