I’m sorry, but I just cannot get over how beautiful this Bride looks with her sleek low bun and simple yet stunning Amsale gown with its illusion back, covered buttons and a peplum! Add to that winning combination a bouquet of fluffy white peonies, an elegant Florida venue, a handsome Groom and photos from the incredible Still55 Photography for a wedding that is take-your-breath-away beautiful. See it all in The Vault!
From the Bride… We got married in St. Augustine, FL, which is the oldest city in the US, so we aimed to capture the charm of the historic town, blending together the old and the new throughout our wedding weekend. The majority of our guests were coming from out of town, so we wanted to provide an easy, relaxing weekend surrounded by friends and family. As our wedding was just before Christmas, we wanted to create the classic, warm feeling of the holidays – a moment in time that you hope never ends.
We knew we wanted a formal wedding that felt classic, had modern, elegant touches, but was easy to execute. We decided on a color palette of black and white with gold accents. My dress followed suit; it was extremely simple from the front, but had a beautiful, unexpected modern back. Our invitations were black and white, incorporating a blind embossed print. Our flowers were mostly shades of whites, with hints of barely there blush. At the event itself, we outfitted the tables with black linens, gold flatware, and a sea of tapered candles to bring the simple, formal style to life.
Our old-meets-new theme extended into the fine details of the day, borrowing from and celebrating with the generations that came before us. My wedding rings were beautifully created from a pin given to Gordon by his grandmother. And during the wedding processional, my brother carried a tussie-mussie in memory of our mom, the same one she carried at his wedding. They were simple, personal remembrances of some of the most important people in our lives.
Two elements that were a huge hit with our guest were the photobooth and professionally shot slide show. The photobooth was an open-air booth that catered to both couples and large groups. We opted not to have any props and kept the background a simple crisp white, so that the focus was on all our good looking guests. Everyone received an instant copy, a sweet personal memento of the night.
We also wanted to share the fun, joyous moments we had while getting ready, experiencing our first look, and celebrating throughout the day before the wedding ceremony. Our incredible photographers were able to pull together a gorgeous collection of photos in less than an hour, leaving our guests raving about every detail.
Everyone imagines being on stage singing with a live band at some point in their lives – we were lucky enough to do so while surrounded by all our favorite people. It was the moment we knew this was truly the best day of our lives. Looking over the sea of people dancing, smiling, and scream-singing Journey and Michael Jackson, we just took it all in, realizing how incredibly lucky we are to have each other and all our friends and family in one place.
One piece of advice for brides and grooms-to-be… Prioritize. There are so many decisions you’re forced to make when planning a wedding, if you stick to what’s most important to you and your partner, everything will be that much easier. We made a top three list and stuck with it, deciding to spend most of our budget on those top things. This meant we avoided getting caught up in every single overwhelming detail and knew that our wedding would be the exact day we both wanted from day one.
From Still55 Photography…Elizabeth and Gordon live in Boston but have ties to the romantically historic city of St. Augustine. Elizabeth’s father still lives there and she knew St. Augustine was the place she wanted to celebrate their marriage.
With the help of a great supporting cast in St. Augustine, Elizabeth worked hand in hand with a team of superb Florida vendors to make her vision come to life. Leading the team was Sara Grace from the Big Event. Knowing Elizabeth’s desire for the day she found that the newly remodeled Treasury would provide the elegant charm that Elizabeth was after. The stately banquet room has eight towering columns, marble floors, and luxurious architectural details soaring overhead to the vaulted ceiling. It provides both the luxury of the modern conveniences, and also continues to embrace its past as a beautiful, elegant and historic landmark.
With the help of a great team Elizabeth’s vision came to life. She wore a timeless peplum gown from Amsale reminding us of the striking beauty that simplicity presents. Their reception had understated touches of romance. Small but thoughtful tablescapes adorned the old bank treating her guest to dinner by candle light. This black tie wedding was truly a beautiful reflection of the couple and their love for one another.
Photography: Joseph Rogero | Cinematography: Flora + Fauna | Event Planning: The BIG Event | Floral Design: Shea Hopely | Wedding Dress: Amsale | Cake: Creme De La Cocoa | Invitations: Goosefish Press | Ceremony Venue: Trinity Episcopal Church | Reception Venue: The Treasury On The Plaza | Bride's Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo | Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Catering: Purple Olive | Makeup: Hopcraft Collective | Hair: Casey Powell | Band: The Rivertown Band | Grooms Attire: Z by Zegna | Officiant: Father Ken Herzog | Bride Jewelry + Grooms Cufflinks: M. Flynn | Hotel (Bride & Groom Prep): Casa Monica Hotel | Photobooth: Joseph Rogero