A Grove Wedding · Cedar Grove, New Jersey
Ericka & Zachary
Two cultures, one love story — told across an unforgettable summer day at The Grove.
Looking for The Grove wedding photographer who knows the venue by heart? For Ericka and Zachary’s Thai-American celebration in Cedar Grove, NJ, that was us — and this is how their day unfolded.
Where it began
And it started with a dance
Some love stories start with a grand gesture. Ericka and Zachary’s started with a spilled beer — and the good humor to keep dancing anyway. The two met on a crowded night out in Atlantic City, out with their separate groups of friends, when Zachary crossed the floor and asked her to dance.
“He kept spilling his beer down my leg, but I continued to keep dancing with him.”
They traded numbers that night and stayed in touch for weeks before meeting again. What began as one clumsy, laughing dance became the throughline of everything that followed — right up to the moment we photographed their first dance as a married couple, all those years later.
The question
A toast, and a ring
When Zachary decided to propose, he did it the way that suited them best: surrounded by the people they love. He arranged a dinner at an Italian restaurant, gathered Ericka’s closest friends, and set a single rule for the evening — everyone in black.
As the entrées arrived, he stood to make a toast. Then he lowered himself to one knee. The room she thought was just a dinner party became the night she said yes. It is exactly the kind of moment we build our craft around: the seconds you feel in your chest before you can even name them.
Morning light at the Grove NJ
The day opened inside The Grove’s luxury room where the bridal suite fills with soft, forgiving light — a photographer’s favorite kind. We start close: the rings, the invitation, the DIY details, the last pin in her hair.
Then came a first look we’ll remember — not with Zachary, but with her parents. Seeing their daughter dressed and ready, moments before the day truly began, is the quiet kind of emotion that’s easy to miss and impossible to fake. We were there for every second of it.
Vows on the grounds
As the evening cooled, guests gathered at The Grove’s ceremony room with luxury chandeliers that filled the light of their love. Ericka and Zachary said their vows surrounded by two families becoming one.
They describe their relationship in three words — romantic, fun, and respectful — and every one of them was visible in how they looked at each other. Our second shooter and drone captured the ceremony from every angle, so nothing was left to memory alone
The staircase, the carriage house, the gardens
Knowing a venue well is half of what makes wedding photography feel effortless. At The Grove, that means the descending marble staircase in the light-filled lobby, the carriage house, and the garden paths under the oaks — each a backdrop we’ve learned to light and time exactly right.
We move fast so the couple doesn’t have to. A few unhurried minutes for just the two of them, a set with the full bridal party of thirteen, and portraits with family — all folded into the day without pulling them away from it for long.
The entrance they’d been waiting for
Ask Ericka what she looked forward to most and the answer comes quickly: the entrance to the reception, the dancing, and gathering as many memories as possible with the people she loves. With two hundred guests filling the grand ballroom, the room was ready for them.
The night moved through formalities and family, a spirited hora that lifted the couple up on chairs, and a floor that never really emptied. We worked the room for candid, in-between moments — the laughs and glances no one poses for.
Two heritages, honored
What made this wedding singular was the way it carried Ericka’s Thai heritage through the celebration. Mid-reception, two monks led a traditional blessing — the sacred water-pouring ceremony — over the couple, a moment of stillness and meaning inside a night of joy.
Then came the transformation: Ericka, Zachary, and both sets of parents changed into traditional Thai attire, bringing a second wave of color and ceremony to the evening. Documenting a dual-heritage wedding well means understanding what each ritual means and where to stand before it happens — not scrambling to catch up. For couples searching for a Thai wedding photographer in New Jersey who will treat both sides of their story with equal care, this is exactly the work we love most.
“I want to feel joyful, happy tears — like I can relive the moment through the photos and video.”
The details
Made by hand, worth remembering
Ericka and her bridesmaids made the centerpieces themselves — the kind of personal, handmade detail that gives a wedding its fingerprint. We photograph these the way we photograph the big moments, because in a year they’ll be part of the story you tell about your day.
Her favorite thing about Zachary is simple and telling: how sweet and respectful he is, to her and to everyone around them. That warmth set the tone for the whole celebration, and it’s all over these photographs.
Planning a wedding at The Grove?
A few questions we hear often from Cedar Grove couples.
Planning a classic wedding at The Grove in Cedar Grove?
Every Grove celebration is different. For a full look at how we photograph the venue for any style of wedding — the marble staircase, the farmhouse suites, the garden grounds and grand ballrooms — see our complete guide as The Grove wedding photographer.
Do you photograph a Thai wedding at The Grove?
Yes. We specialize in multicultural and dual-heritage celebrations across New Jersey, including Thai traditions like the water-pouring blessing, monk blessings, and traditional outfit changes. Our bilingual team documents both the Western and cultural elements of your day with equal care.
What’s included in your wedding coverage?
Our collections include professional photography, cinematic video, and drone coverage, with multi-photographer options so we can capture getting-ready, first looks, ceremony, and reception at the same time. Ericka and Zachary’s day was covered with 10 hours of photo, video, and drone.
How far in advance should we book?
We recommend reaching out 9 to 14 months before your date, especially for peak-season Saturdays at popular venues like The Grove. Get in touch early to check availability and reserve your date.
Getting married at The Grove?
Let’s tell your story.
Whether your day is a classic Grove celebration or a wedding that carries two cultures, we’d love to be the ones who help you relive it for years to come.