This wedding has it all. Lush, peach-hued florals from Jade Violet Wedding Florals, sweet details orchestrated by Coastal Celebrations and an adorable bride and groom who know everything there is to know about throwing an intimate + seriously awesome garden party. (Hint: There’s Mac ‘n’ Cheese.) Head to THE VAULT to soak in every moment captured by Still55 Photography. It’s a must-see.
From Still55 Photography… When we first met Sara, her smile immediately lit up the room! Sara & Dan have such warm spirits, and are so thoughtful and bright, just like their wedding day. They truly admire their friends and family. The style of the wedding reflected Sara’s love for Florida and the timeless warmth of her soul. With the expertise of Lindsay at Costal Celebrations, Sara drew inspiration from the spring season at hand and the state she loved most. Thoughtful touches of mint and peach adorned the historic venue in the heart of our nation’s oldest city. The Pena-Peck House in St. Augustine Florida was the perfect place for Sara’s intimate garden affair. Gorgeous lush floral arrangements transformed the already historically tranquil courtyard into the ideal outdoor garden wedding.
Following the ceremony, guests were treated to a private trolly tour of St. Augustine. Hand-crafted vintage oak whiskey barrels were placed throughout the garden as high top tables for guest to enjoy while sipping Sara and Dan’s signature cocktails. The tablescapes showcased their love for the Florida coast. Weathered lanterns were surrounded by understated arrangements that allowed guest to enjoy each other’s company from any vantage point of the table. Brimming colors, and carefully considered touches throughout her wedding welcomed guest in a way that will inspire any bride aiming for a colorful affair in the South. We can’t forget to mention the decadent dessert table! With seven cakes to try and fruity Starburst and Jolly Rancher candies, a sweet treat was absolutely irresistible.
From The Bride… From the historical sites and culture to the laid-back atmosphere of the pedestrian-only St. George Street, Dan and I love the warmth and history of St. Augustine. Both born and raised in New York, we were engaged in St. Augustine while on vacation. As soon as we began wedding planning, we knew we wanted to bring our closest family and friends back to the Old City to celebrate our marriage.
As a couple, Dan and I are low key, center-of-attention-avoiders who like to laugh and not take things so seriously. We prefer jeans and flip-flops to dresses and ties. It was important to us that we keep that sense of who we are on our big day. So our vision was simple – an intimate day that embraced who we are as a couple and incorporated the city surrounding us. All printed materials, from the informal invitations and ceremony program fans to the menu (complete with southern staples like mac & cheese and collard greens) and craft paper placemats, were designed to give the wedding the laid-back, backyard get-together feel we were hoping to achieve.
To incorporate the City, the ceremony and reception took place in the garden of The Pena Peck House, directly on St. George Street. Guests enjoyed a trolley ride in between the ceremony and the reception where they toured the city and learned about the history. The wedding colors – peach, coral and mint – were reflective of the colors found on the old buildings throughout town and the “old Florida” feel we love about St. Augustine. Our favorite memory of the wedding was our sparkler exit onto St. George Street, where guests and random pedestrians gathered to cheer and shout well wishes as we departed on a pedi-cab.
In an effort to make the wedding reflective of our personalities, it was important to us that we vowed to love each other in our own words. We threw out traditions like a large bridal party and opted for a single Matron of Honor, Best Man and our nieces and nephew as flower girls and ring bearer. Instead of a tiered wedding cake with a formal cake cutting, we went with a number of cakes so guests could help themselves and choose their favorite flavor.
My favorite DIY element of our wedding was our seating placemats. Dan and I both work for civil engineering companies; it’s how we first met. To incorporate that important detail of our relationship into the day, Dan designed an engineering site plan “map” of St. Augustine with all of the important wedding locations as well as the tourist places we encouraged our guests to explore. We gave this map to our guests in their hotel welcome bags (tote bags printed with “Dan + Sara, Totes Gettin’ Married”) and also printed them on craft paper to use as seating placemats during the reception. It was a unique way to decorate the tables as well as incorporate the City and our relationship into the wedding.
My advice to brides-to-be is to never lose sight of who you and your fiancé are as a couple; don’t get caught up in all of the wedding traditions you think you should have. Not all couples (or brides) love to be the center of attention. Look at the reasons why you love each other and what you both feel comfortable with. Then incorporate those unique details into your planning. There are endless ways to make the day reflective of your own personalities.
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Photography: Joseph Rogero | Event Planning: Lindsay Olin | Floral Design: Jade Violet Wedding Florals | Wedding Dress: Casablanca | Cake: Publix Bakery | Bride's Shoes: Michael Kors | Catering: Purple Olive | Makeup: Hopcraft Collective | Hair: Mon Petit Chou Boutique | Lighting: St. Johns Illuminations | Band: Oh No! | Officiant: Peggy Laroche | Transportation: Ripleys St Augustine | Venue: The Peña-Peck House | Ceremony Musician: Deron Baker | Groom & Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew | Pedicab: Pedicab of St Augustine