Melanie & Eric (12.01.07)

Melanie and Eric had a beautiful wedding day in St. Augustine!  The day started with the bridesmaids relaxing in the bride's suite at The Cozy Inn while they were pampered by extraordinary hair stylist Casey Powell and fabulous make up artist Kimtasha Armstrong.  Photographers Kris and Kate from Kris Graham Photography arrived at the Inn to take final getting ready shots, and then beautiful photos of the bride with her bridesmaids and family. Meanwhile, the guests were boarding the Old Town Trolley for a fun ride to the Oldest House for the wedding ceremony.  The bride's bouquet by Anything With Plants and Flowers was absolutely stunning, and officiant Cheryl Raby performed a touching and lovely ceremony.

The guests re-boarded the trolley for a quick trip through downtown before arriving at The White Room.  The reception was beautiful with the bride's candle and rose petal centerpieces and sheer silver table cloths.  The gorgeous cake from Publix (San Jose Blvd.) tasted as great as it looked, and the groom's brownie cake was a big hit!  DJ Carlton McGee kept the party going while videographer Wes Taff of Scenecrafters captured everything on film, including a very funny toast from the best man.

Instead of the bouquet and garter toss, Melanie and Eric opted for the Anniversary Dance - the couple married the longest had been married for over 50 years!  The couple offered advise to the newlyweds as the bride presented them with a small version of her bouquet.

At the end of the night, everyone (including the bride and groom!) climbed aboard the trolley one more time to enjoy the Nights of Lights on their trip back to their hotels.

The bride sent this terffiic email to all of their vendors:

Eric and I had an amazing wedding day on Saturday! And you all played a huge part in making it such a special day for us. We wanted to thank each of you for your hard work, guidance, patience, and professionalism. Everyone seems to really love what they do and it really shows!

We will highly recommend each of you to anyone who asks; and even those who don’t.  :) Feel free to give our contact information to anyone asking for references.

Thank you again for making our wedding day unforgettable!

Mark & Melissa (11.03.07)

Maggiano’s at the St. John’s Town Center hosted a very classy wedding for Mark and Melissa. The beautiful couple celebrated their marriage with over thirty out-of-town guests, including family members and friends. Some of the guests traveled from as far west as Colorado, and as far south as the southern tip of Louisiana, to attend this delightful destination wedding.

Mark and Melissa’s family arrived just in time for a quick rehearsal and then set off at record speed to do some last minute wedding shopping around the St. John’s Town Center.  Their most unusual find was a fabulous leather couch and chair set from West Elm, which they brought over to Maggiano’s to use during the actual wedding.  The gorgeous leather set was meant as a seating arrangement for their parents, but it unwittingly brought an extra touch of class to the already beautiful aesthetics inside of the wedding ballroom. 

On Saturday afternoon, both Mark and Melissa stopped by Maggiano’s (thankfully not managing to see each other), each wanting to check out the gorgeous arrangements of the yellow, pink and green cymbidium orchids from Anything with Plants.  They were also able to catch a glimpse of their delicious custom made cake by Piece a Cake, which was also donned with the breathtakingly beautiful cymbidium orchids.

At 6:20 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2007, a beautiful wedding ceremony was performed by Craig Grandstaff of Clergy Wedding Services, in which Mark and Melissa exchanged vows.  The couple personalized their ceremony and reception with yet another unusual find; Aaron Bing, a sax player that they ran across at an unsuspecting location, the Jacksonville international Airport! While Aaron was wowing the guests with his musical talent, they dined on delicious pasta and indulged in a sinful chocolate display.  

Also throughout the evening, Bassal Jadda, the wedding photographer, maneuvered his around the wedding guests snapping some great candid shots. Mark and Melissa’s wedding proved to be an ultra-classical affair, filled with joy and well wishes from friends and family near and far.       

Jillian & Jason (10.19.07)

       

With the success of the book "Offbeat Bride," and the spawn of DIY Weblogs, a new generation of indie brides are whipping out their sewing machines and craft supplies in hopes of an Etsy-worthy wedding.  While I have seen some frightening DIY projects, and it is my experience that this very special occasion is best left to the professionals, every once in a while a bride is able to manage the perfect balance of personalization and sophistication.  Such was true with the wedding of Jillian and Jason.

Jillian is an uber-talented indie fashion designer, with her line of SIMONE all over Etsy.  Jason is equally accomplished in his love of music, playing percussion for a local band.  Together, they are one talented rockstar couple- and anything but your typical bride and groom.  Thus, they took cues from their relationship and a little guidence from great vendors... making a destination wedding to remember!

Their 80 guests travelled from as far as Boston to be a part of the Sunshine State wedding- and by some grace of God... the rain held out.  It poured for miles and miles for hours and hours- and then the clouds parted just in time for their 5 o'clock ceremony- and it was nothing but blue skies, sunshine, and rainbows for their vows.  Guests were greeted by bagpiper, and invited to toss their heels aside for the barefoot beach ceremony.  The ceremony was officiated by the couple's close friend... and the highlight of the whole day was seeing Jillian walked down the aisle in her hand-made wedding dress.  It was stunning!

Guests were then treated to a casual reception at The Finch House... just a brisk walk from the beach.  Here, they dined on a tropical-inspired menu created by Smashing Pans atop tables with custom linens sewn by none other than the crafty bride.  They ooed-ahhhed over the cake (Publix) which was designed by- you guessed it- the bride!  The ecclectic blend of reggae, punk, and rock and roll love ballads (One Voice Productions) were so indicative of the evening's lighthearted mood... with guests lining up to leave their well-wishes in the retro polaroid guestbook.

As the evening drew to an end, and Arte de Palm Photography prepared for their money-shot... the couple danced to one last song all alone.  This was my favorite part of the entire night... the bride was so giddy with glee- the groom in his yellow and black nike sneakers and tux... dancing to "You are my sunshine"... and then they made a mad dash down an aisle of sparklers to their antique get-away car (Majestic).  Off to St. Lucia for the honeymoon!

Heather & Nick (11.03.07)

This weekend, I traveled to Crawfordville (just outside Tallahassee) to share Heather and Nick's wedding day with them.  Heather and I were maid- and matron-of-honor respectively at my cousin's wedding last June, and she said I just had to be there to help her on her wedding day.

Heather has always been an earth goddess, and was environmently-friendly long before it was trendy.  What better place for her wedding than a green* hotel?  The Inn at Wildwood, an "eco-friendly, nature based lodge" according to their website, is a beautiful setting for a wedding.  Heather told me she picked this location long before Nick even popped the question! 

As the guests gathered for the ceremony, Nick's cousin provided background music with his saxophone.  The big surprise, though, was that the bride's arrival was announced by bagpiper Mike Bailey.  Heather planned this special suprise in honor of her grandmother.

After Heather and Nick's sweet wedding ceremony under the arbor, the guests moved next door to The Bistro for a wonderful Southern reception. The menu included individual fruit and cheese platters for each table, yummy gumbo, and a chicken and beef duet entree. The wedding cake by Myra Jean was to die for!  The bride designed the table centerpieces with fall gourds and candles, and each table had a unique look.  Personal flowers by The Flower Peddlers added the perfect fall touch to the decor.

Heather,

Thank you so much for the endless advice & endless answers!  Our wedding day would not have been as beautiful (and stressless) without you.  We are so grateful for everything you have done!

Thank you!

Nick and Heather

(That's the groom with his adoring bride and her bridesmaids!)

*If you want more information about green lodging, check out the Florida Department of Environmental Protection website.  The Florida Green Lodging Certification Program acknowledges and promotes lodging facilities that demonstrate water and energy conservation, waste minimization, recycling, indoor air quality, environmentally preferable purchasing, program sustainability, and pollution prevention.

Ellie & Tim (10.20.07)

 

What a special weekend in Ponte Vedra Beach!  Ellie and Tim celebrated their marriage with 19 of their closest family members and friends with a full weekend of activities.

The weekend began with the arrival of the guests at The Lodge and Club at Ponte Vedra Beach.  After settling in to their rooms on Friday, the group gathered for casual cocktails and a Southern barbecue buffet dinner overlooking the ocean.

Saturday was an early morning for the bride, who was already having her makeup done by the wonderful Kimtasha Armstrong at 7:00 am!  After a trip to The Spa, Ellie was ready for her close up with photographer Nikki McEneaney of Photography By Nikki.

At 11:00 am, a beautiful wedding ceremony was performed by Cheryl Raby of A Vow, Two Keep.  Ellie and Tim personalized their ceremony with meaningful vows that they are sure to treasure.

After cocktails under the oceanfront trellis, the party moved into The Conversatory for a wonderful lunch.  The simple and contemporary floral decor was supplied by Floriade in Jacksonville Beach.

The gorgeous chair covers and table linens included a custom-made 20' runner for the center of the table.  Michelle and Melissa at Royalty Events worked with me to find just the right shade of green!

And what wedding would be complete without a yummy cake from Classic Cakes.  Ellie and Tim chose chocolate cake with chocolate ganash filling for both layers, but couldn't decide between fresh raspberries or strawberries - so they had both!

Jen & Mike (10.06.07)

  Many warm wishes to "The Mr. and Mrs."  Jennifer  and Mike  (both of Channel 4) were such a delightful couple to work with over the last month.  Their courtship has spanned over six years, as they met while working at a tv station in Michigan.  Their families traveled from all over (12 states in total) to be a part of their special day, and to get a glimpse of the "sunshine state".  While the weather was less than cooperative, the wedding was such an amazing event- one of those really special occasions where you can see two families weaving into one right before your eyes.

 The week began with a welcome party at the couple's residence on Thursday.  The festivities continued with a Rehearsal Dinner at The Sawgrass Marriott, hosted by the Cabana Club.  While the showers forced the party indoors, the staff at the Cabana Club did such a wonderful job accomodating the large group (nearly 180) on such short notice.  The Champions Ballroom was transformed into a tropical paradise, complete with cabana umbrellas, Mai Tai, and music via Steel In Motion.  Festive beach balls, sunglasses, sand pails, and welcome bags greeted guests.

The ceremony was held at Holy Family Catholic Church, where Father Dan moved the entire congregation to tears with his touching homily.  The bride was escorted by both her parents and her adorable grandparents offered the gifts.  The entire mass was so very personal and indicative of their strong family ties.

While the monsoon poured outside, guests were escorted to the Sawgrass Marriott via limos courtesy T & T East Coast Limousine.  Phyllis did such a wonderful job of keeping our bride dry and our groomsmen on time! 

During the cocktail hour, guests were invited to find their seat via sand dollar escorts, beautifully penned via Calligraphy by Joy.  Jen and Mike had such fun with the table numbers, opting to do years that were of importance in their lives- giving a brief description and then fun facts of other events occurring that same year.  It was a lovely conversation starter for their destination guests who were not be familiar with one another.

Guests were then ushered into the Masters Ballroom, where a beautiful palette of ice blue and subtle shades of lavender were laid by Rose of Sharon, Jax Stage Lighting, and Aloha Interior Plants.  Each of these vendors did their part to really make that ballroom amazing!  After a wonderful plated dinner, guests put on their dancing shoes to the sounds of KTG.  As always, KTG delivered an amazing performance. 

The entire night was captured through the lense of the ever-so-talented Leah Powell, with a superstar second shooter (Darice Michelle).  --- pictures to follow shortly----

To round off the weekend's celebration, guests were gathered for one last hoorah brunch on the Cascades Deck, perhaps the first rays of sunshine all weekend. 

It was such a pleasure to work with this couple, as they were so organized and sincere.  Their love was ever aparent with the never-fading smiles on each of their faces.  It further touched me to meet the lovely families that Jen and Mike are so fortunate to have... and the fact that 180 of their 250 guests traveled from nearly 12 states is testiment of the impact that they have of each person that they meet.  Mike actually had guests representing every year of schooling since preschool AND every job that he has ever had... how impressive.

Ashley & John (10.06.07)

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs.! Ashley, John, and their families were such fun to work with over the past year. Despite the rainy week, this destination wedding would be one to remember!

A beautiful wedding mass was held at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, where the bride and her mom were very involved during the time they lived in Ponte Vedra Beach. As a very special touch, the bride's grandparents acted as "ring bearers," adding a touching and personal moment to the ceremony.

To get the party started, the guests boarded a trolley to Sawgrass Beach Club - Angie and her staff are always such a delight to work with! The tropical but sophisticated decor created by Liz Stewart Floral Designs set the tone perfectly.

After a wonderful meal of crab cakes and filets, the crowd danced the night away courtesy of Diggin' Rhythm and Brass. The highlight of the evening though was the sparkler-surrounded exit of the bride and groom on their tandem bike!

Mark and Joi of Pennington Photography and Design shot some amazing pictures that Ashley and John will treasure, including a great group shot of all the wedding guests on the pool deck. Jeffrey Stoner of Jeffrey Stoner Video rounded out the "dream team" of some of the best wedding vendors in the state.

Kathleen and Tony in Jacksonville Magazine!

One of our cutie couples was featured in the fall issue of Jacksonville Magazine Bride.  Congratulations to Kathleen and Tony, who were married in a beautiful ceremony at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church.  The reception at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort and Spa was one to remember, especially with the bridal party's kick-line entrance into the ballroom!  Congratulations to the happy couple for getting to share their big day with all of Jacksonville!

Click here to view the page from the magazine!

Mary Ann & Jack (08.11.07)

I had the priviledge of spending the day at the wedding of Mary Ann and Jack.  The ceremony at St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Orange Park was lovely, thanks in part to Father Boddi and the wonderful music of Wehner Weddings.

The lunch reception at Club Continental was elegant, despite the near-100-degree temperatures outside!  It was a great day to be indoors overlooking the beautiful St. Johns River.  Mary Ann and Jack ventured outside with photographer Wesley Lester just long enough to snap some great shots like the one above.

Mary Ann shared this comment when she and Jack returned from the honeymoon in Italy:  "I just wanted to thank you again for making our wedding wonderful. Our friends & families complemented on everything and most importantly Jack and I loved the entire experience."

Sara & Paul (07.01.07)

What a beautiful and fun wedding!  I still can't believe we planned it in about six months.  Paul and Sara must be one of the most made-for-each-other couples I have ever met - I have honestly not seen two people kiss so much on their wedding day!

I am so glad that they decided to make their "splurge" budget item great photography - Agnes Lopez is always such as pleasure to work with, and the photos are phenominal!

With a summer wedding, the colors Sara and Paul chose were perfect.  If only the weather had been!  Despite the heavy rains that day, the wedding at Celebration Church in Orange Park was very moving.  The couple chose to show their love story video from Turner Classic Weddings at the beginning of the ceremony, and there was not a dry eye!

When the party moved to Florida Yacht Club, the bright and cheery table linens with the pink and orange Gerbera daisies made the guests forget the gloomy skies outside.  The rain even cleared long enough to get some great shots of the bride and groom on the second-floor balcony overlooking the St. Johns River and downtown Jacksonville.  And how much fun is this cake!