An Elegant, Traditional Wedding at Eagle Oaks Golf and Country Club in Farmingdale, New Jersey

Kristen Pilecki (26 and a project manager) and Kelsey Russell (24 and a law enforcement officer) met in Kristen’s hometown while working together at the police station just after college. It was long before the silly pranks and flirting blossomed into a full-blown relationship. “After spending my college years at NYU, I never thought I'd meet the love of my life in the same town in which I grew up, just a few minutes from my childhood home,” says Kristen. Three years later, Kelsey surprised Kristen with a proposal while they were taking Christmas card photos on the beach. “Unable to contain his excitement, Kelsey rushed through the photos, which left me frustrated; I wanted the perfect one,” says Kristen. “As we began to walk away, Kelsey said, ‘Wait, we have to take one more picture.’ I turned around to find him down on one knee, holding the most beautiful Verragio ring I have ever seen. I was completely shocked. We were the only ones on the beach at the end of October, and it was the perfect proposal.”Timeless elegance was the guiding principle for the couple’s early September wedding. Kristen and Kelsey kicked the day off with a traditional ceremony at the First United Methodist Church in Farmingdale, NJ, where generations of Kristen’s family had been married. “It warms my heart to see photographs of Kelsey and I exchanging vows at the same altar that so many loved ones had before,” says Kristen. “My best friend also sang at the same piano the exact same song I sang at my grandmother's wedding almost twenty years prior, when I was six. This was such a poignant moment.” Eagle Oaks Golf and Country Club played host for the couple’s reception, the wrap-around porch and elegant decor immediately drawing the couple in. ”The decor fit the classic theme of our wedding perfectly,” says Kristen, “and since I was raised on a rather large sod farm in the area, the sprawling green of the golf course reminded me of where I grew up.” The couple chose a color palette of white, ivory, gray, gold and black for the affair for a timeless, classic feel, with lush, tall arrangements of ivory blooms brought their vision to life. “Our amazing florist, Kirk's Florist, in Farmingdale, NJ, worked with us to create beautiful bouquets and large table centerpieces. I left most of the creativity up to them, requesting white and cream flowers, plush and full, with not too much green,” says Kristen. “Kelsey and I are pretty low-maintenance, so we did not see our flowers until the bouquets and boutonnieres were delivered and until we walked into our reception. They were perfect and so far exceeded my expectations, that I immediately began to cry!” Not ready to let the day happen without a truly “Kristen and Kelsey” touch, the couple decided to throw their guests for a loop and kick off the festivities with a Hora. "We had a long-running joke that, despite our Protestant heritage, it would throw our guests off completely if we began the wedding with a Hora. Plus, when would we ever again have the opportunity to see our parents hoisted up on chairs?" says Kristen. "Our band complied and although initially met by a lot of confused looks from our guests, everyone joined us out on the dance floor and had a blast, laughing because they would expect something like this from Kelsey and me."