Cristina & Ryan (01.03.09)

Our first wedding of 2009 was a great success!  Cristina and Ryan couldn't have asked for better weather for their outdoor wedding at The Garden Club of Jacksonville.  The simple but elegant decor in the courtyard was mirrored by the bride and groom's words to each other during the ceremony.  Their moving vows were officiated by Cheryl Raby of A Vow, Two Keep in front of 60 of their closest family and friends.  The bride and groom blended their families with the Sands of Unity ceremony, with Cristina pouring sand from Florida and Ryan using soil from Kansas. Kyle Wehner provided classic violin accompaniment that accented the sophisticated style the bride embraced.

After the ceremony, the guests moved inside The Garden Club for cocktails and hors d'ouevres while the bridal party posed for photos by the St. Johns River.  Dinner was served after the bride and groom danced to "Fly Me To The Moon," and the bride's father gave a wonderful welcome speech.

Catering By Liz provided the scrumptious food, including Pistachio Crusted Chicken and Wild Mushroom Risotto.

Table linens in chocolate brown bengaline were topped with pale pink and green floral arrangements by Riverside Event Design.  Cristina designed elegant programs, table numbers, menu cards, escort cards, and place cards in ivory and chocolate brown, accented with a gold stamped design and pink rinestone.

After dinner, DJ David Hanscom of Y? Entertainment provided a variety of dance music.  The gorgeous wedding cake, provided by Etiquette of Chocolate, was pale green with small sugar flower accents and set atop a beautiful apple green bark table cloth.  In lieu of a groom's cake, donuts were served.

Photographers Kris and Kate from Kris Graham Photography captured every moment with their artist style.  Here is a post with more images!

Liz & Blake (12.27.08)

Liz and Blake are a very interesting couple, and their friends and family were great to spend the post-holiday weekend with.

The happy newlyweds live just outside Washington, D.C., where Blake is a Foreign Service Officer. (I had to look it up too - these are the people that staff embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic missions.) Liz is in law school, although I think she will be one of the most beautiful lawyers in the country!

Blake's parents live in Sawgrass Country Club, so the wedding weekend was hosted around Ponte Vedra Beach.  After a short rehearsal on Friday evening, the bride and groom joined their guests for a rehearsal dinner at Cafe on the Green, at the Marriott Sawgrass Resort and Spa.

On the wedding day, the girls were treated to hair and makeup at a Sawgrass condo while Wilson's Ltd. prepared the ceremony and reception venues.

The entrance to the atrium at Sawgrass Golf Club was elegantly draped with chiffon, creating a curtained entrance for the bride.  A beautiful arch and alter arrangements flanked the fireplace to create a romantic alter for the exchange of vows and rings.

After the ceremony, the guests moved to Sawgrass Beach Club for an sophisticated dinner reception.  They enjoyed the stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean while the bridal party headed out to the beach for sunset photos with photographer Michael McNett.  Cocktail hour featured a specialty drink called "The Liberty," a red, white, and blue mixture in honor of the groom's patriotism.

The dining room was a combination of white and navy blue, with tables named for landmarks around Washington, D.C.  Each table featured a photo of the bride and groom at each landmark, and the escort cards where American flag themed.

The Faze provided excellent music to keep the party going.  The giant five-tier cake by Etiquette of Chocolate was designed with the same motif as the bride's gown, and each tier was a unique flavor combination.

It was a beautiful day with beautiful people, and a beautiful way to end the year!

(Read Liz's thank you note here)

Angelique & Matt (11.08.8) - Part 2

Incredible photographer Scarlett Lillian has posted more photos from Angelique and Matt's wedding!  Check out more, plus a slideshow, on Scarlett's blog.

Angelique & Matt (11.08.08)

It was an interesting week as we prepared for Angelique and Matt's wedding.  Angelique had planned a gorgeous reception in the Cummer Museum's Gardens, but by Wednesday the weather was not looking cooperative.  After several revisions, her vendor team gave her a beautiful wedding, which you will see in the photos by Scarlett Lillian. (The one above is from Scarlett's teaser blog post!)

Aime Peterson of Riverside Event Design was instrumental in creating Angelique's vision.  From a photo pulled out of a magazine, Aime crafted a garden party design that worked even when we moved the reception to the Terry Gallery.

Aime and her team created a beautiful tree in the center of the Loggia to display Angelique's beautiful escort cards.  They were crafted from a piece of heavier card stock in a white and gold pattern, and then the guests' names were added on gold vellum by Cami Franklin of Calligraphy By Cami.  The card stock was tied with a ribbon to the tree, and then accented at the bottom with a crystal.

Angelique looked beautiful in her gown, which she just purchased a few weeks ago after losing a ton of weight!  Casey Powell and Kimtasha Armstrong did a phenominal job with her hair and makeup as well.

The ceremony was held at St. John The Divine Greek Orthodox Church, with The Reverend Father Nicholas Lough officiating.

Alan Franco from DJ Connection provided great entertainment throughout the reception, including lots of lively traditional Greek music!  Greek Orthodox weddings are always some of my favorites, and two of my very good friends in the same church a few years ago.  Martha Bush of Have Harp Will Travel provided wonderful music for the ceremony, and then also for the cocktail hour at in the Cummer Museum's Garden.

Matthew's provided a delicious four-course meal, and Chef Matthew Medure was kind enough to serve us lowly vendors the same meal.  We truly appreciated his hospitality!  Catering manager Elizabeth Van Nuys did a great job working with Angelique and Matt to customize the menu.

(That means "congratulations on your wedding" in Greek)

Chronicals of a Bride

I've spent five wonderful years within the events industry going to fittings and tastings.... picking out colors and linens.... and making sure that everyone gets down the aisle sans a crisis.  I've hand-crafted bouquets and hand-sewn faulty zippers.  I have helped dozens of brides find a voice and determine how to translate it into the wedding of their dreams... And now- it is my turn.  That's right... I am getting married Spring 2009. So what is it like to be a coordinator and a bride?  Well, the truth is that it really is not unlike any other girl that gets married.  I am still have a real budget that I must work within.  I still have cultural and traditional elements that I must respect- and others that I must respectfully decline.  I have a guest list that needs a bit of trimming and a wee little issue with control that I must learn to overcome.  Thus, for the next few months, I invite you to join me on my journey to the alter.  I'll take you along throughout the process in hopes that it will make your own planning a little easier- knowing that we are in this together...

Cheryl & David (09.14.08)

So Cheryl and David weren't technically married on 09.14.08.  They actually renewed their wedding vows today, 36 years after they originally exchanged rings in Hawaii.  It was a touching ceremony (that I actually got to perform!) to reaffirm their love for each other.

Cheryl is the best wedding officiant in town, so it was interesting to see her on the other side of the ceremony!  She surprised David with a performance by Prince Pele's Polynesian Revue, beginning with the Hawaiian Wedding Song.  The show ended with Cheryl, her sister, and I getting a hula lesson!

I feeling truly honored to take part in this special day!

Planning a Bachelorette Party

Last weekend was my sister-in-laws wedding, and it was a beautiful, fun and exciting day.

I had the privilege of being a bridesmaid and also coordinating the Bachelorette party.

I wanted to do something fun but also a bit different to the traditional Bachelorette parties that l had attended in the past. I decided to do some online research to get some fun party ideas. After some intensive research, l decided to order a Tarot Card Reader / Belly Dancer to attend the party. I was a little skeptical of how this would work out, not knowing how entertaining a Tarot Card Reader/ Belly Dancer would be. The company found at this web site: http://www.aleena.com/magi/ was very professional and leading up to the bachelorette party promptly returned any of my phone calls or emails.

On the night of the Bachelorette Party, I decorated the house with some fun items from Party City! Melanie, the Tarot Card Reader/ Belly Dancer arrived right on time. She immediately made everyone in the room feel comfortable and got straight down to business. We all got to have individual readings, which l must say were incredibly accurate. Everyone in the room was buzzing with excitement about their readings. Once the readings were complete, Melanie then gave all of the girls a lesson in Belly Dancing, which was quite a work out!

Melanie stayed for a little over two hours, and l feel like it was money well spent. She fit in with the group of girls splendidly! Everyone who attended the party had so much fun, especially the bride to be!!

Kimberly & Victor (03.29.08)

I've been a little behind in posting photos from our spring and summer weddings! Here is a slideshow with photos from Kimberly and Victor's gorgeous wedding.

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Ceremony Venue: Bethel Baptist Institutional Church Reception Venue: Omni Hotel Jacksonville Floral and Lighting: Wilson's Ltd. Seating Group Rental, Movie Premier Lights and Red Carpet: PRI Productions DJ: McGee Entertainment Cocktail Hour Music: Biva Jazz Linens: Connie Duglin Photography: Kris Graham Photography Videography: Turner Classic Weddings

Kristen and Matt's Photos By Agnes Lopez

Super wonderful photographer Agnes Lopez just sent Danielle and I the link to her blog post with some of Kristen and Matt's wedding photos. Love them!

Melissa & Drew (4.5.08)

Video by Chris Kennelly of Kennetic Productions - it may take a minute to load, so please be patient!

Brittany and Michael Live!

5:00 am Here I am, in my car heading to the wedding of Michael and Brittany! I'm sure the Channel 4 crew is already hard at work at Le Jardin on Park.

6:00 am

I’m at Le Jardin on Park, axiously awaiting the arrival of the bride and bridesmaids. They have been at Casey Powell’s studio having their hair done, and Kimtasha Armstrong has been doing their makeup. Very exciting!  The caterer, Katerlady, has arrived with her team to begin setting up the buffet and preparing the food, which smells absolutely delicious!

6:30 am

The bride and two bridesmaids have arrived, looking gorgeous.  The cake is here too, a beautiful creation by Classic Cakes.  John is busy putting the fresh flowers in between the layers while everyone from the tv station talks about how yummy it looks!  The groom is outside with his groomsmen, and some of the guests are even starting to arrive.

7:00 am

One hour til showtime!  The adorable flower girls, Eva and Lana, just arrived with their mom and baby brother.  Casey Black, one of The Morning Show anchors, has arrrived to begin interviewing the bride and groom before the ceremony, and the team from Alfred Angelo has begun getting the bridesmaids into their dresses.  Brittany is next!

7:30 am

In just a half-hour we will go live on Channel 4.  The bride and groom are both cool as a cucumber, but Brittany's mom is a little nervous about tripping as she walks down the aisle.  DJ Brian DeFoe has his equipment in place, and is ready to play the music for the beginning of the ceremony.  The guests are all seated, the flower girls got some practice walking down the aisle, and so far everything is going exactly as planned.

7:55 am

It's almost here!  The bridal party is lined up, waiting for their cue to walk down the aisle.  We're axiously watching the producer from Channel 4 for the signal!

9:00 am

The televised portion of Brittany and Michael's wedding is over, so everyone can relax and have fun!  The live events went very smoothly - from the ceremony to the toasts to the cake cutting to the first dance.  Now Brittany is dancing with her dad, and Michael will dance with his mom before heading inside to enjoy the yummy brunch buffet.

9:45 am

Just as I predicted - the food is fabulous!  Videographer Jenny Turner and I got to sit down for a minute to eat and catch up, which is always a treat. We're not done yet though, after brunch it's back to the alter for formal photos.

10:00 am

Brittany and Michael finally got to have their unity sand ceremony - because of the limited TV schedule, we had to cut it from the actual ceremony, but Jenny and photographer Michael Myatt both captured the moment for the couple.

11:00 am

It's time for our bride and groom to say goodbye to their friends and family.  After leaving Le Jarding through a shower of bubbles, the Rolls Royce supplied by Majestice Limo will take their to their honeymoon suite at the Seawalk Hotel in Jacksonville Beach.  I'm going home to take a nap!  :)

Be sure to visit The Morning Show page on News4Jax.com for more highlights from Brittany and Michael's wedding!  http://www.news4jax.com/morningshow/index.html

Brittany and Michael's Live Wedding Update

This week is very exciting as we begin the final preparations for Brittany and Michael's wedding, live on Channel 4's Morning Show! We have not only a rehearsal, but two rehearsals scheduled for Thursday.  It will take quite a bit of coordination to have not only the wedding videographer and photographer but also four cameras from the station and the audio crew as well!  Thursday morning the entire crew will be on-site to walk through all the festivities with the bridal party, and then we'll get started at 5:00 am with preparations on Friday.

Be sure to tune in Friday morning at 8:00 am to see the beautiful wedding ceremony, the cake cutting, and the first dance!

Lynsie and Alex (05.03.08)

What a gorgeous couple! Not only could they both be models, but their love truly showed every time they looked at each other. I got to work with both Lynsie, who lives in Tampa, and her mom, who lives in Georgia, while we planned this special weekend. Lynsie has a very contemporary style, but still wanted to incorporate some of the more traditional wedding elements.

Her biggest concern was getting a priest's blessing during the ceremony, which is not an easy feat at a non-church location. Thanks to Rent-A-Priest.com, we found Rev. Tom Koester, and he did a fabulous job incorporating some of the more religious aspects into the ceremony. We even rented a kneeling bench so that Lynsie and Alex could pray together during the ceremony. It was a moving and beautiful moment! The Magnolia String Quartet added the perfect musical touch to the ceremony.

After the ceremony at The Lodge and Club's courtyard, the guests moved to a Cuban-themed cocktail hour, with coral-colored table linens, mojitos, and hors d'oeuvres. Local Latin trio Le Monde played background music to entertain the guests before they moved upstairs for the reception.

The reception kicked off with great music from The Atlanta Showstoppers while the guests enjoyed the ocean view. The tables were covered in white linens, paired with mahogany chiavari chairs, and topped with sleek calla lily centerpieces from Liz Stewart Floral Designs. The diamond-patterned wedding cake by Classic Cakes added more contemporary drama, but the small pearl details added that touch of tradition that Lynsie is fond of.

At the end of the evening, the guests moved down to the beach to send Lynsie and Alex off to their suite through a path of sparklers. Photographer Gary Denman of Naturally Photography captured all the highlights with an artistic and creative eye.

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Shannon & Josh (4.5.08)

The weather was less than ideal, but Shannon and Josh still had a gorgeous wedding!  Their ceremony was held in the beautiful St. Joseph's Historic Church in Mandarin, and a reception followed at the Cummer Musum of Art and Gardens.  The original plans called for the dance floor and DJ to be outside, but with the heavy rain showers it had to be moved inside.  Aime Peterson and her team at Riverside Event Design did a fabulous job with the last minute changes, and Susan Mahla's team at the Cummer was great as well.  Susan is so wonderful to work with! The food from Designed Events was to-die-for, even when I got to eat it an hour after the guests did!  Oliv'r Twist kept the drinks flowing, while two DJs from The Pros kept the guests on the dance floor.

Luckily, Shannon and Josh met photographer David Allen at the Cummer a few days before the wedding for a photo session before the rain moved in, and got some great shots in the gardens.

Kimberly & Victor (3.29.08)

Wow.  That's all I can say about this wedding.  In fact, I'll say it again.  Wow! Kimberly and Victor have a wonderful story, and are a very special couple.  It's hard to believe it has been a year and a half since I first met Kimberly and her parents to talk about her wedding.  The ceremony was in the beautiful Bethel Baptist Institutional Church, which dates to the early 1900's.  And the reception that followed at the Omni Hotel's Florida Ballroom was amazing!

I use the term "dream team" a lot when referring to a wedding's vendors, but this event truly had the best!

• Photography by Kris Graham Photography
• Videography by Turner Classic Weddings
• Cake from Edgewood Bakery
• Floral and decor by Wilson's Ltd.
• Additional decor by PRI Productions
• Entertainment from both Biva Entertainment and McGee Entertainment
• Transportation from Carey

Kimberly really has an eye for detail, and this wedding was packed with them!  Monograms were created on the aisle runner, programs, banners on the church doors, menu cards, dance floor, favors... wow!  The "Old Hollywood" inspiration was carried through the color palette of black and ivory, accented with pale pink.  As an added touch, a red carpet and "movie premier lights" were added to the ballroom entrance.  A stunning gazebo structure framed the cake table, and soft pink uplighting made the ballroom glow.

I can't wait to share photos and video!

Congratulations to Brittany and Michael!

The winners have been chosen for WJXT's "Reveal Your Romance" Dream Wedding!  Congratulations to Brittany MacPherson and Michael Doss for being selected.  The First Coast Weddings team is looking forward to working with you!

Melanie and Eric's Video Highlights

Our friend Wes at Scenecrafters sent an exciting email this morning!  It had the link to the highlight video for Melanie and Eric's December 1st wedding in St. Augustine. http://scenecrafters.com/wood.htm

A great job as always, Wes.

WJXT's "Reveal Your Romance" Wedding Giveaway

Local TV station WJXT (Channel 4) does a contest each Valentine's called "Reveal Your Romance."  This year, they will be giving away a complete wedding that will be live on the Morning Show! The contest was announced this morning on The Morning Show.  Engaged couples will be asked to write the story of their engagement, and send it in to the station or drop it off at Jacksonville's new Alfred Angelo store.  The producers will read through the submissions and narrow down the field to 10, then to 5. They will be looking for great, romantic stories. 

The winner gets a wedding in mid-May for up to 75 guests. It will be a weekday morning wedding and it will be shown live on Channel 4's Morning Show.  Everything will be provided, from catering to flowers to entertainment.  The "dream team" of vendors includes:

• Wedding attire from Alfred Angelo 
• Le Jardin on Park will be the venue 
• Wedding gown and bridesmaids' dresses by Alfred Angelo
• Catering by Katerlady
• Cake by Classic Cakes
• Photographer Michael Myatt
• Videography by Turner Classic Weddings
• Floral design by Katrina Cox of Le Jardin on Park
• Hair stylist Casey Powell
• Makeup artist Kimtasha Armstrong
• And of course wedding coordination by First Coast Weddings and Events!

Watch our blog for updates as we begin working with the winning couple to produce their spectacular wedding!  Be sure to visit News4Jax.com for complete contest information.

Doreen & Andrew (1.26.08)

As a wedding photographer, Doreen has seen lots of weddings, and she created a simply stunning wedding for herself and Andrew! The most stunning element was the bridal party's attire - Doreen wore a pale blue wedding gown, while her bridesmaids wore  individual styles of ivory gowns. Gorgeous! And the groomsmen were equally handsome in their khaki suits.

The ceremony at St. Michaels Catholic Church was beautiful, with Doreen's brother escorting her half way down the aisle, and her father escorting her the remainder of the way to the alter.

When the guests arrived at the Golf Club at Amelia Island for the reeption, they were greeted by a photo area where each guest's picture was captured.  At the end of the evening, the photos were displayed in folders with a photo of the bride and groom from the wedding.  Wonderful!

The tables were lined with sheer gold runners and chargers.  Simple floral arrangements lined the runner, and a variety of containers held candies in shades of white, gold and pale blue.

Another truly unique element was the escort cards.  Each card was tied with ribbon and hung from branches in the center of a round table, but the truly special touch was at the bottom. Each card had crystals attached to it that were from an original chandelier at the Ritz Carlton next door.  Doreen had purchased the chandlier and took the crystals off individually to create this special momento for her guests.

The wonderful video below is by Chris Kennelly of Kennetic Productions.

James & Jessica (09.22.07)

Emma,

I intended to send this weeks ago... I have tried endlessly to find the right words to thank you enough for making sure our wedding day was fabulous.  From beginning to end, it was everything I dreamed and more.  While it was all over in a blink, everytime I look at the pictures an enormous smile comes across my face... Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your hard work and dedication to our wedding day.

(My mother thanks you as well - you guys kept her sane)

~ Jessica West