Katie & Anthony | The Ryland Inn | Whitehouse Station, NJ

Rustic Elegance

Anthony and I met through mutual friends at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT, but did not start dating until junior year. Now I am a digital marketing manager and he is a senior accountant. Years after we met, Anthony planned to take me and our dog, Wrigley, on a hike at Sleeping Giant Mountain, which overlooks the QU campus, and then propose at the top. When we realized there was too much snow for our little French bulldog to make the trip, we went for a walk around campus instead. On the main quad in front of the library, Anthony suggested we take a picture, and got down on one knee!

We wanted our ceremony and reception to be at a unique venue with rustic elegance. The Ryland Inn was the first and only venue we saw. When my mom and I saw the ballroom, we both got teary-eyed and agreed it was the one. Anthony was convinced when he saw the groomsmen cottage with a pool table and couches. We all loved the chandeliers and high ceilings, the big stone fireplace and nice wood floor, and the fire pits outside. Danielle Gomez, the property manager, and the staff at The Ryland Inn, were all extremely professional, organized, and helpful throughout the process. We felt very much at ease!

We had a sunset ceremony outdoors on the back terrace. Guests were greeted by our “professional greeter,” aka Wrigley, and offered a cold drink. Our ceremony included special readings from both Anthony and my sisters and a sand ceremony with our parents.

Our cocktail hour was held both inside and outside. Our signature cocktail was called “Marry Me Cranberry,” in honor of my grandparents, who co-authored a series of children’s books called “The Cranberry Series.” Our food stations included a carving station, a pasta station, and an Italian antipasto display. We also served hot and cold hors d’oeuvres. Some of our favorites were the baby lamb chops, wild mushroom risotto, lobster rolls, and ceviche of day boat scallops.

Our reception was the perfect combination of rustic charm and romantic elegance. The ballroom was lined with candles and the fireplace was decorated with lanterns and large candles in glass vases. Each table had centerpieces of colorful wild flowers and each napkin was wrapped in ivy with a lavender sprig.  We performed a choreographed first dance to “Latch” by Sam Smith. Our band learned all the songs we asked them to play and had the dance floor packed all night! The singers even came onto the dance floor and shared the mic with our guests.

Dinner started with The Ryland Inn salad of apples, candied nuts, smoked blue cheese, and cider vinaigrette. For our entrée, we offered a duet of salmon and filet mignon. The food was incredible and several guests said the filet was the best they’d ever had. We ended the night with a sparkler send off and giant pretzels to go.

Thank you to our parents for giving us the wedding of our dreams. Thank you to Danielle and The Ryland Inn staff for their top notch service and fabulous food. Thank you to all our vendors, especially our florist and band — you are spectacularly talented. And thanks to our family and friends for celebrating our special day with us!

The Ryland Inn
115 Old Highway 28, Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889
866.683.3586, www.rylandinnnj.com