This real wedding feature is a winter wedding at The Park Savoy with a very special couple! Kate and Catherine came to us with their gorgeous venue already locked in and a desire to embrace the holidays for their big wedding day. We planned with them throughout 2024 to bring a little Christmas magic from the ceremony right through the end of the reception.
From the chic black bridesmaid dresses to the twinkling lights on endless Christmas trees, this winter wedding was a stunner! Keep reading to hear about the incredible details that elevated this wedding from basic to breathtaking and be sure to pin those photos to inspire you for your own holiday wedding.
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Kate and Catherine had definite ideas and inspiration for their winter wedding at The Park Savoy in Florham Park, New Jersey. They wanted the magic of the holidays to be incorporated with the true start of Christmas beginning as wedding guests departed for the night.
The Park Savoy was the perfect location choice as this beautiful wedding venue offers everything on site. Kate and Catherine, after touring countless venues, fell in love with the chapel and the rest is history!
The wedding day started with Kate getting ready on site at Park Savoy, while Catherine and her friends and family were getting ready at a beautiful home rental in New Jersey. The vision was always super clear, even for this space, and they wanted a rustic home big enough for everyone that needed to get ready there.
Once hair and makeup was all set at the off site home, Catherine, along with her mom and dad and bridesmaids headed over to Park Savoy. Having a vintage car was a top priority and the couple wanted to incorporate this special detail into their first look upon arrival to the venue.
One of my favorite details from this wedding was the custom made suit that Catherine wore. Every inch of this suit was designed with Catherine’s guidance and the result was absolute perfection. As a wedding planner, I always recommend having a custom suit made with personal details as something you will cherish forever.
As Catherine traveled to The Park Savoy, Kate was upstairs at the venue getting ready in their beautiful wedding suite. Hair and makeup got an early but not too early start, as the ladies enjoyed refreshments provided by the venue. All of Kate’s details including her stunning wedding gown were ready for the photo and video team to capture.
One of the things I recommend my couples look for in a venue is a place to get ready on site. But that getting ready location has to be big and offer lots of natural light. These are just more reasons why I’ll always have The Park Savoy on my recommended venue list in New Jersey. The space is incredible and no matter how many bridesmaids and vendors you need to pack in, there is plenty of room for all of it!
Related: Start the search for your perfect destination wedding location here!
Wedding Planner Tip: Always have all of your details ready to go for when your photo and video team arrives. Then they can bring them to the best locations (usually with lots of light) to capture them perfectly!
Kate and Catherine worked with one of our favorite stationery designers (full vendor list at the end of the blog) to create everything from their invitations to their escort cards. With their bridesmaids all in black and the upscale black and white vibes in the decor, these invitations were perfectly designed to fit that aesthetic.
My absolute favorite detail on Kate’s dress were those gorgeous lace sleeves. The perfect touch for any winter wedding but the best part? Catherine had no idea that the sleeves were also detachable. Honestly, there were so many cute surprises with these two and that’s what made this wedding as special as it was.
Once Catherine arrived and Kate was ready, we set up for the first look right outside the front entrance of The Park Savoy. We were so blessed to have a small snowstorm the day before which covered the grounds in a blanket of white. It doesn’t get more magical than that when you’re going for the Christmas vibe on your wedding day!
Despite the cold, Kate and Catherine spent time outside taking these gorgeous first look photos both inside and outside the vintage car they loved. And how amazing does that bridal bouquet look with those pops of holiday red?!
With the first look completed and all of the photos that go with it done, Kate and Catherine along with their parents and wedding party headed back into the estate to await the ceremony beginning. Guests arrived and went straight to the beautiful chapel that was filled with the gorgeous light of the sun setting and plenty of twinkling lights on the Christmas trees.
The bridesmaids all wore black and I honestly love this color the most because it’s chic and looks good on everyone! I was with Kate and Catherine earlier in the year when they selected the gorgeous bridesmaid option and the beautiful look for the maids of honor. If you’re thinking about putting your bridesmaids in black, this is your sign to do it!
I am still swooning over these beautiful Christmas inspired bouquets. I have so many favorite parts…the fact that they smelled amazing and along with the ceremony decor, made the chapel smell like Christmas heaven…and how effortlessly they look all put together while incorporating small pops of red. It’s impossible to choose my favorite part of these bouquets! What would be yours?
Not only is the light perfect in the wedding suite at The Park Savoy, but their chapel is incredible! Just look at that glow of sunshine on Kate’s veil and tell me it’s not romantic AF. Good lighting is essential on your wedding day so if you’re currently looking for a wedding venue, make sure to keep that in mind.
After a beautiful ceremony where Kate and Catherine read their vows that they had written, they sealed the marriage with a kiss and then it was time to officially start the party! With a first look and formal pictures with the wedding party and family already done, Kate and Catherine were free to head upstairs to the suite for some time alone before joining their guests.
One of my absolute favorite details from this wedding is the escort cards. Carefully designed to mimic gift tags to honor the holidays, each card was adorned with a brass bell. I always love when couples want to do something special with either escort cards or a seating chart and this display was full of holiday magic!
Another thing to consider when selecting a wedding venue is the locations available for photos. Park Savoy has endless places to take photos which is a dream for all wedding photographers. Plus, when you’re the only wedding that day, you have the ability to go anywhere at any time. This gorgeous room off the entrance of Park Savoy was a beautiful spot to capture even more photos of the happy couple.
After cocktail hour and the personal dances were completed, Kate and Catherine sat at their beautiful sweetheart table for dinner and to listen to the toasts from their family members. All of the Christmas trees used for the ceremony were repurposed to flank the sweetheart table and the couple enjoyed the warmth of the fire behind them.
Wedding Planner Tip: If you are looking to host a wedding during the holidays, ask your wedding venue what their decor will look like before committing to the space.
The last formality of the wedding night was to cut the gorgeous naked cake that our florist added touches of evergreen to. Park Savoy, like the sister properties, has a list of talented bakers they work with making the cake selection totally seamless.
To end the night and kick off the Christmas holiday, Kate and Catherine wanted to have traditional carolers singing as guests were leaving. This group was such a beautiful addition to an already spectacular wedding and a total surprise to everyone in attendance! Guests even had the option to grab some late night bites from the outside food truck and then settle in to hear some spectacular singing…and they even took requests!!
Kate and Catherine truly had a magical wedding day and I am so glad I had the opportunity to plan with this very special couple. Be sure to check out the full vendor list below and follow us on TikTok and Instagram for more photos and videos including behind the scenes of this and other incredible weddings and events.
Congratulations Kate and Catherine!
Vendor List
Venue: The Park Savoy
Wedding Planner: Rothweiler Event Design
Photo and Video: Sava Photography
Florist: A Creative Touch
Stationery: Little Black Dress Paperie
Band: Hank Lane- Spotlight
Hair and Makeup: Michelle Elise Artistry and Makeup by Cole
Wedding Gown: The Wedding Salon of Manhasset
Wedding Suit: MannaeStore
Bridesmaid Dresses: Bella Bridesmaids
Transportation: RPD Limo
Officiant: Richard Colonna
Carolers: Christmas Matters
Food Truck: A Taste of Brooklyn
