After being together for six years, Erika and Domingo tied the knot and celebrated their union with a beautiful Bishop Farmstead wedding reception surrounded by all of their close friends and family. The couple’s two wedding celebrations were an unforgettable experience. We migrated from New York to South Hampton New Jersey to capture every single moment of Erika’s and Domingo’s nuptials celebration. The couple’s wedding celebrations were filled with lots of festivities, love, laughter, and of course happy tears.

We met the couple just over two years ago. They were searching for a photographer for their engagement shoot and they stumbled upon our work online. After taking their engagement photos they also hired us to document their wedding.  Our team was eager to work with this couple and document their special day. Check out the stunning visuals we captured. 

Erika and Domingo’s Love Journey

Every couple’s love story is unique. For Erika and Domingo, it all began on December 23, 2015, just two days before Christmas. They were introduced by mutual friends that thought they would make a great couple. It turned out they were right! The night they met, they exchanged phone numbers, began talking for the next few years and their relationship grew tremendously from there. 

Erika fell in love with Domingo’s genuine kind and loving nature. “I love how detail-oriented he is with me. I admire him on so many levels, as a son, professional, brother, and friend,” she remarked during the consultation interview.  Spending quality time and traveling with Domingo are some of her favorite things to do with Domingo.

Erika was born in the Dominican Republic and Domingo was born in New York City. Domingo completely embraced Erika’s culture and fell in love and became enriched with Dominican culture. The two are truly a match made in heaven. 

The Proposal

Domingo proposed to Erika on a hot air balloon at the county fair. They had both planned to visit the county fair but he never told Erika that he had made arrangements for them to get on the hot air balloon as an early birthday gift. Erika had no idea he was going to pop the big question while they were a thousand feet in the air. 

At sunset, they rode through the beautiful skies on what Erika describes as a “magical trip”.  He pulled out the ring and got on one knee right in the hot air balloon and Erika instantly said yes. “He made the moment very special. I always dreamed of a hot air balloon ride at sunset and he knew that,” Erika said as she recalled his proposal. 

The couple commemorated their engagement with a beautiful beach photo shoot. Since they are from the Caribbeans and they love nature, they decided that the beach would be the perfect place for their engagement shoot. We had the privilege of producing the visuals for Erika and Domingo about two years ago. They absolutely loved their engagement photos which is why they hired us to document their wedding journey. 

The Wedding Planning Process

Planning their wedding celebration was super stressful for the couple. Erika and Domingo started planning their wedding in November 2019. However, when the pandemic hit, it significantly affected their wedding plans. After signing contracts with vendors, they had to alter their wedding plans after signing contracts with their vendors due to COVID-19 restrictions. Unfortunately, four months before their wedding they had to change the ceremony location quickly. Thankfully, the vendors were flexible and worked hard to accommodate Erika and Domingo. They were also very professional. 

A couple few months before their wedding, Erika and Domingo found out that they wouldn’t be able to have their wedding reception due to COVID-19 safety concerns. This was disheartening. 

Despite the challenges they faced, Erika and Domingo were determined to make it down the aisle. After all, their inspiration was their parents. Erika’s parents have been married for 30 years and Domingo’s parents have been married for 39 years! Observing the love and commitment of their parents for the past several years was one of their motivations to make it official. 

Erika’s Advice To Couples Planning A Wedding:

“Don’t overthink your theme, don’t overthink your colors, the season, or the type of dress you’ll wear. The fewer options you look at the less puzzled you’ll be. Also, be sure to read vendor contracts carefully. Lastly, there are so many details that go into planning a wedding. If you don’t want to get very overwhelmed, consider a budget-friendly planner that can add value and take some planning off of your hands.”

Wedding Day 1: An Epic  St. Jude Church Wedding 

Before the wedding ceremony began the bridal party booked two suites at the James New York Nomad, an upscale boutique hotel. Our team arrived early to capture photos of both the bride and groom preparing for their wedding. There was so much excitement in the air from both sides it was important that we captured all of these good vibes. Our photographer snapped photos of the bridesmaids in their suite, sipping mimosas as they helped Erika get ready. The groom, his groomsmen, and his parents were just as excited and emotional. They were suited up in their pristine navy suits early. 

Erika and Domingo officially tied the knot in a beautiful traditional ceremony at St. Jude Church in New York, NY. They chose to get married here because it was the parish where Domingo was born, raised, and where he currently serves. Erika also serves in the same church and they attend service every week. Therefore, it made sense that their union take place at a parish that was special to them.  

They chose to partake in the Hispanic tradition of the Lazo or the lasso during the marriage ceremony. During this ritual, the bride is traditionally draped in a lasso consisting of flowers and/or beads which is placed on her shoulders, followed by the groom. Following this, the priest blesses the bride and groom and their marriage with the lasso. Bible scholars say that figure eight represents beginnings. Lazos often resemble rosaries, which are a set of Catholic prayers marked and numbered with beads or knots on chains. Erika and Domingo’s lasso was breath-taking, the intricately placed beads shimmered like crystals under the church light. 

After the wedding ceremony, we spent over thirty minutes taking pictures of Domingo and Erika in their home church. They were so ecstatic. We also took post ceremony shots of the newly married couple with their parents, bridal party, and close friends. 

Although the couple had postponed their dream wedding reception for the following year, they did end up having an intimate reception at X20 Xaviars On Hudson, a beautiful upscale restaurant on the pier. The couple rented out a small reception room and served their guests a delicious, yet diverse meal. Erika and Domingo spent the night embraced in each other’s arms. Their first dance as husband and wife was a tear-jerking moment. They continue to dance the night away in bliss. 

Erika and Domingo’s Favorite Moment From Their Wedding 

The best memory was seeing my partner for the first time. We didn’t have a first look and so seeing each other and knowing that we finally made it to that moment was magical. For Domingo, watching his nieces and nephews walk down the aisle as grown kids was emotional given that he watched them all be born.

Wedding Day 2: Bishop Farmstead Wedding Reception

Yes, Domingo and Erika finally got the chance to have their dream wedding and reception nearly a year later from their initial nuptials. The couple was just as excited to tie the knot and celebrate their union as they were the first time around. Like always, the J&J Studios arrived at the venue a couple of hours ahead of the ceremony to get a few behind the scene pictures of the bride and groom getting ready. This time around there weren’t any bridesmaids and groomsmen. 

This time Domingo and Erika decided to have a First Look. The smile on Domingo’s face when he saw his beautiful bride in her custom wedding gown was priceless. “ You look absolutely stunning, ” he said to her as they embraced. Together they explored the grounds of the Bishop Farmstead and we traveled behind, capturing visuals of the couple all throughout the barn. They choose this venue because of its lovely rustic nature. 

The wedding reception took place at the Pinelands Preservation Alliance at the Bishop Farmstead. The reception hall was a huge transformed barn with high ceilings draped in a beautiful light display that cast a warm glow over the entire room. We had Domingo and Erika take a few photos in the empty reception hall before the reception took place. 

Their wedding reception was indeed a festivity. The best man and maid of honor speeches were heartfelt. Erika finally got the opportunity to have her official father and daughter dance which was super emotional. Everyone danced the night away on the wooden dance floor without a care in the world. 

The couple’s three-layer decadent wedding cake was beautiful. The cake-cutting tradition went smoothly and didn’t end with cake smeared on anyone’s face. At nightfall, we took a few more pictures of Erika and Domingo on the Bishop Farmstead grounds, which was so beautiful at sunset. 

Best Wishes

Erika and Domingo’s Bishop Farmstead wedding reception was everything they had imagined it would be. We were happy that despite the challenges they faced they were still able to have their dream wedding reception at the venue they selected over a year ago. 

Being part of Erika and Domingo’s wedding journey was an experience that we will never forget. We’re happy that they entrusted us to bring their vision for their engagement and wedding celebrations to life. We wish nothing but the best for the sweet couple. We can’t wait to see what life has in store for them. 

Wedding Vendors

The wedding vendors played a major role in Erika’s and Domingo’s wedding celebrations. The couple enlisted the help of several professionals. From the florist, catering company, and hairstylist, everyone was committed to ensuring that their day went smoothly. 

Apparel

Domingo and his groomsmen suits were purchased at Ted Baker Designer Tuxedo. Erika and her bridesmaids’ gowns were from RK Bridal. Erika’s wedding dress was from the Essence Of Australia line.

Jewelry

The wedding bands are from Norman Landsberg Jewelers (@normanlandsbergjewelers)

Food/ Catering

Erika and Domingo’s first wedding intimate dinner was held at X20 Xavier Hudson (@x2oxaviarsonhudson) 

The Bishop Farmstead wedding reception was catered by Jeffrey Miller Catering (@jamcatering)

Florist 

Bloomery Flower Studio (@bloomeryflowerstudio)  was the florist for both of Erika and Domingo’s wedding celebrations. 

Hair and Makeup

Erika’s makeup artist was (@lorenaferreira.mua) and her hairstylist for her special day was (@styledby.christina) 

Officiant and DJ

Reverend Carlos Ernesto Quito officiated their wedding.  Fiesta Ent. (@fiestaent)  was the DJ for their reception. 

Book J&J Studios For Your Wedding

Are you planning a wedding? You and your significant other’s wedding will be the most important day of your lives.  A wedding celebration isn’t complete without a skilled wedding photographer to document your journey to the altar. Finding the right photographer that understands your vision and knows how to capture quality visuals can be a challenge. Here at J&J Studios, we have well over a decade of experience in producing top-quality visuals for weddings, engagements, and other types of special celebrations. 

Are you having trouble finding the right wedding photographer for your upcoming nuptials? 

Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation to discuss your needs. 

About J&J Studios

J&J Studios is the leading photography studio in Philadelphia owned by award-winning photographer John Ryan. We are dedicated to commemorating your life’s most significant moments one snap at a time. Our team travels to any location in the U.S.