We’re suckers for a stunning wedding in an unexpected location. Em and Stu tied the knot at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey surrounded by their favorite people dancing the night away with a live band!
The ceremony was against the background of blue water and colorful fish. And with the aesthetic architecture of the aquarium, the styling was kept to a minimum which was also a factor why the couple chose this spot.
Scroll down and be transported to an underwater fantasy!
Where did you get married?
Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey
Why did you choose to get married at Adventure Aquarium?
We thought it would be fun, unique, and brought its own decorations!
What was the most memorable part of your wedding day?
It’s hard to pick just one! Cracking jokes during our vows, our first married kiss, our entrance to the Rocky theme song and first dance, dancing with all the people we love, and seeing the fun everyone was having all dressed up and gorgeous!
Em, paint us a picture. What was the theme, style, colors, and overall vibe of your wedding day?
Theme was us, fun, and of course the aquarium! We chose light purple and dark blue for our colors but let bridesmaids choose their dress and groomsmen choose their suit lining and fun socks. We made the ceremony our own – focusing on love, laughter, and fun. We’re anything but serious!
What was your favorite part of planning your wedding?
Getting the venue and the band was really exciting. We did a really good job as a team to divvy up the responsibilities to who was best at what. A small but favorite part was putting Go Fish and a magnetic fishing game on the cocktail tables. Tasting was fun too of course!
What was the best investment you made for your wedding?
The band for sure, but every couple has to invest in what’s important to them. For example, decorations, flowers, and cake were not important to us, so that was minimal. But we knew we wanted an epic party, so inviting as many of our people as we could and breaking the budget on an amazing band was a must!
Is there anything you would have done differently?
I would have tried to worry less about if everyone was having fun and just focused on making sure I was! Minor thing, but maybe choose a different item than the short ribs which seemed a little dry. Oh, and perhaps not have forgotten my dress at home!! (that’s a whole ‘nother story)
What was your favorite part of using WedSites for your wedding?
Sending Save the Dates was a breeze, as was the ability to send update emails about COVID, RSVPing, and after the wedding we could send out a giant thank you note with links to pictures – and it made it easy for everyone to communicate back to us with any questions
Wedding planning is notoriously stressful. Now that you’ve gone through the process, do you have any advice or words of wisdom for couples who are currently in the midst of planning theirs?
Start early and keep it steady. We didn’t stress much because we stayed on top of things, divided up the work according to our strengths. The Knot timeline/checklist function was helpful (the only part of their site we used)
The amazing team of vendors involved with this wedding
Venue: Adventure Aquarium
Photographer: Tami + Ryan Photography
Officiant: Our friend Tom
Caterer: Through Adventure Aquarium
Decor: Tammy Goodwin-Pipkin
Entertainment: Milan 77 (band)
Hair and Makeup Artist: I Do Hair and Makeup Weddings
Wedding Dress: Panache Bridal | estee’ Couture
Wedding Website: WedSites
Videographer: Jamie Root – JFR Media
