Who would have thought that tropical birds and monkeys could be so chic – they helped set the scene fantastically for this Miami wedding captured by Simply Sarah! With flamingos, fabulous florals and these two, adorably in love, it’s a wedding bursting with beauty, love, laughs and lots of amazing photo ops! See them all here!
From Bride… Ben and I met in college over a very serious game of beer pong! We reconnected a year out of school while I was in San Francisco and he was in Boston, but I was lucky to be visiting the east coast often enough to see him and start dating. Thanks to Ben taking a chance on us, he quickly moved out to SF and the rest is history. Fast forward five years and for New Year’s Eve 2015, we traveled to Montego Bay, Jamaica where he surprised me with an overnight stay in Negril. We went for a walk along the beach, sat on a couple beach chairs with some Red Stripes and before long, Ben was guiding me to the nearby torches where he had secretly set up a GoPro. As a backstory, we collect sand from all the places we visit, so he used this story to get me to gather sand into a glass he had brought along, except the glass had a box inside. Next thing I know he was proposing! I, of course said yes, and was so overwhelmed with emotion I could not stop laughing the whole way back to the hotel.
Our wedding weekend was truly a dream come true. I’m a producer, so it was really hard for me not to produce our own wedding and it was my absolute favorite project by far! Despite my endless Pinterest boards, we really wanted to make sure every single detail felt like us, but also felt natural in the incredible location that is the Walton House. I think this story coming to life is what I loved most about it all. We wanted to guide our guests through a magical and tropical experience with surprises at every corner; from the waterfall sounds in the entry garden, to the ceremony nook surrounded by palm trees, onto the cocktail hour with the aviary and monkeys, to the dinner under the trees by the stable, topped off with the activities in the barn and dancing under the tent – it was truly a dream world come true!
Most importantly, we gathered all our favorite things, from our favorite Latin foods (I’m from Argentina and Ben is from Boston,) to the sand for the ceremony (it came from the Jamaica proposal and the Miami beach near the venue) and even the music chosen for the ceremony. I think a major highlight was having a Tribe Called Quest song as the processional (our favorite artist) and that I then walked down the aisle to the Beatles track my dad and I used to sing when I was little. It was also important to demonstrate the spirit of the Walton House, and it being an animal sanctuary, and you see that in little elements like the custom table card illustrations, centerpieces and even the photo booth filter! We basically put all our favorite and meaningful things, even if some were silly, all in one place :)
My biggest piece of advice for engaged brides is to go with your heart and make the wedding personal to you and your partner. At the end of the day, of course we all want beautiful photography and table settings, but the most memorable moments are the ones that resonate with what you two love and what makes you happy. After all, your family and friends are all there to partake and witness your love on this momentous day, so why not share a piece of your world with them! This is the perfect time to share all your favorite and meaningful things in one incredible place, enjoy them with all your favorite people, and have the best day ever.
Photography: Elizabeth Lanier Photography | Event Planning: The Creative's Loft | Floral Design: PrimRose Florals | Wedding Dress: Grace Loves Lace | Cake: The Knot | Ceremony Venue: The Walton House | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Kennedy Blue | Catering: Dade County Food Group | Makeup: Beauty by Jackiy | Hair: Dolled up | DJ: Zeta | Band: La Linea | Tux: Hugo Boss | Groomsmen's Attire: Menguin | Rentals: Simple Rustic Event Rentals