Full Moon Resort - Lisa and PJ's Wedding 11/12/2022

Lisa and PJ 11/12/22 | Full Moon Resort - Big Indian, NY

Mr. & Mrs. Shaefer

✨CONGRATULATIONS to THE NEW Mr. & Mrs. Schaefer !✨Lisa and PJ’s Wedding Day 11/12/22 - Full Moon Resort, Big Indian, NY - Ralph DePiro Photography 📸
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What can I say about these two. What an amazing day, and a long time coming!! I have had the pleasure of knowing Lisa since 2009 (SHOUT OUT SHOPRITE FRONT END 😅) I met PJ in 2013. PJ is THE MAN! You can just see how perfect they were for each other. After countless parties, nights hanging out, it’s always a good time. Fast forward to 2021..ENGAGED - HELL YES!
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When we first got word that Lisa was engaged, we couldn’t wait to start planning with them. This wedding that was extra special for me because Lisa and PJ are very close friends. Throughout the years, always joking around and saying “when I get married, you’re shooting my wedding!” I knew they were perfect for each other from the start and couldn’t wait till the day had come.
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Wedding Day! The weather was perfect and we had our amazing team there to capture it all. Thank you both so much for allowing me to capture this special day for you both. This will be one I always remember and I am so happy to make the official post….to THE NEWWWWWW Mr. & Mrs. Schaefer 👰🏼‍♀️🤵🏻‍♂️💍!
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🏠Venue: @fullmoonresort
📸Photo: @ralphdepirophotos
🎥 Video: @ralphdepirophotos
💇🏻‍♀️ Hair: @beautifybyceleste
💄Make up: @beautybybianca_xo
👗Dress: @sayidobridal
💍Rings: @bandbjewelry
🎤DJ/Band: @apbentertainment
🎂 Cake: @overlookbakery
💐 Florist: @jaritasflorist
💌 Invitation: @theknotinvitations

How did you meet?

We met at Rowan University unofficially in 2012 and officially in 2013. We both played club volleyball, and the girls practiced before the boys practiced, so our practices typically overlapped or conjoined at times. We officially met in 2013 after PJ asked me to play as a sub for his intramural volleyball team.

How did you get engaged?

PJ rented a cabin for us (and Scout) at Cold Spring Lodge as a little Fall getaway in October 2021. After setting up a nice fire, and me basically losing my phone for like two hours, right before we got all cozy to watch a movie together, PJ got down on one knee and barely got the words out before I started hysterically crying.  

Why did you choose your venue?

We chose Full Moon Resort because it fit our ideal wedding vision so perfectly. A weekend-long event, in the mountains, in an area where we like to visit quite frequently; a little home away from home. We stumbled upon Full Moon ironically during our engagement weekend, prior to knowing we were going to soon be engaged. (No, I assure you I had 0 idea we were getting engaged  I'm just a psycho who had a list of wedding venues already set out and knew that this place was going to be added to the list.) We drove past it and it looked like a beautiful place for a wedding. It was home to a bunch of houses and cabins where guests could stay on-site during the wedding, and overall it seemed to fit our vibe as a couple. After touring the grounds ourselves the day after we got engaged, we knew it was the right place for our wedding. Once everything else fell into place & we went on our official tour throughout the entire venue, we knew we didn't have to look any further. It was our first and only venue we looked at, and we booked it instantly. 

Tell me about your favorite wedding details, and how did you come up with them?

Our favorite wedding details were all the ones that included our dog, Scout. We had him on koozies, drink stirrers, and he was part of our wedding hashtag. It was important to include him in our special day because he is our first baby! Furthermore, everyone that knows us, knows how much we like to adventure together (with or without Scout). So, our wedding details also included some travel-themed decor and swag for our guests. From passport-themed itineraries, to old/vintage suitcases displayed, we tried to incorporate this subtly while not taking away from the simple beauty of the venue itself and nature. Since our venue sits on a beautiful wonderland of 100 wooded and meadowed acres, it was important to us to keep a nature/earthy theme as well. We chose simple earthy tones as our colors to help encompass that.

Were you nervous? How did you squash the nerves?

I should let PJ answer this one because he was WAY more nervous than I was (which was shocking to both of us ). PJ needed a few moments to take a few deep breaths throughout the day, but eventually the excitement and adrenaline squashed the nerves. The only time I was nervous was the moment we were getting into the van to drive down to the ceremony tent. I had been fine all day up to that moment. Instantly, I could feel in my stomach that I was a nervous wreck. So much so, I legitimately froze the moment I got to the aisle and was about to walk down. FROZEN, for what felt like 10 minutes. The nerves only continued while I was up at the altar and my legs were shaking uncontrollably (not sure if I was shivering or nervous really, but it sure made me MORE nervous thinking about it). Luckily, the dress was so big that nobody could see my legs freakishly moving nonstop. I think I was most nervous to mess up my vows, but about 2 or 3 sentences in, while looking into PJ's eyes, I just imagined it was me and him in that room and no one else. It made it so much easier to finish saying my vows, it felt like we were the only two people there. After the ceremony was complete, all the nervousness diminished, and it was time to party and have some fun. 

What was your favorite moment from your wedding day?

I think our favorite moment was taking 2-3 minutes and heading up to the loft together, during the reception, and just overlooking EVERYTHING and EVERYONE in our venue. We just looked around at everyone having a good time, and just how everything came together. It was truly remarkable, and we will always have that memory together. Also, it made it way more memorable because everybody started clapping and cheering for us when we were up there, so that was pretty cool 

Did anything go wrong?

Literally nothing!!!! We were so shocked that everything throughout the entire day was smooth and perfect. The ONLY thing we were upset about was the DJ didn't play our 'must play' song (Shout) which we were so excited about because our hashtag was #youmakemewannascout 

How did you feel at the end of the day?

We felt so excited, so incredibly loved, and SO TIRED. It was such a long day, and we continued to party all night long after all was said and done, so we were definitely exhausted by the time we got back to our cabin.

What advice would you give couples planning their wedding, right now?

Get as much as you can ahead of time, always stay ahead of yourself! It will make the whole process seem way less daunting, especially during the last month/2 weeks before the wedding. That is the most stressful time, so just get ahead of the game! There is so much you can get done ahead of time, just keep a timeline and list together of what needs to be done and when it can get done. That makes it way easier to stay organized when you have a timeline of tasks. Also, don't stress what you can't control. There are SO many things that are out of your control, especially on the day of your wedding. Don't stress it. Just go with the flow and it will help you enjoy your whole day so much more. & on that note: take in every moment on the day of your wedding! Take a minute during every event, every moment, everything. It helped me so much to make it feel like the day didn't just fly by. During each moment, I soaked it in but also was so excited for the next. For example, once my hair was done, and makeup was finishing up, I would say to myself, you still have to put the dress on, and take pics with it, and then you have this and that, and so much to look forward to! It really helped make the day feel longer.

What did you like most about working with Ralph DePiro Photography? Is there anything you would have changed about the work/technique/etc.?

We LOVED working with RDP because, well simply they are the best. Ralph (although being a wedding guest for the entire weekend, still had to get his work fix in ) completely rocked the whole show during the morning of our wedding. He worked through our photo timeline so extremely efficiently, and made it fun for everyone in the process. The entire squad during the day/night was super helpful, super fun to be around, and made it very easy to just be ourselves. They were all extremely professional, but also so incredibly laid back, and they captured our whole day exceptionally well. Every single picture tells some sort of story, and that's what we love most about their work; they truly capture the celebration and the emotions and all the love.