In 2015, NJ.com launched a new series celebrating New Jersey nuptials. If you would like to be considered for a feature, email weddingsjerseystyle@gmail.com[1].
Remember Scotty Smalls, the shrimpy pre-teen from the 1993 coming-of-age baseball comedy "The Sandlot[2]"?
As children of the '90s, Nicole Hewett and Kevin Schenk never could have predicted the old flick's main character would impact their first meeting.
The two were introduced at T.G.I. Friday's in Iselin by mutual friends. It was a meeting that almost never happened, as Hewett nearly went to another Friday's and Schenk almost didn't show up after a friend canceled on him. But fates aligned and Hewett now admits she was immediately struck by Schenk when he walked into the bar.
"I knew he was the one when I saw him walk in," said the 30-year-old logistics coordinator. "He was wearing a green sweater, and green hat and he reminded me of Smalls from 'The Sandlot.' As he walked towards us I was like, 'this is it.' He didn't even know who I was yet."
THE WEDDING DATE
It wasn't just Schenk's resemblance to a movie character that convinced Hewett he was the one. It was actually his resemblance to the "dream man" Hewett had written about in middle school.
"(In middle school) my friends and I used to make a list of everything our dream man would be — handsome, smart, athletic, funny, brave, could cook, and was loving and kind," said Hewett. "I found all of that in Kevin."
In June 2015, Schenk took Hewett to the beaches of Keansburg, the spot where they had one of their most memorable dates. Under the moonlight, on the sandy beaches of the Jersey Shore, Schenk got down on one knee and proposed.
The couple chose April 23, 2016 as their wedding date — Hewett loves odd numbers.
THE VENUES
Schenk and Hewett chose Saint James Catholic Church[3] in Woodbridge, Hewett's childhood church, as the location for their ceremony.
The couple would choose Tim McLoone's Supper Club[4], located on the Asbury Park Boardwalk, as the site for their reception.
"We wanted something non-traditional, and were having "Great Gatsby" elements throughout the wedding, so we thought it was perfect," said Hewett.
"We also loved that it used to be a Howard Johnson's."
WHERE THEY SPLURGED
The couple spent the most money documenting their special day.
"We had very different budgets and intentions in the beginning [of planning] but we really wanted it done right, so we made these the two areas to focus on."
The couple chose Marconi - The Art of Photography[5] for their photos.
"We used to live in South Amboy, and I drove past the photographer's office everyday, and I always wondered if I would end up using him for my wedding," said Hewett.
WHERE THEY SAVED
Hewett was able to save money on one of the most important pieces of a bride's day (well besides the groom, of course) — the wedding dress.
"I got a fantastic deal at David's Bridal," said Hewett.
The bride ended up selecting trumpet-style dress with a lace gown, champagne underlay and an empire waist with a belt and buttons down the back.
Hewett said she was really able to make the dress "her own."
HOW THEY MADE THEIR WEDDING SPECIAL
"My uncle is an Episcopalian bishop, and he assisted our priest with the vows," said Hewett.
During the reception, the bride and her father danced to a special song from their past, The Eurythmics' "There Must Be Angel (Playing With My Heart)[6]," Hewett and her dad would dance to the tune when they lived in Germany during his military days.
The couple also made their rehearsal dinner special, by holding it at J.J. Bitting Brewing Company[7] in Woodbridge, the site of their first date.
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS
When asked to choose, the groom Schenk chose the moment when Hewett walked down the aisle as his favorite memory.
"I was smiling and waving to everybody — he said I looked so happy," said Hewett.
"I loved our vows," Hewett said. "I was so scared that I would sob through them, but I got away with one single tear, and we spent the rest of the mass with our best friends by our sides."
When it came to the reception, the crowd particularly loved the couple's choice to end the night with the Dropkick Murphy's punk anthem, "Shipping Up to Boston."
However, it seems a mistake was one of the biggest memories for the bride.
"We forgot the garter," said Hewett. "Luckily, my maid of honor had her old garter in her car," said Hewett. "So that ended up being my something 'old' and something 'borrowed.' "
All photos courtesy of and credit to: Marconi - the art of photography[8]
Bill Bodkin can be reached at bodkinwrites@gmail.com.[9]
Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook[10].
References
- ^ weddingsjerseystyle@gmail.com (www.nj.com)
- ^ The Sandlot (www.imdb.com)
- ^ Saint James Catholic Church (stjamesonline.org)
- ^ Tim McLoone's Supper Club (www.timmcloonessupperclub.com)
- ^ Marconi - The Art of Photography (marconiphotography.com)
- ^ There Must Be Angel (Playing With My Heart) (www.youtube.com)
- ^ J.J. Bitting Brewing Company (www.njbrewpubs.com)
- ^ Marconi - the art of photography (marconiphotography.com)
- ^ bodkinwrites@gmail.com. (www.nj.com)
- ^ NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook (www.facebook.com)
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