Amanda & Michael

A lot of couples meet on the beaches of Cape May County, but not all of them have the chance to get married on our sandy shores. Not so for Amanda and Michael. From the second they started dating, they knew that their maybe-wedding would take place right here in Cape May County.   

Fortunately, their families had shore houses in the area and Michael’s parents even retired here. They first met while attending Ursinus College in Pennsylvania. As it often goes, they began their relationship as ‘just friends,’ and the line between friendship and couple blurred over the years until the two were inseparable.  

Dating or not, they spent as much of their free time as possible down the shore, enjoying the sun, sand and sea. Michael popped the “big question” while they were hiking on one of the beautiful trails near Ursinus.   

Amanda and Michael said their vows to each other on the sands of Avalon’s beaches on 77th street and headed over to Avalon Golf Club just a few miles up the road for the reception.    

After scouring the county’s many wedding venues, Amanda and Michael chose the Avalon Golf Club for its sprawling space and bright windowed reception room. The golf course is meticulously maintained and made for a lush-green backdrop while the couple, their friends, and their family danced and sang.   

Their plan was to keep costs low by doing much of the planning and preparation themselves. They had a great deal of help from Dawn Sachs, who worked alongside them to help keep the wedding affordable.  

They wanted their focus to be on the venue and the photographer, so they handmade all of their centerpieces and decor with the help of their wedding party in the days leading up to their big day. Marshall Bonaskeiwich, their photographer, captured their intimate moments with grace.   

The couple kept things simple and timeless so that the focus was on their celebration of love and commitment to one another. Amanda and Michael were grateful to exchange their vows, surrounded by their loved ones on the shores of a town that is very special to both of them. Here’s to many more years on New Jersey’s salty, sandy peninsula.