New wave in seaside weddings
Published: June 18, 2005
Every evening at 6:30, a boat called Cruisin’ 1 leaves from Gardner’s Basin in Atlantic City for a sunset cruise on the bay waters of Atlantic City and Brigantine, N.J.
But on Saturday, May 21, the boat took off for a cruise that was more romantic than normal.
This time, the upper deck was adorned with white tulle and ferns. A white life ring, also draped in ferns, hung in a prominent spot, and on it was written: “Elly and Peter, May 21, 2005, Cruisin 1.”
Elly Lobb and Peter Lapensee, a couple from Canada, exchanged their vows on the upper deck that evening. They are Canadians who love the Shore and wanted to get married near the ocean.
They’ve enjoyed a number of outings on Cruisin 1, so when they learned that Captain Jeff George is also an ordained interfaith minister, their wedding plans fell into place.
“The Shore has always been our special sanctuary, and we loved the idea of getting married on this boat,” said Elly.
Just before 6:30, the bridal party boarded along with a small group of their closest friends, who came from Canada for this low-key, intimate event. There were no other passengers.
Soon Captain George steered the boat out of the harbor. A Delco native and former teacher at Media Elementary School, George is a licensed captain who heads Atlantic City Cruises. From April to October, the boat makes three cruises daily. And about six times a year, couples get married on the boat.
“These are couples who want something different,” said George. “Being out on the water, surrounded by the natural environment, is a unique wedding experience.”
That was certainly true of the wedding last month. The bridal pair was radiant as they stood on the upper deck to recite their vows and exchange rings, withthe captain/minister officiating.
After the ceremony, everyone gathered for a champagne toast on the outer deck. That’s when Mother Nature presented a special wedding gift — a triple rainbow appeared in a colorful arc over the water.
The wedding couple and their guests were thrilled not only with this sight but with the entire experience.
“Awesome!” said Tim Elliott, a friend of the bridegroom for 42 years.
“Fantastic wedding!” enthused close friend Cindy Cassell. “It had so much more originality than the typical wedding.”
Somethin’ fishy about this wedding
- Elly and Peter aren’t the only lovers who have been drawn to the Jersey Shore to exchange wedding vows by the sea. Many couples have exchanged vows on the beach, with the ocean as a beautiful backdrop.
Other couples have found unique, creative ways to wed at the Shore.
The top of the Absecon Lighthouse, the Ocean Life Center aquarium, and Lucy the Elephant all have been the scene of weddings. So has Ripley’s Believe It or Not, the Boardwalk museum with its hundreds of wild exhibits.
Couples who choose these unusual sites face varied challenges, since these places are not primarily set up for weddings. And then you have the unpredictable nature of the Jersey Shore weather.
But when couples set their hearts on a particular site, they feel the extra effort is well worth it.
For instance, Nancy Hayes and Al Torgan of Turnersville were wed this past October in the presence of sharks and other creatures of the sea at the Ocean Life Center at Gardner’s Basin, a state-of-the-art aquarium that opened six years ago.
“I was looking for something very different, and as soon as I saw this, I fell in love with it,” said Hayes.
Other couples have had the same reaction, said marketing director Lisa Schall. She has six weddings scheduled for this summer.
“The uniqueness of the site is what draws couples,” she said.”But to have a wedding here, you have to be open to something non-traditional.”
The first-floor atrium, a large space where fish of all sizes, shapes and vivid colors swim in glass tanks, is where most weddings take place.
Nancy and Al stood in front of the shark tank for their ceremony, and their 125 guests surrounded them. The overhead lights were turned off, and instead, the glass tanks were all illuminated from above. Candles provided additional lighting.
During the reception, all the exhibits were open to the guests, who were drawn to the tanks and their many exotic-looking fish. And the youngsters had fun with the interactive exhibits on the second floor.
For mostguests, thiswas their first visit to the Ocean Life Center — and their first aquarium wedding.
“Seeing how much our guests enjoyed it made us even happier,”said Nancy. “It was just a magical evening for all of us.”
Love lights the way
- Ed and Rosemary Hoffmann of Lafayette, N.J., also gave their guests an unusual experience. Rosemary is a dedicated lighthouse enthusiast who has visited 40 lighthouses on the East Coast. When she and Ed started dating, she introduced him to lighthouses. Soon he shared her enthusiasm.
No wonder their first choice of a wedding site was a lighthouse — specifically, the top. Of all the New Jersey lighthouses they contacted, only the Absecon lighthouse agreed to a ceremony at the top.
“Rosemary almost jumped for joy,” recalls Al.
They were undaunted by the logistical challenges. The top of the lighthouse, a small space, can only accommodate ten people.
So on the afternoon of Dec. 27, 2003, most of their guests remained in the main room downstairs, where a large video screen was set up so they could watch the ceremony at the top.
The wedding couple eagerly climbed the 200-plus steps to the top (the bride wore a pants suit and sensible flat shoes), along with the eight people in the wedding party.
Unfortunately, the minister had an attack of vertigo on the first landing and had to stay below. He used the intercom system to communicate with the couple above.
After the ceremony, the bride and groom stood out on the deck to enjoy the view. Then they descended, and other guests climbed to the top before they all wentto the nearby Sheraton hotel for the reception.
“I love the ocean, and there’s something about being at the top of a lighthouse that gives such a feeling of freedom.” says Rosemary.
“Our relationship began with visits to lighthouses,” said Al. “So starting our married life at the top of the lighthouse was very special.”
Tusk, tusk ..I do
- Dr. Melissa Berg and Dr. Jeff Daniels of Woodbury also chose a site that was meaningful for them. They are both veterinarians, and their wedding took place inside Lucy the Elephant, the mammothpachyderm in Margate that is a National Historic Landmark.
Weighing 6 tons, Lucy is sculpted of nearly one million pieces of wood and covered with a tin skin. A star attraction on Absecon Island,she’s open to the public for tours in season — and on occasion, for special events such as weddings.
“Every island has a beach, but there’s only one elephant in the world where you can get married inside,” said executive director Richard Helfant, who helps plan several Lucy weddings each year.
“It’s a great way to start married life — and something to tellkids and grandkids. Besides, an elephant is a symbol of good luck.”
The two vets were married inside Lucy on Nov. 16, 2003.
“Right in the belly of the beast,” says Melissa.
The first floor of Lucy’s interiorhouses the main area that features exhibits detailing her history. There’s also a small balcony on the second level with stairways leading up.
On the day of their wedding, garlands draped the railings, and a two-foot tall ceramic elephant, one of Melissa’s favorite possessions, was placed at the base of the balcony.
The bride and groom walked up the steps to the balcony where the ceremony took place. Next, they climbed to the top and stood outside on Lucy’s howdah (the Indian style carriage that sits atop her flanks) for their wedding photos. Meanwhile, the guests wandered around looking at all the exhibits detailing Lucy’s history.
Later, at the reception at the Ram’s Head Inn, Lucy souvenirs were at every place setting, and the wedding cake was topped with an elephant instead of a bridal pair.
This wedding was ripe for media coverage. An Associated Press article with photos went out over the wire and was published in newspapers across the country.
But for the wedding couple, the big pleasure was not the media coverage but the reaction of their guests.
“Everyone loved it,” said Melissa, noting that she and Jeff still drink their morning coffee from Lucy the Elephant mugs.
“It was unique, fun, relaxed. We wouldn’t have changed a thing.”
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