Preppy meets classic just might be my favorite combination ever. Aside from the fact that they are both seriously gorgeous ways to style your day, it’s that feel of a classic celebration mixed with a dose of prepster whimsy that kind of takes a wedding from downright pretty to “oh my gosh, I’ve never seen something so amazing.” And in the case of this stunning Boca Grande affair, it’s all of the aforementioned mixed with some of the sweetest details you will ever see, including beautiful bridesmaid frocks from Julie Brown Designs, fab paper goods from Dabney Lee and a whole host of breathtaking images from K&K Photography. See them all in the full gallery.
From the Bride… We fell in love with Boca Grande when I surprised Justin with a weekend getaway at The Gasparilla Inn & Club for his 30th birthday. It was the most amazing, romantic place we had ever visited and we knew it was the perfect fit (even though we had already started planning our wedding in Maine). I am so happy that we chose a destination wedding because it allowed us to really spend time with our guests at the various events we planned (a cocktail party on Thursday, a golf tournament and a welcome dinner on Friday, and a brunch on Sunday), rather than frantically trying to visit with everyone in one night.
We wanted our wedding to feel like “us,” so we skipped lots of the traditions that didn’t feel right for the intimate night we had in mind (announcing the bride, groom, and the bridal party, the bouquet and garter toss, etc.). Instead, we focused on personal touches, like the salt favor escort cards that my mom and her girlfriends put together the morning of the wedding and the programs that we glued to painted wood so they would not blow away during our beachfront ceremony. The bridesmaid’s dresses were really the jumping off point for the “look” we were going for, and one of my best friends designed the amazing invitations, menus and table numbers to go with our theme. For the dinner, we wanted everyone to feel like they were at an intimate dinner party rather than a typical wedding reception. We chose long feasting tables covered in clustered floral arrangements and tons of candles and mercury glass that my mom and I found months before. The real icing on the cake was our DJ, Jonathan Cortez, singing live throughout dinner. It was so special and enchanting. I remember walking into that room, with all of the candles and the lit fire, and looking at Justin and feeling overwhelmed with the beauty of it all and the love that I felt for him.
It is amazing how fast the night flew by, but we are so thankful to Jeff at K&K Photography for capturing every moment. He is so incredibly talented and has such a natural ability to capture every moment while also making everyone feel comfortable and at ease. We feel so blessed that so many of our friends and family were able to come celebrate with us, and we are just so thrilled to start the next chapter of our lives together!
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Wedding Photography: K&K Photography | Wedding Venue: Gasparilla Inn + Club | Invitations: Dabney Lee | Floral Design: Suncoast Florist | String Quartet: Musical Rendezvous | DJ: Jonathan Cortez | Wedding Dress: Amsale | Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Julie Brown Designs | Ties: Thomas Pink