When Alexis first described her relationship with Nick to us, she said being with him felt like “second nature.” There may be no better way to describe the two of them.
Alexis and Nick met on Hinge and, in their words, have been inseparable ever since. They share a love of being outside, staying active, and—perhaps most importantly—being surrounded by their families. So when it came time to choose where they would gather everyone they loved for their wedding, Avalon felt almost inevitable.
Alexis’s family has spent their summers vacationing there for years. The beach, the water, and this little stretch of the Jersey Shore were already filled with memories. Their wedding simply gave them one more.
Our time with Alexis and Nick actually began the evening before their wedding, at their rehearsal dinner and welcome party in neighboring Stone Harbor. Photographing the night-before celebration gave us the chance to meet the people who would surround them the following day—their families, their wedding party, and the friends who clearly knew and loved them deeply. The room was full of energy, and Alexis absolutely beamed.
There is something we love about photographing an entire wedding weekend. By the time the wedding morning arrives, faces are familiar. Relationships have revealed themselves. We already know who will make everyone laugh, who will be the first onto the dance floor, and whose reaction we should be watching when the bride walks down the aisle.
Alexis and Nick envisioned a wedding that felt unmistakably at home by the water while still carrying the formality of black tie—a celebration filled with spring color, nautical details, and thoughtful nods to Avalon.
Their ceremony took place in a local church, an important choice for both of them. And while the weather outside had been decidedly unpredictable, one of our favorite arrivals of the entire weekend happened regardless: Nick and his groomsmen pulling up to the church in golf carts.
Formalwear. Golf carts. The Jersey Shore. Perfect.
Alexis brought color into her bridal look in the most beautiful way. Her satin Mark Ingram ballgown was finished with cornflower blue trim—an unexpected detail that felt both timeless and playful—while her bridesmaids wore soft butter yellow.
Her jewelry carried even more personal meaning. Alexis’s bridal jewelry, along with the couple’s rings, was designed by her cousin Maddie of Maddie Mahoney Jewelry. We are always drawn to details that are beautiful, but even more so when the beauty carries a story with it.
The forecast had kept us watching the sky throughout the day. And then, almost as though Avalon knew what we were waiting for, the rain cleared.
We took the wedding party to the beach, and eventually found ourselves there with just Alexis and Nick. Those portraits became some of our favorite photographs of the day—not only because of the light, the sand, or the soft blue of the coast behind them, but because of what happened when the two of them were finally alone: they exhaled.
Wedding days can hold so much: anticipation, logistics, people, movement, emotion. We never want portraits to feel like one more thing our couples have to accomplish. Instead, we want to create a little pocket of space within all of that—a chance to step away together, breathe, and realize: we’re married. On the beach in a place they both knew so well, Alexis and Nick settled into each other. They laughed. They moved. They stopped thinking about the camera. Being together looked like second nature.
Alexis’s father had arranged for a boat to carry the newlyweds to their reception, giving them a fittingly grand entrance from the water. And apparently, one surprise wasn’t enough.
During cocktail hour, a seaplane appeared overhead trailing a banner that read, “Congratulations, Alexis & Nick.”
Those gestures were wonderfully exuberant, but what stayed with us was what they represented. Throughout the weekend, the love Alexis and Nick’s families had for them was palpable. It showed up in big surprises and tiny interactions alike—in the things carefully planned months in advance and the expressions that couldn’t possibly have been planned at all.
Inside Avalon Yacht Club, Michael of Weddings Down the Shore transformed the ballroom into a bright, layered celebration of spring by the sea. Vibrant florals filled the space alongside blue patterns and playful coastal details. Even the escort cards became part of the story, with guests finding their names on personalized beach tags.
Some wedding locations are chosen because they are beautiful, others are chosen because they already mean something. For Alexis and Nick, Avalon was both.
Their wedding wasn’t simply inspired by the coast. The coast was part of their story. It was there in the cornflower blue of Alexis’s gown, the boat pulling up to Avalon Yacht Club, the golf carts outside the church, and the beach tags waiting for their guests. But more importantly, it was there in the familiarity of the place itself—a place Alexis had loved long before it became the setting for her wedding.
Perhaps that is why those quiet minutes on the beach felt so fitting. After the rain, the planning, the ceremony, and the celebration, there they were: barefoot-near-the-water kind of happy, finally with a few minutes to themselves in one of their favorite places.
Alexis had told us that loving Nick felt like second nature. Watching them together, we understood exactly what she meant.
Wedding Planner: Weddings Down the Shore | Venue: Avalon Yacht Club | Hair & Makeup: Taffeta Weddings | Gown: Mark Ingram | Florals: Sera Stems| Entertainment: Hank Lane Band
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