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From Amalie Orrange Photography… Laurin & Katie got married at the gorgeous Cypress Grove Estate House in Orlando. This is a beautiful plantation style venue with a true Southern charm. Katie had about 20 friends and family setting up all of the cute DIY details that she had made and collected. There was a touches of pink everywhere from the gorgeous peonies, the candy bar and the darling flower girl’s tulle dress.

From the Bride… Laurin was a DJ out one night at local club, I was on the other side club with a friend. He came up next to me to order a drink. He tried to talk to me and turned around. Who would have know we would run into each other again a month later at an event. We ended up talking and I gave him my number, and the rest is history.

One night, I came home from work and opened the front door to rose petals everywhere and our song blaring. There was a glass of red wine waiting and petals leading to the backyard. He was sitting with our dog, Oliver (who was in our wedding). He had poured a glass of wine for me, had macaroons, and a sweet card. Once he gave his speech he gave me the ring, and I said yes! Then Laurin got our salad bowl filled with ice and champagne out from the bushes. So sweet!

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Port Royal Wedding from Margaret Events + Trenholm Photography

I am obsessed with this wedding. First, I fell in love with this Bride’s Monique Lhuillier stunner of a gown. And then? Well, then I just fell head over heels with every thing else in this vintage yet elegant piece of wedding perfection. So perfect in fact, I want to reach through my computer screen and hug Margaret Events for bringing us such a beauty. It’s simply beyond from the first image snapped up by Trenholm Photography to the last, and it’s all sitting pretty right here.

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From Margaret... Jena and Brad’s wedding was an absolute dream. It was a lavish event combining ageless vintage and elegant modern touches with ease. The entire affair took place on the Bride’s Grandfather’s private Port Royal estate. The Groom and his Groomsmen readied themselves in the Guesthouse and the Bride and her attendants in the main house, all overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Being married in her Grandfather’s home was just the beginning of the small and intimate details that made this day so special.

The ceremony took place on a small island in the center of the property accessible only by an ornate red bridge. The entire wedding party crossed the bridge to stand under a beautiful archway built between two trees utilizing honeysuckle and grape vine with blush, white and green clusters and garlands of hydrangea, roses, orchids, astilbe, ranunculus with a beautiful crystal chandelier in the middle. The guests sat on farm chairs and benches interspersed with vintage wing backed chairs, assuring comfort for older family members during the exchanging of the vows. All watched from the shore under flowing fabric canopies holding delicate lace parasols and waving lace fans to keep cool and shade the sun.

The cocktail hour had the guests moving to the north side of the property where musicians played in the teahouse overlooking the koi ponds and aviaries. Games such as croquet, horseshoes and customized corn hole were played as the couples’ 165 guests watched the sun set over the Gulf and sipped signature drinks called ‘2200’created and named by Jena’s attendants at her bridal shower.

As dinner bells chimed, guests made their way to a 50′ by 120′ clear-sided tent complete with twelve crystal chandeliers to have an amazing meal served– and dance the night away to a 9-piece band. Jena and Brad were very specific about the tables not all looking the same. They had 3 acrylic kings tables with paloma lace runners, half of the round tables had tulle underlay with ivory matte satin overlays and the other half of the round tables had ivory matte satin underlay with paloma lace overlays. Each setting had a Riedel crystal charger with a round menu underneath so the guests could read the menu after each course was cleared. On top of the charger was a customized place card containing a message from the bride and groom that they had made a donation in their guest’s honor to either St. Jude’s if the guest was from the USA or to POGO if the guest was from Canada. The centerpieces had crystal candelabras or candlesticks with ivory, blush and white flowers around Manzanita branches with draping pearls.

To add to the special touches the couple arranged for a sitting area outside of the tent filled with overstuffed couches and vintage wing back chairs where guests could spend time in a photo booth creating video messages to the bride and groom, or sit in comfort as they had custom cigars rolled by artisan’s hands complete with personalized wrappers.

Concern for their guests as they were leaving was evident as Jena and Brad offered “one for the road” with personalized mini bottles of tequila as favors and custom “hangover recovery kits”. Jena and Brad were the last to leave the property, hanging on and cherishing every last moment of their dream wedding.

From the Bride… The location and setting of our “somewhat” destination wedding truly brought our two worlds together, which had been a common denominator throughout our entire relationship. Brad and I had been living in Canada (where I am from) for the last four years, but before I dragged this Floridian to Canada, we met in Florida where I had been attending university. So, when we got engaged, it felt natural for us to have our wedding in Florida, and when my grandfather offered for us to be married at his estate in Naples we both felt like we were getting married “at home”. We were overwhelmed by the love of our family and friends who flew in from four countries and many states to share in our big day.

Being blessed with the beautiful scenery and landscape of my grandfather’s grounds allowed my vision to come alive; a vision of soft vintage elegance, with a modern twist. We were able to put a personal twist on so many traditional elements of a wedding ceremony, by having our ceremony on an island with guests looking on from across the pond, while Anna Wilson’s soulful voice sang, “Can I walk with you.” I entered from my secret doorway in my blush pink wedding dress, holding my bouquet embellished with my grandmother’s wedding necklace and brooches, my father walked me down the path, leading to the bridge, where Brad met us halfway.

While Brad and I snuck off to the pier to take photos, our guests enjoyed the Anna Wilson trio, played corn hole and ate designer donuts, while sipping on our completely personal and customized signature drink, which was created and named– 2200 (to signify the address of our wedding) by four close family and friends at my bridal shower.

It was so important for us to be able to turn our perfect day into a memorable event for all our family and friends and with the countless hours of assistance from our wedding planner, Margaret, I think my incessant need for detail paid off! Every element of our reception tent overlooking the Gulf of Mexico captured the vintage elegance I had envisioned. I kept referring to the elements as works of art and each vendor we used took my vision and words to heart and created just that; from the lace and pearl detail work on the cake, the specific placement of each flower and strand of pearls in the centerpieces to my favorite of all, the orchids encircling the chandeliers. Having the tent walls up created a welcoming outdoor space with a lounge filled with vintage furniture where guests could relax and smoke a hand rolled cigar, while still being able to enjoy the music by CTO High Voltage. [dotted]

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Sarasota Wedding from Fabulously Chic Weddings + Trenholm Photo

One combo I can never get enough of? Formal + fun. Just those two words together conjure up images of elegant brides dancing the night away with their dapper grooms. It’s a wedding fusion that never fails to deliver the pretty and today’s shining example is this downright breathtaking Sarasota affair from Fabulously Chic Weddings, aka, a drop-dead gorgeous mix of sophisticated details and heartwarming moments, all wrapped up in mesmerizing images from Trenholm Photo. See it all unfold in the full gallery.

Oh, and we’re not done yet. Check out this incredible film from Voila Cinematic. It’s beyond amazing.

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Boca Raton Wedding from Hannah Mayo

From the Bride… When we were first thinking about how we wanted our wedding to look and feel like, Brad simply requested the end scene from the movie “Meet Joe Black.” I knew at that point it had to be formal and it had to have an air of opulence. Stylistically we both love vintage and refurbished items, so after finding the Powel Crosley Estate we knew it was the perfect match. The Powel Crosley Estate really had everything we were looking for: the winding staircases, magnificent fireplaces, fabulous wood beams that spanned across the ceilings, and the gorgeous and expansive private views of Sarasota Bay. Having grown up with religious backgrounds we knew our ceremony had to be in a church. We do have a local church that we attend, but knew with our guest count it would be too large. So we started to hunt for a quaint small church that we could have our ceremony in. With the original wood floors and white pews, the adorable red doors, and the quintessential little white church feel, the Crocker Memorial Church quickly became our choice. Being local, we love how we were able to have two Sarasota landmarks as our venues.

As far as the aesthetics went for our wedding, we wanted to add to the romance of the venues. At the Crocker Memorial Church, we went with simplicity. We didn’t want to distract from the rich history that we loved about it. By simply adding fabric, in a couple of textures and shades, crystals to reflect the light, and restored pieces of wood picked up from a local salvage yard, to a backdrop, we were able to add to the church’s overall feel without taking away from its history. We also had two large vases with all white flowers to add to the romantic feel.

At the Powel Crosley Estate, we thought the lighting had to be perfect to really set the mood. What a better way than with candles, candles, and more candles. We used an assortment of ivory candles in fluctuating sizes and in varying containers. We also had large silver candelabras and medium sized matte black candle sticks to hold candles as well. We put a chandelier and café bulb lighting over the dance floor to continue the mood outside when dancing. There were two long tables to accommodate the sixty guests, adding to that intimate feel we were trying to capture. The tables had beautiful rosette textured linens in a dark champagne color to give the angular tables some body and texture. The floral arrangements, neutral in color with mostly white and pale peach soft and structured flowers, were in a variety of non-matching clear and mercury glass vases. The overall color scheme was neutral shades with metallic and black accents.

Other personal touches included the guest place cards. I created little formal characters of each guest in attendance with their name attached. These served as double duty being that they also helped the servers to know which guest ordered which entree (white name card being fish and black name card being beef). We also had our new monogram placed on a Victorian styled mirror that was hung above the fireplace to display our new married title. We also wanted a way to incorporate our family members who were no longer with us. We accomplished this by having black and white photos put in metallic and mirrored frames above us on the fireplace mantel. The groomsmen had personalized hometown maps put into their cufflinks. Seeing that all the groomsmen grew up in the same hometown as Brad, it was a way to personalize it in a meaningful and fashionable manner.

We also wanted to have a way to incorporate our Great Dane into our wedding without have to deal with his actual unpredictability, so we added small touches of him throughout. The first one being in the favors I created. I drew a picture of our dog and had a Letterpress company imprint the image onto coasters for the guests to take home. We also made a donation in our guests honor to the Great Dane Rescue Society. Our cake included our dog with a miniature replica sticking out from underneath the ruffles of the bottom tier. Our wedding day really was everything we could have hoped for. After everything was said and done, we finally have been able to decide on what our overall wedding theme should be called—Formal and Fun!

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To borrow a phrase from yesterday’s beautiful bride, the library is my “happy place.” A place where I go to unwind, read and just feel all-around wonderful. I love it. So, a wedding held in a library? Probably the best thing ever… and the perfect locale for this darling librarian bride to marry her dapper beau. From the sweet whimsical touches to the pretty, pretty hues to the world’s best setting, it’s moment after moment of pure library lovely. See it all snapped up in beautiful images by Hannah Mayo right here.

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From Hannah Mayo… Paul and Oyuki were married at the beautiful Spanish River Library in Boca Raton, FL. The venue could not have been more appropriate, as Oyuki is a librarian for the City of Boca. They incorporated the library theme subtly throughout the design of their day with sweet DIY details: vintage books in the centerpieces, votive holders wrapped in book pages, and library escort cards.

The couple’s fun and slightly quirky nature shown in delightful bright green details, including the guys’ bowties from Mo’s Bows (Mo is a 10-year-old from Tennessee!), and even the bride and flower girls had bowtie necklaces!

More than any of these details, however, the joy, love, and emphasis on family infused in this wedding is what stand out to me the most, and that is what made it such an honor to photograph.

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Naples Destination Wedding from Lexia Frank Photography

When you think of the beach as your “happy place” choosing a seaside destination for your Big Day is pretty much a no-brainer, especially when that seaside destination is the beautiful Naples, a locale known for breathtaking scenery and acres upon acres of glistening sand. Which is exactly the reason these two sweeties decided to leave their hometown of Chicago (in the freezing month of November!) to celebrate their nuptials with friends and family at the Naples Beach Hotel… and in some serious style, I might add. It’s one stunning moment after another, all planned by No Worries Weddings & Events and captured expertly by Lexia Frank Photography. See it all in the full gallery.

Here’s another peek at this gorgeous wedding from One Fine Day Productions…

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From the Bride… Jonathan and I met at a mutual friend’s charity event. After dating for some time, getting to know one another’s families and traveling together, a destination wedding just seemed to make sense. Plus, November in Chicago (where we call home!) can be less than ideal. When we started the planning process, we were so excited, but also completely overwhelmed! I had always dreamed of getting married on the beach; It’s just my happy place! When we finally decided on a location, off to the blogs we went! There were so many amazing ideas, but knowing that we would have to ship everything from Chicago made the logistics tricky. After a lot of searches and ideas, we narrowed our theme down to be “rustic beach romantic.” We envisioned soft fabrics in blushes, light pinks and ivories, mixed in with some DIY touches.

A few of my favorite personal touches included the ribbon drape and starfish place settings. The ribbon drape was one of my last projects, but I’m sure glad I did it. With some rope and a lot of two-inch satin ribbon in various colors, I was able to create a backdrop for the wedding processional that looked beautiful with the wind. The starfish place settings were a lot of work, but I loved the result. We printed all of our guests’ names on pearl paper, and then used a hot glue gun to attach them to the starfish. We also attached a different color ribbon to note their entrée choice. Adding in the blush chiffon (off the rack) bridesmaid dresses with the tablescape sign and I just loved how everything turned out. The perfect weather all weekend didn’t hurt either!

We highly recommend a destination beach wedding! Not only was it a four day party, but we also had ample time to talk with everyone who made the trip. Plus, being in the sun just put everyone in a great mood! I would tell other brides to take on special projects, but only as many as your stress level can handle! I was so happy with how these personal touches worked out, but adding one more thing to my plate may have put me over the edge. It was also extremely helpful to have a wedding planner. Since I was only able to get to Florida a few times, it was great to work with Paige and Kelly, two woman whose opinions I trusted. Plus, if something went wrong on the day of, I had no idea! Investing in a good photographer and cinematographer were a must for me. You put so much work into this amazing day, you want to have more than good memories once it’s over! I think I’ve looked at my photographs every single day since receiving them back from Lexia. I just keep finding little things that I missed, it’s so amazing.

Last piece of advice – book a band and book them early! They book up so quickly (especially in South Florida)! We ended up LOVING Pangea and were so happy to have them for our special day. Every one of my guests has asked us to throw another party next year! While that won’t happen, we loved every moment of our special weekend full of priceless memories.

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Wedding Photography: Lexia Frank Photography | Wedding Cake: Grace & Shelly’s Cupcakes | Floral Design: Anne Dancu from Blue Pear in Naples | Wedding Coordination: Kelly Werder and Paige Simpson of No Worries Weddings & Events | Location & Catering: Naples Beach Hotel | Band: Pangea | Officiant: Kelly Werder of No Worries Weddings & Events | Cinematography: Amy Johnson of One Fine Day Productions | Hair: Ashley Young (Chicago Based: ashleylyoung23@gmail.com) | Makeup Artist: Jayna from Hope Artistry + Kelly Fine from Trish McEvoy (The Bride) | Wedding Invitations: Smitten Boutique | Bridesmaids’ Earrings: Angel Pearls

Naples Florida Wedding at The Club at Mediterra from Hunter Ryan Photo

After reading this couple’s sweet little love story and pouring over the gorgeous pictures from Hunter Ryan Photo of their stunning big day in Naples at The Club at Mediterra, I’m pretty sure this couple couldn’t be cuter if they tried. They are just completely adorable, and their love shows in every picture perfect image. I can’t help but be smitten with them all, and you can join me in the awwww-fest right here in the full gallery of images.

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Cypress Grove Estate House Wedding from Bumby Photography

From Hunter Ryan… Kayla is one of the sweetest, most genuine girls you’ll ever meet and Justin truly completes her in every way. It is so evident in the in-between moments with them. Kayla’s famous scrunchy nose giggles when Justin lovingly teases her or the way Justin stares at her like he can’t believe she picked him! We loved sharing in their wedding because it was totally “them.” Held at the gorgeous Club at Mediterra – it was planned perfectly by Kehrin of Jet Set Wed to be elegant and so much fun! Their wedding was a beautiful day full of fun surprises and personal touches. Kayla had little sweet touches like remembrances to relatives, and being Italian – Kayla had Mediterra specially prepare her grandmother’s lasagna for their entrees, and she even had flip flops in assorted sizes on the dance floor so all her girls would be comfortable to dance the night away. That’s just the way Justin and Kayla are -thinking of others. Justin and Kayla surprised their guests by secretly taking salsa lessons so that halfway through their reception she changed into a gold sequined mini-dress and they jumped on the dance floor with an amazing salsa number! And…if you know Justin – you know he loves 3 things: Kayla, good Scotch and good cigars! Kayla and Justin had an amazing Scotch bar set up for their guests, but what good is a Scotch bar without a custom cigar roller? Justin’s amazing friends Colton, Milo and Glenn surprised them with a custom cigar roller during their reception. It was THE perfect gift to top off a perfect day!

Here is their love story (written on the back of the menu at their reception)… Once upon a time, there was a young kickballer who thought of nothing but kicking home runs and running around with his friends, oblivious about how his life would end up. Until one fateful evening whilst preparing to engage in the first game of his career, he noticed something out of the ordinary. A beautiful young player was somehow mysteriously on his team. He was taken by surprise by this newcomer and had to investigate. Thinking of no other idea, he approached this intriguing woman and offered her a drink from his prized possession… His bubba keg.

The plan didn’t go quite as smoothly as he thought because she politely rejected his offer and continued her conversation as if he wasn’t even there. Justin walked away rejected, but was determined not to give up. Thinking he would impress her, he played like he never played before, kicking, catching, and running as fast as he could… Yet this was not enough to gain the attention of his new teammate, so he thought anyway.

Unbeknownst to him, Kayla did take notice of this young goofy boy with a cute butt flailing himself around the field like a balloon caught in a wind storm. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of him, but she eventually started giving in to his numerous (albeit comical) advances. Over the course of that season the two of them became friends, and soon enough they became more.

Their friends happily watched as they both grew closer together. Although their relationship at first had its ups and downs, neither one of them let it get between them. Thankfully for Justin’s sake, Kayla was just as patient as she was smart, allowing him time to realize what an amazing woman Kayla really was (he can be pretty slow sometimes…).

After what seemed like an eternity (to Kayla anyway) Justin secretly planned a little surprise in the midst of Kayla’s 30th birthday celebration. He hired a local florist to decorate the hotel suite they had rented and had a close friend make a banner for him (in case he lost his train of thought). After a long relaxing day and a great dinner, Justin asked Kayla to be his wife. And you guys guessed correctly, she said yes.

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When two cuties as adorable as this tie the knot in a classic meets preppy soiree, magical things are just bound to happen. Like an uber-stunning Cypress Grove Estate House affair filled to the brim with heartwarming moments and beyond whimsical touches. I’m talking lush florals from Blossoms Orlando, a yummy cake from The Sugar Suite and a fab Lula Kate gown from Bella Bridesmaid. It’s enough to make any wedding lover’s Friday (or entire week, for that matter) and you can see it all captured by Bumby Photography in the full gallery.

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Miami Rooftop Wedding from Carolina Guzik Photography

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Casual Nautical

From Bumby Photography… Katie & Burns tied the knot at the romantic Cypress Grove Estate House. Their ceremony took place at the gazebo facing the lake which made for such a beautiful and lovely backdrop. Katie & Burns’ style was incorporated into each little detail of which perfectly displayed who they are as a couple. From croquet in the lawn to embroidered shirts and navy suits for the boys to the perfect little green dresses for the girls. Burns looked handsome and Katie was stunning.

One unique detail, or I should say moment of the day, was when Katie said she wanted to do a first look with her dad. I have done several couples first looks but this was my first, first look between a father and his little girl. I always say you find me every now and then hiding behind my camera to hide a tear. This was one of those moments for me. It was so sweet. Katie and her father have such a sweet close relationship. He was there running around setting up and picking up things and made sure her day was perfect. It was the sweetest thing. He followed us around during all portraits before and after the ceremony, and helped with holding her bouquet and her drink.

Katie & Burns truly have two of the coolest families. I had the honor of having lunch with them and their mothers and Katie’s brothers before the wedding and they are so much fun and such a loving and supportive family. I just love all their sweet, silly and positive personalities.

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This wedding from Carolina Guzik is exactly the reason I adore Miami weddings. The reason my heart stops in its tracks every single time I see a pretty little gem from The Magic City in my inbox. It’s the breathtaking rooftop of the Hilton Bentley joining forces with a stunning ballroom reception bathed in purple, lush florals from A Blooming Touch and a whole lot of seaside fun. In other words, it’s Miami perfection. Join me in the gallery for sooo much more.

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Dade City Farm Wedding from Andi Mans Photography

From Carolina Guzik… The wedding of Katie and Hannon was simple, yet exquisite. They opted for a first look that was very emotional and beautiful, then they had a rooftop ceremony overlooking downtown Miami. Their ceremony was both Christian and Jewish. After the ceremony the whole wedding party went to the beach to get some fun portraits of the group.

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Running late for a flight isn’t exactly what I would call a blessing, but for these two sweeties, there’s just no other way to describe it. That’s because their late flights (on the same plane!) resulted in the chance meeting that would forever change their worlds… and the introduction to the one that was “meant to be.” Kinda movie-esque, don’t you think? And just wait until you lay your eyes on their beautiful farm wedding, a whimsical meets romantic affair filled with “quirky” details and sooo, sooo much pretty. See it all captured by the oh-so-talented (+ very sweet) Andi Mans in the full gallery.

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From Andi Mans Photography… I have to say that this was one of the most unique weddings I have captured thus far, all for amazing things, of course! I met with Lola and Stephen for coffee a few weeks ago as they were visiting Orlando, both are from Canada and I completely clicked with how genuine and special these two were together!

As always, I ask how my bride and groom met, I love hearing love stories (hopeless romantic)! So, how did they cross paths? Both of these two lovebirds were late on a flight, the same flight… and sat next to each other, I mean… how much of a an awesome story is that?! Let’s talk wedding!

Despite the Florida rain showers that were arriving from the west coast, we didn’t let it affect our moods, I also felt it made the wedding even extra special. Lola wanted a southern wedding with her unique charm and love for Southern Weddings Magazine type details. Stephen, who works in the television industry, wanted to add his touch and personality for little monsters, quirky decor and cinematic retro movie scores. If I had to describe this wedding, it would be the South meets Tim Burton!

The reception was filled with music playing from ET, Disney, circus-style popcorn and a pretty intense imported pickle station! Lola created the programs and many other of the illustrations! Overall, I loved the DIY inspirations that were infused in this wedding. Lola and Stephen were a joy to meet and what a fun time, I laughed so much! One of my favorite Dr. Seuss quotes was read as they began the vows, ‘We’re all a little weird. And life is weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness—and call it love—true love.”

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Miami Beach Courthouse Wedding from Trenholm Photo

Courthouse weddings are a truly magical way to say “I do.” An old Hollywood glamour meets cozy nuptials, if you will. And when it comes to finding the perfect inspiration for some drop-dead gorgeous courthouse marrying, look no further than this beautiful day captured ever-so-amazingly by Trenholm Photo which is bursting at the seams with darling details, including sophisticated blooms from Simpson’s Green & Floral and a breathtaking dress from BHLDN. See it all in the full gallery.

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Jupiter, Florida Engagement Session from Kelian Photography

From Trenholm Photo… Robyn and Jules planned a truly elegant and intimate wedding. Robyn got ready at the Eden Roc Hotel on Miami Beach. Her BHLDN dress and Badgley Mischka shoes accented the Miami styled room wonderfully. Jules ran last minute errands and got dressed very shortly before arriving They chose to have their ceremony at the Miami Beach Courthouse. Their closest friends and family joined the crowded hallways of the beautiful courthouse as they were married on the staircase. Dinner was held at the classic Smith and Wollensky Restaurant. The details were simple, including a wonderful cake topper made specially by one of Robyn’s close friends.

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You know how to make a fabulous Friday even more fabulous? Well, throw in a dazzling engagement session, of course. One that not only features a seriously adorable (+ seriously stylish) duo, but a Jupiter backdrop that is all kinds of breathtaking, as well. One that charms your socks off with one light-filled image after another from Kelian Photography, a sweet proposal story and a whole lot of love. Click here for sooo much more.

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Seaside Vow Renewal at Watercolor Resort from Amanda Suanne

About Kaitlyn & John… Kaitlyn was born and raised in Jupiter, Florida. John was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. John to move to Stuart, Florida at the age of 18.

Their journey began in the spring of 2008. Kaitlyn met John through a college friend. They talked through Facebook before finally meeting at Starbucks. It was the beginning of a new friendship. But — Kaitlyn had a boyfriend, and so they remained just friends for two years. They both decided that they didn’t want to cross that friendship line, but when Kaitlyn ended her other relationship, she was excited to see what life would bring.

Fast forward… Kaitlyn and John hadn’t talked in over four months. While at the beach with his family, John’s Aunt convinced him to ask Kaitlyn to go out to dinner with him. Kaitlyn was soooo excited to see that text and happily responded, YES. After a yummy dinner together, Kaitlyn grabbed John by the face and kissed him. The feelings that they had been holding in for so long finally came out – and their journey began!

The proposal was one that belongs in a story book. John knew when and where to do it, but just had to find a way to get Kaitlyn there. So he got Kaitlyn’s twin sister to help. His plan was to propose at the Jupiter Lighthouse. Kaitlyn’s sister, Meaghin, arranged to have her there… and as they started climbing the stairs, John was only feet away, hiding in the old oil house. When Kaitlyn saw John, she said, “What are you doing here?” In complete shock, as John dropped to one knee and pulled out the little black box… Kaitlyn quickly realized that both of their lives would be changed forever. And of course- SHE SAID YES!

Kaitlyn & John will marry on April 6, 2014.

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Photography: Kelian Photography

The lovely Beth, of The White Dress By The Shore, is the type of woman little girls want to be when they grow up. She owns one of the most beautiful bridal boutiques I ever did see (I actually got my gown there), and she exudes this elegance and grace not often found in our day and age. She is just all around darling. So when I heard that she and her ADORABLE family were doing a vow renewal and Amanda Suanne was on hand to capture every moment – I was chomping at the bit to see how it all turned out. The result? Stunning. And even though Beth and I aren’t that far apart in age, after devouring all the sweetness in this post, I so want to be her when I grow up. See every gorgeous image here.

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Coastal Miami Beach Engagement Shoot from Vitalic Photo

From Beth, the Bride: Last month my husband of nearly sixteen years and I renewed our vows during a family vacation in Seaside, Florida.

When Mark and I were on our honeymoon in Hawaii in September of 1997, we decided that we wanted to renew our vows in 15 years in front of our children. We had always wanted our vow renewal to take place in Hawaii. But, with our crazy schedules it seemed impossible to make it happen. As we were planning our spring vacation to our family home in the Watercolor Resort in Seaside, Florida, I suggested to Mark that we do it there. It has one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever been to and it is one of our favorite places on earth! So, the whole thing was planned in less than a month’s time!

It was difficult to tell friends and family that we were planning a vow renewal and none of them were invited! As hard as it was, it was very important to me that this ceremony be about my husband, myself and my children. At our first wedding, we had 180 guests in attendance. It was an absolutely perfect day, and I wouldn’t change a thing. But, this time around, I wanted it to be extremely intimate and I wanted to renew our love for one another in front of our children.

The ceremony took place on the beach in front of the Watercolor Resort. Mark and I recited the vows that we originally wrote and read at our first wedding. My 12 year old daugther Lindsay read an excerpt of “1st Corinthians” and then recited a poem that she wrote about how Mark and I embody the words of the scripture. My 9 year old son Mark read a poem that my sister Katie had written for us at our first wedding.

Trying to pick a dress was not easy! The only thing I knew for sure was that my friends at Modern Trousseau would design and make the dress. I went back and forth about the style that I should wear. I worked with designer Callie Tein and selected a gorgeous fabric from one of the gowns in her 2014 collection. It is a very pale blush satin covered alencon lace with appliques of guipuree lace. As the ceremony was so intimate and taking place on the beach, I opted for a very simple sheath with a sweetheart neckline.

As per usual, I found it much easier to dress everyone else! I had a vision for my husband’s attire but searched high and low for tan and cream seersucker pants, to no avail. I eventually enlisted my friend Enzo of Valentino Tailors to make a custom pair of trousers in exactly the perfect fabric. My daughter is a budding bridal designer and she sketched her dress and my head seamstress Penny created it for her. Lucky for her that her Mom owns a bridal boutique! My son, thank goodness, agreed to wear a bow tie and I had a custom tie made out of Liberty of London frabric by a company that I found on Etsy.

I adored every vendor that I worked with in putting this impromptu event together. You absolutely can’t beat southern charm and the vendors in the Florida panhandle know how to put together a beautiful wedding!

Here’s to another 16 years and beyond! [dotted]

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Modern Trousseau

Spring & Fall Classics

Spring 2015

Fall 2015

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I had every intention to be productive today. Up early, coffee brewing – but the images sitting pretty in this gorgeous gallery captured by Vitalic Photo have a different plan for me this morning. Oh yes, their plan is pull at my heart strings until I just can’t look away, ultimately spending hours with them swooning over their gorgeousness. But that’s productive too, right? I think so. Get swept up by them here.

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Tampa Bay Wedding from Jenn Hopkins Photography

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Casual Nautical

From Vitalic Photo… Jordan & Jason are from Miami and absolutely fell in love with South Pointe Park on South Beach after it was redesigned a few years back. They would often go for walks there while dating and enjoy the beach, pathways and park. Their outfits were almost as adorable as they were, and the colors and lighting on South Beach makes for the prettiest photos. I’m looking forward to their Coral Gables wedding in December!

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Photographer: Vitalic Photo | Location: South Pointe Park, South Beach, Florida

A DIY affair chock-full of vintage-inspired details and more than its fair share of heartwarming moments sounds like the perfect way to jump start our Tuesday, so that’s exactly what we plan to do. Fill our morning with beautiful lace details, gorgeous blooms from Apple Blossoms Floral Design and one picturesque moment after another in an uber-sweet Davis Island Garden Club setting. Also along for the ride? One seriously adorable duo, whose smiles could literally light up an entire room. See so much more from Jenn Hopkins Photography right here.

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Spring Weddings

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Garden Weddings Outdoor Weddings

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Vintage

From Jenn Hopkins Photography… An amazingly sweet wedding! Amy used all the knick knacks and antiques she found at her grandmother’s house as decor and centerpeices. Her father handmade her amazing drink station. Amy carried her antique vintage theme even down to the lace in her dress. She hung lace throughout the entire venue.

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These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Wedding Dresses

Casablanca Bridal

Rose Collection - Volume XXXI

Magnolia Fall 2015

Beloved By Casablanca Bridal- Vows in Valencia

A Hillside Fairytale

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After Wedding Romance Shoot from Ever After Wed + Vanessa Velez Photography

The first word that comes to mind when diving into this gorgeous post-wedding Romance Shoot? Magical. But that’s kind of what happens when you pair up one of the most beautiful couples you will ever lay your eyes upon with the fab stylings (+ amazing florals) of Ever After Wed, a beyond stunning Pronovias gown and the talents of Vanessa Velez Photography. Pure, unadulterated magic. And the gallery overflowing with love-filled moments? The perfect way to spend your Monday. Join me there for sooo much more.

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Outdoor Weddings Park

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Florida Panhandle Wedding from Sarah Lyn Photography

From Ever After Wed… I’m not sure I have words to adequately introduce this crazy in love, can’t live without you couple, Christine and Jeremy. I had the honor of coordinating their destination wedding in the Encanted Island of Puerto Rico back in 2012. What started as a wedding planner helping a beautiful couple grew into an amazing friendship. So, a year later, I’ve had once again the privilege to recreate those moments but this time on our home turf.

Because of their Cuban-American romance we wanted something that had some history and romance, they had considered Vizcaya for their wedding when they first started planning so they knew the beauty of the place and once I mentioned it they where all in with me on the idea. There is an Old World feeling to it familiar to how their wedding felt in the Colonial city of Old San Juan. So having that reminiscent feeling in Miami was just perfect.

There’s nothing better than a perfectly laid -back after wedding session, specially when we have the most talented photographer I know to capture those images that they will treasure forever. We are madly in love with the amazing pictures.

This may be, hands-down, one of the most emotion-filled + heart-stoppingly romantic weddings I’ve planned to date and this Day After Session was, without a doubt, perfection.

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These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Pronovias

ATELIER PRONOVIAS

PRONOVIAS

Dancing Lights, Cruise Collection

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This bride makes me happy. Very, very happy. She has the kind of smile that would light up an entire room… and the pure, unadulterated joy she is feeling? It’s palpable. Which makes complete sense, really, since her beachside wedding captured by Sarah Lyn is one of the prettiest days we’ve ever seen with gorgeous purple and blue hues and a beyond breathtaking ceremony. Oh, and her dapper groom? He’s pretty happy, too. See it all in the full gallery.

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Summer Weddings

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Florida Wedding from Michelle March

From Sarah Lyn Photography… The beautiful white sand and the emerald colored waters made for a stunning backdrop for Roxanne and Mike’s wedding. They said their heartfelt vows as the sun began to set – the sky painted with colors of orange, red and pink. Such a romantic, and tender mood for the bride and groom’s wedding. Their wedding was graceful and intimate, consisting of only close family, and with just the right amount of details to accent the humble, but grand location of the emerald coast beaches. The bride’s beautiful mermaid style lace dress and her bright sassy teal high heels really made such a classic, yet fun and stylish look. Roxanne and Mike were such a wonderful couple to photograph, and I truly believe their personality and love for each other shines through in these photos.

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Wedding Photography: Sarah Lyn Photography | Wedding Dress: Galina via David’s Bridal | Makeup Artist : Face by Lace

This Florida wedding captured by Michelle March is a sum of so many beautiful pieces and parts. These parts as a whole tell the story of a happy day rich in color and love. And when you pull apart the layers, you’ll find a lace caplet dress mixed with candy colored flowers and a day swathed in sunshine. No matter which way you look at it, it’s pure perfection and there’s even more in the full gallery.

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Winter Weddings

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Outdoor Weddings Weddings in Historical Venues

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DIY Inspired Vintage

From the Bride…The first memorable event of 2012 was winning a cruise to the Bahamas. I didn’t think it was possible to top such luck until I saw Jorge kneeling on the top deck of the ship with a ring he had made himself. He is not a jewelry maker and it meant the world to me to find out the time he took to make it and how perfect it was. My beloved engagement ring set the tone of our wedding. It was a DIY affair full of vintage details. We envisioned a small, warm and welcoming wedding where we could feel comfortable sharing our deepest feelings for each other.

Jorge loves classic English cinema and I love tea and anything floral so we were inspired by our likes and decided to have a romantic floral garden tea-party wedding. Throughout the year, I collected vintage teapots, tea cups, vases and any floral inspired decor. On one of my many trips to the thrift store, I spotted two wicker heart-shaped chairs; like a cartoon character with bulging hearts for eyes, I fell in love with them immediately! They were so perfect for our wedding. I later found out, via Pinterest, that Kate Moss had the exact same chairs at her wedding! Made me love our chairs even more. We truly love all of our guests and since it was relatively small wedding we were able to add special touches to make them feel loved. One of my favorites was the spool place card holders. Jorge’s dad cut about 80 spools by hand! I then had my lovely bridesmaids help me stain them and finally wrap them with mint colored lace. Our guests loved to see their name displayed in such cute way. We also found some awesome cardboard teaspoons online that we used as escort cards. Each of them had a fun trivia question on the back to strike up a conversation. As favors, we gave each guest tea bags so they could go by our tea station and pick their favorite flavored loose tea to take home.

The details of our wedding were crafted with a lot love and care thanks to the help of our wonderful friends and family. My mom used her skilled hands to lovingly crochet holders for our teacups’ flower arrangements that hung from our wedding aisle chairs. She also made me two beautiful crochet garters, one to give to a lucky bride-to-be and another one that I’ll cherish forever. We had a tight budget and we couldn’t afford a florist. I was worried about timing and how little I knew about flowers but I did my homework and a lot of planning. With the help of my favorite ladies we created all the flowers arrangements one day before the wedding, I was surprised how little time it took us! We had a wonderful time helping each other out and felt proud of our masterpieces. Jorge and I tackled many DIY projects as well. He built our ceremonial arch and I put together the laced embroidered hoops that we used as a backdrop of our ceremony. He also constructed the wooden directional signs and our big chalkboard welcome sign on which I, for the very first time, enthusiastically employed my chalk calligraphy skills.

It was important to us for our invitations to be lighthearted and touching. The sweetest person we know, our 8 year old daughter Luna, worded them. We also implemented a whimsical family portrait (including our kitty Musa) illustrated by Dairy Sketches from etsy. I digitized the illustration and gave it a personalized look. I also designed the rest of our stationary pieces carrying the same floral look. Being a career Graphic Designer helped a lot! Everything was going as planned until I broke my ankle one week before the wedding! Needless to say, I was devastated. I didn’t know what hurt the most, my ankle or the fact that I wasn’t going to be able to walk the day of my wedding. I dreaded the idea of using crutches or a wheel chair. But my dear love saved the day. He put wheels on a throne-like chair, so my mom could push me down the aisle, it was genius idea! and it made our wedding so much more special.

Our wedding was definitely an act of love from the very beginning. We were also extremely lucky to have the most amazing vendors to help out with every detail and make it memorable beyond our wildest expectations. I was so happy to see all the hard work displayed when I arrived. My ladies looked gorgeous with their handmade bouquets and the headpieces I made for them. Our daughter looked precious with her one-of-kind vintage dress and her pretty smile. But as my mom pushed me down the aisle in my “royalty” chair, I could only focus on my love’s twinkly eyes. I was finally marrying my best friend and that’s all that mattered at that moment.

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St. Augustine Engagement Shoot from Ariel Rose Photography

It never fails, when a bride-to-be finds out I’m a wedding blogger they automatically ask me for advice. They want to know everything there is to know about planning weddings like stylish little sponges. Two of the first words of wisdom to ever leave my mouth after such a conversation is one, to make sure to love your photographer and two, to make sure you do an engagement session. Because they not only give you beautiful images to treasure forever, the session will also allow you to get comfy in front of the camera. Just like this couple captured by Ariel Rose Photography – they might have gone in a bit on the nervous side, but from the looks at this gallery you’d never know it. See it all here.

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Oxford Themed Wedding Inspiration from Papered Heart Photography

The first time I met this sweet couple at a coffee shop in Jacksonville I knew I was going to have a good time with them. They both immediately proclaimed themselves camera shy and were quite nervous about an engagement session. On the day of their shoot, with just a quick ride down to St. Augustine, any onlooker would have seen these two working the camera, whether they knew it or not. Christina was much more nervous than Barret. It was so sweet to see him calm and sooth her when the camera came too close. He would quickly make her laugh and she would relax instantly. Not a single photograph showed her nervousness.

WIth this job you meet a lot of couples. Without a doubt I can say this couple has “it”. They have that spark that every girl wants and that fun loving dynamic that every guy needs. Needless to say I am beyond excited for their wedding day!

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Photography: Ariel Rose Photography

Rise and shine SMPers, it’s time to be inspired! Your heaping dose of wedding inspiration goodness is coming by way of these gorgeous images from Papered Heart Photography today, and boy is it gorgeous. With a sophisticated Oxford theme leading the charge, and the talented workings of Oh So Classy Events, Wish Vintage, Carter’s Florist and A&P Design Co. – we get a stylish shoot complete with top knots and tea cups, oh my! See it all here.

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Outdoor Weddings Weddings in Historical Venues

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Vintage

From Papered Heart Photography…We love top knots, and lace oxfords, high teas, Oxford library books, tea pots, tea stations, delectable petit fours and luxurious cakes. With combined minds and efforts, Papered Heart Photography, Oh So Classy Events, and Wish Vintage worked together on these loves and created this stunning shoot with Style Me Pretty brides in mind!

We chose the Mackay Estate for it’s richness in colors, texture, and historical elements. For the ceremony site, we used a vintage mantel lined with 10 green bottles because there is a popular song “10 Green Bottles” in Oxford that is akin to our “99 Bottles”. How fun and dreamy is it as a focal point for the ceremony?

We pulled in more whimsy with rustic books and Oxford dictionaries as a table runner, and antique tea cups and pots to hold florals. Greys and Reds are a continued color palette throughout the shoot.

Our couple was styled to represent a look perfectly Oxford. Adoring the fashionable high bun, our bride brings home the look of Oxford elegance combined with a hint of sultry while the groom’s suit and styling reminisces of a bygone era. And of course we are loving her in the lace Oxfords wedding shoes! So uniquely fun. We also brought in a mood setting lounge area for our Bride and Groom to enjoy high tea together and bask in the moments of being newly married. Mini Coopers are manufactured in Oxford and so we jumped at the opportunity of having our couple drive away in one.

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Miami, Florida Wedding from Robert Rios Photography

After a heartfelt engagement on a cruise to the Bahamas, these two Miami sweeties set about creating a day that honored their overwhelming love for each other, as well as their awesome devotion to their sweet friends and family. A day that not only celebrated their passion for vintage details, romantic touches and tea party pretty, but was a serious (+ oh-so-amazing) labor of love, from the beautiful ceremonial arch to the sweet invitation wording (written by their adorable daughter!) to the beyond stunning bouquets. A DIY masterpiece? Indeed. See every last moment captured by Robert Rios in the full gallery.

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