Priority number one for this darling bride and groom? Sprinkling in as many meaningful details as possible into their big day. Details that not only represented their relationship as a couple, but their rich family history, as well. From the burlap table runners to the antique jewelry to the sweet DIY projects so lovingly crafted with the help of family and friends, this was a day that was a true “labor of love” from start to finish. See every last moment planned to perfection by Day Planners and captured in beautiful images by Esther Louise Photography right here.
From the Bride… Our wedding was a DIY labor of love involving our closest friends and family. The venue was perfection – just the right balance of a vintage estate, picturesque location on the water and plenty of space outside for lots of dancing, lawn games and socializing. Above all we wanted to ensure that our guests had a blast – what better way to celebrate our love than to see our loved ones with smiles on their faces.
So much love and thought went into each and every detail of the wedding – from the vintage quilt hand sewn by my great grandmother decades ago serving as a tablecloth on the welcome table to the little bags of eco-friendly confetti that were individually stamped, filled and tied by Ryan and my dad just days before the wedding. My sister, mom and I spent months making the decorations, coordinating from opposite ends of the country to create the burlap runners for the tables, the antique window seating chart, yay flags for the guests, corn hole boards for the cocktail hour, table centerpieces named after some of our favorite travel destinations and all of the signage that brought the whole event together. Our wedding coordinator, Anna, and the coordinator at the venue, Gilly, must have thought we were crazy as my mom and I dropped off boxes and boxes of handmade decorations, but they perfectly recreated the vision that we had in mind.
Every aspect of the wedding was filled with memories: I wore my mother’s wedding dress for our welcome reception, my sister-in-law’s veil for the ceremony, my grandmother’s wedding band and engagement ring and her antique pin adorned my bouquet. We used my grandmother’s doilies as tablecloths and we displayed photos of our parents’ and grandparents’ wedding portraits around the cake, serving as examples of strong, beloved, faithful marriages that will be our guidance as we begin our journey together. Our beloved puppy (our furbaby) Coconut walked down the aisle with a fascinator on her little head and a collar of flowers created by the florist.
Our wedding day was more than we could ever have imagined. Surrounded by the people who have shaped who we are today, Ryan and I had the perfect day and our photographer Esther has captured every moment in the most stunning way. As my dad unexpectedly announced that he would not give me away, but agreed that he and my mom would share me with Ryan, we laughed our way through our vows that we’d finalized only the day before and our dog Coconut barked her assent, I couldn’t imagine our wedding being any more “us.” I only wish we could do it all over again!
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Wedding Photography: Esther Louise Photography | Wedding Venue: Bay Preserve in Osprey, Florida | Wedding Planning: Anna Pohl from Day Planners | Floral Design: Elegant Designs Floral Art Studio | Catering + Rentals: Michael’s on East | Wedding Cake: Publix | Music: West Florida DJ | Wedding Dress: Essence of Australia | Bridesmaid’s Attire: Amanda Uprichard | Hair: Troy Artz