FLORENTINE
GARDENS
River Vale, NJ
Caroline & Brett
Their Story
Caroline and Brett's story began just before the world slowed down in 2020. Through unexpected changes, long distance and demanding careers, their relationship continued to grow, grounded in friendship, family and the life they were building together.
By the time they gathered with family and friends at Florentine Gardens in River Vale, New Jersey, they knew exactly what they wanted their wedding to feel like: warm, personal and centered on the people and relationship that mattered most to them.
Family at the heart of the day
Family has always been the center of Caroline and Brett's relationship, so it was only fitting that family was at the center of their wedding day too.
Before the ceremony began, Caroline and Brett took a moment with the people who mattered most: the family who'd shaped them and the loved ones who'd traveled to be there.
A Ceremony that felt Intimate
With 155 guests gathered at Florentine Gardens, Caroline and Brett wanted their ceremony to feel exactly like them: personal, humanist and warm, never performative.
As Caroline and Brett's Wedding Officiant, I took the time before their wedding day to learn about their relationship, their families and what mattered most to them. Those details became the foundation for a personalized ceremony that reflected their story while still feeling natural and genuine.
Their ceremony honored where they'd been, who they were becoming and the families who had shaped them both, while creating a moment that still felt intimate in a room filled with 155 people.
The Walk Down the Aisle
Before Caroline's father brought her down the aisle, I asked the room to rise and instead of continuing straight into the processional, I turned and spoke directly to him. On Caroline's behalf, I thanked him for a lifetime of love and guidance, and asked him, one last time as her father, a simple question:
"Who today confidently presents this woman to be married to this man?"
He wasn't expecting it. Neither was most of the room.
He found me later that evening just to say thank you, and weeks after the wedding, Caroline reached out herself.
They hadn't hired a videographer and she wanted the words for her father, because of how much that moment had meant to him.
The ceremony also made space to remember grandparents who couldn't be there to see the day, and gave Caroline a moment to thank her mother, for the work she poured into planning the celebration, — and her sister, her Maid of Honor and lifelong best friend, for always being by her side.
THE CEREMONY IS PART OF YOUR STORY
Long after the wedding day, you should remember more than how your ceremony looked. You should remember how it felt.
An Evening at Florentine Gardens
Following the ceremony, Caroline and Brett celebrated with their guests inside the ballroom at Florentine Gardens. Crystal chandeliers, candlelight, white florals and elegant black and gold details transformed the space for the evening.
It was a beautiful setting for the celebration that followed, bringing together the grandeur of Florentine Gardens with the warmth and personality that carried throughout their wedding day.
In Caroline’s Words
"Even though we had a large wedding, she made the ceremony feel so personal and intimate."
She really did such a thorough job understanding the mood and the tone that my husband and I wanted to set for the ceremony, and made sure she understood what was important to us. After answering some detailed questions about me and my husband's love story and what is meaningful to us, Aretha delivered an absolutely beautiful ceremony and vows that were beyond my highest expectations! Thank you so much, Aretha, for making our day so special!
Caroline & Brett
Florentine Gardens
River Vale, NJ
PLANNING YOUR WEDDING AT THE FLORENTINE GARDENS?
Having officiated many weddings at Florentine Gardens, I'm familiar with the venue and what makes ceremonies there so special.
Whether you're planning a large celebration like Caroline and Brett or something more intimate, your wedding ceremony can still feel personal, meaningful and completely your own.
The Wedding Team
Planned & Designed
Reveled Events & Design
Yasemin Hakimi
Wedding Officiant
Weddings By Aretha
Aretha Gaskin
Florals/Florist
Premiere Events by Reema
Reema Isaac
Reception Stationery
Love is Art Design
Jasena Rodriguez
Hotel
Marriott Park Ridge
Park Ridge, NJ
Photography
RM Digital Photography
Rafal Ostrowski
Hair/Makeup
Michelle Elise Artistry
Michelle Magee
Entertainment
Mystical Entertainment Group
John Macaluso
The Venue
The Estate at Florentine
Gardens
Bakery
Palermos Bakery
Little Ferry, NJ 07643
