Justin + Jennifer: Summer Waterfront Wedding

Justin Sirna and Jennifer Perno were married at Herrington on the Bay in August 2017. Their ceremony took place in the Herring Bay Garden and their wedding reception was held at the Yacht Club. Check out photos from their wedding and the story of how they met, their wedding planning process, and what advice they’d give to other couples about to get married.

How They Met

Through mutual friends! Their roommates, actually, who were dating each other.

The Engagement Story

First, Jennifer told us about how she DIDN’T get engaged when she was on vacation in Maine. Having already shopped for rings with Justin and fully expecting a proposal, she put on a “super cute outfit” and had her makeup and hair all ready to go. The only issue? It was 50 degrees in July and pouring down rain.

Days passed by on vacation without so much of a hint of a proposal from Justin. On the last day, without even brushing her hair first, the two went on a hike and just soaked in the scenery. Before leaving, Justin got down on one knee and popped the question. After saying yes, Jennifer said the next thing out of her mouth was, “I can’t believe we just got engaged while I’m wearing a camo hat!”

Wedding Planning Process

Justin and Jennifer were engaged for just over a year. Luckily, Jennifer’s mom had formal training in wedding planning and helped with most of the details. Jennifer said, “If we didn’t have her, we definitely would have needed to hire someone because it really is a lot of work.” She said the app “Wunderlist” was perfect for keeping them all on track. They also used “The Knot” app primarily for our wedding website, to see vendor reviews and for their organizer checklist.

The Big Day Recap

“Not to sound cliché,” Jennifer said, “I really don’t think we can summarize our wedding day besides by saying it was literally the best day ever.

Both Justin and Jennifer agreed that the ceremony was their favorite part. Their officiant Pastor Ed delivered the exact ceremony that they were looking for: funny and beautiful at the same time.

“It was just perfect,” Jennifer said.

The Details

The couple touched on nautical themes without overdoing it. They also didn’t have a set color palette. While the reception was navy blue and white, the bridal party wore coordinating pastels.

The centerpieces were one of the most unique aspects of the wedding reception. Each table was personalized with a lantern, flower vase made out of nautical rope and vintage sailboats and lighthouses painted “S.S. Sirna”. Jennifer said it was such a subtle little detail that the guests loved.

Wedding Advice

Jennifer said, “There is no such thing as being too organized.”

Not only did they have a wedding plan that they developed with their planners Brielle and Gina, they also had a back up plan in case of a weather event. Jennifer said giving the planners the details ahead of time made sure things happened. For example, Justin and Jennifer wanted a photo with just the two of them and sparklers outside. Being on cloud nine during the reception and not thinking about their “plan,” Gina stepped in to make sure the photographer got that last shot.  sparklers outside.

Jennifer said, “Those two were like our little wedding fairy god-mothers. God bless you ladies. As a result, the day went by smoothly and perfectly. I (the bride) also hired an extra Herrington staff member to be with me while I was getting ready and until we got to cocktail hour. They assigned the loveliest young lady named Jordan to the task and she was my saving grace!! I didn’t want any of my bridesmaids or family to lift a finger on the day of the wedding, I just wanted them to hang out with me and enjoy themselves. Jordan took care of any little silly thing that came up (like when no one could find the super cute flip flops that I bought to change in to after the ceremony) so we could all enjoy the day. I HIGHLY recommend doing this… and see if you can get Jordan!”