Thanks for stopping by our wedding website! Here you can find everything you need to know about our big day. Read our story, find out who is in the wedding party, and see all the day-of details including a full itinerary of events and links to hotel accommodations below!
THE PARTY STARTS IN:
DAYS
Danielle was born and raised in the small town of Wildomar, CA. She is the eldest daughter of Jana Franklin, who taught her the importance of seeing beauty in everything and everyone. Danielle is the oldest of her sisters, Alyssa Sheppard and Talia Perez, who all share a love for animals and nature.
After graduating with honors from high school, Danielle began her big adventure in New York City by enrolling at NYU. When she applied for an internship at PSP she was unknowingly hired by her future best friend, maid of honor Allie Wassel. Allie soon realized what would become obvious to everyone else, that Danielle and Brad would be perfect together. Danielle is now a freelance graphic designer, vegan, and avid runner who is thrilled to begin her next big adventure.
Written by the groom ♥
Brad grew up in Denville, NJ just 30 miles west of New York City. As an only child, Brad was very close with his parents. They spent their summers exploring historic battlefields and national parks all over the eastern US, turning Brad into the history buff he is today (and into the perfect match for Danielle). He spent the rest of his childhood with best man Dan Bacchetta, watching Mystery Science Theater 3000 and playing in the woods behind his house.
When it was time to go to college, Brad attended the University of Scranton in PA, where he joined the ultimate frisbee team and made some of the best friends of his life. After college he worked as a special education teacher in New Jersey before eventually moving to Hoboken, NJ. It was then that he was introduced to Danielle by maid of honor and fellow Scrantonian Allie Wassel, and it didn't take long for them to fall in love.
Brad now works in the tax department at Coach in Manhattan, runs marathons and half-marathons, and is interested in photography, American history, and of course, Star Wars!
Written by the bride ♥
+ The day we met, hiking in Ricketts Glen, PA +
In the spring of 2012, Allie Wassel was plotting. Her best friend Danielle was unhappy and thinking about moving back home across the country to California. Brad, her friend from college, was single and feeling down on his luck. Before even introducing the two, Allie had already realized that they would be perfect for one another. Determined to play matchmaker, Allie began to plan opportunities where the two could meet.
Allie's first move was a group hiking trip to Ricketts Glen, PA. Danielle spent the day nervously watching Brad and Dave scaling waterfalls, standing uncomfortably close to the edge of cliffs, and hitting rocks with bigger rocks trying to find fossils. The long drive there and back was ample time for them to discover that there was something interesting between them, through discussions about books, music, history - you name it. Allie's next move was to slyly set up a group chat, to "accidentally" get them to exchange numbers. Over email and text messages for the next few weeks, Brad and Danielle began to see what Allie had already known. There was definitely something there.
Then came Allie's clutch move: free Bryant Park Movie Nights. They spent every Monday night that summer on that lawn getting to know each other, laughing and playing card games over classic movies like Psycho, Roman Holiday, and Indiana Jones. The inevitable first kiss on the last night of the summer sealed the deal. Eventually, getting to know each other had become indistinguishable from falling in love. The rest, as they say, is history.
Way back in 2010 when Danielle was a senior at NYU and could not find an internship anywhere, a savior came in the form of Allie Wassel, who hired her as an unpaid intern for the fall semester. This little choice changed Danielle's life forever. When Allie and Danielle realized just how much they had in common, they set out on their adventure to conquer the world together, running half marathons and enjoying yummy vegan goodies along the way.
Luckily for Danielle, Allie had become good friends with Brad while at Scranton, and immediately saw that they would be a perfect pair. She quickly set about pairing them up with some subtle (and not so subtle) hints and nudges. Allie now lives in Austin, Texas, where she gets to enjoy the outdoors all year long, plays recreational sports, and works as a project manager at PSP.
Dan and Brad have been best friends since second grade when they met during the school’s Halloween parade. Dan is the youngest son of Bernie and Barbara Bacchetta and honorary son of Mr. and Mrs. Russell. Brad and Dan grew up riding bikes, playing hockey, and watching Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Dan graduated from Morris Knolls in 2003 and then attended Monmouth University where he earned a degree in graphic design. After graduating, Dan and Brad moved to Hoboken to enjoy the bachelor life. Dan currently lives on the Upper East Side and works at the New York startup WayUp where he is a web designer. When Brad had to choose a Best Man, Dan was the obvious choice for the job.
Check In – Day One
Holiday Inn check in time for guests arriving on Friday
Welcome Party!
Join us as we take over the lobby/party space at the Residence Inn across the parking lot from the Holiday Inn; light snacks, beer and wine will be provided
Check In – Day Two
Holiday Inn check in time for guests arriving on Saturday
It's Go Time
Shuttle leaves from Holiday Inn to the ceremony site at Waterloo Village
The Part Where Brad and Danielle Get Married!
Our ceremony will take place in an outside shady area at Waterloo Village; dress accordingly (high heels are not recommended); refreshing beverages will be provided
Cocktail Hour
Lawn games, snow cones, live music, signature cocktails, and delicious food in an open-air pavilion steps away from the ceremony site
Let the Party Begin!
Now is the time for dinner, dancing, more lawn games, a fire pit, and warm chocolate chip cookies in and around the Meeting House adjacent to the cocktail hour pavilion – don't worry, it's air conditioned :)
Keep the Party Going!
We'll head back to the Holiday Inn via return shuttle and keep the night going at the Holiday Inn bar
Farewell Brunch
Join us at the Holiday Inn for a goodbye brunch
Holiday Inn Check Out Time
Thank you so much for joining us in celebrating our wedding day!
When booking by phone, please mention the Sheppard-Russell wedding block, or use the BOOK NOW button below to receive the group rate of $109/night! Book by 6/8/2016.
1000 International Dr
Budd Lake, NJ 07828
(973) 448-1100
Directions: Take Route 80 to exit 25. Follow ramp around to right, exiting at first off ramp (Waterloo Village). Follow ramp around to left. Hotel will be on the left side.
BOOK NOW
Waterloo Village Address:
525 Waterloo Road, Stanhope, New Jersey
Directions from Route 80:
Take exit 25 for US-206 N toward Stanhope/Newton and continue onto US-206 N. Take the exit toward International Trade Center/Waterloo Village. This road becomes International Drive. After the curve, turn right onto Continental Drive. When the road ends, turn left onto Waterloo Rd. In one mile, you will see a parking lot and Waterloo Village will be on the left side of the road.
Waterloo is rich in history, dating back to the time of the Munsee (Lenape) Indians who inhabited northern New Jersey and made use of the rich natural resources and the abundance of the landscape and waterways. Later, with the discovery of rich veins of iron nearby, the Andover Forge was established here, making bar iron for shipment to England before the American Revolution.
The village of Waterloo had its most active period with the arrival of the Morris Canal in 1831. With a canal lock and inclined plane located here, Waterloo Village became a small inland port on the cross-state trip from the Delaware River to the Hudson River. Today, Waterloo Village is the only place on the East Coast where both a canal lock and the remains of an inclined plane can be seen along with the town that grew up around them.
The inclined plane, an engineering wonder, carried canal boats over hills by a system of railroad tracks and cables, overcoming extreme changes in elevation. Once the railroads were built, however, their speed and efficiency made the canal obsolete. With the closing of the canal, Waterloo was left a quiet residential hamlet.
Today, the Village has been restored and is a living example of a bygone era. Visitors can tour the beautiful grounds and buildings for great lessons in history, architecture, social studies, industry, and more.
Written by Patrick Tadeushuk on FieldTrip.
Site built by the bride ♥
