Some couples pick a date; Dharma and Casey picked a holiday. They married on the Fourth of July at Bear Brook Valley in the hills of northern New Jersey — a day soaked in color, from a ceremony pergola covered in pink and coral blooms to bridesmaids in every shade of rose carrying white parasols against the July sun.

And a note I don’t get to write often enough: the planner behind this one is Laura Knight of Wild Knight Events — my wife. Watching her build a day this beautiful, then photographing every minute of it, is about as good as this job gets. Every detail below has her fingerprints on it.

Getting Ready

The morning was easy and unhurried — Dharma with her girls in the bridal suite, Casey downstairs by the billiards table, and the whole of Bear Brook Valley green and waiting outside the windows.

Getting ready on the morning of Dharma and Casey’s Bear Brook Valley wedding
Dharma in the bridal suite at Bear Brook Valley, her gown hanging in the window light
Dharma beneath her cathedral veil, photographed in soft black and white
Dharma and her girls in the morning light before the wedding
Casey getting ready with his jacket over his shoulder in the billiards room
Getting ready on the morning of Dharma and Casey’s Bear Brook Valley wedding
Final touches on the gown in the bridal suite window light

The Details

Nothing about this wedding whispered. A striped welcome sign wrapped in blooms, coral garden roses on the stationery, a gelato cart for cocktail hour — and a quiet Fourth of July wink in Casey’s madras and flags.

A detail from Dharma and Casey’s colorful summer wedding at Bear Brook Valley
The striped Dharma and Casey welcome sign wrapped in summer florals at Bear Brook Valley
A detail from Dharma and Casey’s colorful summer wedding at Bear Brook Valley
A detail from Dharma and Casey’s colorful summer wedding at Bear Brook Valley
The tiered wedding cake against a softly draped backdrop
A detail from Dharma and Casey’s colorful summer wedding at Bear Brook Valley
The invitation suite styled with coral garden roses
Casey’s loafers with madras and flag details — a Fourth of July wedding
Bear Brook Valley from above — rolling green hills of northern New Jersey
Rings and perfume resting on the veil
A gelato cart waiting for cocktail hour at Bear Brook Valley
The wooden ceremony pergola at Bear Brook Valley dressed in vivid pink and coral florals

The First Look & Portraits

They saw each other outside with the afternoon still ahead, then walked the grounds — a split-rail fence, a white parasol, and a bridal party in shades of pink that looked like the florals had come to life.

Dharma with her bouquet along a split-rail fence
Dharma and Casey during their portrait session at Bear Brook Valley
Dharma and Casey walk the lawn with Bear Brook Valley behind them
Casey in dramatic window light, black and white
Dharma and Casey during their portrait session at Bear Brook Valley
Dharma and Casey during their portrait session at Bear Brook Valley
Dharma on the balcony with her bouquet
Dharma and Casey during their portrait session at Bear Brook Valley
Dharma and Casey during their portrait session at Bear Brook Valley
Dharma and Casey during their portrait session at Bear Brook Valley
Dharma twirls a white parasol as she and Casey stroll the grounds
Dharma and Casey during their portrait session at Bear Brook Valley
Dharma and Casey wrapped together on the grounds of Bear Brook Valley
Dharma and Casey during their portrait session at Bear Brook Valley
Bridesmaids in shades of pink with white parasols at Bear Brook Valley
Dharma and her bridesmaids with parasols on the steps
The bridal party raise their parasols on the lawn

The Ceremony

They married outdoors under a wooden pergola buried in pink, coral, and lavender blooms, strings playing as guests gathered on the hilltop. They had written private vows and shared a short version of them with everyone — keeping the rest just for each other. Then a dip, a kiss, and the party started walking downhill.

The outdoor ceremony at Bear Brook Valley, guests gathered on the hilltop
The outdoor ceremony at Bear Brook Valley under a pergola of pink and coral florals
The outdoor ceremony at Bear Brook Valley under a pergola of pink and coral florals
The processional arrives at the flower-covered pergola
The outdoor ceremony at Bear Brook Valley under a pergola of pink and coral florals
The ring exchange, photographed in black and white
The outdoor ceremony at Bear Brook Valley under a pergola of pink and coral florals
The outdoor ceremony at Bear Brook Valley under a pergola of pink and coral florals
The outdoor ceremony at Bear Brook Valley under a pergola of pink and coral florals
The outdoor ceremony at Bear Brook Valley under a pergola of pink and coral florals
The outdoor ceremony at Bear Brook Valley under a pergola of pink and coral florals
The outdoor ceremony at Bear Brook Valley under a pergola of pink and coral florals
Casey dips Dharma for a kiss at the floral-covered arch

Cocktail Hour

While guests found the gelato cart, Dharma and Casey slipped up to the silo balcony for a minute above it all.

Dharma and Casey on the silo balcony above cocktail hour at Bear Brook Valley

The Party

A grand entrance, a first dance, the parent dances — and then at ten o’clock the lights dropped and the Hora Loca arrived. Dharma reappeared in glowing butterfly wings, the dance floor went neon, and nobody sat down again until the very last photo of the night.

Dharma and Casey make their grand entrance into the reception
The reception at Dharma and Casey’s Bear Brook Valley wedding
Dharma and Casey’s first dance
The reception at Dharma and Casey’s Bear Brook Valley wedding
The reception at Dharma and Casey’s Bear Brook Valley wedding
The reception at Dharma and Casey’s Bear Brook Valley wedding
The reception at Dharma and Casey’s Bear Brook Valley wedding
The reception at Dharma and Casey’s Bear Brook Valley wedding
The reception at Dharma and Casey’s Bear Brook Valley wedding
Cutting the cake beside the draped wall of florals
The reception at Dharma and Casey’s Bear Brook Valley wedding
Dharma in glowing butterfly wings as the Hora Loca takes over the dance floor
The reception at Dharma and Casey’s Bear Brook Valley wedding
The reception at Dharma and Casey’s Bear Brook Valley wedding
LED butterfly wings spread wide during the Hora Loca
The reception at Dharma and Casey’s Bear Brook Valley wedding

The Vendors

A day like this one is a team sport. Endless gratitude to the crew who built it.

To Dharma and Casey — thank you for a Fourth of July we’ll never forget. Congratulations!