Video by Chris Kennelly of Kennetic Productions - it may take a minute to load, so please be patient!
Internships
As you may have read, our office will be moving to a new location as of July 1st. With the move comes the opportunity to expand our internship program. If you are interested in learning about the ins and outs of the wedding industry, click here for more information.
We're Moving!
It's official! Our office will be relocating to It's Your Wedding, a single location that brings together a full range of experienced wedding professionals. Don't worry, we'll still work with vendors from all over Northeast Florida (and beyond!), and we're still dedicated to finding the perfect match based on our clients' styles and budgets.
The move will give us a more central location on Jacksonville's Southside, on Philips Highway between Baymeadows Road and Sunbeam Road. This will make those after-work meetings much easier for our clients!
We are all really excited about the move, which will be official on June 30th.
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
Priceless
Yesterday I set up a new online survey to replace the post-wedding comment card system we have been using for the past six years. I know, it's about time! Happily, the first respondent was my favorite glamour girl, Kimberly.
"I had the most wonderful experience working with First Coast Weddings & Events! The professionalism and wealth of knowledge about wedding trends and vendors was priceless. I feel as though I lost a friend after our wedding planning ended!"
Silly Glamour Girl! Now that the wedding is over, we can enjoy those pink cocktails together! I've heard from Kimberly oh-so-fab photographers at Kris Graham Photography that we should have all of the wedding pics any day now!
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!
Are You On Facebook?
I'll admit it, I'm new to Facebook. Well, I've had a profile for a while, but I haven't really done much with it. So today I was working on some marketing tasks and decided to start a Facebook Group for the clients, vendors and staff of First Coast Weddings and Events. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12724754205
If you are on Facebook I'd love to have you join the group! I'm learning as I go, but I see that we can start discussions - what a great way for our brides to connect with each other! If you have suggestions, please let me know at heather@firstcoastweddings.com.
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.
Katie & Bill (04.20.08)
It was a beautful evening at the Ribault Club as Katie and Bill exchanged their wedding vows. The happy couple from Atlanta planned a wedding weekend that their guests are sure to remember. Katie looked stunning thanks to Casey Powell and Kimtasha Armstrong. As the guests arrived at the Ribault Club, they were welcome with lemonade and the sounds of the Magnolia String Quartet before moving to the ceremony site. Rev. Ted Schroder's ceremony was wonderful.
Liz Stewart Floral Designs created beautiful bouquets for the bridesmaids, and the decor inside really felt like you were at a family member's home. Katie, Bill, and their parents assembled photos for each table - some of Katie and Bill together, and some as they were growing up. It added a wonderful, personal feel to the reception.
Catering By Liz provide incredible food stations throught the club, and their staff was wonderful (as always) to work with. The wedding cake by Classic Cakes was an incredible addition to the menu.
Photographer Leah Powell and her assistant Ashley caught some amazing images, and I can't wait to post them.
Congratulations, Holly!
One of our talented wedding coordinators, Holly, give birth to a beautiful baby girl last month! Our "wedding coordinator in training" was born March 16, and even though we missed her mom on a few weddings this season, we're excited she is here!
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!
Kristen and Matt's Engagement Shoot
I just love this picture captured by Agnes Lopez of one of our cutie couples, Kristen and Matt! Check out more images on the Agnes Lopez Photography Blog!
Kirsten and David on The Nest!
For those of you unfamiliar with The Nest, it's the married-couple version of The Knot! Be sure to check it out once you say your "I do's!"
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.
Rehearsal Dinner Themes
I met with Rachel Deremer of The Perfect Pear Catering Company earlier this week, and she shared a great idea that she is working on. Rachel is creating menus based on destinations so that couples can select the theme that matches their honeymoon location. These menus are perfect for rehearsal dinners or post-wedding brunch, and wil have food items that are completely different from the wedding reception.
The theme can be carried into linens, centerpieces, maybe even a photo backdrop. Travel brochures or postcards can be scattered around a floral arrangement that matches the flora of your destination. Linens can be bright colors or luxurious jewel tones. And don't forget about a wonderful signature cocktail!
Free Bridal Show Tickets
Mark your calendars for the Jacksonville Bridal Connection Spring Bridal Show! This fabulous bridal show will be held on February 24th at the UNF University Center.
We're giving away two tickets each week between now and February 20th - all you have to do is send an email with your name, wedding date and mailing address to info@firstcoastweddings.com!
