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From the Bride…Michael and I met in June 2007 and it truly was love at first sight.  I never believed in that phenomena until I experienced it myself.  I realized back then that he truly was my soul mate and I was his.  As we started to plan our future together, I started to imagine our wedding day.  Unlike most girls, I never gave much thought to the “big day” because I always thought that a lot of it would be dictated by the type of man I was going to marry and how we felt about each other.  Once I knew that Michael was “the one,” I started to think about what would be important to us on one of the biggest days of our lives.  I wanted to be sure that the day was an accurate representation of who we are as a couple, how we feel about each other and that the day would be as romantic for our guests as it was for us.

Some of these planning pieces sounded easy and some sounded very overwhelming.  I knew I wanted to get married at an old mansion that has been turned into public property.  Once we found the Epping Forest Yacht Club, the rest would fall into place. Bumblebee Weddings helped me with all of the details to make sure that I truly captured how we felt about each other and how we wanted the guests to feel like part of our family as well.  We both love the water and sailing, so that was the theme that we went with, which was perfect for a Yacht Club setting.  I immediately started working with Sage Sisters Press for my wedding invitations and programs, who successfully captured the ambiance, on paper, that we were going for.

The big day finally arrived and it was more amazing that I could have ever imagined.  It really was a fairy tale wedding for us, I could not have asked for anything more!  Everything went so smoothly and the weather was gorgeous.  The best advice that I was given was to be sure that I paid attention to every moment of that day because it was the only chance I had and it would go by in a flash.  I took that advice and I remember everything about walking down the aisle as though it had just happened yesterday.

The wedding started with a one hour cocktail for our guests to mingle, before the ceremony, which was a big hit.   My sister was my Maid of Honor and my 3 younger cousins were my Junior Bridesmaids. They were stunning walking down the aisle in their navy dresses and multi-glitter shoes.  Michael had his 3 brothers for his Best Men and of course they were a handsome group.

Our first dance was so romantic and meaningful to us, it was perfect.  For the reception, we did a combination of round tables and banquet tables which gave it more of an eclectic look.  Our guest book was not traditional, instead, we had a miniature sailboat on display and everyone signed the sails; this is now on display in our home.  The place card holders were little ships-in-a-bottle that our guests could take home with them.  As the night went on, our guests were entertained by our live band and the cigar rolling station that we had set up.  The evening ended with a midnight buffet of sliders and fries, followed by our exit of flags.  Our wedding day was the best day of our lives and we still talk about it all of the time.  It’s a moment that we will never forget and it was the perfect way to begin the rest of our lives.

Wedding Photography: Agnes Lopez Photography / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: Epping Forest Yacht Club / Hair: Casey Powell / Makeup: Jackie Neal / Event Planning: Bumblebee Weddings and Events / Music: The B Town Playaz / Wedding Invitations: Sage Sisters Press / Cigar Bar: JC The Cuban Roller / Floral Design: Marguerite’s Florist

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Post tags: Agnes Lopez Photography, Bumblebee Weddings, Casey Powell, Epping Forest Yacht Club, Florida, Jackie Neal, Jacksonville, JC The Cuban Roller, Sage Sisters Press, The B Town Playaz, Traditional Elegance
Post categories: Florida Weddings, Jacksonville, Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride…The style I was looking for was eclectic.  I wanted it to be elegant but charming, with playful colors, feminine and fresh, with some masculine nautical touches as a nod to the US Navy (The groom is an officer). I love texture and contrast, so I incorporated that into every aspect of the wedding, from the dress and shoes to the gorgeous floral design by Conservatorie.  My mom, Chris and I met with Amy, and together we picked all of the flowers, keeping their unique textures in mind.  I also loved the visual contrast of the white milk glass vases, crystal and glass with the rustic wood and glass pane lanterns.

The favors were special to me. My mom and I made and preserved Spiced Blueberry Jam from the blueberries my family grows in Georgia. My mom and I also bought simple glass votives and attached white lace around the top, which was a fun and simple DIY project, and added a little soft candlelight wherever needed.

The guest book was a cool yearbook from 1922 that my mom picked up at an antique store and was made by her friend, Kimberly.  It turned out beautifully, and I loved the touches she added, the lace and the button bookmark.  I stamped our names and date on the cover page with sepia ink for a final touch. The toasting glasses were a gift to us, handmade by a friend of my grandmother’s, who owns FlameTree, Inc. in Georgia.  I loved the delicate vintage goblet-style of the glasses.

My dad’s hobby is restoring vintage cars, so when my dad began restoring the 1960 MGA, which has always been my favorite, I asked if it could be finished for the wedding.  He took on the huge project, and with the help of everyone involved, it was restored back to original condition in nine months!  It was meaningful to me to ride away in it, plus, it’s beautiful and so much fun.

Wedding Photography: Dana Goodson Photography / Venue: Club Continental / Floral Design + Event Planning: The Conservatorie Floral & Event Design / Guest Book: Kimberly’s Eclectica / Toasting Glasses: Flame Tree Glass / Reception Music: DJ Connection / Wedding Cake: Kakes by Katie / Bride’s Hair and Make-up: the SPA at bartram walk

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Post tags: Dana Goodson Photography, DIY Projects, DJ Connection, Flame Tree Glass, Florida Wedding, Garden Wedding, Jacksonville, Kakes by Katie, milk glass, Orange Park, The Club Continental, The Conservatorie Floral & Event Design, The Spa at Bartram Walk, Traditional Wedding, vintage car, Yellow
Post categories: Florida Weddings, Jacksonville, Traditional Elegance

It’s important for you to look and feel like yourself on such a big and important day…you want your beauty to be enhanced and for you to look better than ever!  Here are a few make-up and hair tips to help you along the way.

Ask your make-up artist what colors and style he or she thinks is best for your skin tone and facial features.

Tell your make-up artist what you like or dislike about make-up.  This will open up a great conversation about your comfort with make-up.

Share with your make-up artist the colors that are in your wedding, and the style of your wedding dress.

Skin / Foundation – Always have your skin natural looking and even in tone.  To acheive this look you want to use a light weight foundation and concealer in places that you need more coverage.  Natural bronzing powder is a must have.

Blush – Add a pop of pink or peach on the apple of the cheeks and this will give your skin a healthy glow.

Lips – It you love a bold lip color…a beautiful red, pink, or peach stain is stunning.

Eyes – If you want your eyes to stand out…try false lashes with a defined eye liner, or a soft smokey look to bring out your eye shape.

Hair – For both hair and make-up, I recommend having a trial appointment prior to the wedding day.  This is a great way for your stylist to try different wedding hair styles on you.  Always remember to bring your hair accessories and/or veil.  Don’t try a style that is too modern or edgy unless it fits your personality and theme.  It is always safe to have a clean and classic hairstyle that compliments your face shape and natural beauty!

Wedding Make-up: Kimtasha

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Post tags: Advice, DIY Make-up, Florida, Hair, Jacksonville, Kimtasha, make-up, Tips
Post categories: Florida Weddings, Wedding Resources

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From Mi Amore Foto… I have known Dwayne’s family for about 10 years now, so being chosen to photograph his wedding was a pretty big honor.  He and Celeste did everything themselves and with the help of family and friends. His three sisters actually made the chuppa for the two of them to stand under during the ceremony.

Celeste’s shoes were a wedding gift and one of her favorite details from the day.  Dwayne told me that he was going to have someone else sing his and Celeste’s song to her during the ceremony, but he thought, “Why in the world wouldn’t I just sing it to her?!”  He ended up serenading her during the vows. I’m not sure if there was a dry eye in the church.  He never broke eye contact and she never stopped smiling.

Family was a huge part of the day, as she had her sisters, as well as Dwayne’s, as her bridesmaids. Dwayne is very close to his mom and three sisters, and during the mother/son dance, the three sisters ended up surprising Dwayne and his mother by joining in.  They ended up all holding hands and circling around the dance floor.  Mom was in tears and you could tell that this was such a joyous day for everyone.

The old window, used as the seating, was done by Dwayne’s brother in law.  All of the flowers were done by a friend. Everything was a combined effort and you could tell that this couple was so loved and taken care of.  It was a beautiful, beautiful day.

Wedding Photography: Mi Amore Foto / Wedding Reception Location: The Florida Yacht Club / Floral Design: Mitzi Monday, Friend of the Bride & Groom / Wedding Cake: Edgewood Bakery / Wedding Dress: Gail Chandler / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridesmaid Dresses: Rheia Roundtree / Wedding Invitations: J. Lewis Designs / Groomsmen Attire: Banana Republic / Bride’s Makeup: Sephora / Bride’s Hair: Lucy Salon

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Post tags: Badgley Mischka, Banana Republic, DIY Details, Edgewood Bakery, Florida, Green, Grey, Jacksonville, Mi Amore Foto, Sephora, The Florida Yacht Club, White
Post categories: Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Florida Weddings, Jacksonville

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From the Bride… The vision I had for my wedding day evolved quite a bit as the date approached, and many ideas I had initially, I didn’t end up up using in the end. I’m not one of those girls who has always pictured her wedding day to be a certain way; in fact, I never really pictured my wedding until it was upon me. At first I thought I wanted to do something totally different from other traditional weddings. I even considered it might be just the two of us, plus immediate family, in a tiny Spanish town we’d visited together when we first met! It was all very dreamy and far-away feeling at first, and I think it was when I went dress shopping with my sister and mother that I realized this was really my wedding. It was also when I decided what I wanted to look like, what I wanted everyone else to look like, and what feeling I wanted the whole scene to evoke. I realized that I simply wanted the day to be a reflection of us; a celebration of who we are as individuals and together, and that I wanted to celebrate with everyone I held dear. I’m a romantic, so I ended up with a traditional white dress with a long train that I could not call anything but “so pretty.”  Corey and I are flirty and a bit goofy as a couple, so I wanted to keep the style fun and playful. We’re also both pretty style-conscious, and I’m quite crafty, so we chose a modified retro look with some personal DIY touches thrown in here and there, and I think we ended up with something like Old Hollywood Glamour meets Alice in Wonderland… if there is such a thing!

With a lot of help from family and friends, I added some personal touches that I think made the wedding more memorable for everyone there. My sister Lauren is an artist, and offered to make my invitations, save the dates, and programs for me. She used real photos of Corey and I and used Photoshop to place us in an old 1950′s convertible for the save the date: they were too cute! I had an idea early on to use bells during the ceremony, as a way to let the guests participate. I ended up placing small bells in each program, with instructions to ring the bell at various parts of the ceremony (when I walked past each row as I entered, and at the end when we kissed, of course). I remember how nice it was to hear the bells as I walked down the aisle– a sort of reminder that all of the people around me were there in loving support. I also had a friend playing the Viola for our ceremony music, and to keep things fun we had him play the Hallelujah chorus for the recessional! It was definitely a joke that was only appreciated by some. For our first dance, Corey and I wanted to do something special, so we took a few dance lessons together and choreographed a flirty Mambo dance to Dean Martin’s version of “Hey Mambo.” I changed into a short sparkly number for the dance– we had a great time and definitely missed some steps, but it was fun to see our family’s reaction: no one saw that one coming!  Corey and I are both from Louisville, Kentucky, so for favors we had “Getting Lucky in Kentucky” cookies from Kizito Cookie company in Louisville.

I chose to use various shades of golden yellows mixed with deep indigo blues and navy tones for my color palette throughout, from the invites to the grooms’ boutonnieres, to the flowers and the table decorations. As a personal touch, I created little origami bird placecards made out of these beautiful fancy golden and blue handmade papers I found at a paper store in Vancouver, and placed these on a “tree” made of some curly willow in a vase. A friend helped to write each guest’s names on tags attached to the birds with golden ribbon, along with the guest’s assigned table number. These were a big hit and everyone took them home as favors. I added retro and antique elements throughout to play up the old world feel: I gathered old photos from Corey and my family, and placed them on a screen by the guestbook table. I also used old gold photo frames I found at an antique mall to hold the table numbers, and all of the vases on the tables were different antique-store finds as well.

I remember being inside the Club Continental with my mom and stepdad before the ceremony, waiting for the music to start and watching all of the guests being seated from behind the glass double-doors I was about to walk through, and I remember a sudden sense of calm that no matter what- no matter if I tripped my way down the aisle- this was going to be one of the most wonderful moments of my life. From that moment on, I didn’t care what happened, I was simply so happy to be marrying this person, on this day. The rest was kind of a blur!

Wedding Photography: Browne Photography / Floral Design: Susannah Sands, Friend of the Bride / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: The Club Continental / Wedding Cake: Paul Collins of Signature Cakes by Paul / Hair Accessories: Kathy Vito, Friend of the Bride / Wedding Dress: Anjolique via The White Gown / Wedding Invitations: Lauren Morris, Sister of the Bride / Bridesmaid Dresses: Sarah Seven / Groom’s Attire: Theory / Groomsmen Ties: DKNY

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Post tags: Browne Photography, Club Continental, FL, Florida, Jacksonville, Kathy Vito, Orange, Signature Cakes by Paul, St. John's River, Yellow
Post categories: Florida Weddings, Jacksonville, Traditional Elegance

How sweet is this? Make sure to click here for more pictures OR pick up Jacksonville Magazine’s BRIDE for all of the dreamy goodness. Thanks so much to Agnes for sending our way and to the always fabulous Liza Chung for designing. You two are a bloggers dream come true. Seriously, they are. Remember this incredible shoot?

Florals, Styling and Set Design by Liza Chung, assisted by Liz Savage & Cynthia Banda / Bridal Gowns by Love – A Bridal Boutique / Bridesmaid Dresses by Bella Bridesmaid / Shoes by Emly Benham / Hair by Grazyna Mercado 904.534.7350 / Makeup by Kimtasha Armstrong / Balloons by Balloon Construction Company 904.220.5411 / Location, The Plantation at Ponte Vedra Clubhouse 904.543.7532 /  Models, Maureen, Lacey and Laura / Cake by Etiquette of Chocolate / Sweets by Couture Confections

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 19 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Agnes Lopz, Bella Bridesmaids, Etiquette of Chocolate, Florida, Jacksonville, Liza Chung
Post categories: Florida Weddings, Jacksonville, The Blog

Arden’s Version It was just another Friday night and she was tired. Not much in the mood to go out, but Marianne twisted her arm. They ended up at Finn McCool’s on the beach. In one of those Gray’s Anatomy-like scenes … two hot guys enter the bar and eyes lock. But lo and behold, only one of the guys is available. That’s OK with Arden. It was the other one she was looking at, anyway.

Dave’s Version Friday afternoon, his friend Trip called. Trip’s wife’s friend was in town … she gave him the go ahead to get out. Dave was beat and wasn’t much in the mood, but finally agreed and they ended up at Finn McCool’s. The moment they walked into the bar, this amazing girl gave him, the look. According to Dave, whether Arden knew it or not, she’d been waiting for him.

The Next Day

Arden’s Version She awoke to a text message asking when he could see her next.

Dave’s Version “I sent Arden a text at the end of the night wishing her sweet dreams, so she had my number. Knowing she had landed a keeper, she called me first thing the next morning and invited me to a barbecue. I accepted [picked 'em up in my BMW M-Series]… met her friends… I turned on the charm and the deal was closed.”

Arden’s Version “As the sun went down, we weren’t ready to say goodbye. I was head over heels in love with Dave and never wanted to be without him again.”

Dave’s Version “Somehow, after a few dates and walks on the beach, I found myself consumed with the thought of this girl. She continued (and continues) to amaze, and it wasn’t long before I knew that, when it was all said and done,  ‘I’ was the one who was truly fortunate.”

The Proposal

Dave and Arden’s Version A random Thursday night. Dave had done his homework, had worked with a friend in NY to have Arden’s ring designed. Carried it around for a couple of months trying to figure out how to actually propose. He had been teasing her about popping the question for a couple of weeks and she finally told him to cut it out. On this particular Thursday night, when the sweet-talking started, she was cooking salmon. She began to sweat and asked him to stop. In the middle of the kitchen, he dropped to one knee, said it was real and pulled the ring from his pocket. “Her eyes as big as saucers, I slid the ring on her finger and asked for her hand in marriage. She never really said ‘yes’. She just smiled big and goofy and joined me on the floor of the kitchen.”

The Wedding

from Arden …“The morning of our wedding, I stepped outside the balcony of my hotel room and could not have asked for a more perfect blue sky. The day flew by and before I knew it, I was in my dress … standing at the end of the aisle with my father. As the music played, he gave me away to the love of my life. Dave and I took our vows. I was married to the man of my dreams.”

Doesn’t get any better than this! Congratulations and thank you, Arden & Dave, for sharing your love story with all of us at Style Me Pretty!

{To see the full gallery, click here!}

A huge thanks to Agnes Lopez, one of our great Little Black Book members, photographing weddings in Ponte Vedra Beach, Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, and Georgia’s Golden Coast. Agnes is an amazing wedding photographer… take a look back at Christienne &  Justin’s wedding {Old World Elegance} on Style Me Pretty.

And more from her blog:  Arjola and Peter’s Wedding

The Jacksonville Luxury Living spread …

Agnes’ commercial website, POSE WELL studios featuring Little Black Book member, Etiquette of Chocolate (mmmmm……..)

Agnes Lopez rocks!

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Post tags: Agnes Lopez Photography, Etiquette of Chocolate, Florida, Jacksonville, Luxury Living, POSE WELL Studio
Post categories: Florida Weddings, Jacksonville, Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography