The Barn at Perona Farms: The Wedding of Jenna and Bryan
Jenna and Bryan’s wedding at Perona Farms was a beautiful day for an outdoor ceremony and wonderful barn reception (also for climbing inside the silo for some end of the night pictures). This couple also opted to donate money to three foundations instead of having wedding favors. Check out the shots of the bride’s hair! The stylist made an incredible design of braids within braids that evoked a sense of grace and beauty. It’s stunning.
Perona Farms is one of our favorite wedding venues. The staff there is always kind fo us, and that means so much. Not naming names, but that’s not always the case at some wedding venues in NJ. So, huge shoutout to Perona Farms for being staffed by great humans.
Aside from that, whoever they have in charge of their landscape design is brilliant. We are plant nerds, and we both tend to hopelessly swoon over beautiful grasses and gardens. The grounds at Perona are absolutely breathtaking in all seasons, and when the light hits their tall grasses in just the right way? ::chefs kiss::
The reception space at the barn is perfect. It seemlessly blends rustic and elegant—not an easy task! It’s so fun to work on detail shots there.
Finally, the food. The food deserves it’s own blog post, honestly. The farm-to-table selections, the recipes, the DONUTS! Cocktail hour is divine, the dinners are delectable, and the smell of the frying donuts wafting through the air is mouth watering.
Jenna and Bryan’s wedding was a blast, and we are so happy we were there to document their day for them.
How did you and your partner meet?
We met on Tinder. Jenna invited Bryan to a block party. The owner of the house was a close high school friend of Jenna's who knew Bryan and neither of us were aware of the connection we had to each other's friend group. Throughout our five years together we have learned we were often at the same events or knew the same groups of people and had never met. The universe appeared to be waiting for the right time for us to enter each others lives.
When did you first know they were "the one?"
Bryan - At a close friends wedding two and a half months after we met.
Jenna - Two to three months when I realized that he was my go to person and was such an integral part of my life so quickly.
How did they propose?
I took Jenna to a scenic overlook for a picnic with antipasto (her favorite foods) and champagne. Went up into the woods on some rocks with a better view and then got on one knee and popped the question.
What are you most looking forward to?
Seeing each other and getting married
Describe your ceremony in three words:
Fun, Perfect, Comical
What is your ceremony music?
Parents, groomsmen, and bridesmaids: Something - The Beatles
Brides entrance: We're Simply Meant To Be - The Nightmare Before Christmas
How did you go about planning your ceremony?
We made sure to pick the people included in the ceremony that make us feel special and loved. We knew we wanted Gary and Marissa to perform the brides entrance music for our guests. It's a family tradition.
Who is your officiant? How did you choose them?
Robbie Romaniello. Close family friend since childhood of the bride. We wanted to include him and couldn't think of a better role for him to fill in our wedding. He always ensures our comfortability and happiness.
What are your ceremony readings?
Star Wars: A New Hope - Scrolling intro (Surprise for groom)
Why did you choose the ceremony and reception locations?
Desire to feel comfortable, beautiful views, great food.
How would you describe your reception theme?
Bohemian, rustic, fall, relaxed
What inspired you when you were planning your wedding?
Our connection to each out, love for the fall season, the amount of people that love and care for us being larger than we ever imagined.
Were there specific blogs / websites / apps / resource materials you found useful during your planning process?
Etsy, the knot, pinterest, friends/family suggestions
What was your favorite part of the planning process?
Lots of food tasting in order to determine the menu
What was the worst part of the planning process?
Covid and worrying about how to ensure everyone's safety and hope we didn't have to postpone
Are there any DIY details you’d like to tell us about?
We made the table numbers out of small wooden plaques, the menu and donation signs.
What food are you most looking forward to on the wedding reception menu?
Jenna - Smoked Salmon Bryan - Pork bun
Tell us about the cake!!
Mixed chocolate and vanilla cake with one layer of cappuccino icing and one with cannoli icing. It was from A Little Cake in Park Ridge, NJ
What is the first dance song? Father/daughter or mother/son dance?
Tangled Up In You - Staind (Love Addict - Family Force Five mixed in at the end)
Isn't She Lovely - Stevie Wonder
How Sweet It Is - James Taylor
Venue: Perona Farms / 350 Andover Sparta Road Andover NJ 07821 / Instagram
Florist: Denville Florist / 299 route 46 east Denville NJ 07834 / 973-586-9692
Dress Designer / Shop: Rue De Seine / Instagram
Makeup Artist: Kelly Carman / 908-963-3725 / Instagram
Hair Stylist: Gabriella's Hair Salon / 201-664-7076 / Hair stylist - Laura
Band / DJ: NJ Sound Machine / 845-494-6262 (Barry Wayne) / Instagram
Wedding Theme / Colors: Rust and fall colors Bridesmaid dresses colors are paprika and butterscotch from Azazie
Do you have a hashtag for guests to use if they post photos?: #gotimegonzalves
