When this couple first visited Crane Cottage, hundreds of butterflies were flitting about the property gardens. They couldn’t forget this magical scene, which ended up providing a beautiful bit of inspiration for their special day. Custom silk butterflies were tucked into the floral arrangements by Colonial House of Flowers, and a beautiful watercolored butterfly by Every Little Letter was incorporated into the stationery. Yes, it’s as enchanting as it sounds, so head into this gorgeous gallery photographed by Sarah Ingram.
When D.C. couple, Courtney and Chris, started planning their wedding, they knew a destination affair was the right move for them. The bride grew up in Florida and knew she wanted a coastal location where guests could really disconnect and treat the trip not only as a wedding weekend but a true getaway. Jekyll Island was a vacation spot for the groom growing up, so the couple decided to visit and see if it felt right for the wedding. The bride says, “We immediately fell in love after touring Crane Cottage for no more than 15 minutes. We both knew this would be it.” The southern charm along with the dreamy landscape including Spanish moss, historic architecture, and the ocean shore steps from the venue was an instant draw.
“I remember when we had initially visited Crane Cottage, that there were a ton of butterflies in the gardens. This stuck with me when I started to think about an underlying theme, and I ended up having custom silk butterflies made, which we sprinkled amongst the floral arrangements. We also had our invitation designer paint watercolor butterflies to weave into our crest on the Save the Dates,” Courtney says.
She also shares a sage piece of advice for other brides-to-be: “Someone told us to take a moment in the midst of everything with your significant other to stand back and take everything all in. I would say that was the most memorable moment of our day! Seeing friends and family all together in one place having a good time is very special.”
Photography: Sarah Ingram | Coordination: Jekyll Island Club Hotel | Floral Design: Colonial House of Flowers, Est. 1968 | Wedding Dress: Marchesa | Cake: Jekyll Island Club Hotel | Invitations: Every Little Something | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Needle & Thread | Catering: Jekyll Island Club Hotel | Hair and Makeup: Emma Collins Beauty | Ceremony Music: Music By Pegge | Venue: Jekyll Island Club Hotel | Bride's Earrings: Mallarino | Film Lab: PhotoVision Prints | Film Lab: Goodman Film Lab