A Coastal Cape May Wedding at The Virginia Hotel in New Jersey

A couple dressed in wedding attire walks hand in hand along a sandy beach at their elegant Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, with the ocean and cloudy sky as a backdrop. The bride holds a colorful bouquet.

Veronica and Sean’s breathtaking micro Cape May, New Jersey wedding at the Virginia Hotel was a day filled with intimate moments and stunning details. It was a beautiful fall coastal wedding day where the bride and groom just got to enjoy an array of serene moments with each other, and their closest and most cherished loved ones. There were only thirteen people present throughout the day (including the bride and groom!), but that didn’t lessen how much love and joy surrounded each and every moment! 

The late October morning started peacefully as Veronica got her bridal hair and makeup done at the Virginia Hotel in Cape May, while Sean did his own wedding day preparations at one of Cape Resorts’ unique locations, The Red Cottage,  which was conveniently located just across the street from The Virginia Hotel. Once Sean was fully ready, he and Veronica actually switched locations, as he headed over to The Virginia’s covered patio,  while Veronica headed across the street to slip into her wedding gown and finish up any last-minute details. This criss-cross, switch-a-roo method was a fun little element to the morning, and we managed to sneak the two into each other’s previous locations without them coming across each other’s paths before their private first look. 

Wrought iron sign and striped awning outside The Virginia Hotel, a light blue two-story building with a white balcony and decorative trim—an inviting setting for a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
Stacked red and white wicker chairs on the left; narrow outdoor walkway with plants and chairs on the right at a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
Flat lay of wedding invitations, a Cape May New Jersey postcard, three rings, a yellow ring box dated 10.20.23, and denim heeled sandals on wood—capturing the charm of a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
A white wedding dress hangs on a door; beside it, a woman in a blue floral robe has her makeup applied, focusing on her lips during a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
A sign for The Red Cottage on Jackson Street is shown outside; inside, three men in dress shirts and blazers converse in a bright, airy room, reminiscent of a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
Two men in suits stand indoors at a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel; one in the foreground adjusts a blue tie, while the other in the background fastens a yellow tie and looks down.
A man in a white shirt and blue tie stands in a bright room, adjusting his tie and smiling, ready for a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel. A blue chair and window blinds are visible in the background.
A bride at her Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel walks toward a house with a woman in front, then puts on earrings indoors beside blue high-heeled shoes on a table.
A woman in a white dress with a low back and decorative hairpin stands in a bright room at the Virginia Hotel, looking toward a girl in a white dress—capturing the timeless elegance of a Cape May wedding.
A woman in a white dress with an elegant updo stands in profile at a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel; beside her, a close-up of her holding champagne highlights her ring and manicured nails.
A woman helps a bride with her veil during a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel; next, the bride and another woman smile and hold champagne glasses in a bright room.

 

Veronica and Sean did their private and intimate first look on The Virginia Hotel’s patio, and once they saw one another in all their pre-wedding bliss, you could just feel the love and excitement radiating from the two of them. We snapped a few bride and groom portraits around the hotel’s property before taking a two-block walk to the Cape May beach to capture some more portraits. Due to this being such a small and intimate wedding, there was no need for a trolley to help a whole wedding party get to and from each portrait destination; it was just the bride and groom getting to enjoy a serene walk to the Cape May shoreline before their wedding ceremony. 

A bride in a white dress and veil walks along a wet street toward the flower-adorned porch, capturing the romance of a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
A bride in a white dress approaches her groom in a gray suit for a first look on the porch of the Virginia Hotel; they smile and hold hands under a decorative awning, capturing the charm of a Cape May wedding.
A bride in a white dress and veil smiles while holding the groom's face during their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel; the groom, in a gray suit with an orange boutonniere, smiles back.
Side-by-side portraits of a bride in a white dress and veil, and a groom in a gray suit with a light blue tie and orange boutonniere, captured during their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel against a light background.
A bride and groom stand together, smiling and holding a colorful bouquet, posing in their wedding attire against a light-colored wall during their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
A couple poses together on a staircase in formal wedding attire at their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, with light blue patterned walls and a large painting behind them.
A bride and groom walk hand in hand on a sidewalk outside the flower-adorned Virginia Hotel, both smiling during their beautiful Cape May wedding.
A bride in a white dress and a groom in a gray suit holding a large bouquet walk hand-in-hand down a wet street, capturing the romantic charm of a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
A bride in a white dress and a groom in a blue suit walk hand in hand on a sandy beach toward the ocean, capturing the romance of a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
A bride in a white dress holding a bouquet stands with a groom in a blue suit on a sandy beach, both smiling at each other during their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
A bride and groom stand together on a beach at their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, smiling and holding a colorful bouquet of orange, yellow, and purple flowers.
A bride and groom stand on a beach, smiling at each other during their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel. The bride holds a colorful bouquet, her arms wrapped lovingly around the groom's shoulders.
A woman in a white dress holding a bouquet of flowers, ready for her Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
A smiling bride in a white dress and a groom in a gray suit walk hand-in-hand on a sandy beach during their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
A bride and groom stand together outdoors, smiling, at their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel; the groom wears a gray suit with a blue tie and orange boutonniere, and the bride wears a white dress.
A bride and groom walk hand in hand on a sandy beach, facing the ocean under a cloudy sky during their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel. The bride holds a bouquet.
A smiling bride and groom stand close together outdoors during their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, with the bride holding a bouquet and the groom wearing a gray suit.
A couple dressed in wedding attire walks hand in hand along a sandy beach at their elegant Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, with the ocean and cloudy sky as a backdrop. The bride holds a colorful bouquet.
A man in a suit leads a woman in a white dress holding a bouquet across a sandy beach, capturing the romance of a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.

 

Once we arrived back at The Virginia Hotel, it was time for Veronica and Sean’s intimate coastal wedding to start in the stunning backyard grounds of the hotel. Veronica was preceded down the aisle by her adorable flower girl, before being escorted by her father to the end of the aisle, where Sean happily waited for her. The ceremony, officiated by Veronica’s brother, was quite emotional. Veronica’s brother is not only close with his sister, but he’s also quite close with Sean, so it made every word he said even more meaningful. It was very clear that Veronica and Sean had chosen the absolute best person to officiate their wedding, as he had everyone experiencing all of the emotions. He filled the intimate space with so many laughs and several tears. 

At a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, a woman plays the violin outdoors next to a music stand, with a large floral arrangement and several pillar candles in glass holders beside her.
A young flower girl in a white dress walks down the aisle outdoors during a charming Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, while seated guests take photos and watch her.
A bride holding a colorful bouquet stands between two men in suits at an outdoor Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, with guests seated and lush greenery in the background.
A couple stands facing each other holding hands during a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, with an officiant reading from a book and colorful flowers arranged around them.
A bride and groom stand holding hands during a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, with guests seated and vibrant flower arrangements nearby.
Two people in wedding attire hold hands and face each other during an outdoor Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel; one wears a veil and white dress, the other a grey suit with a blue tie and orange boutonniere.
A small group of people in formal attire sit watching an outdoor event at a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel; one man stands, taking a photo with his phone.
A couple exchanges rings at a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, as guests—including a young girl holding a stuffed animal—look on during the outdoor ceremony.
A bride laughs while holding hands with the groom during their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel; guests smile and laugh in the audience.
A bride and groom stand facing each other holding hands during an outdoor Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, with an officiant and two seated guests visible in the foreground.
A bride and groom kiss during their outdoor cape may wedding at the Virginia Hotel, surrounded by flowers, greenery, and candles.
A bride and groom walk down the aisle holding hands, smiling, surrounded by seated guests and colorful floral arrangements at their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
A bride and groom kiss while walking outdoors at their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, holding a bouquet, with guests seated and lush greenery in the background.
A bride in a white gown and veil walks beside a man in a suit down a sunlit, narrow outdoor pathway lined with greenery and white buildings during a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
A newlywed couple walks down steps at their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, surrounded by smiling guests tossing flower petals in celebration.

 

Cocktail hour immediately followed in the space as the ceremony, which was filled with a few short toasts, a handful more portraits, and, of course, Veronica and Sean’s first dance, before everyone headed inside to the Richmond Room and settled in for their intimate dinner.

A bride in a white dress holds a bouquet and smiles at a young girl with flower clips in her hair during an outdoor Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
A woman in a white dress smiles while hugging another woman in a floral shirt, holding a colorful bouquet of flowers during a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel. Another woman stands nearby.
Two women, one in a white dress and one in a purple dress, walk arm in arm down a narrow sunlit alley between houses after their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
A long dining table set for a meal in an elegant room with floral wallpaper hints at the charm of a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, complete with a close-up of a place setting and name card on a napkin.
A table set with yellow glasses, lit candles, and floral centerpieces in glass vases evokes the charm of a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, with framed art visible in the blurred background.
Close-up of outdoor string lights with clear bulbs, glowing softly above a blurred urban backdrop—reminiscent of an enchanting Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, with siding and metallic structures in the distance.
A bride and groom dance together outdoors on a patio during their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, surrounded by guests, with greenery and potted plants in the background.
A man in a blue suit and a woman in a white dress stand outdoors on a stone walkway at a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, holding drinks and smiling at each other, surrounded by lush greenery.
A bride and groom share a light moment outdoors with drinks in hand during their Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel; a close-up shows a man in a suit holding a drink garnished with olives.
A young girl in a white dress smiles at the camera while holding a plate of food with grapes, bread, and cheese at a charming Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
Two women, one in a wedding dress and the other in a blue dress with glasses, smile and stand close to each other outdoors during a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
Two women smile and clink cocktail glasses at a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, while another guest holds a drink in the background.
A woman in a white dress twirls a young girl on an outdoor stone patio during a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel, while three adults watch and capture the joyful moment in photos.

 

From there, my job was done for the day! All in all, it was a short afternoon, but still one of the most beautiful unions I’ve been honored to photograph. We were able to capture some of my favorite light, joyful, beautiful moments in and around this gorgeous Cape May hotel in one of my favorite New Jersey beach towns! It was incredibly clear, from the start of the day, all the way through the late afternoon, that the thing that was most important to these two was just being with one another. 

A couple in wedding attire holds hands and kisses while walking down a narrow outdoor path between two houses during their charming Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.
Blue sky with scattered, fluffy white and light gray clouds—perfect for a Cape May wedding at the Virginia Hotel.

Fall Wedding at The Virginia Hotel, Cape May, New Jersey

 

To see more of our recent weddings, take a look at this Vincent Forge Mansion wedding, this Luxurious Wedding at The Ivy at Ellis Preserve, and this Super-8 Film wedding at the Aldie Mansion.

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