Florida Weddings

This darling Casa Feliz wedding is all about the sweet, sweet details… and I don’t have to tell you just how much that makes me swoon. From the cute tandem bike to the vibrant purple and orange hues to the fabulous vintage vibe, every.single.moment has special meaning to the uber-adorable bride and groom.  And what better way to celebrate your big day than with a celebration of YOU?  Amalie Orrange Photography was on hand to capture all of the lovely, including that beyond gorgeous gown and the beautiful blooms by Jonathan’s Flowers.  Click here for more!

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From the Bride…  Zack is Jewish and I am Catholic, so we decided to forego a traditional, religious wedding in favor of a vintage-themed party with a Southern influence. Shortly following our engagement, Zack and I found Casa Feliz, a Mediterranean-style farmhouse built by James Gamble Rogers II during the Great Depression. Zack and I visited Casa Feliz once and were in awe of its Spanish tiled roof, whitewashed bricks, vaulted ceilings with huge, exposed beams, hand-carved, antique furniture, and immaculate landscaping intertwined with the old southern oaks. Without visiting any other venues, Zack and I decided Casa Feliz was the perfect location for our wedding. Once we established the venue, Zack and I wanted to personalize the space. When we started dating, Zack and I rode my parents’ vintage, tandem bike as often as we could. Because riding a tandem, especially one as heavy as my parents’, takes extreme teamwork, we figured it drew a great parallel to marriage and should be the focus of our theme. Additionally, Zack and I met on a camping trip, so we also wanted to incorporate rustic, outdoorsy details in the décor. I adore antiques – from Victorian to art deco to retro — I love everything vintage! Zack consented to including vintage details in our décor as long as he did not have to wear a stuffy tux, bow tie or suspenders; points I gladly conceded. From there, we based our color palette on our favorite colors, orange and purple; which happened to work really well with the season and Casa Feliz’ brick backdrop.  

Zack and I were intent on making our wedding as personal as possible. We wanted every detail to reflect who we are as a couple. We started with the invitations, which turned out to be a group effort: I designed our invitation suite by combining a variety of free clipart: an old tandem, art deco accents, and vintage fonts; Zack printed them on DIY invitation/response card paper; and my mom tied, stuffed, addressed, and mailed them for us. With my parents’ tandem on display, our wedding day turned out even better than we had hoped. For the ceremony, our guests sat in the garden facing the front of Casa Feliz and the wedding party stood beneath the balcony, which my sister, Jenn, decorated with an “M & Z” garland she’d made. The girls’ vintage-inspired, orange dresses complemented my wedding dress, an ivory ball gown with lace half-sleeves, an embroidered lace bodice and cathedral train, which was, of course, also vintage-inspired and made me feel like a princess and a proper bride. To accent my gown, I wore a tulle, birdcage veil I made, my great-great-grandma’s engagement ring, my grandma’s pearl and diamond earrings, and my maternal grandma’s wedding garter. In addition, Jonathan’s Flowers designed the most gorgeous bouquets for me and my bridesmaids, using Queen Anne’s Lace, lisianthus, bells of Ireland, blue thistle, and pincushion mums — flowers that remind me of my late grandma.  

After the ceremony, the staff at Casa Feliz and Arthur’s Catering arranged different food stations and high-top cocktail tables around the house to encourage mingling, as well as areas inside and out for those guests who preferred to sit. My mom and sister designed our rustic, outdoorsy centerpieces. For the cocktail tables, they bought a variety of lanterns from Ikea, which we filled with potpourri and tea lights. For the seated tables, Jenn ordered raw wood platters made from slices of logs that we sealed with polyurethane and topped with a trio of orange, green, and clear vases (also from Ikea), which our florist filled with seasonal wildflowers. Jenn also commissioned a friend to paint a canvas with two bikes leaning against a leafless tree for us to use as a guestbook. Instead of leaving their names and well wishes like in a typical guestbook, our guests were asked to “leaf” their fingerprints on the tree’s branches in orange and brown inks. For our toast, Zack and I used “Red-Neck Wine Glasses” (Mason jars mounted on champagne flute stems) as a semi-classy nod to the South. Zack designed our delicious wedding cake: a chocolate frosted cake with three topsy-turvy layers decorated with a tiny tandem bike that was made to look like it was riding up an autumn bike trail. Zack and I were thrilled with our wedding ceremony and reception, especially because our guests all seemed to have a lot of fun. What’s best though, is all the special details of our day were beautifully captured by our photographer, Amalie Orrange, so we can enjoy them for years to come.

Wedding Photography: Amalie Orrange Photography / Wedding Venue: Casa Feliz / Flowers: Jonathan’s Flowers / Officiant: Ron Rosenzweig / Caterer: Arthur’s Catering / Cake: Party Flavors Custom Cakes / DJ + Band: Thompson Entertainment, L.L.C. / Hair: Katie O’Brien, Bride’s Friend / Wedding Gown: White by Vera Wang for David’s Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: B. Makowsky / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: ASOS / Bridesmaids’ Shoes: Nine West / Groom’s Suit: Tommy Hilfiger  / Groom’s Tie: Vintage / Groomsmen Ties + Bow Ties: Vintage / Wedding Invitations: DIY, The Bride & Groom

SMP Florida, your Tuesday just got SO much prettier thanks to this fall fête by Melissa T Photography. Filled to the brim with those gorgeous autumn hues we can get enough of, and timeless touches that ensure this couple’s wedding will be stylish for centuries – waking up to this celebration is like waking up on the right side of the wedding-loving bed. And that outdoor reception area? LOVE. You know the gallery is the place to be to surround yourself with all the pretty – so jump on in for even more!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Melissa of Melissa T Photography… I was so excited to shoot Dan and Ashleigh’s wedding at Casa Feliz in Winter Park, Florida. The Andalusian-style farmhouse built in 1932 is the perfect setting. Although it is nestled in the bustling modern Orlando metropolis, the building and grounds feel like a different, magical world. The old masonry building is filled with elegant details. Archways, verandas, patios, a spiral staircase, lush landscaping, antique mirrors and secret courtyards combine in one location to give a wide variety of photographic opportunities. I planned for a lot of pre-wedding time in order to shoot enough detail to truly convey the beauty of the property. I was very excited to see the subtle and elegant design that Ashleigh and Dan had chosen. In such a bold location, just a little decor creates a lot of impact. The rich autumn colors and French-cottage florals fit the farmhouse perfectly, but didn’t disappear against the brick, mahogany and antique woods.

But what stood out most on that beautiful evening was the love that Ashleigh and Dan shared. The connection that they shared with their entire wedding party, family, and guests was a joy to participate in. It was obvious that the love they found in each other was spilling over onto everyone in their lives. I was simply honored to be a part of their beautiful day.

From the bride… Our wedding was a long time coming. Daniel and I dated for three years and were engaged for a year and a half before tying the knot. We knew from the moment we met that what we had was a special, once in a life time love. We didn’t want to rush, yet we hit the ground running with anticipation of a day we knew we would share together. One month before our wedding we lost Dan’s grandfather, and eight days before the wedding we lost my father. With such emotion running through the whole family, the one thing that tied us together was love. The love we all have for each other and the love that brought Daniel and I to our special day. It was a gorgeous day. Perfect Florida winter weather greeted our guests, and we danced under a harvest moon sky and stars that stretched for miles. Daniel and I poured our heart and soul into the wedding. We wanted our footstep on the earth to be as carbon neutral as possible. We made most of our favors and what was purchased was made by others with their hands and hearts. It was a magical evening, and we loved every minute of it. We knew our audience in the sky was smiling down upon us as we celebrated on our own version of heaven’s amphitheater.

Photographer: Melissa T Photography / Venue: Casa Feliz / Wedding Planner: Shawnee Louise of I Thee Wed Bridal / Dress: Jim Hjelm via Kerrie Rourke of The White Magnolia Bridal Collection /
Hair + Makeup: Janelle on Location / Caterer, Linens + China: Arthur’s Catering / Cake: Sweet Ashley Rae’s / Flowers: Vintage Vines / Harpist: Catherine Way of HarpStrings, Inc. / Lighting: Kaleidoscope Event Lighting / DJ: Direct Entertainment / Invitations, Programs, Save the Dates, Guest Tree: Casey Pickett of Pick Ink (cpartdesign@hotmail.com) / Card Box, Aisle Lanterns, Ring Bearer Box, Favor Boxes, Chalkboard Signs, Table Number Notebooks, Cake Topper + Candle Holders: DIY

The floral design in this wedding is legit to die for. I’m loving every petal I see from the white and black ranunculus in the bride’s bouquet to the fluffy hydrangeas that adorn the altar to the beyond beautiful raised displays of yellow and pink roses dripping with crystal beads. BinaryFlips Photography was there to capture all the pretty details and we couldn’t be happier! Click here for the full gallery.

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From the Bride…When Peter and I first began the wedding planning process, we knew that we wanted it to be something that represented us as a couple with lots of personal details.  We began brainstorming with our planner, but it really didn’t come into fruition until we started interviewing photographers. When we first met Dennis from Binaryflips, we sat down in a café to discuss our vision.  While dating, Peter had introduced me to his favorite past time of bike riding.  After a visit to his native country of Holland, we decided to purchase typical Dutch bicycles.  That became the central theme of our wedding.  Dennis immediately became excited and we brainstormed ways to incorporate the bicycles into our engagement shoot.  The end result: Absolutely gorgeous shots in St. Augustine that had most people asking if we actually went to Holland for the shoot.  The moral of this story is make sure that not only you are excited about theme, but also your photographer that way the pictures appear like you are having a good time and very natural! The rest was history- we began incorporating the bicycle in different areas of the wedding such as the save the dates, the invitations and even the topper. It was important not to go overboard with the theme, but it was used just enough to keep the wedding theme cohesive throughout all of the different wedding events.

One of my most favorite wedding planning tools was Etsy.  There are so many talented people out there, why not put them to work for you.  For example, I was stuck on an idea for the favors.  We wanted to give something edible and I have always loved French Macarons.  I found someone on Etsy that was willing to not only make the delicious cookies from scratch, but also package them elegantly in the color scheme we were using for the wedding- not to mention, her prices were extremely reasonable.  What a time saver!  Other items I purchased on Etsy were the bridesmaids’ gifts, the cake topper, the flower in my hair, wedding programs and thank you notes.  Find sellers that are willing to work with you and brainstorm ideas to make your event personal!

On wedding day, with all the planning completed, I was pretty relaxed and just ready to be married.  Dennis came to the house while I was getting ready with my bridesmaids.  He and his team were able to capture the relaxed and laid back atmosphere before we headed off to the chapel.  He took pictures of all the little details like our rings, the veil and (my favorite) the shoes!   So many times these details get overlooked and now I have great pictures to remind me of what all of these accessories looked like.

Wedding Photography: BinaryFlips Photography / Ceremony Venue: Rollins Chapel / Reception Venue: Interlachen Country Club / Wedding Coordination: StyleHouse Weddings & Events / Floral Design: Fiora Tabletop Design / Wedding Cake: Bake Me a Cake / Furnitures: AFR Event Furnishings, Shannen Kykta / Chiavari Chairs: A Chair Affair

There are so many great ideas packed into this sweet Winter Park wedding by Binaryflips Photography.  First of all the adorable theme, “Let Love Bloom” which is evident in the charming and playful watering cans that hosted the centerpiece flowers and even the bridesmaids’ bouquets.  Working with a limited budget, this innovative bride hosted a flower arranging class with her bridesmaids at a local floral shop in order to get some pointers for the big day.  The lessons obviously paid off!  See all the vibrant flowers and the rest of the pretty, pretty details in the full gallery!

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From the Bride…When Josh and I first started dating we found ourselves creating a new tradition. We called it the Sunday Barbecue Tour.  Every Sunday we would venture out and try a new barbecue joint around town.  As it turns out this little tradition of ours ended up being the inspiration for our entire wedding.

4 Rivers Smokehouse won first place in our BBQ competition and therefore won the vote for our wedding caterer.  Having chosen a caterer outside the known catering companies and hotels, along with already having a date set, we unintentionally narrowed down the list of reception sites.  The Winter Park Farmers Market is the old train station in the heart of downtown Winter Park, FL. It has a southern rustic feel to it when you walk in, with brick walls, concrete floors and an exposed ceiling strung with twinkle lights.  It matched our Barbecue inspired wedding perfectly. We then chose the Maitland Art Center for the ceremony site. Getting married next to a natural fountain under the shade of tall oak trees made it feel all the more romantic.

After booking the food and the venues everything else fell into place.  The theme of the day was “April Showers Bring May Flowers” meets “Let Love Bloom.”  We stumbled on a cache of watering cans on sale, which held the girl’s bouquets and the centerpieces.  Planning a wedding on a modest budget is quite a task and you have to forgo the all the nonessentials.  To get the flowers I wanted I was going to have to do them myself.  I bought the flowers wholesale and then hosted a flower arranging party with my bridesmaids at a local florist.  I supplied the flowers and she supplied the lesson along with a good time.  We made everything ourselves and the flowers turned out stunning, which made them all the more special. We rented a variety of china patterns and used mason jars for to give the night a more vintage yet elegant feel.

We opted out of the traditional wedding cake and went with something we both thought to be truly irresistible. Italian ice with frozen custard along with my mothers’ homemade Italian biscotti and pizzelles were our desserts of the night.  The line was out the door; literally they had an ice cream truck parked outside.  To top it off we hired a live band instead of a DJ to really make the party come alive.  We all danced the night way.Out of all the planning and money we spent on our perfect day, it was writing our own vows that left the biggest impact on us.  We talked all night about our beautiful words to each other. Putting the love and devotion we have for one another into our own words made the day all the more intimate and heartfelt.  In the end it is all about you and the person you love beginning your life together.

Wedding Photography: Binaryflips Photography / Ceremony Venue: Maitland Art Center / Reception: Winter Park Farmer’s Market / Catering: 4Rivers Smokehouse / Entertainment: Alex Seier Band / Barista: Kathy’s Bertotti Coffee / Dessert: Ritter’s Frozen Custard + R & G Italian Bakery / Rentals: Vintage Vines + Rent a Land / Day of Coordinator: Breanna Porter / Flowers + Watering Cans: The Bride + Bridesmaids.

If there is one thing all of us over here at SMP love without question – it’s the peony. Even better, a bouquet overflowing with the pretty as can be flower. Pair that bouquet with a darling bride and a sweet as can be soirée, and we are just in love. Case and point, this happy go lucky Winter Park wedding by Lori Barbely Photography – it’s a precious, peony-filled party, and there is even more to fall in love with in the full gallery on images.

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From the Bride…We both grew up in gorgeous Winter Park, Florida, so we knew right away that we wanted to get married in our hometown and at a venue that was an accurate reflection of the city. Nothing could have been more perfect then Casa Feliz, which is a historic Spanish style farmhouse located right in the heart of downtown Winter Park. The house has a rich history and genuine charm, we knew immediately when we stepped inside of it that it would be the location for our wedding reception. We decided to have our wedding ceremony at the church that Justin grew up in, Aloma United Methodist.

For the theme and style of the wedding, we went for a sweet and lovely feel, nothing too modern or sophisticated, but something that reflected our playful and happy-go-lucky style. Justin and I are both vegans, so naturally we had an entirely vegan buffet with yellow coconut curry, red bell pepper pesto penne, and a vegan pizza for the kids! Our cake was also vegan and organic, made from Rhapsodic, an amazing vegan bakery in Orlando. We tried to be as eco-friendly as possible, as the place-cards and table names were printed on gorgeous seeded paper that could be planted after the event and grow into wildflowers. We chose table names with inspiring words, such as Bliss, Happiness, Unity, Peace, Laughter, and Love.

The wedding day was so incredible. Everyone was so happy and we could literally feel love and joy swirling around the room. I was surprisingly calm before I walked down the aisle. Justin said that as soon as he saw me all of his nerves went away. When we were up at the alter, all we could do was smile at each other. We made it a point to be very present throughout the day. We decided to go against the grain and seat parents, siblings, and our best friends at our head table with us, which was a nice touch. Because of my awesome vendors everything went perfectly (and if something didn’t, then I wasn’t aware)! But even more then the gorgeous flowers, the amazing dress or the delicious food, the important people in our lives that were all there having a great time and our love for each other made the day surreal.

Wedding Photography: Lori Barbely Photography / Floral Design: Lee Forrest Design / Event Planning: Kristy Rapp Events / Ceremony Location: Aloma United Methodist Church / Reception Location: Casa Feliz / Place Cards + Table Cards: TreeSpace Studio / Wedding Dress: Paloma Blanca / Catering: Arthur’s Catering / Wedding Cake: Rhapsodic Bakery

We are completely gaga over Parisian-inspired weddings around here.  If you missed yesterday’s Paris photo shoot on Style Me Pretty destination you really owe it to yourself to jetset on over there and check it out.  For some inspiration a little closer to home, we have this darling Winter Park fête full of sweet French details by Lori Barbely Photography.  I love the brilliant chalkboard signs that totally tie everything together with the gorgeous flourishy font.  And “Keep Calm + Party On” might just need to become my new motto.  Rendezvous in the full gallery to see even more!

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From Lori Barbely Photography…Sasha loves all things French (she and Mike are planning a belated Parisian honeymoon) and incorporated it into all the details of their reception at Winter Park’s Casa Feliz. Fun chalk board signs like “Keep calm and party on” and a gorgeous dessert table set the tone for a fun evening.

Wedding Coordination: Jane Layne Events / Ceremony Location: Annunciation Catholic Church / Reception Location: Casa Feliz / Catering: Arthur’s Catering / Desserts: Cupcake Delights / Additional Photo Locations: Sassafrass Sweet Shoppe + Croissant Gourmet / Calligraphy: Sarah Hanna Calligraphy / Wedding Photography: Lori Barbely Photography

How much does this Orlando wedding by Studio222 Photography scream good ol’ Southern charm?  I am going all gooey over the elegantly understated details.  And baby’s breath!  Oh, baby’s breath is quickly becoming a favorite must-have for a super sweet wedding with full of classic beauty just like this.  It’s done so perfectly here surrounded by black and white touches paired with little pops of pink.  Click here to see the rest in the full gallery!

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From the Bride… My husband and I had been dating since we were 16, so needless to say there was lots of excitement for a day that was over seven years in the making. Our wedding was SO much fun (as your own wedding should be) and was full of sweet charming details, many of which were DIY projects. I am monogramming fiend so I was determined to incorporate monograms throughout our big day. We had lots of monogrammed touches from our cake, to my veil, to moss covered letters on the red church doors.  My mom, mother-in-law and I  even made all the burlap runners for the tables!  I didn’t have a wedding planner or event designer so each detail was most definitely a labor of love.

We wanted the wedding to be very family-oriented, cozy and full of southern charm.  The reception was decked out in milk glass, mason jars, antique books and delicious southern comfort food.  I spent the months leading up to the wedding scouring antique stores, thrift shops and even had my family members on the lookout as well. The menu included shrimp and grits, pulled pork sliders, collard greens and fried green tomatoes.  Our caterers out did themselves and the food was a big hit with us and the guests!

Needless to say, it was fun collecting all the items and working on the DIY projects, but the joy of our friends and family, and finally becoming husband and wife is what really made the day for us!

Wedding Photography: Studio222 Photography / Floral Design: Vintage Vines / Event Design & Planning: The Bride / Wedding Ceremony Location: Emmanuel Episcopal Church / Wedding Reception Location: Winter Park Farmer’s Market / Wedding Invitations: Ashley Brooke Designs / Bride’s Shoes: Nina / Wedding Dress: Tara Keely / Catering: Arthur’s Catering

Right around Christmas, I thought it would be fun to gather some award winning photos from our Little Black Book photographers. Amy Pezzicara sent in an image from Kristal and Aaron’s super cute post-wedding celebration and I thought how much you guys would love to see more!

So, here’s their story (and the award-winning image)!

Kristal and Aaron were married (by Elvis) in Las Vegas in April ’09. They celebrated their marriage with their dearest a month later … at the Farmer’s Market in Winter Park, Florida.

Can you see why … when Amy sent us these photos ~ it was really too great to just post one?!

floral design from Raining Roses

A couple of notes from the glamorous bride ~ My dress was made by my mom’s cousin Minnie Spreeman. The material was custom made from a lady in Pennsylvania. My shoes and my maids shoes are by Naughty Monkey. Hair was done by Kara at Gary Lambert Salon. {She used a foiled-covered toilet paper roll to help create the bangs.} Bridesmaids dresses were from a store in California called Unique Vintage. Aaron’s zoot suit was custom made in California.

More Credits:  Puff ‘n Stuff (catering); Swing In Time (Band);  Casino Party Nights Florida (Casino Tables)

Congrats Kristal & Aaron!! And THANKS Amy (Pezz Photo) for letting us share in the fun!