A Classic Castle Wedding With Timeless Traditions in New Jersey

Jasmine met John in June of 2016 when she took on his place of employment as a client. After a week of Jasmine telling John she wouldn’t date a client, John decided to try just one more time before she left. He wrote a note on a post-it and put it on her car with hopes that she would agree to a date. On their first date, the two realized they lived across the street from each other all along.

In May 2020, the couple put the finishing touches on a home they built from scratch, and John took the opportunity to pop the question. Jasmine gave John a resounding ‘yes’ to the proposal, and the couple began planning their September 10, 2021 wedding in Pompton Plains, New Jersey.

Jasmine is from New Jersey, so she was aware of the Legacy Castle when it first opened. The couple now lives in the Washington D.C. area, but they felt the New Jersey venue was the best fit for the elegant ballroom feel they were going for.

“The best parts of planning were focusing on the details that made our wedding special for us,” Jasmine says, “We knew the decor would be beautiful so put all of our attention into the music, details, and memories we wanted to take away.” The couple incorporated sentimental details, like having their son as their ring bearer and selecting the song John proposed to as Jasmine’s processional song. They worked with wedding planner Lauren Dickens from Elle Audrey to plan the event.

Ahead, see the lush reception florals and the couple’s blush, beige, and orange color scheme, captured by photographer Amy Anaiz.

On the morning of the wedding day, Jasmine was ready to see the wedding plans come to life. “From the moment I woke up, I was intentional about taking everything in all day and taking my time to notice every detail happening around me,” she says. Jasmine got ready for the wedding with her bridesmaids. They wore satin robes with lace detailing in a shade of rust while the brides stood out in a long-sleeved white robe with a train.

Jasmine’s wedding dress was the first one she tried on. “I felt exactly the way I wanted to feel on my wedding day; classic and timeless,” she says. Jasmine shopped around extensively with her maid of honor, but she couldn’t get the Ese Azenabor off-the-shoulder ball gown with a stunning long train out of her mind. She wore a custom garter that read “Mrs. Barker” and translucent Amina Mauddi pumps. “I loved them because they were the ultimate Cinderella glass shoe,” Jasmine says. For the finishing touch, Jasmine wore the first fragrance John purchased for her, Chanel Eau Tendre.

John got ready with his father, John Sr., and his brother, Justin. He wore a custom double breasted silk ivory tuxedo jacket with gold button details by House of Billionaire New York paired with navy slacks. His fragrance for the wedding was Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt.

The couple’s first look took place on an outdoor terrace in front of French wrought-iron railings. “It was the one moment during the day where we could just be us and celebrate what this new milestone meant,” Jasmine says.

Earlier, John’s father offered him some words of wisdom. “ He shared that I have an opportunity to take care of my family with a level of responsibility that I should be proud to hold. And that moment echoed in my heart the second I saw my bride for the first time,” he says. After the first look, the couple took some portraits around the property with their photographer. 

Jasmine’s seven bridesmaids wore Jessica Angel satin floor-length dresses with varying necklines. “I wanted them to match the neutrals in the florals,” the bride says.

The groomsmen wore navy blue tuxedos, and the couple’s son, John Barker III, wore a custom navy tux by House of Billionaire New York. 

The couple’s indoor ceremony featured a lush floral arch as a focal point. The arch, along with two large floor arrangements flanking it, featured tons of greenery and flowers in the wedding color scheme of blush, beige, and orange. The aisle was covered with blush flower petals and lined with varying candles; some in glass hurricanes and others on tall gold candelabras. Guests were seated in gold Chiavari chairs and a harpist provided ceremony entertainment.

As the ceremony began,John made his entrance first. The couple’s son, the ring bearer, was accompanied by their niece, the flower girl, who discretely pulled him along by the arm as they walked down the aisle. 

Jasmine walked down the aisle to “Fall For You” by Leela James. “John told me years ago that when he heard the song, he just knew he was about to propose,” Jasmine says, “As I walked down the aisle, I couldn't help but see our son standing on the side and the joy I felt in my heart was indescribable.”

The couple shared a prayer to start the ceremony, and then exchanged vows they each wrote in their respective vow books. 

The couple walked down the aisle for the first time as husband and wife to Kirk Franklin’s “We Win.”

Immediately following their "I do's," Jasmine and John took more photos with their loved ones in the ceremony space.

As a nod to the way John asked Jasmine out, the table assignments were displayed on post-it notes on an ornate gold mirror. The mirror was decorated with organic flower arrangements.

The ballroom ceremony featured a dance floor with a custom monogram at the center. Chandeliers and draped ivory fabric covering the walls created a feeling of opulence. A mix of round and long glass tables with gold edges were paired with modern gold oval top chairs with emerald green cushions. 

Jasmine and John worked with Wedded Events to design extravagant centerpieces for the reception. Some tables held floral runners mixed with tall candelabras. Others had asymmetrical arrangements with bold pops of color. A few of the round tables featured floral installations that climbed from the center of the table towards the ceiling. Crystal chandeliers were also hung from the installation, and the florals were lit from underneath the table. The place settings included gold textured chargers, neutral linens, and a custom printed emerald green menu featuring the floral illustration seen on the dance floor.

The sweetheart table featured a similar installation with a unique shape that framed the couple.

The couple made their grand entrance and shared their first dance to “Find Someone Like You” by Snoh Alegra. “With the room full of family and friends, all I felt was John and I dancing as we normally do in our kitchen on a Saturday or Sunday morning,” Jasmine says, “As we danced, I couldn’t help but look to God and thank him because as of that moment, God had blessed me with everything I prayed for.” John also shared a dance with his mother to “A Song For Mama '' by Boys II Men.

The couple’s loved ones shared toasts as guests were served dinner and cocktails. Jasmine and John had two signature cocktails; the “Jersey Shore” and the “Brooklyn Bridge” as a nod to the bride and groom’s individual hometowns. 

The couple stepped away during the reception to change into their second looks. Jasmine changed into a floor-length embellished silver gown and John wore a custom dull silk wool navy jacket with custom navy velvet accents on the lapel and buttons.

Jasmine and John’s six-tiered wedding cake from J'adore Cakes featured six gold tiers decorated with cascading florals.

The evening wouldn’t be complete without traditions like John removing Jasmine’s garter and Jasmine tossing her bouquet. The couple’s DJ, Pulse Sounds, kept everyone on the dance floor.

Jasmine and John spent their honeymoon in the Maldives. To couples planning their wedding, they say, “Focus on the details that make your day special to you all as a couple, that is what you remember. Don’t get hung up on the decor and the aesthetics.”