Emily & Michael | SkyView Golf Club | Sparta, NJ

“A Stellar Team”

Emily: Michael and I met the summer before we went to college. Michael saw me online and that we were going to the same school. He reached out to me and even walked me to my first class. Our beginnings were untraditional, because after a house fire I moved in with Michael and his whole family, six siblings and all! We got to know each other very well early on, and five years later we were engaged!

Michael: I planned to propose on our anniversary, but Emily wanted to take advantage of Labor Day sales. So a last minute adjustment led to a trip to a pet store and an impromptu “Christmas card photoshoot with our new pet fish,” that was actually me setting up the camera to videotape our proposal.

Emily: We both work for Anthony Ziccardi Studios. Michael is a cinematographer and I am in the portrait studio, so we’ve seen lots of venues. We knew from the beginning we were set on SkyView Golf Club. We absolutely love the grounds and the interior design of the venue. The many photo spots provide variety, including mountain views, lush trees, and a beautiful sunset.

Michael: We chose SkyView before the pandemic hit and we already loved the doors in the ballroom that open to the outdoors. SkyView went above and beyond and installed a gorgeous patio outside the ballroom doors that let us have the outdoor dining we needed. Jenn Ruchalski, office assistant, was amazing to work with. She was so responsive and made planning through a pandemic as stress-free as possible. The day of, she was there for us from beginning to end. Our entire day went off perfectly.

Emily: We were so fortunate to have such a stellar team at SkyView. Getting ready in the morning was relaxing. We were constantly fed and given drinks, and when I needed some moral support Jenn was right there! She is so kind-hearted and a wonderful person to have on your side for such an important day.

Michael: Our ceremony was at St. Joseph’s Church in Newton, NJ, where my father is the deacon and where I attended while growing up. He was the celebrant for our marriage and having him perform our ceremony was incredibly meaningful.

Emily: Our cocktail hour was amazing! Our guests raved about the food and ate so much that many believed cocktail hour was the main course! My favorites were the lamb roast, penne with vodka sauce, and the slider station! All the food was delicious and noteworthy for both quality and quantity!

Michael: We went very simple with our décor. SkyView is so gorgeous in itself that it doesn’t need much! We had pumpkins, lanterns and floating candles throughout the reception room. Jenn placed napkins on the tables that matched our bridal party color and really tied the room together.

Emily: We started dinner with a Caesar salad that was delicious. Our entrée options were duet of chateaubriand with bordelaise sauce or grilled chicken breast with roasted red peppers, capicola, and mozzarella with a garlic herb alfredo. Both were accompanied by veggies and potatoes. I loved the chicken and Michael loved the beef.

The entire dinner was so delicious that I actually sat down and ate everything on my plate — I never do that! Our wedding cake was cookies and cream with vanilla butter cream icing. It was by far the most amazing cake I’ve ever eaten!

Michael & Emily: We have so many people to thank for how amazing our wedding went. We booked our venue 25 months before finally getting to say, “I do” and we will always appreciate the effort put into our day by the team at SkyView, our parents and siblings, our bridal party, and our super-talented vendors. We’re so blessed to have had our close friends and family there and look forward to continuing the celebration with Emily’s Nana and our other family members who couldn’t attend!

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