Vanessa & Matt’s Valleybrook Country Club Wedding

Vanessa and Matt are seriously the sweetest and it was such a pleasure getting to spend the day with them at Valleybrook! From private vows during their first look to celebrating all night with the people they love most, there were SO many good moments packed into this day!

Their August 8, 2026 wedding at Valleybrook Country Club in Blackwood, New Jersey was centered around the people they wanted closest to them. Their dusty blue, grey, silver and white color palette gave the day a bright and romantic feel while many of the details were created by Vanessa and her family. From the invitations her grandparents helped design and print to the DIY reception details and signature drinks, there were so many personal touches to document.

As a South Jersey wedding photographer, I loved that Vanessa and Matt’s plans were planned around wanting time to actually experience their wedding with their families and friends. That balance shaped the way we approached their day at Valleybrook Country Club.

A First Look That Included Private Vows

Vanessa and Matt planned a first look before the ceremony and used that time to exchange private vows. Instead of sharing those words in front of everyone, they created a few minutes that belonged only to them before the rest of the wedding day began.

Vanessa also planned a first look with her dad! Building both moments into the timeline meant they didn’t have to squeeze them into an already busy morning or try to recreate them later. It also gave everyone a little breathing room before the ceremony.

This is one reason I like talking through the timeline with couples before their wedding day. The question isn’t just when should photos happen? It’s which moments do you want to actually experience and how can we create enough time for them?

If you’re thinking through your own timeline, my wedding photography timeline guide walks through the amount of time I recommend for portraits, family photos and other parts of the day.

Family Photos Were a Big Priority

Vanessa had combinations she wanted photographed and I always recommend working together to decide on the PEOPLE you want photographed rather than the groupings before the wedding. If I know who your people are, I can take charge during portraits rather than trying to ask you to build the list while everyone is already standing together. Vanessa and Matt knew which combinations mattered to them, so I was able to quickly and efficiently photograph family and leave more of the day for portraits and time with their guests.

Candid Photos Were Just as Important

Vanessa specifically told me that she loved candid photos and wanted plenty of them throughout the day, which is always our favorite! She wasn’t only thinking about photos of herself and Matt, she wanted to see her parents, grandparents, bridal party and friends interacting too. That’s what I love most about our KAP couples – they want to ENJOY their wedding day with all of their favorite people! They hire us to capture the candid, in-between moments. 

The Personal Details Behind Their Valleybrook Wedding

Vanessa and Matt put a lot of their own work into the wedding. Many of the details were DIY! Their invitations were extra special because Vanessa’s grandparents helped create and print them through their business, Signs & Lines in Lindenwold, New Jersey.

Those details are so important for me to know because they connect the wedding back to the people who created it and I’m able to focus extra on them! I was able to intentionally photograph flat-lay details knowing her grandparents played such a special role in making them.

Couple Portraits Without Spending the Whole Day Posing

Vanessa and Matt wanted the traditional couple portraits, but they also wanted their photos to feel natural! They had already spent time together during their first look and private vows, so our sunset portraits after the ceremony were quick and laidback!  

One unique part of Valleybrook is their “just married” golf cart provided to couples to take over to the lake. My role during portraits is to give couples space to relax, feel like themselves and create room for their real personalities.

As a Valleybrook Country Club wedding photographer, I also pay attention to how portrait time fits into the larger day. The goal isn’t to create as many portraits as possible. It’s to create the photos you care about while protecting time for the people you invited to your wedding.

A Reception Built Around Their People

Vanessa and Matt planned several special dances for their reception, including their first dance, father-daughter dance, mother-son dance and a surprise mother-daughter dance. They also had signature drinks and other details planned for their guests.

These scheduled moments naturally created opportunities for photos, but the reception wasn’t only about the events on the timeline. The people watching, laughing, dancing and talking around them were part of the story too.

This is where having enough coverage matters. When photography isn’t rushed from one scheduled event to the next, there is room to document the reactions happening around those events instead of only photographing the people at the center of the room.

For more ideas on keeping your reception connected to your guests, you can also read How to Get a Photo With Every Single Guest at Your Reception.

A Valleybrook Country Club Wedding in Blackwood, New Jersey

When couples are comparing South Jersey wedding venues, I encourage them to look at the practical side of the venue as well as the appearance! If Valleybrook Country Club is on your venue list, I also put together a dedicated Valleybrook Country Club Wedding Guide with more information about the venue, photo opportunities and what couples should consider when planning their wedding day there. It’s a helpful next step if you’re currently touring or comparing South Jersey wedding venues.

You can see more locations and planning considerations in my South Jersey Wedding Venues Guide.

Turning Their Valleybrook Wedding Photos Into an Album

Vanessa and Matt’s wedding experience didn’t end when I delivered their gallery!

Their wedding collection included an 8×8 heirloom album with 10 spreads and after their gallery was finished, our in-house album designer, Leah, created the first draft of their wedding album for them.

This is one of my favorite parts of our album process because our couples aren’t starting with hundreds of photos and a blank album trying to figure out what goes where. Leah goes through their wedding, chooses the photos that work together and builds the first design before their album consultation.

When Vanessa and Matt sat down with Leah on Zoom and saw their wedding laid out for the first time, they decided they wanted MORE of it in there! They upgraded their album from the included 10 spreads to 20 spreads, giving them twice as much room for the people, details and moments they wanted to keep in print.

And after a wedding where family and candid photos mattered so much to them, I love that their finished album has the space for those photos too.

Instead of their Valleybrook wedding living only in an online gallery, they’ll have the full day sitting in their home where they can actually pick it up, flip through it and eventually show it to the people who weren’t even here yet when these photos were taken.

Looking Back at Vanessa & Matt’s Wedding Day

What stands out most about Vanessa and Matt’s wedding is how clearly they knew what mattered to them. They wanted private time together, photos with their families, candid photos of their guests and enough space to actually experience the wedding.

That made the final gallery included the people who surrounded them, the family members they wanted documented, the details they created themselves and the interactions happening between the scheduled parts of the day.

That’s what I want wedding photos to do! Years from now, Vanessa and Matt won’t only see what Valleybrook Country Club looked like on their perfect summer wedding day. They’ll see who stood beside them, the people who traveled to celebrate with them and the moments they may not have noticed while they were happening.

If you’re planning your own wedding and want a photography experience that gives you direction without making the camera the center of the day, you can learn more about my wedding experience.

And if you’re looking for a South Jersey wedding photographer, reach out here and tell me what you’re planning.

Vanessa & Matt’s Vendor Team

A wedding this personal takes a team of people working behind the scenes. Vanessa and Matt have brought together vendors who are helping them create the day they have been planning.

Venue & Catering: Valleybrook Country ClubInstagram

DJ / Entertainment: Starshield EntertainmentInstagram

Florals: Petite Petals Studio on Instagram

Videography: TLJ StudiosInstagram

Hair: Hair Queen Tara on Instagram

Makeup: Missy MUA on Instagram

Cake: Stella Baking Company

Bride’s Gown: Angel Bridal

Bridesmaids: Birdy Grey

Groom, Groomsmen & Officiant Attire: Men’s Wearhouse