It is rare I get the opportunity to tell a couple’s story from their point of view, but I love when I get the chance to do so!  Erica and Eric were married on a gorgeous fall day at the Indian Trail Club.  They are two of the kindest people I know, and their relationship is filled with love, laughter, and so much adventure!  Get lost in their sweet story below.

How We Met:
Eric and I met a little over 6 years ago at Queens College in New York, where we both attended graduate school for teaching. Although we met in early September when Eric kindly offered to set up my T.V. in my dorm room (but was unsuccessful since “I made him nervous!”), it took a few months of exchanging smiles in the elevator until we began dating in March of the following year, when the timing was right. In the very beginning of our relationship, Eric would slip his favorite DVD’s under my door late at night, and stop by after class with some Frozen Yogurt, not just for me, but for all of my suite-mates too. It didn’t take long for me to fall head over heels for this chivalrous, handsome, fun-loving and charismatic man. In just a few short months of dating, we realized our strong connection, our shared love of popcorn and adventures, and knew we had found a rare and beautiful love that was meant to last.

The Proposal:
Eric proposed on Christmas Eve, which is also my birthday, in front of our closest family, since he knew how important family is to me. Before the proposal, Eric asked me to open my birthday present from him, which was a Polaroid camera, a gift that I had told him I wanted! Eric whispered, “Save this camera for the special moments.” Seconds later, chords from a guitar began to play a song that Eric knew I loved, “I Choose You” by Sara Bareilles. Then, in walked a mutual friend from school who began to serenade us. Eric got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes, and the first picture of us taken after the engagement was captured on my new Polaroid camera, since it was truly a special moment! On our wedding day, our engagement song “I Choose You” was played during the ceremony, right before I walked down the aisle to become Eric’s wife, to let him know that I choose him too!

Wedding Planning Process:
Before beginning to plan our wedding, I was under the false impression that all we would have to worry about choosing would be the venue, the vendors, and the food! That definitely was not the case. Never in my life have I had to make so many decisions for one event and if you ask any of my family or friends, they will tell you that I can’t make a decision even if my life depended on it. Thankfully, our engagement was almost two years long, so I had more than enough time to make the million decisions I needed to make for our wedding and, although my husband fully trusted me to make any and all decisions, he let me know that whenever or however I needed him, he would help too. We knew that the first decisions that needed to be made were choosing a wedding style and establishing our budget. We both shared the same vision of a rustic lakefront wedding with vibrant colors, so that definitely helped to narrow down our venue search and, lucky for us, after visiting only a handful of venues, we chose the venue that perfectly matched our vision. And what better season to incorporate vibrant colors than Fall? We decided on an October wedding, and it was a bonus that our venue happened to be a hidden gem that none of our friends or family had ever heard of before, which guests are still raving about! We then sat down and decided what aspect of the wedding was most important to us. For me, it was the photography and for Eric, it was the music. Naturally, these two elements were what we decided to splurge on, and it was absolutely worth every penny. What we ended up with was a crazy and fun dance party that lasted all night long, which became the best night of our lives, and unbelievably breathtaking, raw, and timeless photos that we will look back on for years to come, if by chance our memory of the details of the night begins to fade. All of the details and fall-themed DIY projects were decided on and created as we got closer to the wedding day. Pumpkins and fall leaves, to compliment the foliage for our outdoor ceremony and picture-perfect setting, were a must! Therefore, most of the details, including the DIY menus, programs, table signs, and place cards, included fall colors of wine, orange, and yellow. All of the details, and decisions, both big and small, helped to create the perfect blend for the most unforgettable day, and surpassed all of our expectations and hopes for a dream wedding.

How I Chose My Wedding Dress:
I spent hours upon hours searching online for the perfect wedding dress and finally narrowed it down to my five favorites. Soon after, I went to local bridal shops to try each of the dresses on. I fell in love with the very first dress, but I decided to keep looking- just incase. Other dresses were beautiful but I found myself comparing all others to the first David Tutera by Mon Cheri dress. Finally, I realized that there was no need to keep looking for different dresses because I had already found the perfect one for me. It had everything I pictured in my wedding dress: embroidered lace beautifully beaded throughout, a sweetheart neckline, and a gorgeous chapel-length train with scalloped edges. I chose a simple but elegant veil with beading on the trim to compliment the beading on my wedding dress.

Our Favorite Part of the Wedding Day:
Although we loved nearly every single detail and memory from our wedding day, Eric and I both agree that our favorite part of our wedding day was when we exchanged our personal vows to each other. Among other things, Eric promised to always show me love, display kindness and compassion, and never let me face any obstacle alone. I vowed to cherish and honor him, be his life-long confidant and number one supporter, and to keep my love as pure as it was in that moment. While we were exchanging our vows, it felt like time had stood still and for those few minutes, all we could see was each other.

The Team: Photographer- Amy Rizzuto Photography, Second Photographer- Mekina Saylor, Venue- Indian Trail Club, Hair Stylist- Kerry from Melissa D’Aloia & Co, Make-up Artist- Elena from Melissa D’Aloia & Co, Florist- Colony Florist, Dress- Katharine by David Tutera for Mon Cheri, Bridesmaid Dress- F15928 – The Dress Collection at David’s Bridal, Shoes- Badgley Mischka Scarlett Pump, Videographer- Enchanted Celebrations, Cake- Le Petit Gateau, DJ- DDM Entertainment, First Dance Song- I Get To Love You by Ruelle

Want to see more pretty images like Erica and Eric’s Indian Trail Club wedding photos?  Follow along on instagram and facebook!

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Amy Rizzuto is a NJ wedding photographer
who specializes in capturing the authentic joy of adventurous couples in love.
For more information visit www.amyrizzutophotography.com!