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Oh, we’re not done with all of the lovely just yet.  We have one amazing film by Siberian Pictures below. Enjoy!

From the Bride… Vince and I have known each other since high school and were best friends throughout college — despite the 1,100 mile distance between our schools. He proposed at a quaint bed and breakfast overlooking the Puget Sound in the heart of downtown Seattle. For our wedding, we both wanted to celebrate love, family, and cultural traditions with an intimate, stress-free fete. We initially considered a destination wedding in Cinque Terre or Paris, but decided to save Paris for our honeymoon. Our guests’ experience during our wedding weekend was our top priority. We wanted everyone to feel welcome, loved and relaxed. All our guests stayed at a resort on the same beach that the wedding ceremony took place on. We had a lot of fun putting together welcome baskets that included champagne, hand-made soaps, German gummy bears, Belgian beer and a variety of other things that highlighted special places throughout our relationship.  Because the majority of our guests came from out-of-state, we gave them a taste of Florida by treating them to a visit to the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine the day before the wedding. Afterwards, we had our rehearsal dinner outdoors on the water where we were able to watch the sunset as we enjoyed our meal.

Our wedding day was perfect. We were surrounded by a dozen of our closest friends and family for a quaint ceremony on the beach. I walked down the aisle as a string quartet played, and I completely surprised myself when tears began falling and blurred my vision — thank goodness I had my dad to help navigate me! There were so many special parts to that day … hearing Vince say his vows, sharing with my (step)dad that I planned to change my middle name to his family name, taking pictures in my Korean dress (han bok) with my sister and mom … the list could go on. One of the most special moments was when Vince and I planted a Magnolia bonsai to symbolically represent the beginning of our family tree as the quartet played “Married Life” from the Disney/Pixar movie “Up.”

The second priority for the wedding was to have it captured in photographs that we could treasure for the rest of our lives. We are so thankful to have had wonderful photographers in Julie and James. Every time I look at our photos, it brings me back to that day and I’m filled with the same giddy, care-free happiness.

Wedding Photography: Julie Cate Photography / Wedding Ceremony: One Ocean Resort and Spa in Atlantic Beach, Florida / Wedding Reception: Ruth’s Chris in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida / Flowers: Publix / Wedding Dress: Kenneth Pool via Solutions Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Vince Camuto / Hair: Cortello Salon / Makeup: Kimtasha / Groom’s Suit: Ralph Lauren / Music: Belle Fleur String Quartet / Wedding Cinematography: Siberian Pictures

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Post tags: Atlantic Beach, Belle Fleur String Quartet, Cortello Salon, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Florida, Julie Cate Photography, Kenneth Pool, Kimtasha, Lavender, One Ocean Resort and Spa, Publix, Ralph Lauren, Ruth's Chris, Siberian Pictures, Solutions Bridal, Vince Camuto
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Florida Weddings, Jacksonville

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From the bride… As I began putting the pieces together for our big day, I began to feel very overwhelmed. I love so much about weddings that I actually had a very difficult time narrowing down which details I wanted to include. Ok, I admit … my Pinterest addiction didn’t help. I had so many ideas but no clue how to create a cohesive event. After fighting myself over cakes or cupcakes, salmon or beef, and centerpieces, I decided to take a step back. I decided to make our wedding about “us” and not “me.” After I changed my focus I began to create the wedding of our dreams. I knew from the beginning that we were not the traditional couple. Our first dance was going to be “When I’m Sixty-Four” by The Beatles and we didn’t play the Electric Slide or the Macarena. Our wedding was going to be about our love for each other and not a cookie-cutter event.

We wanted the feel of our wedding to be very old Florida. There was lots of  lace, oil lamps, cut-glass bowls and real Florida scenery in our wedding. Since both of our families are from small southern towns in the heart of Florida, it was very important to us that our wedding was about our families as well. We included pictures of our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents at the seating card table. The gold rings I wore on my right hand belonged to my grandmother and great-grandmother. My shoes were vintage Salvatore Ferragamo pumps given to me by my aunt years ago. My childhood minister officiated the ceremony. Andrew’s father played guitar for the ceremony. Two of the songs used in the processional were written by Andrew. I was escorted down the aisle by both my father and mother. Needless to say, our wedding was all about us. As far as the details, we did a lot by ourselves. I made the boys’ bow ties, the ring bearer pillows, the “Here Comes the Bride” sign, the invitations, and even decorated the hanger for the picture of the dress. Friends and family helped with the invitations, the candy buffet and much, much more. I may have gotten a little carried away, but it was definitely all worth it in the end. It was all of the personal touches that made our wedding day so special.

We couldn’t have had a more fantastic day without Harbour Ridge Yacht and Country Club and Mi.Amore.Foto. Harbour Ridge Yacht and Country Club was just perfect. The view was spectacular, the dining room was impeccably Florida, and they had incredibly gracious staff. Not to mention they specially made us a guava-filled wedding cake even though it wasn’t on the menu. Other than the “I do’s,” the photography was the most important aspect of our wedding. We wanted a photographer that listened, was someone that we could trust and even collaborate with on our vision. Shannon Mathis of Mi.Amore.Foto was way beyond a wedding photographer. She made us feel so comfortable and truly captured our love. Our wedding day was incredibly personal and loving. As I look at our photos I am reminded of how lucky we are to have one another and our family and friends to support us. This day was only one day out of many in our marriage, but it stands out as the most beautiful start a couple could ask for.

Wedding Photography: Shannon Mathis of Mi.Amore.Foto / Wedding Venue, Catering + Cake: Harbour Ridge Yacht and Country Club in Palm City, Florida / Flowers: Harbour Bay Florist / Wedding Dress: San Patrick via Tamera’s Forever Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Vintage Salvatore Ferragamo / Bride’s Gold Rings: Family Heirlooms / Hair: Sara Lucas / Makeup: Shannon Mathis / DJ: Paragon Entertainment / Wedding Invitations, Bow Ties, Ring Bearer Pillows, “Here Comes the Bride” Sign, Dress Hanger + Candy Bar: DIY / Ceremony Music: The Groom’s Father

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Post tags: Blush, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Florida, Green, Harbour Bay Florist, Harbour Ridge Yacht and Country Club, Mi Amore Foto, Palm City, Paragon Entertainment, Salvatore Ferragamo, San Patrick, Sara Lucas, Shannon Mathis, Tamera's Forever Bridal, White
Post categories: Florida Weddings, Traditional Elegance

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From the bride… My hubby Tim and I met 12 years ago at college in Indiana. We were just friends though. Fast forward a decade and a little thing called Facebook brought us together. He was in San Diego and I was in L.A., and after I took a weekend trip down to SD to see my old friend and sparks surprisingly flew between us, I knew I was toast. We got engaged after alternately driving every single weekend to one another for almost two years. And when it came time to pick a destination, we instantly chose the white, sugar sand beaches of Anna Maria Island in Florida.  My family uprooted there when I was 16, and this charming little island community holds such a special place in my heart.

Living in LA and planning a wedding in Florida was a challenge, but a fun one.  First thing we did was find a local coordinator, who turned out to be AJ Latteri at The Loft 5.  For over a year, she listened carefully to my vision, which was beachy-meets-Anthropologie, and we lobbed pictures back and forth of inspiration from the web and others’ weddings. She recommended our wedding location, the Limefish House, a rental beach house whose owners graciously allow weddings to be held there. I really wanted every guest to feel they had stepped into a mini vacation for the long weekend, and I wanted them to leave loving Florida like we do. The beach house was totally transformed into a romantic, whimsical and tranquil beach spot, courtesy of AJ, her team and the geniuses behind a new local Island design and wedding planning firm called Enna/Anne. These three local 20-somethings — Kyle, Lenna and Jeanne — are floral and design phenoms. They did everything from designing my invites and creating our photo booth to painstakingly organizing our flowers and other design elements.

For the bridesmaids, I chose a different Rachel Pally dress for each (8 girls total!).  I wanted their dresses to look like colors you’d see in a Florida sunset. At the end of the night, a trolley picked up all the guests wanting to keep the party going and dropped us off at a bar at the end of the Island. We had pizzas delivered there, and everyone danced and mingled with locals for the rest of the night! If I could give brides advice, it would be be to start looking now for unique finds to incorporate on your big day. My mom scoured local Goodwill’s and thrift stores for a year, collecting various vases made of beach glass, which we peppered around the house. And don’t be afraid to mix and match different elements — i.e. beachy/rustic/modern/traditional.  It’ll all come together in the end and have a vibe that’s different and unique. 

The bride is one of the bloggers behind,  Covet Living.

Wedding Photography: Joielala Photographie / Wedding Venue: Limefish House on Anna Maria Island, Florida / DJ: DJ Chris Grumley / Wedding Flowers, Invitations, Makeup, Photo Booth + Event Design: Enna/Anne / Event Planning + Catering: A.J. Latteri and Fusion Cafe of The Loft 5 / Sushi: Ocean Star Sushi / Wedding Dress: Nicole Miller / Brides Earrings: Rent the Runway / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Rachel Pally / Officiant: The Bride’s Uncle

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Post tags: A.J. Latteri, Anna Maria Island, Destination Wedding, DJ Chris Grumley, Enna/Anne, Florida, Fusion Cafe, Joielala Photographie, Lavender, Limefish House, Nicole Miller, Ocean Star Sushi, Orange, Pink, Rachel Pally, Rent the Runway, The Loft 5, White
Post categories: Destination, The Blog

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From the bride… From the moment we got engaged, my husband and I knew we were not looking for the traditional wedding. We wanted it to be unique, which decided a lot of things right off the bat. First of all, it meant paying for it ourselves. We wanted our wedding to be entirely “us,” which meant making all the decisions on our own and not having to worry about offending the people footing the bill. And as that was the case, the second thing it meant was DIY. It really worked out perfectly since I love craft projects and homemade things. I had SO much fun (favorites include the boutonnieres, my cake topper, and the little hors d’oeuvres cones I made) and I even got my fiance in on some of it, which made it extra fun!

We found the perfect setting at Birdsong Barn — a sort of ready-made atmosphere, complete with a lawn for playing games, loads of already-hung white Christmas lights, and plenty of charm. We picked a giant oak tree for the actual ceremony and planned a mixture of traditional and non-traditional elements. Our vows were classic, but our wedding party was not. Since we wanted to keep it very small, it felt strange to have ten of our friends standing up front when there were only about 50 people total! Instead, we had them be part of the ceremony by constructing the arch. Each of the bridesmaids and the parents added flowers to the mason jar arch before sitting on the front row. Everyone in the bridal party picked their own clothes with very general guidelines — girls had to wear purple and guys had to wear suspenders.

Another key was using our friends for everything possible! From our bluegrass band, Springer Mountain, to SeaLillie, the company who designed and made all my jewelry (including earrings made from the extra buttons from my wedding dress for all my bridesmaids), we made sure to support our friends as much as possible in the process. Fortunately, I have a lot of talented friends! We figured if we had to pay someone, why shouldn’t it be people we already know and love? Both of our families were amazing too. Almost all the decorations that we brought to the barn were pieces that my mom has had lying around forever — books published in the early 1800s, vases, pitchers and vintage mason jars that have been passed down in our family, etc… We wanted everything to mean something! My mom and sister and I made batch after batch of pickles and apple butter and jam for the favors, and Jared’s family was a huge help too!

Wedding Photography: Shea Christine Photography / Wedding Venue: Birdsong Barn in Titusville, Florida / Band: Springer Mountain / Jewelry: SeaLillie / Cake Topper + Boutonnieres: DIY by the Bride / Wedding Cake: A Family Friend / Wedding Dress: Justin Alexander via Robyn Lynne Bridal / Veil: Penelope Koleos Williams / Wedding Flowers: Whole Blossoms / Wedding Signs: DIY + Birdsong Barn

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Post tags: Birdsong Barn, Black, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Florida, Justin Alexander, Penelope Koleos Williams, Purple, Robyn Lynne Bridal, SeaLillie, Shea Christine Photography, Springer Mountain, Titusville, White, Whole Blossoms
Post categories: The Blog, Vintage Chic

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From Ashley of Brooke Images… Shawn and Logan’s wedding took place in their hometown of Anna Maria Island. The wedding was held at Roser Church, then followed by a reception at a local rental property. Shawn and Logan chose an ” Old Florida” theme for their wedding, which they accomplished in such an elegant way. The groom also provided the alcohol for the wedding by brewing his own beer. The guests were given a bottled beer, named “ball and chain” as a party favor. The couple honeymooned in Ireland.

Wedding Photography: Brooke Images / Ceremony: Roser Community Church on Anna Maria Island, Florida / Reception: A Rental House on Anna Maria Island via Island Real Estate / Wedding Coordinator: Vicki Sack / Rolls Royce: Dale Powers, A Family Friend of the Couple / Wedding Cake: Slice of Heaven / DJ: Mike Sales of Mike Sales Presents / Wedding Dress + Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Angelo / Catering: Manatee Technical Institute / Menu Selections: Jamie Gregorich, Maid of Honor, As Seen on Hell’s Kitchen / Flowers: The Island Florist / Boutonnieres: DIY by Bride / Old Florida Decor: DIY by the Bride + Family Members

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Post tags: Alfred Angelo, Anna Maria Island, Brooke Images, Brown, Dale Powers, Florida, Green, Hell's Kitchen, Island Real Estate, Jamie Gregorich, Manatee Technical Institute, Mike Sales Presents, Roser Community Church, Slice of Heaven, The Island Florist, Vicki Sack, White
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Florida Weddings, Tampa Bay

From Jeremy of BlueShore Productions… The couple met at a Brazilian bar in Chile and from that moment, the rest was history. They decided on the historical Henry Flagler Museum in beautiful Palm Beach, Florida, to host their special day. They had a beautiful outdoor ceremony at sunset next to the waterway. The reception was held in the ballroom of the museum. It was absolutely stunning.

Wedding Cinematographer: Jeremy Nelson of BlueShore Productions / Photography: Lara Rios / Wedding Venue: Henry Morrison Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Florida / DJ: Liquid DJs

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Post tags: Blueshore Productions, Florida, Green, Henry Morrison Photography, Jeremy Nelson, Lara Rios, Liquid DJs, Palm Beach, Yellow
Post categories: Florida Weddings

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From Rebekah of Kallima Photography… Laura and Jon’s classic and elegant wedding was held at the Country Club of Orlando, the most un-country club-like venue we have ever seen. The ballroom rivaled one at the Breakers Palm Beach, with extra high ceilings and gorgeous chandeliers, and we truly feel like this venue is a well-kept central Florida secret! Both living and thriving in New York City (bride works for Tori Burch, groom for 2(x)ist) Laura and Jon seated guests at tables named after their favorite areas of the city. The orchid, rose, and peony centerpieces were truly works of art, and Kilwin’s chocolates were given to each guest as favors. The ornate cream on cream-colored wedding cake was topped with gorgeous pink peonies. The live band literally kept EVERY guest on the floor ’till the bitter end, and the groom’s brother/best man serenaded the crowd on his ukulele as a special treat and tribute to Jon. The bridesmaids made a weekend out of the wedding, all staying in Laura’s huge family home right on the water in Orlando. Her one-of-a-kind Melissa Sweet gown was an absolute stunner and paired with gorgeous crystal embellished Jimmy Choos. Laura’s sister and maid of honor, Shelby, stayed close by her side most of the wedding day and had every guest crying during her toast. The sisters are very close. Truly a family-celebrated event, and an absolutely gorgeous one at that. Wedding Photography: Rebekah + Ben Hood of Kallima Photography / Wedding Venue: Country Club of Orlando / Wedding Planning: Susie Weiss of Wonderful Weddings / Flowers + Décor: Brian Joyce of Flourish Floral Productions / Wedding Cake: Priscilla Lucas of Party Flavors / Hair: Kenny Mak of Salon Elysee / Makeup: DIY / Wedding Gown: Melissa Sweet for Priscilla of Boston / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Ceremony Music: Shannon Caine of Beautiful Music / Band: Wings of Sound

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Post tags: Beautiful Music, Ben Hood, Brian Joyce, Country Club of Orlando, Florida, Flourish Floral Productions, Gray, Jimmy Choo, Kallima Photography, Kenny Mak, Melissa Sweet, Orlando, Party Flavors, Pink, Priscilla Lucas, Rebekah Hood, Salon Elysee, Shannon Caine, Susie Weiss, White, Wings of Sound, Wonderful Weddings
Post categories: Florida Weddings, Orlando

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From Andi of andi mans photography and design… I always look forward to meeting a couple for their engagement shoot. It gives me a feel for their personalities and how they interact with each other. CJ is a friend of mine who contacted me first thing in the beginning of the new year to ask me if I wanted to photograph his beachside St. Petersburg wedding in April. (Yes! Cannot wait!) CJ’s fiancee Nija is gorgeous and seeing them together was not only adorable but so much fun to shoot. I look forward to capturing their big day in April, and I hope you enjoy this sweet couple as much as I did! These were shot in Daytona Beach, Florida, near the pier. The weather was perfect, the sun was going down, and the temperature was cool — a beautiful combination.

Photography: andi mans photography and design / Engagement Session Location: Daytona Beach, Florida

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Post tags: Andi Mans Photography and Design, Daytona Beach, engagement session, Florida
Post categories: engagement session, Florida Weddings