Chic French-Inspired Spring Wedding at The Park Chateau Estate | Mika + Austin
Park Chateau Estate and Gardens | East Brunswick, NJ
I am beyond thrilled to be sharing this spring Park Chateau Estate wedding! Jen of Jennifer Larsen Photography had reached out to me to assist her at a Park Chateau wedding, which, serendipitously, happened to be for Mika and Austin! I captured Mika’s bridal shower in September through a recommendation from Jen and was SO excited to be a part of her and Austin’s wedding day! It was also my first time shooting at the stunning Park Chateau Estate and Gardens – an incredible way to kick off my 2022 wedding season!
A Romantic French-Inspired Wedding Day
Their wedding day looked like an editorial feature pulled straight out of a bridal magazine. The Park Chateau has a beautiful garden area outside their on-site chapel, where Mika and Austin had their first look. The interior, adorned with classic French antiques, perfectly complemented Mika’s modern, elegant wedding details.
Mika wore a gorgeous wedding gown by one of my favorite designers, Monique Lhuillier, and opted for comfortable lace sneakers by Chloe instead of heels. Her bridesmaids wore shades of pink and blush. They all had bouquets by the talented Twisted Willow Flowers that beautifully completed the spring wedding colors. Their wedding was the perfect combination of modern and whimsical French romance.
Getting Ready in the Bridal Suite
The Park Chateau has a massive bridal suite perfect for a large bridal party like Mika’s! There are even salon chairs where the hair and makeup team worked on some of the girls while the others were hanging out on the couch together in the main room. It was one of the loveliest bridal suites I’ve ever seen and an excellent spot for Mika’s bridal portraits.
French Garden First Look
A beautifully manicured French garden sprawls across the estate between the chapel and the mansion. Mika entered the garden from the chapel to greet Austin for their sweet first-look moment. Since it was a little chilly outside in early April, we did some quick portraits outside and then headed indoors for the bridal party portraits. We still had beautiful natural light from outside as we photographed the bridal party in the cocktail hour space. The great thing about a stunning venue like the Park Chateau is that there are plenty of indoor and outdoor spaces for photos. This is important to remember when picking a venue since you never know what the weather may be!
Indoor Ceremony at the Park Chateau Chapel
On-site at the venue is the cutest little private chapel where Mika and Austin had their wedding ceremony. A lovely string quartet greeted guests as they played instrumental versions of popular love songs. Mika and Austin exchanged their vows, shared their first kiss as husband and wife, and then headed to the most fabulous cocktail hour!
Park Chateau Grand Ballroom Reception
Mika and Austin’s cocktail hour was just the right amount of over-the-top. From an Aperol spritz cart from Dolce & Gelato to endless appetizers and passed hors d’oeuvres, guests enjoyed an elaborate cocktail hour before heading into the ballroom for dinner and dancing! The bridal party had everyone laughing at their hilarious entrances before Mika and Austin stole the show with their entrance and first dance. Then, the real party started with the team from Elegant Music Group, which had the dance floor buzzing all night!
Mika and Austin’s wedding day could not have been more perfect! It was such a joy to meet Mika and the women who mean the most to her at her bridal shower and then see them all on her wedding day. It truly felt like a full-circle moment. And my first time at Park Chateau – a clear 10/10 all around! I cannot wait to be back at this venue in the future!
