Southern Backyard Wedding at the Groom’s Childhood Home

Stephanie Weers
September 14, 2016
Categories: Real Weddings, Romantic, The Blog
Tags: Backyard Wedding, Real Wedding, Southern Wedding

Nestled on a sprawling lawn overlooking the bayou, this at-home wedding was one for the books. The 30-person wedding party arrived by boat and guests were treated to handcrafted cocktails and a locally-sourced menu any foodie would love. Justin DeMutiis photographed and a visit to the gallery is an absolute must.

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Having met at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Northwest Florida holds a special place in the hearts of Grant and Alex. The ceremony and reception were both held at the home where Grant was raised in Panama City. The Goodwiller home is nestled on a 3-acre lawn overlooking the bayou. This was the home where Grant was raised and was the perfect intimate setting for a wedding with nearly 250 of their closest friends. Guests spent the weekend in Rosemary Beach on the famous Highway 30A, soaking in the sun and sugar sand beaches.

Custom watercolor invitations were handcrafted by Karli Strohschein. Grant and Alex worked directly with Karli to create a custom crest which included aspects of the couple’s personalities. The crest reappeared throughout the wedding and was later displayed on the dinner menus.

Upon arrival, golf carts escorted guests to the pool house where they awaited the 30-person wedding party as they arrived by boat. As the wedding party entered the ceremony from the dock, the bride, escorted by her mother and father, and wearing the veil of the Groom’s mother, walked down the hill under a canopy of live oaks.

The ceremony was written by the bride and groom and officiated by Pastor Marty Martin, a lifelong family friend. Both mothers led a prayer at the end of the ceremony before the band played The Beatles “All You Need is Love” as the wedding party exited.

Following the ceremony, the guests continued to visit poolside as signature cocktails were served. A spin-off of the French 75, the Thyme Spent on I-75 cocktail contained Sparkling Wine, Old St. Pete Gin, Ocala Blueberries, Thyme, and Indian River Grapefruit, all locally grown and sourced. A 12-foot cypress plank, cut from Grant’s family farm was prepared with charcuterie, Georgia olives, and fresh bread. Guests were also served raw gulf oysters during the post-ceremony cocktail hour. After the cocktail hour, guests danced their way to the front yard for dinner as they were led by a horn and tambourine procession of “The Saints Go Marching In”.

Both Alex and Grant have a strong passion for food and wine. They were thrilled to work with Chef Chris Infinger from G. Foley’s Restaurant in Panama City. Chef Chris locally sources all of his ingredients and worked with Grant and Alex to create a seasonal menu served family style for their guests. The meal started with Florida Corn and Anson Mills muffins and an heirloom tomato salad. The main course was pan seared gulf caught black grouper, cheese yogurt, whipped Florida gold potatoes, and roasted turnips. Guests sat at farm tables and listened to the bride and groom’s custom playlist which included songs from The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and James Taylor.

After dinner, the procession of horns and tambourines led guests to the back patio of the home for an evening full of dancing and live music.