Jenna & Tim | Rock Island Lake Club | Sparta, NJ

Rustic Waterfront Wedding

My first impression of Tim was actually watching him fall backwards into a bush! My friend invited me to hang out with our college football team and as we approached, Tim’s friend kicked his chair out from under him. His easy going sense of humor instantly drew me to him. We were just friends through college and it wasn’t until a year after graduation that we went on our first date, to a Mets game.

Almost 10 years later, I am now an active wear fashion designer and Tim works in corporate finance. Before our New Year’s trip to San Diego, Tim secretly asked my parents for permission to marry me. He rented a boat to take us out onto the San Diego Bay and as the sun set over Coronado Island, Tim got down on one knee with a ring. I was shocked to see it was actually my great aunt’s ring reset, still in the original jewelry box. Our Go Pro, which had filmed our ride along the bay, was now turned toward us so the whole proposal was captured on video!

We were looking for a venue with natural beauty on the water that was convenient for our guests to get to. Rock Island Lake Club was about halfway between Tim’s family in New Jersey and my family in Connecticut. The venue’s rustic charm and unique décor was perfect for us. The Rock Island team was so helpful with all aspects of planning, including helping us negotiate the price. No one ever told us that we couldn’t do something, they just helped make it all possible.

They also provided impeccable service on our wedding day. With an approaching rain storm and our last-minute decision to proceed with an outdoor ceremony, they magically moved everything from inside to outside seamlessly. We were so happy to get the ceremony in front of the lake as we wanted, officiated by my uncle.

Our fresh, light menu, paired with classic live piano, gave our cocktail hour a summery feel. Butlers passed hors d’oeuvres such as coconut shrimp and skewers with brie, strawberry, and mint. We especially loved the summer station, where chefs grilled marinated London broil served with chilled watermelon kabobs and white sangria. My mom Joanne, my aunt Cathy, and I made mostly DIY décor for the rustic wedding. (I even designed and sewed my own dress!) My aunt grew nearly all the flowers in her garden.

The long wooden tables were decorated with my hand-painted dinner menus and birch bark canoe centerpieces filled with orange and pink flowers and greenery. Per the suggestion of Michael Alia, maître d’, the amber lighting in the room complemented the décor. Rock Island also did an incredible job with the string lights hung on the outside deck and around the dock. They had never done that for a wedding before, but assured us they would do it for our day and it looked beautiful.
 
Dinner began with a mixed green salad with honey Dijon balsamic vinaigrette, followed by four dinner options: filet mignon with bordelaise sauce, chicken breast stuffed with spinach and feta cheese, mahi-mahi filet with prosecco seafood broth, or a grilled eggplant tower with a balsamic glaze. Our Viennese dessert hour featured an international coffee bar and an ice cream sundae bar with various toppings, as well as our delicious wedding cake. Everyone loved the lakeside bonfire pit with s’mores at the end of the night.

Joe and his band played a perfect mix of old and new music, but kept it to songs everyone knew. (They threw in just the right amount of Bruce Springsteen for the NJ crowd!) Our guests were dancing the entire night. I still to this day have people asking me for the name of the band.

To the Rock Island staff, thank you for making our wedding stress-free and memorable. Thank you to all our friends and family for keeping smiles on our faces all night and being with us on our wedding day. A special thank you to my mom, dad, and aunt Cathy for going above and beyond to help with decorating. We love you all very much!

Rock Island Lake Club
Sparta, NJ, 973.512.399, www.rockislandlakeclub.com