A Perfect Match: Lovely Lakeside Manor Wedding

It was while attending a wedding when Daphne first became aware of Shaun through his brother who was dating her friend. During discussion they thought Daphne and Shaun would make the perfect couple, and so passed along Daphne’s contact information. Shaun reached out the following day and soon they were on their way to a first date. It wasn’t before they began to realize how perfect of a match they truly are…

Read all about Daphne & Shaun’s love story, proposal, and experiences in their intimate lakeside manor wedding – featuring Officiant services by MunaLuchi Coterie member Dr. Lesly of Wedding Bliss Ceremonies.

Bride & Groom: Daphne & Shaun
Occupations: Registered Nurse & Physical Therapist
Wedding date: 09/30/18
Wedding location: The Gramercy at Lakeside Manor in Hazlet, NJ

How did you meet? Daphne attended a wedding for a close friend, May 2015. At the wedding, Daphne sat with another friend, Eliana and her then boyfriend, now husband, Randy. While conversing, Eliana and Randy realized that Daphne and Randy’s brother, Shaun would be a great match. Eliana gave Daphne’s number to Shaun and he contacted Daphne the following day. Shaun and Daphne had their first day shortly after the wedding and they were inseparable ever since.

Tell us about the proposal. Since our first date on the rooftop of Watermark in Asbury Park, we returned there for our first year anniversary and again for our two anniversary. But I had something extra special planned for our two year milestone. Before entering Watermark, I walked Daphne barefoot onto the beach towards the water until we were greeted by a blanket and a heart shaped display of candles (with the help from my amazing brother and wife). I knelt on one knee, exposed my heart, displayed the ring and asked Daphne to marry me. Beyond a shadow of doubt, Daphne said “YES, of course I will!”

How did you know they were “the one”? Daphne: “I knew Shaun was the one because I had an inexplicable feeling of wanting to see him all the time. I wanted to hear everything and anything he had to say. I just wanted to be in his presence. His big heart and warm personality made my heart smile and Shaun made me feel love like I’ve never felt before. Whenever we are together it feels like nothing else matters.”
Shaun: “I knew that Daphne was the one because of the way she left me feeling after our first date. I had this surge inside that kept intensifying the more we began to see each other. Hearing her voice or seeing pictures on my phone wasn’t enough. I HAD to see her in person in order to quench my desire. I knew that I needed her in my life and I was whole heartedly sure that she felt the same way. Everything felt easy. The more I discovered about Daphne, the deeper I fell in love with her. She’s confident, sexy, silly, funny, intelligent, strong, level-headed, loving, and has a zest for life that made me want to spend the rest of our lives together.”

What was wedding shopping like for you? We entered wedding shopping with a vision that wouldn’t break the bank but achieved the contemporary but classic look we were striving for. We tackled the process with a laid back attitude knowing alterations to our attire was to expected and necessary to accomplish the look we wanted. Daphne’s dress was an Allure Couture with beading encompassing the majority of the dress and beading all the way down the train. Shaun wore a cobalt blue tux with a light pink long tie along with a white button down shirt and brown shoes.

Did you incorporate any culture into your wedding? Yes, although we are not very religious people, we are spiritual and prayerful and we wanted God to be a presence in our ceremony. Our officiant, Dr. Lesly Devereaux executed everything we desired. Dr Lesly delivered such a beautiful, elegant ceremony that made everyone feel the presence of our love and the blessings we have from God. She was such a highlight to our ceremony, everyone talked about it for days. She really got to know us so that she could deliver a ceremony that was truly about us and who we are as a couple and as individuals. Dr. Devereaux takes the time to execute exactly what her couples dream of.

Wedding Party gifts: The groomsmen received socks, custom glass beer mugs with their nicknames engraved on each along with a handkerchief to match their suit in case they needed to wipe their brow on the dance floor. The bridesmaids received wine glasses with their names on them, robes with their initials on the front, rose gold necklaces with rose gold stones, a basket with body butter, nail polish and a luggage tag.
Favorite item on the menu: The entire cocktail hour menu plus the Entrée Chateaubriand.
First dance song: “Thank You” by Bonnie Raitt

What is your best memory from your wedding? There are endless memories from our wedding but I think my best memory is being introduced for the first time at our reception. That was the real beginning to the party. Our entrance was official and we were husband and wife from that moment forward. Daphne’s most memorable moment is going to cocktail hour and seeing everyone that just witnessed the best moment of our lives, sharing the excitement and pure bliss was so special.

What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples? Keep it fun and relaxed. Buy a wedding planning book to guide you along the way. Keep both people actively involved. You should both make decisions and have creative input in how your wedding is planned. Make sure to be open minded during the process, your vision may get altered in the best way possible.

Vendors:
Officiant: Dr. Lesly of Wedding Bliss Ceremonies
Photographer: Daniel Nydick Photography
Venue: The Gramercy at Lakeside Manor, Hazlet, New Jersey