You know what never ever fails to put a smile on my face? A drop-dead gorgeous wedding… especially when that wedding happens be of the beach variety. Yep, seaside nuptials get me every.single.time – and this pretty, pretty Fort Lauderdale affair? Head over heels in love. From the stunning setting (but, of course) to the oh-so-beautiful blooms by J Morgan Flowers and gorgeous event design by Kiss the Planner to image after image of lovely captured by Maggie Stolzberg Photography, it’s an oceanside lover’s dream come true. Prepare for a day non-stop pretty and join me in the galley for more.
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Oh, and we’re not done yet. We have a sweeter than sweet film of the day from Seaglass Productions! Enjoy!
From the Bride… Justin and I went down to South Beach for the evening. We had a fabulous dinner at Jakes Stone Crab, and then we sat front row at the Jackie Gleason Theater to see Jackson Brown. It was such a great night, but I was so tired that I slept the whole way home. Little did I know Justin had a proposal planned for when we got home. When we walked in the door, Brad Paisley’s “Then” was playing, and there were candles lit all over and red rose petals spread over the whole house. We sat down on the couch and watched a slide show of all the best photos from our lives together. Then Justin led me outside to the backyard where he had created the most romantic scene. There were two rocking chairs sitting around a fire pit, floating candles in the pool, a bottle of champagne and chocolates. Justin had engraved a piece of driftwood from one of our favorite vacations that said “Grow Old With Me.” He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! It was the most amazing proposal!
We originally wanted to get married in Key West, and the Pelican had a very island feel to it. The hotel was laid-back yet classy. And it offered something for everyone, including a getaway for those who live just down the street. We wanted the event to be clean and simple yet elegant with a natural feel and eclectic elements. Although it was a beach wedding, we wanted to bring elements of the forest into the decor. So we found beautiful pecky cypress wood to use as part of the centerpieces. Our wedding planner searched tirelessly to find unique silver containers to arrange all the flowers. There were so many little details. The colors, blue, white, yellow and green pretty much picked themselves because they worked so well with the beach and the colors of the hotel. We wanted our wedding to be beautiful but we also wanted it to be laid-back and FUN for our guests.
I had a piece of my mother’s wedding dress sewn into my train and embroidered in blue with both of our wedding dates and “Take our love wherever you go.” My parents have been married for 42 years and have set an amazing example of what a marriage should be.
The entire event was flawless. Every bride dreads that inevitable problem that arises, however we didn’t have any hiccups. The whole day was smooth and absolutely perfect! My only complaint was that it went by too fast. We are so lucky to have had Maggie Stolzberg and Dorian Iribarren to capture our photos and video. Though their works of art, we are able to relive the event anytime we want to. They captured so much emotion and the personalities of all our guests. Through them, we get to experience the wedding not only as bride and groom but also as everyone else did.
Wedding Photography: Maggie Stolzberg of Maggie Stolzberg Photography / Wedding Venue: Pelican Grand Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida / Event Design: Aviva Samuels of Kiss the Planner / Floral Design: Jacqueline Goldman of J Morgan Flowers / Wedding Cinematography: Dorian Iribarren of Seaglass Productions / DJ: Sean McCourt of The Party Pros / Wedding Dress: Casablanca Bridal / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: David’s Bridal