Briana & Steven | SkyView Golf Club | Sparta, NJ

"Magnificent Views"

The first time Steve asked me to be his girlfriend, I said no. We had known each other since freshman year of high school, and after keeping in touch through college, I was weary of ruining a great friendship. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that Steve was right, and we were meant to be more than friends. I told him to ask me again. Luckily, he did, and now, 15 years after the first time we met, we’re husband and wife.

Six years after we started dating, we went on a trip to the Finger Lakes. Every night before dinner we watched the sun set over the lake. On our last night, we were watching the sunset when Steve took my hand, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. I, of course, said yes! Knowing I always dreamed of a photographed proposal, Steve had hired a photographer to capture the whole thing.

We wanted to get married outdoors with a beautiful, natural view and a rustic, soft, romantic look. SkyView Golf Club offered all that and more. We loved the spacious area for cocktail hour, with floor-to-ceiling windows that open to the most magnificent view. The reception space has a gorgeous chandelier accented by lengths of tulle, twinkling lights, and a fireplace to keep the rustic vibe. The rooms all feel dreamy, romantic, and open. The outdoor ceremony space is the best part of all. A wooden archway frames a stunning view that we fell in love with. And on the grounds, a gazebo, a log cabin, and a barn offer different backgrounds for phenomenal photos! Beautiful inside and out, this was the venue for us! Once we decided to have our wedding at SkyView, we began working with the amazing Michelle Flores Payano, the banquet sales manager, and Rafael Payano, the general manager. They answered our questions quickly and efficiently. We never felt rushed when meeting with them, and they were so helpful setting up our decorations exactly how we envisioned.

Our ceremony was picturesque. We spent weeks writing meaningful vows and decorated the wooden arch with flowers. A close family friend officiated and my cousin and one of our groomsmen each did a reading.They reused our ceremony decorations around the cocktail hour and the reception and Michelle made sure we could enjoy our cocktail hour with our guests by bringing us little plates of the food we selected.

Inspired by the light, romantic feel of the reception space, we had pink uplighting and ivory table linens. Our centerpieces were two-tier glass stands covered in pale flowers and succulents. No two centerpieces were the same. On the tables were our homemade limoncello favors, and our sweetheart table was decorated with a wooden Mr. & Mrs. sign and flowers. In front of the table we had our initials surrounded by lanterns and candles. We decorated the fireplace mantle with a wooden sign saying our names and our wedding date. In the entrance a sign saying “generations of love” was flanked by our parents’ and grandparents’ wedding photos. We also had a memory table with photos of our loved ones who had passed away. Our signature drink, “Uncle Ricky’s Jack and Coke,” honored my uncle.

For an appetizer, guests had a tri-color salad. For dinner, they were served a duet of chateaubriand and herb-stuffed chicken. Dessert was our white wedding cake with a cannoli and cream cheese filling, paired with vanilla ice cream and berries. Our florist added succulents and pink and white roses cascading down the tiers. We took dance lessons for our first dance and were excited to show our family and friends what we’d been working on for weeks. Our DJ used dry ice to create a cloud effect and had the dance floor packed all night. We had so much fun dancing with everyone we loved. At the end of the night, a food truck served empanadas for guests to enjoy on the way back to the hotel.

We’d like to thank our family and friends for sharing in our happiness. We thank our bridal party for their essential part in our celebration. We want to express a special thank you to our parents for their unconditional love and support and for making our wedding day possible. To our talented vendors, thank you for making our day so wonderful. There are no words to express how much we love our photos and video. We want to thank Michelle, Rafael, and the SkyView staff for their endless hard work and effort in making our day perfect and unforgettable.

SkyView Golf Club, Sparta, NJ
973.726.4653, www.skyviewgolf.com