Whimsical Wedding: Elvira & Johnny's Grand Affair at Shadowbrook, Shrewsbury

Love Story

Elvira and Johnny have let us in on their enchanting love story, and trust us when we say, it's pure magic. "We met down the shore in July 2019 nothing more than friends, then on October 12th we ended up at Birch in Hoboken together, and ever since we haven't been apart. We have been together 4 years!" Elvira shared with a twinkle in her eye.

Now, let's talk proposals! Johnny had Elvira convinced he was in no rush to tie the knot. But on a spontaneous Florida trip, the unexpected happened. “As we walked the beach I was falling in love with these homes we were looking at and a second later he got down on his knee on the beach in St.Pete Florida and proposed. I was mind blown I couldn't believe it!"

Elvira always had a vision for her dream wedding. "My vision was always Shadowbrook. Everything about it. It's the Venetian but updated, I love that it's so grand and traditional but updated."

With a guest list of 230 and a planning duration of 14 months, they infused a blend of cultures into their wedding. "Our wedding was in between cultured and modern I would say. I tried to keep it as traditional as possible but also added some modern factors to it," shared the bride, adding “We are old school and that's what I wanted to always remember that our day was US!”

Morning details

The little details matter, don't they? Their invitations were designed by GreenMangoKraft on Etsy. “She was absolutely amazing," Elvira shared.

As for the wedding rings, "We went to our good friend Yuhan at his jewelry shop called Ceylanjewelers. He is absolutely the best ever he made my vision with my rings and Johnny's ring as well come to life."

What’s even more special is that Elvira wore her grandmother's earrings, adding a sentimental touch to her bridal look.

Bride getting ready

Elvira's dress tale is quite the story. "I went with a style that was completely not what I pictured or was looking for but when I went with my mother and mother-in-law they fell in love with it and so did my maid of honors. They said it was “me” and so I decided to go with it.” It was custom-made at NYC GLAMOUR COUTURE, and “once I put it on on my wedding day I felt like a princess," recalled Elvira.

She had her getting ready photoshoot at her parents' house, reminiscing on cherished memories. Her veil was a gift from her grandma, and Johnny gifted her a Van Cleef bracelet. Her mom gave her a stunning necklace and shoes, and her Maitron of honor surprised her with a wedding day perfume.

Groom getting ready

Johnny, looking dapper in a tux from Dante Tuxs, had his getting ready photoshoot at their home.

Ceremony

Their ceremony took place at St. Stepanos Armenian Church. The couple incorporated special traditions, including getting married at the church and having drummers lead them out of their reception to Armenian music.

The ceremony was filled with heartwarming moments, including Elvira's walk down the aisle with her father. "It was most emotional for me because I've never left his side and I felt like it was finally happening where it was the beginning of a new chapter."

The anticipation of the first look is always electric, and theirs was no different. "Our first look was down the Isle at church, we wanted to keep it traditional and it was honestly so perfect," Elvira said.

Johnny was left in awe, confessing, "I felt like the luckiest man alive." Elvira was equally smitten, "It felt like a dream, I was so excited to be married to my best friend and he looked just perfect waiting for me down the aisle."

Photoshoot after the ceremony

The couple decided to have their post-ceremony photoshoot at their venue, Shadowbrook. And who could blame them? "Again it's just unreal there everything about it is just phenomenal," Elvira gushed.

Wedding Venue & Decor

With a color palette of gold, white, and black, their wedding was the epitome of elegance. They also had personalized items like champagne flutes and cake-cutting sets.

And the venue? "Always knew it was Italy or Shadowbrook," stated Elvira.

Reception

Their first dance was to "Conventions in the Dark," a song that encapsulates their relationship. The wedding cake was a creation of Palermo Bakery.

"I reached and went through so many different people but truly feel like our vendors were the absolute best. They made the day perfect we had not one thing go wrong," Elvira expressed.