Michelle & Gerry found me through their wedding planner, Let It Be Lovely Events. I had such an amazing time helping them create the wedding of their dreams, which turned out to be nothing short of epic. With waterfront views everywhere you look at their venue, it’s hard to get better than that!
All photography courtesy of Susan Elizabeth
The Venue
Michelle and Gerry’s wedding took place in October of 2022 at Bonnet Island Estate. Bonnet Island is one of my favorite venues in New Jersey, and I’ve worked with over 50 couples at this venue. This plantation-style estate is nestled on a private coastal island in Manahawkin, NJ (right over the LBI Causeway). Incredible waterfront views and an intimate Boathouse Chapel make Bonnet Island a popular and extremely memorable location for one of life’s biggest days.
The Vibe
This was a very floral-forward wedding, and it was freakin’ gorg. Flowers were the common thread that tied in every element. Wedding florals can be super pricey, but if you can add flowers to even some very small details (like hanging off of a sign), I believe they’re worth every penny. And if you can’t, I can absolutely work them in digitally!
What I Did
Invitation Suite
From start to finish Michelle and Gerry’s wedding embodied pure elegance and whimsicality, and their Invitations were no different. I went with a whimsical font for their names and one of my watercolors of Bonnet Island up top (this is the daytime watercolor). I used Michelle’s colors, which were a variety of pinks and peaches. For the envelopes and the ribbon, I used a soft coral to keep everything pretty simple, since the watercolor of Bonnet Island has so many blues and greens.
I finished out the suite with a custom map, which I was so excited to see framed at their wedding! Hi CHEGG!
Seating Chart
Michelle and Gerry’s seating chart was one of my favorite seating charts ever ever ever! I worked with the couples' florist, A Garden Party, on this incredible project. We used vases on a rented gold shelving unit, and the vases were filled with flowers on the day of the wedding. Guests used the vases to find their seat, and it also worked as a wedding favor. I used shimmer pink coral cards with watercolor calligraphy (to stick with the vibe of watercolors on the invitations). Everything should be cohesive from the starting point to end, from stationery all the way through to the day of signage. I felt it was very important to incorporate watercolor in every aspect. Finally, I had it wrapped with a nice jute to give it that beachy vibe.
This seating chart is proof that you can do a large scale seating chart without it feeling big and bulky. It was so elegant and brought in so many colors, from the greenery of the back wall, to the gold accent of the shelving, and all of the colors of the florals to tie everything together.
Table Numbers & Menu
The paper I used for the table numbers matched the paper used for the envelopes and place cards (soft coral with charcoal gray watercolor calligraphy).
For the menus, I went with a very simple round menu using the same fonts and complementing the chargers they rented, as well as the greenery used.
Wedding Day Signage
The couple really wanted to do printed signs for everything. I did printed signature cocktail menus, which were so cute and included their pup. These were all designed on the computer by me (since I am a graphic designer), just like the invitations were. I stuck with the same fonts and colors for these signs, as well as the “Cards and Gifts” sign. Again, a cohesive vibe is the right vibe. How {Freakin’ Gorg} Everything Turned Out
Let’s Chat About Your Wedding!
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