Small Ninety Acres Wedding | Cassady K Photography

Small Ninety Acres Wedding | Grace + Craig Peapack, NJ

September 12, 2020

Like many couples getting married in 2020, Grace + Craig’s wedding wasn’t what they were originally expecting thanks to Covid-19. But they all they really wanted wanted was to be husband and wife at the end of the day so they reduced their guest list to 30 and chose a different venue that could accommodate both an outdoor ceremony and dinner for a small Ninety Acres wedding in Peapack, NJ.

Grace + Craig met at Clemson University. They ran in a similar circle of friends and ended up being neighbors their junior year. They hit it off at a “Middle School Mixer”, but then Craig had to wait to ask her out since Grace studied abroad in Italy that next semester. He didn’t waste anytime asking her out when she got back on their first date at Pixie and Bill’s.

Both Grace and Craig are so sweet and so easy to get along with. I’m sure with all the changes and planning from a distance (they live in Georgia) there were stressful and emotional times, but in the end all they cared about was being married. They are extremely cute and natural together and I loved watching how happy they were to just be with each other and their families and friends (that they hadn’t seen in 6 months).

Alysha and Chelsea from Pink Comb Studio did an amazing job on all of the ladies’ hair and makeup. If only guys could really understand how much goes into girls getting ready.

I was just a little in love with all of Grace’s details, especially her Harriet Wilde shoes. And Peonies to Paint Chips gave me some extra florals that brought all the detail photos together!

Since many of Grace’s friends and family couldn’t attend the wedding she video chatted with them while she was getting ready.

Grace’s parents have a beautiful backyard that’s more like a garden and perfect for pictures!

Craig’s mother did the water color for the stationary and it’s beautiful!

Ben went over and photographed the guys getting ready and did a pretty great job!

I love when a groom has personalized details! It adds so much to their tux.

Craig’s Brackish bowtie was made of different type of feathers! It was unique, but also still classic.

Who would have ever thought at the beginning of this year that a mask would be a detail I’d be photographing? It is one of the prettiest masks I’ve seen.

Grace’s mother and sister helped her get ready.

Their rings were just so easy to style and beautiful that I have so many favorite ring shots!

Once Grace was ready she did a first look with her father.

Not only did her father have a great reaction, but he gave her a beautiful bracelet.

Grace read a card from Craig and then it was time to get her married!

But first, Grace’s parents surprised her with a Rolls Royce to ride in to her small Ninety Acres wedding.

Grace and her father rode in the Rolls Royce just like her mother and grandfather rode in one when her mother got married.

Even though they didn’t plan on getting married at Ninety Acres in Natirar Park, it ended up being fitting. The first time Grace + Craig talked about their future was when they took a walk in Natirar Park. Craig was visiting before he started his first job and even though they knew it would be awhile before they actually would get married, they both knew they had found “the one.”

Grace + Craig’s small Ninety Acre wedding was so intimate and special. It was the perfect temperature and Peonies to Paint Chips made the arbor absolutely stunning.

While my second photographer, Rosemary, and I focused on taking pictures of Grace. I had Ben take pictures of Craig while Grace walked down the aisle. I had a hunch he might tear up after he had teared up reading Grace’s card. I’ve narrowed it down to my 3 favorite pictures, but Craig had so many reactions to seeing Grace. As I stood next to Craig taking pictures of Grace, I heard him say, “I promised I wouldn’t do this.” He’s so sweet!

It’s no wonder Craig had so many emotions, Grace was stunning walking down the aisle and they had gone through so much to get to this point!

And now a deep breath to stay calm and get married. 🙂

Grace + Craig were unable to get married in the church that many of Grace’s family members were married in, again thanks to Covid-19. (If some faces look familiar it’s because I photographed her brother, Tommy and Kaitlyn getting married there two years ago.) It was disappointing, I even felt disappointed for them since I know the family pretty well. But Grace’s 90 year old grandfather, Pop, wasn’t going to let that spoil their ceremony. Pop got licensed and officiated the wedding himself.

Finally married!!

The Rolls Royce had stuck around and we were able to get some pictures with it in front of Ninety Acres.

I love how these two families came together to support and help Grace + Craig.

Craig can really dip Grace! I later found out that she was a cheerleader flyer, it all made sense then. haha

Grace + Craig already had originally planned for a smaller wedding party which made it so easy to get lots of pictures of them. A smaller wedding party equals less people to move around and tell what to do.

Craig and his groomsmen wore purple argyle socks for Clemson and for Grace’s aunt that had recently passed away from cancer.

Grace let her bridesmaids choose whatever black, floor length dress they wanted. Amazingly they all chose dresses that were a similar fabric and they all looked great together!

I’m in love with these bouquets that Peonies to Paint Chips made.

Oh how I love a grove of trees! It automatically makes the picture feel epic.

A cathedral length veil obviously means that we’re going to play with it! 🙂

These two!! I could have just kept photographing them!! Luckily I get to again when they have the reception part of their wedding next year!

Dang Grace!! You are beautiful!!

Grace’s mom used the same handkerchief from Kaitlyn + Tommy’s wedding and had it embroidered with Grace + Craig’s names and wedding date as well. Then she had it wrapped around Grace’s bouquet along with a bracelet that they wear to remember Grace’s aunt that recently passed.

This was the you made it, Covid-19 couldn’t stop you, you’re married picture!! 🙂

As you can see their tented reception was right next to their ceremony and all outside.

Craig’s mom painted the church that they were supposed to get married in. Craig’s mom and sisters also did all the flower arrangements on the tables. There’s some serious talent there!

Grace + Craig danced to the same song that Ben and I danced to; Michael Bublé’s Everything. It’s one of my all-time favorite songs and it has some perfect lyrics for their wedding: “You’re the swimming pool on an August day” since they were married in August. And with everything going on:

“Whatever comes our way, oh, we’ll see it through
And you know that’s what our love can do

And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It’s you, it’s you; you make me sing
You’re every line, you’re every word, you’re everything”.

These two can dance! They definitely danced a whole lot better to it then Ben and I did at our wedding.

Of course for the sake of documenting history, we took a couple pictures with the masks on.

Rosemary, Ben and I all photographed Kaitlyn + Tommy’s wedding and it was such an honor that the three of us could get together again to photograph Grace + Craig’s wedding! (Not pictured, Rosemary. She preferred to take the picture.) I may have even accidentally called Grace + Craig by Kaitlyn + Tommy’s names a few times. My bad! It was so great to be reunited with these couples (Grace + Craig were dating at Kaitlyn + Tommy’s wedding) and I can’t wait to see them at Grace + Craig’s reception part of their wedding next year.