Charter Oak Wedding | Lauren & Chris

It was a day that was a LONG time in the making…and it was PERFECT!

Lauren and Chris got engaged in May of 2019, had their engagement session back in the fall of 2019 and then they went through the agony of having to decide what to do as their September 2020 wedding day got closer and COVID was wreaking havoc. They ultimately decided on an intimate church ceremony with just their parents and siblings and officially became husband and wife! They then waited another 8 months to renew their vows in front of family and friends AND have a big celebration!

All of the decision making and planning became totally worth it when June 11th arrived! Restrictions had been lifted and they were able to celebrate mask free!

The JOY coming off of these two is evident in every photo! From all the laughter, to the pure excitement on Lauren’s face coming up the isle, to the impromptu jump that Chris did in front of his groomsmen, to their dance back down the isle – these two enjoyed every minute of their day! They were fully present and invested in every moment! Take a peek below at their happy day!

The first wedding ceremony on the new patio at Charter Oak Country Club!

Lauren and Chris – CONGRATULATIONS!! I want to shout from the rooftops how happy I am for the two of you….you are both just such fabulous people!! Love you both!! I can’t wait until we cross paths again – hopefully sooner rather than later;)

Vendor Info

bride’s dress | Your Dream Bridal (Designer: Justin Alexander)

bridesmaid’s dresses | Bella’s Bridal Boutique (Designer: Bill Levkoff)

hair | Bianca Nastari Hair & Makeup Designs

make-up | Bianca Nastari Hair & Makeup Designs

florist | Mugford’s Flower Shoppe

ceremony | Charter Oak Country Club

reception venue | Charter Oak Country Club

cake | Gerardo’s Italian Bakery

DJ | Paul Granata (C-Zone Entertainment)

Songs

introductions | Forever – Chris Brown and My First, My Last, My Everything – Barry White

first dance | You Are The Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne

father/daughter | The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra

mother/son | My Wish – Rascal Flatts

last dance | If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys

Bride/Groom Questions

What was the most memorable moment of your day?

Of course, we can’t pick just one! Our first look on the front lawn at Charter Oak was absolutely incredible and certainly got our emotions flowing before the ceremony! With that said, having our Best Man (Stephen) and Maid of Honor (Brittnee) officiate our vow renewal ceremony was so special and something that we will never ever forget!

What was your favorite detail?

We both LOVED our flowers! Everything from the girl’s bouquets and guy’s boutineers, to the table centerpieces and cake topper, Mugford’s truly outdid themselves and brought our vision to life! Thank you to Chris and her amazing team!

Any advice for future brides/grooms?

Our INCREDIBLE photographer (we love you, Heather!) was able to get all our photos done before cocktail hour. The entire wedding party was able to enjoy all the delicious hors d’oeuvres and libations before the reception began. It also allowed us to say hello to all of our guests so we didn’t have to go table to table during the reception. If you’re on the fence, we definitely recommend doing a first look so you can get most of your photos done before your ceremony! 

Funniest memory from your wedding day?

(Lauren): When it was time for my first look with my Dad, he came around the corner and I immediately said to him “oh my gosh, you look so handsome!” to which he replied: “So do you!” 😂  

The entire bridal party burst out laughing because, for everyone who knows my Dad, this is a classic “Chuck” comment! 

If you could do it all over, would you change anything? 

Well…we actually did do it all over, and I can tell you that we wouldn’t change a thing! We feel so blessed that we were able to have an intimate church wedding with our immediate family on 9/19/20, and also able to have a vow renewal and reception (9 months later) on 6/11/21 with our extended family & friends. Both days were perfect in their own ways and completely exceeded our expectations.