A Willow Creek Winery Wedding Full of Laid-Back Elegance

Landry and Jessie are “college sweethearts” and met in a bar in downtown Clemson, South Carolina. Landry is originally from Cameroon and moved to the United States in high school. He attended Clemson University on a basketball scholarship where Jessie was a transfer student, so it felt like destiny!
After being together for 4 years (3 of them long distance), Jessie spent the following 3 years abroad with Landry, where the two lived in Germany, Serbia, and Spain. During a brief hiatus in basketball due to the COVID pandemic, Jessie and Landry had the very rare chance to both come home to the States. Landry took this as the perfect opportunity to pop the question and be able to celebrate with family and friends!

Landry and Jessie have family all over the globe, so they knew choosing a wedding location would be difficult. In October of 2020, Landry and Jessie had their final date before getting engaged at Willow Creek Winery in Cape May, New Jersey. After getting engaged, it felt like the perfect place. Jessie always dreamed of waking up at her parents’ shore house and getting ready there with her girlfriends, so it really was a dream come true. “We wanted a rustic and warm feel, an outdoor ceremony, and autumn colors (even though it was taking place in July!) and Willow Creek’s entire vibe was just that,” Jessie said. Jessie took the lead on planning when it came to colors, details, and flowers. Her vision was neutral colors with a pop of toffee & burnt orange to create a rustic feel.
The wedding day started with Jessie and Landry getting ready in farm-house suites on the winery grounds before making their way to the gardens for their first look. The lush greenery was a beautiful backdrop for portraits. Guests were welcomed into the ceremony space with raffia fans and cold water to keep them cool on this Summer day. Jessie & Landry had the biggest smiles on their faces and after they said “I do,” is was time to party!
The reception space was adorned with rustic decor that included goblets, farm tables, taper candles, and woven chargers to tie in to the vibe. Something Vintage totally nailed the aesthetic! The large reception space at Willow Creek Winery allowed space for lounges and a photo booth. Both provided guests with a fun area to hang out when they were not dancing. The candlelit ballroom felt cozy and romantic. A dessert bar was complete with cookies, macaroons, cakes, and donuts. The setup was a work of art! During the party, Jessie & Landry changed into vibrant, traditional African attire that honored Landry’s Cameroon roots.

From Jessie:
“The Jersey Shore wedding planning/vendor community was amazing. It truly felt as though vendors were recommending other vendors they’ve worked well with so creating a team came together naturally. Overall, we wanted the day to be tons of fun and feel casual. People were traveling so far and with the outdoor ceremony, we were not interested in a formal evening. However, with the reception hall, decor, and all of the planning put in, the night was truly elegant and picturesque. Everyone seemed so comfortable and ready to party!
Choosing to have That Rad Booth photo booth,and jumping into countless photos with family & friends was seriously one of the most fun parts of the night! Changing into traditional African attire at the end of our reception was a blast. What made it even more special was that Landry’s mother brought them with her all the way from Cameroon! We didn’t necessarily care for a huge traditional wedding cake. One of the highlights of our day was definitely our farm table dessert assortment. That was one for the books! We had Chick-fil-a to end the night, because who doesn’t love Chick-fil-a? We feel like it was executed perfectly. We would not have had it any other way!”

Jessica’s advice for future brides:
“My biggest advice to a couple getting married would be to make sure every decision you are making is what you BOTH want, not what anyone else wants. At the end of the day, it is about the bride and groom and the day they envisioned together. The wants & needs of each partner should be top priority.
When planning a wedding, every single person will tell you “you won’t worry about that on the big day” or “you seriously will not even notice those small details” and being a perfectionist, I didn’t believe them, but it’s 100% true. Create a list of your big, must-have items or ideas and stick to it. I PROMISE the smaller details will fall into place and if they don’t, you absolutely will not notice. The day will be perfect.”

We’re lucky enough to photograph countless gorgeous weddings each year. To see more of our favorites, check out this Elegant Autumn Wedding At The Barnes Foundation, this Luxurious Black-Tie, Stone Harbor Wedding, and this Floral-Filled Wedding At The Ashford Estate!