Beach Chairs, Coolers And Love: Hillsborough Native Weds On Porch

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — When life handed Nicole and Mike Burger the coronavirus, they grabbed some limes and toilet paper and rolled with it, the couple joked on their wedding announcement.

Hillsborough native Nicole and her fiance Mike Burger planned to wed on June 6 but the coronavirus put a stop to that. Not letting the pandemic interrupt their wedding plans, the couple got creative and decided to have a smaller outdoor event at their new home in Hunterdon County while adding in some lighthearted fun.

Their wedding hashtag became #holdthecoronabringontheburgers.

As restrictions on outdoor gatherings eased, Nicole and Mike Burger "decided to roll the dice and push it until the end of June."

The outdoor limit was up to 200 people and they had about 50.

"We asked everyone to bring beach chairs and their own coolers with snacks and beer," Nicole Burger said. "We have 2 acres of property so there was plenty of space for people to spread out. We didn't want people to be sitting on top of each other."

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

The individual coolers were to allow guests who may feel uncomfortable to have their own food and drinks and limit their exposure to others.

The Burgers also offered individual cupcakes in individual boxes, sanitizing wipes, hand sanitizer, a cooler with water and soda, individual mason jars with a "Quarantini", and Corona beers.

"It's not at all what we had pictured," Nicole Burger said. "We wanted to get married in front of a pond or river or a body of water. But I am very happy we did it."

The couple also made a lot of their own decorations to cut down on costs since they still have not or will not receive refunds from vendors or the venue.

They decorated their porch, Mike built an arch which was decorated with fake flowers, they had a little dessert table with welcome sign, and a table for champagne glasses.

"We live streamed it too, so friends from out of state who weren't able to make it or older guests could watch online. We wanted everything as safe as possible," Nicole Burger said.

The event was pretty much pulled together at the last minute with ever changing times.

"The biggest hurdle, if anyone is looking to do this, is you have to become your own wedding planner," Mike Burger said.

The Burgers' timetable got thrown out the window three different times on June 27 as there were severe storms and tornado warnings. The couple had to keep moving back the ceremony time and guests had be accommodating.

In the end, it worked out.

"Most weddings are so over the top and down to every little detail," Nicole Burger said. "This was very relaxed, pretty casual, and people were able to hang out."

"It was picnic wedding but with beach chairs," Mike Burger said.

Having the wedding at their home allowed the couple to incorporate their dog into the ceremony and add little touches such as sparklers and fairy lights.

The couple plans to host a larger event later on where Nicole noted she will be able to wear her wedding dress twice.

"We are both happy we did this," Nicole Burger said.

• Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know
• See more stories about New Jersey's coronavirus recovery.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Don't miss local and statewide announcements. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.