Mairead & Peter's Wedding at Skylands Manor in Ringwood, NJ

Sep 21

Apollo Fields | ringwood, nj Wedding | New Jersey Wedding Photographers | Best Wedding Photographer | Flemington Wedding Photos

A Wedding at Skylands Manor: Mairead & Peter’s Dual-Ceremony Celebration in Ringwood, NJ

Atop the manicured grounds of New Jersey’s Skylands Manor—where history and horticulture quietly coexist—Mairead McAuliffe and Peter Ingato crafted a wedding day rooted in intention, elegance, and layered meaning. Their celebration unfolded in two parts: a quiet, family-focused Catholic ceremony at St. Francis of Assisi Church, and a civil ceremony on the manor’s property, where 125 guests gathered beneath late afternoon light and rose petals fluttering in the breeze.

This wasn’t a day defined by spectacle. Rather, it was a seamless expression of what Mairead and Peter value most: depth, warmth, and presence. From their carefully timed golden hour portraits to a Stevie Wonder soundtrack exit (“Signed, Sealed, Delivered”), every moment reflected their shared sensibility—grounded, a little playful, and quietly profound.

From Manhattan to Ringwood

Their story began at a Hell’s Kitchen restaurant and continued through shared iced coffees, tool-assisted home projects, and a steady stream of city walks that grew into something permanent. That same thoughtfulness extended into their wedding day—from Peter’s anticipation of seeing Mairead in her Anne Barge gown to the couple’s decision to write and exchange their own vows during the civil ceremony.

The dual ceremonies allowed space for both faith and personal storytelling, while the day’s architecture—both literal and figurative—supported their narrative. The grandeur of Skylands Manor provided the perfect frame: mossy stone walls, an iconic spiral staircase, and a koi pond that doubled as a photo backdrop.

Editorial Meets Intimate

Mairead and Peter were photographed in all the right places—framed in the manor’s grand archways, walking hand-in-hand through the orchard, caught in a kiss as guests tossed rose petals down the aisle. Their taste leaned editorial: natural light, candids, and a strong point of view. No cheesy setups, just clean lines, real emotion, and a setting that did much of the visual heavy lifting.

Guests flowed between cocktail hour in the manor’s salons and the outdoor patio, before transitioning into the reception ballroom. Mairead and Peter made their entrance directly into their first dance, setting a tone of momentum and ease. Toasts followed—thoughtful, measured—and the evening moved with rhythm and purpose, anchored by dinner, dancing, and one particularly crowd-pleasing round of the “shoe game.”

A Wedding with Layers

There was no formal grand exit. No confetti cannon or vintage car. Instead, Mairead and Peter opted to remain until the final song, the final hug, the final spin on the dance floor. It was a decision that echoed the rest of their day—an emphasis on presence over performance.

Their honeymoon took them to the Azores and Madeira, where the tempo of the wedding weekend gave way to quiet exploration. But it’s their day at Skylands that holds the kind of moments worth revisiting—archived in portraits, preserved in memory, and layered with the kind of meaning that doesn’t fade after the last song.