I’m enchanted by these Floridan colors; the pinks, greens and creams have me captivated. Dave Lapham captured every gorgeous shade at this elegant, yet relaxed, wedding, and Sixpence Productions made me not only feel like I personally know this couple, but wish that I had been there to celebrate with them. Sit back and enjoy this beautiful treat ahead and get ready to smile for the rest of the day.
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From Sixpence Productions… Full disclosure, this gorgeous girl is my cousin Molly. She’s patient, affectionate, enthusiastic, smart, organized, and well-traveled. I could go on for days about how fabulous she is because I’m just that proud of Molly, and her sisters Laura and Emily. Molly’s perfect half came in the form of the handsome, intelligent, loving, thoughtful and sincere, Dustin. As maid of honor Emily, quotes their mother Mary in her speech, “They really are each others perfect compliment.” We lost Mary just six weeks before the wedding and this film is dedicated to her memory.
When I talk to couples before their wedding about hiring us, I tell them about how we focus on their friends and family rather than what I call “eye candy.” I consider eye candy to be all the gorgeous details and location shots which are nice to look at, but don’t really advance your story or add to the narrative. Boca Grande is my hometown, and in the early stages of editing this wedding film sneak peek, it looked like a love letter to Gasparilla Island with lots of beautiful details sprinkled in, rather than a story about Molly and Dustin, so I stopped, tore apart the edit, and focused on their story. At the end of the day, it’s not about my creative vision for a film. It’s about our couples. Molly’s sister Laura taught me that several years ago when I created her wedding film, and it’s shaped how I approach all my films to this day. I want to assure you, that this wedding had gobs of eye candy, but it belongs in their final film, not this sneak peek.
From the Bride… Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted a Floridian wedding. Summer afternoons were spent dreaming up the details, and I would run around our home in Tampa Bay, sharing the palette, menu, and decor to anyone who would listen. My Mom used to joke that I had planned my wedding by age ten, but I couldn’t help but find inspiration in the colors and architecture of the “old Florida” that surrounded me. I loved the elegance, charm, and history, and often begged my Grandparents to share photos and stories of the St. Petersburg they once knew, fifty years ago. Despite a move to North Carolina, and to Columbus, Ohio soon thereafter, my heart still remained in Florida, with the vision of my wedding day painted with a Gulf of Mexico sunset.
Although Dustin and I met in Columbus, we spent a lot of time in Florida over the years, visiting my family in Tampa Bay, and his extended family in Polk County. When he proposed, it felt natural to pick Florida for the wedding, a place that’s so special to each of us, and a place that we have grown to love even more as we have experienced it together. We explored venues in my home town, but ultimately settled on a venue in a town newer to the two of us, but one very familiar to both of our families: Gasparilla Island. Boca Grande, the small town on the Island, was home to my Aunt, who started its first newspaper on the island, the Boca Beacon back in the 1970s. Dustin’s family grew up fishing in Boca Grande, and spent countless weekends exploring the island and its surrounding waters. Boca Grande is a true Floridian gem, abound with “old Florida” charm. It’s a rare place that’s been untouched for countless years, and one that we couldn’t wait to share with our guests on our wedding day.
We fell in love with the Boca Bay Pass Club and knew its views of the Gulf would be the perfect backdrop for a tented reception. We took inspiration from the venue’s surroundings, choosing classic decor that echoed the beauty of the island – shades of pink linens, floral arrangements of peonies and hydrangeas, whimsical calligraphy on signage and place cards. The Sperry Tent, adorned with a canopy of bistro lights, was one of my favorite details of the wedding, and (with the help of a beautiful April sunset!) helped create a stunning ambience for the reception. Floridian touches were scattered throughout the wedding – a menu highlighting Gulf Shrimp and Grouper, assorted pies from a nearby bakery, Boca Beacon newspapers layered in each welcome bag, hand drawn maps of the island passed out to each guest. Since many of our friends and family traveled long distances to Boca Grande, we wanted to ensure they fell in love with the island’s charm and simplicity, just as we had. Sarah Tucker’s guidance and support truly helped create a magical night for the two of us, and we could not be more thankful to our talented group of vendors that helped our vision come to life.
Photography: Dave Lapham Photography | Cinematography: Sixpence Studios | Floral Design: Victoria Blooms | Wedding Gown: Essense of Australia | Wedding Cake: Publix Bakery | Ceremony: The Lighthouse Church Of Boca Grande | Reception: Boca Bay Pass Club | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Camilyn Beth | Calligrapher: Juliet Grace Design | Band: Brett Foreman Band | Tent: Sperry Tents | Accomodations: The Gasparilla Inn & Club | Bridesmaid's Robe: Plum Pretty Sugar | Event Designer/Planner: Sarah Tucker Events | Linens: Linens By The Sea | Music License: Evan Wise Through Songfreedom | Pastor: The Lighthouse Church Of Boca Grande | Rentals: US Tent Rental | Wedding Pies: Yoder's Restaurant