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
We are looking forward to another wonderful year with our 2008 brides! Don't forget to mark your calendar for the next Jacksonville Bridal Connection bridal show at UNF's University Center on February 24th!
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!
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.
While I was at the ABC conference this week, I met two super fun people with a super great product - "Dancing Together: A 90-minute Guide for a Beautiful Wedding Dance." While I often suggest to my couples that they should take dance lessons prior to their wedding, this DVD is great for those that have limited time or limited budgets. Plus, it can be done in the privacy of your own home! The DVD breaks down basic steps, and teaches you how to either "lead" or "follow" rather than choreographing specific moves. This means you not only learn to dance for your wedding, but you learn to dance for life! The 90-minute video is broken down into chapters, which include:
The video's website, http://beautifulweddingdance.com, has sample clips, reviews, and ordering information.
As a special gift to all First Coast Weddings and Events 2008 couples, we will be sending this DVD to you for free!
Tuesday was an action-packed day with two well-known speakers; Mary Dann, who has been seen on Whose Wedding Is It Anyway, and David Tutera, who has too many shows, books and projects to list! The Gala At The Grove was the highlight of the conference for me - mostly because it was the last event of the conference and I actually got to enjoy it! Orlando wedding planner Elisa Delgardio of A Flair For Affairs did a tremendous job planning the event, complete with four unique event spaces. The evenings entertainment included two DJs in two of the spaces, a strolling magician that was amazing, and three characters from the hit Tony and Tina's Wedding.
Day 2 of the conference was the first look at our main stage - a giant orange slice that matched our orange/lime/lemon motif. Motivational speaker Jacques Weisel got us off to a great start, reminding us to visualize our goals to stay on track. After a several breakout sessions, it was off to our Floribbean themed lunch, with amazing tablecloths and chair covers by Wildflower Linens.
The highlight of the day was "Tabletop Reality" - a competition where the grand prize was front row seating for David Tutera's presentation the next day. The attendees were divided randomly into groups of 8, and were given a round table, 6 chairs, and a paper bag. The bag contained several related items (3 sombreros, for example), and all the items in the bag had to be used in the final table display. The teams had 5 minutes to choose tablecloths, chair covers, sashes, flowers, vases, candles, and other accents, and then had to create a spectacular table display in 15 minutes. I was amazed at the creativity!
Monday evening's off-site event was held at Pirates Dinner Adventure, just a few blocks from our host hotel. Our "pirate" from the night before arrived in the hotel lobby, and after a quick group photo he led the way to the attraction.
For the past 14 months or so, I have had the pleasure of working with some of the best ladies in the state on a very special project. We have been planning the 2007 Association of Bridal Consultants' Annual Conference, which started today in Orlando. Our committee of 10 people from Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Orlando has met monthly to make this year's conference a truly unique one, not to mention breaking last year's attendance by over 100 people! Today's activities started with the trade show, where I met lots of great people and learned about lots of exciting products and services - more about those later! Then it was on to the Welcome Reception, a true slice of Floridian flair! From the glowing palm trees to the yucca fries (yum!) to the pirate mingling with the crowd, it was a great start to the week. I always love re-connecting with old friends from around the country and making new connections, plus I got to chat for a few quiet minutes with celebrity wedding planner Mary Dann, who will be speaking to the group on Tuesday.
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!
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.
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!
This weekend, I took a break from the normal wedding scene to help with the Duncan U. Fletcher High School Class of 1957 Reunion. My next-door neighbor happens to be the committee chairperson, so our meetings consisted of me walking a few steps to her front door or stopping at the mailbox to chat while I walked my dogs! The reunion weekend kicked off Friday evening with a reception at the brand new Courtyard By Marriott in Jacksonville Beach. Lisa, Emma and their staff did a great job making sure everything ran smoothly, even though the hotel only opened two weeks ago! The poolside hospitality suite was the place to be Friday, since the weather was the best we've had in weeks!
Saturday night was great fun, with a dinner-dance at Marsh Landing Country Club and balloon decor by The Balloon Construction Company. The band included two classmates, one of which played with Elvis Presley, so it goes without saying that the joint was rockin'! Photographer Jean Moree of Endless Memories captured some great shots, including a wonderful group shot of all the classmates.
The 50th reunion was even newsworthy enough to garner coverage by the local newspaper, The Florida Times-Union. Congratulations, class of '57!
The following article was originally published in our e-newsletter, before we had a blog. It's great information - enjoy! How To Hire a Wedding Photographer Resources, Questions to Ask and Tips
By Jennifer Brum, Certified Professional Photographer http://www.jenbrumphotography.com | phone 904.382.7255
For many brides, the wedding photography is often the most important part of the event. After the music has stopped, the cake has been eaten and the guests are gone, the wedding photos are all that remain of your wonderful day. For that reason, hiring a wedding photographer can be one of the most important and yet, nerve wracking decisions you’ll make.
But, don’t stress! There are many resources available to brides-to-be including local and national professional photographer associations and many experienced, well-trained and professional photographers in Jacksonville. Even your friends that are former brides can be an excellent referral source for you.
Did you know that there is a local association for professional photographers? The Professional Photographers Society of North Florida (PPSNF) is an organization of photographers committed to helping photographers achieve career success and professionalism through education and networking. They have an excellent website, www.ppsnf.org that includes a complete member listing. Brides can view member websites, preview a gallery of work and contact the ones they would like to meet.
On the national level, many photographers belong to the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) which provides similar resources, but also includes an explanation of the certification process for photographers. The PPA website is www.ppa.com.
Most importantly, interview many photographers in your area to find the best match for you. After checking their credentials, does their photography style match how you envision your day? Do your personalities get along? What about references?
Ask about their experiences at your location. What type of equipment do they use? Have they been trained in various lighting styles? What do they need from you to provide the best images possible? What type of albums and packages do they offer?
After you have hired your photographer, communicate with them often. Let them get to know you. An engagement session is the perfect opportunity to get better acquainted in a relaxed setting.
Lastly, remember to plan your day so that you can relax and have fun. If you are enjoying your day it will show in your images. So, try to accomplish as much as possible before the big day, delegate tasks that can’t be done early and focus on you and your groom.
To add a special touch to your bouquet, have each bridesmaid carry a bouquet of one type of flower that is in your bouquet. It's a neat little preview of your bouquet and looks great in pictures.
If you have your wedding dress made for you, have your seamstress save material to wrap around the stems of the bouquets.
A very happy wish to event designer and coordinator Danielle... have a great day!
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.
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.
With the storms we've experienced in Northeast Florida this week, I have been thinking a lot about Wedding Insurance. If you are not familiar with this service, I encourage you to check it out! There are two primary companies that offer Wedding Insurance: WedSafe and Wedding Protector Plan. Both offer similar coverage and pricing. Types of things that are covered include:
The one-time cost for a policy is as low as $145. The fee is based on the amounts you expect to spend on certain items, and both websites have charts showing the different levels of coverage.
If you want to share a great map with your wedding guests, be sure to visit Wedding Mapper! You can create a free interactive map that includes the ceremony and reception sites, plus hotels, airports, attractions, restaurants and more! 
You can even upgrade to a map with no ads, a personal web address, and additional links (such as your registry information) for a one-time fee of $9.95.
As an added bonus, Wedding Mapper has partnered with Distinctive Directions to give you 10% off when you turn your online map into a printed version. The graphic they create can be used for programs, map/direction cards in invitations, welcome basket letters, and more!
Rev. Craig Grandstaff of Clergy Wedding Services was nice enough to share these thoughts on having a happy marriage, not just a happy wedding!
Express your love in all ways.
Hold hands no matter how old you are.
Remember your wife is a lady.
Do everything you can together.
You can lose the battle and win.
Complete trust is a must.
Share your best ideas.
Always agree on the big decisions.
Practice real forgiveness.
Remember one day at a time.
Always talk things out.
Never go to bed angry.
Clearly define roles.
Leave the small stuff behind.
Spend time in the moonlight.
Rev. Grandstaff is available to perform wedding ceremonies, including interfaith and non-denominational services. Visit his website at www.clergy4weddings.com for more details about his services.
