Wedding Feature: Laura + Alexis’s Fall Wedding at Basking Ridge Country Club
On October 9th, 2020, Laura & Alexis said “I do!” We were so honored to play at their gorgeous wedding reception at the Basking Ridge Country Club, located in Central New Jersey. It featured the club’s pristine fairways, the rolling Somerset Hills, spacious seating, and an overall feeling of airiness and ease. Like so many engaged couples during this pandemic, Laura & Alexis did not have the wedding they originally planned. However, as plan after plan changed, love always remained.
We are excited to share their journey as a couple: how they met, how they adjusted their wedding during COVID, and how they managed to create an incredible final result filled with joy and love.
Tell us the story of how you two met.
Even though we grew up only miles apart (our childhood homes are 6 miles from each other), it was Match.com that connected us! After a few weeks of texting, we planned a first date in New York City, where Laura was living. In his words, it was love at first sight! Over the course of a few months, we journeyed to-and-from NYC and Millburn, NJ (where Alexis was living) to enjoy dinner dates, hikes, comedy shows, museum visits, local adventures, and so much more. As they say, “when you know, you know.”
What made you decide that this was the right person to be with for the rest of your life?
Laura: I knew right from the beginning! It really clicked on one of our early dates: the plan was to visit the Guggenheim on the Upper East Side, followed by dinner. That evening, he waited outside my office building and we took the subway uptown. I have a vivid memory of standing in the fully-packed subway car standing against each other, holding the handrail above us and swaying as the subway flew through the tunnels; I felt so secure and content being right next to him. That evening was full of laughter and learning more about each other. In the weeks that followed that date, his kindness, thoughtfulness, humor, and how perfectly we got along solidified the feeling of knowing he was “the one.”
Alexis:Since we met online, in a very 21st century kind of way, my first glimpse of Laura was through her Match.com profile. She was incredibly beautiful and her profile was very witty and funny. Even before we met in person, I knew Laura was the one. We used to message each other all day; she was so sweet.
What do you enjoy most about each other’s company?
Laura: I love how much Alexis makes me laugh! He always jokes that his job is to make me laugh and feel happy – but it’s really true! Also, we could talk for hours – and we totally have!
Alexis: I always dreamed of finding someone who I could talk to for hours on end, and who could be my better half. Laura keeps me grounded and always reminds me to enjoy life and not be a workaholic. She also brings out my creative and loving side.
How was your experience with Silver Arrow Band?
As most people would agree, the music at a wedding is one of the most memorable aspects of the whole event. We knew from the beginning that we wanted a band – a big band – and after research and lots of listening, Silver Arrow Band checked all the boxes and was the perfect fit for what we imagined. And it was totally true: all of our guests absolutely raved about the band! We were asked, “Where did you find this band?!” countless times throughout the evening. With state restrictions from COVID-19, dancing was kept to a minimum but the band managed to keep the energy high and the happiness flowing through every song all night long!
What was your favorite song you danced to at your wedding?
We’re that sappy couple that wanted to dance to “our song” at our wedding. As we started the wedding planning process, our biggest hope was to find a band that would be willing and able to play a custom song. Silver Arrow Band delivered; for our first dance, they played a gorgeous rendition of our favorite song, “That Sunday, That Summer” by Nat King Cole. It was impossible to not cry and sing along through tears!
Share one special memory from your wedding with us.
Leading up to the wedding, our family, friends, coworkers, strangers on the street – everyone – told us to take a few minutes throughout the wedding to “soak it all in.” We followed this advice and are really happy we did; there’s so much going on and so much to enjoy – you really have to take a few minutes off to the side to admire this event that came together thanks to your own determination, planning, and love for one another! Our most memorable moments were the moments we watched the wedding unfold before us, absorbing all the happiness!
What changes did you have to make to your plans due to the pandemic? Do you have any advice or great solutions you found that you would like to share for other couples?
Planning a wedding during this pandemic was not easy or optimal. Thanks to a lot of organization, we had planned 90% of the wedding before the pandemic began. Unfortunately, our original venue was the opposite of cooperative and ended up creating a nightmare of a situation for us. Luckily, with only 5 weeks to go before the wedding date, we sprang into quick action and we were able to secure a new venue. There were many sleepless nights thanks to the first venue’s complications, as well as general stress and anxiety from the pandemic and the possibility of rescheduling (which we luckily did not have to do). If I could go back in time and give advice to myself, it would be to BREATHE! Plans going awry might feel like the end of the world, but try your hardest to take a step back. Our original dream venue turned out to not be a dream at all; by keeping our mind open and being flexible, we ended up with a dream wedding we couldn’t have imagined.
