One thing I know for certain – this wedding is awesome. The kind of awesome that can only be found in chevron linens, a vibrant color palette and one seriously gorgeous seaside location. The kind that jumps straight from your computer screen in the form of beautiful blooms by Native Gardens Florist and fab paper goods by Nico & Lala. The kind that instantly puts a spring in your step and a smile on your face. Yep… it’s just that good. And when you wrap up all of that lovely with breathtaking images by Concept Photography and a too.cute.for.words bride and groom, well… it’s awesome. See it all right here.
From the Bride… Boca Grande is a very special place to Alan and me. Alan grew up going to Little Gasparilla Island, which is a boat ride away from Boca Grande. It was also one of the first places we went together on vacation. We had always envisioned a laid-back, coastal location for our wedding weekend — a place where our friends and family could relax and spend the entire weekend on “vacation.” The Gasparilla Inn was the perfect venue – classy, gorgeous and a little slice of old Florida.
The biggest challenge was living in Orlando and having our wedding location three hours away. It did make for some long days on the road – sometimes day trips and other weekend trips to knock as much out as we could while down on the island. Luckily for us, we got to enjoy many beautiful beach days and weekends on the island while in town, so I can’t say it was that challenging!
The mix of coastal, preppy and southern charm was played out in every area of our weekend. From the starfish vases on the tables to the chevron table cloths and shrimp and grits for dinner! I had a “look” I wanted for the tables and searched everywhere for chevron style table linens. I had no luck with linen companies, so decided to order fabric off of Etsy, and my sister made the 14 table linens for the reception. They were a perfect match to our fabulous invitations! A friend designed the programs, reception table and drink cards. She took our invitation and interpreted it in the most perfect way. Instead of flower boutonnieres for the guys, we purchased starfish and had pins put on them. It was the a fun touch to a coastal wedding! For our guest book, I got a coffee table book on Boca Grande and had all our guests sign it so we can display in our new home! I purchased all the glass vases for the tables — I found buying them was the same price as renting them, and now we can reuse them in our new home for backyard parties!
There were quite a few moments that stood out for me on our wedding day. Seeing each other before the ceremony was really special for the both of us. We got a chance to spend some time together taking pictures, laughing and taking in all the moments that led up to that day. When the church doors opened and my Dad and I walked down the aisle, it was a moment I had dreamed about my whole life. To see Alan at the end of the altar with tears in his eyes was indescribable. Walking into our reception as we were introduced for the first time truly took my breath away. Seeing all our family and friends there celebrating with us in the most gorgeous setting I have ever seen in my life – with the crystal green ocean and sand in the background, it felt like a dream.
Wedding Photography: Concept Photography / Ceremony: St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Boca Grande, Florida / Reception: The Gasparilla Inn & Club in Boca Grande, Florida / Floral Design: Native Gardens Florist in Boca Grande, Florida / Wedding Cake: The Gasparilla Inn & Club / Wedding Invitations: Nico & Lala / Band: Wings of Sound / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston (Now Closed) / Hair + Makeup: Vanessa Schmitz of Stella Luca