Florida Wedding Ideas and Inspiration - Style Me Pretty

An Intimate, Last Minute Ceremony After Their Wedding Was Cancelled Due to COVID-19

As we all continue to do our best day after day amid this terrible pandemic we’re facing, hearing a piece of good news or a happy story truly makes the world of a difference and inspires us to keep the faith. That’s why today, we’re beyond excited to be sharing with you a very special wedding story. After Emily and Taylor’s big day was sadly cancelled due to COVID-19, they decided to have a last minute ceremony with just a few of their nearest and dearest, with a larger reception to celebrate their union in the future. Their story brought tears to our eyes, joy to our hearts and reminded us once again that love isn’t cancelled. Check out the full gallery by I Dream of Weddings, to see all the magic unfold!

From I Dream of Weddings… The lucky series of events that brought Emily & Taylor together for the first time was not a chance encounter measured my mere minutes. It was not a missed green light to the grocery store or a beautiful girl in a sea of unfamiliar faces. The first chapter of Emily & Taylor’s story unfolds over an entire year at a Staples in Tallahassee. It took Taylor, who was in Easy-Tech at the time, a new job opportunity to get the courage to drop his corporate relationship with Emily, who worked in the Copy Center. Once Taylor started his new job, the two tossed the co-worker formalities and spent an entire night catching up on a year’s worth of lost conversation.

When the sun started to rise, Emily left Taylor, who was fast asleep, to wake up questioning whether his dream girl from the Copy Center was from his actual dreams. Knowing that she would no longer see him between the aisles at Staples, Emily left her glass slipper (a cardigan) as she rushed out the door. Emily’s Cinderella exit not only gave Taylor an excuse to see Emily and return her cardigan along with their first kiss, but it brought me to a little Ocala wedding. Right in the middle of a pandemic.

I was thrilled to hear from Emily to see if I would be interested in photographing a small ceremony in replace of her cancelled wedding. It was a pleasant surprise to see an excited, bride-to-be come up with an alternative to an otherwise, devastating situation. The ceremony was to be held at the Lamson Estate in Ocala. A beautiful home surrounded by wind and Spanish moss owned by Linda, a second grandmother to Emily and where Emily & Taylor resided after leaving Tallahassee. In Florida, the restriction on gatherings limits crowds no larger than ten. The officiant, three bridal party members, three guests and myself, gathered on the front steps of Emily & Taylors first home together to witness their first kiss as husband and wife. A reception is to be held in the near future where guests can celebrate a love story even a pandemic couldn’t stop. But for the time being, a marriage certificate and a few last-minute wedding portraits became the fairytale wedding any girl could hope for. To Emily and Taylor, the two employees who were able to dodge direct eye contact with each other for an entire year, thank you for reminding us what is most important in unfortunate times. Each other. In the coming weeks, when our daily lives and routines start to balance out, a new community will be walking among us, and we will all celebrate, passionately. Until then. Stay positive, be creative, reflect, inspire and most importantly, don’t forget to love.

Mixing Old World Charm With Modern Femininity at The Ancient Spanish Monastery

Ever wonder how to mix modern touches with old world charm? Allow St. Germain Events to show you how it’s done. From a drop dead gorgeous Monique Lhuillier gown, to the bride’s beautiful natural locks, to the history of the venue – this editorial has inspiration sprinkled throughout every corner. Head on over to the full gallery, captured by Melissa Blythe to see it all!

From Melissa Blythe… History, architecture, fashion, florals, and natural beauty were the staple muses to bring this ideation to life.

HISTORY &ARCHITECTURE:

St. Bernard de Clairvaux Church, better known by Ancient Spanish Monastery is a luxury historic wedding venue among a tropical setting, located in Miami, FL. The Romanesque architecture is a rare find in the United States and was the main reason we were drawn to the space. After learning more of the Monastery’s history, we gained an even deep appreciation for the beauty and craftsmanship of this remarkable landmark. Originally built in Spain during the 12th century, it was dismantled and shipped by to America where it had been stored away in New York City until it made its way to Miami where it was reassembled and now serves as luxury wedding venue and an Episcopal church.

FASHION: The Truly gown by Monique Lhullier brought a soft, elegant, and feminine feel that we wanted to resonate throughout the final images. The optional lace-sleeved jacket along with the pink Gucci platforms added an unexpected fashion-forward touch. We specially chose non-traditional wedding shoes because we love the idea of brides being able to wear them again over time for date nights and such, keeping her wedding style alive and thriving even after the wedding day!

NATURAL BEAUTY & FLORALS: Racquel of St. Germain Design & Co.
We went for a soft, feminine floral style with lots of textures to compliment the detail of the gown. The flowers in the model’s hair accessorized the blush tones in the beautiful dress . We designed with roses, ranunculus tulips with soft accents of lilac and sweet pea. To add European flair to accent the architecture, we paired a vintage wooden table with French style round-back chairs which gave a nice contrast to the lush green tropical landscape.

A Rustic, Beach Wedding With A Heartfelt Highlight Video!

A rustic wedding by the beach? We love it! With Santa Rosa Beach in the background, this couple said their ‘I Do’s’ at Eden Gardens State Park in style with super cool details like succulent favors (and in their wedding cake) and other green and blush details throughout! Add in Myrtie Blue’s stunning florals and the most gorgeous tree by their ceremony and you’ve got one for the books! Check it all out below, including their heartfelt highlight video by Sixpence Productions!

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From the Bride…Hayden and I met in Florida through mutual friends. There’s a debate to this day as to who “courted” who, but after our first date we were inseparable. Hayden proposed at home (on a weeknight) because on the day he picked up my ring, he decided he couldn’t wait until we made it home to California! Originally, he had planned on proposing at his family’s Christmas party, but he is terrible at keeping secrets. So on that random weeknight in December, he told me he had gotten my last Christmas present, and the next thing I knew, he was proposing! We wanted a classic wedding with a rustic-chic vibe. My mother in law and I had so much fun creating the design for our day! I love earth tones, and adore succulents with their cool green, so we used those for favors and decided to accent that green with blush throughout the whole wedding – including our cake! Additionally, we loved the idea of guests bringing home a succulent because they are very resilient, and we thought it was the perfect way to “let love grow”. My favorite memory from the day was really captured in the wedding film. Our ceremony was so heartfelt but it was us to the core. It was funny, quirky, a little awkward and full of love. We love watching the film back and laughing. In our photos and film, you would have never known that in the midst of it all my sister in law had an allergic reaction and was rushed to the hospital. It’s a hilarious part of the day (wasn’t funny then) that we all still laugh about it. Everything else went perfectly and we said it must be good luck that SOMETHING went a little wrong. We had an amazing team that went above and beyond and it was a beautiful day. Special touch: mother in law made me a garter with fabric from her wedding dress.

Floral Obsessed Brides Need to See This Romantic Garden Wedding Inspiration

A floral adorned harp, a breathtaking blooming arbor, a cascading bouquet – this editorial planned by Fabulously Chic Weddings is every botanist’s dream wedding inspiration. Jump right in to the lavender and blush hues of the full gallery captured beautifully by Set Free Photography for all the enchanted garden vibes. Floral Symphony – we’re simply in awe! Oh, and one more thing… THE. CAKE… let’s just say it’s confection perfection. Keep on reading and get those Pinning fingers ready!

From Fabulously Chic Weddings… La Casa Toscana, formerly a private estate only hosting family affairs, was recently opened to the public and as a wedding designer, I was ecstatic to get my hands on it! We partnered with an amazing team of creatives, specifically Floral Symphony, to create the overall design, and So Staged, Script Me Pretty and Sweetified to bring the concept to life through other decor details. La Casa Toscana is a stunning, and very unexpected, Mediterranean inspired home in Southwest Florida.

The venue itself is so beautiful and inspiring; we wanted to bring out the garden feel of it and present it in a soft color scheme, without just sticking to the “go to” of just blush. We couldn’t not include our fan favorite shade of blush, but we loved mixing in soft purple tones and mauves to give the color scheme some depth, while keeping the soft, feminine look that we desired. We loved styling the bride and groom with two very different looks. A second dress for brides has been popular for many years, but more recently, grooms are starting to do a second look too!

The groom’s first jacket was a fun, yet sophisticated mauve jacket. We paired it with a tulle skirt Wtoo gown with a nude underlay. The moody tones worked so beautifully together. The second tux was a more classic black tux look, but with a paisley print. We paired with with a sexy, yet sophisticated gown by Made with Love Bridal, adorned with soft and airy floral appliques galore! For the ceremony, the venue often uses a permanent arch structure for the backdrop, but we really wanted to do something different, and show the versatility of this property (so many options for ceremony spots). So, we used the gorgeous home as a backdrop instead.

We wanted the space covered in florals and greenery, and Floral Symphony did not disappoint. They cleverly utilized the beautiful structures that were already in place as an entrance to the aisle, and created a natural, free flowing arch structure at the altar. We used So Staged’s natural wood King Louis chairs for guest seating, and they were the perfect addition to the natural and flowy, yet polished, look that we created for the ceremony. For the tablescape, we combined the lush texture of the BBJ gray velvet linen with soft wood tones of the charger plates, napkin rings and King Louis chairs to convey the sophisticated garden look that we desired. Script Me Pretty beautifully accented the details with a gorgeous menu and place cards in blush ink. Sweetified bakery created a gorgeous cake with a gray toned background accented by sugar flowers and appliques in all of the pink and purple shades we used. We staged it on asoft wood accent table from So Staged, adding a flowy soft purple chiffon to further bring out the tones and create some beautiful movement. All of the details really came together perfectly to create a shoot that wowed everyone that was present!

A Coral and Grapefruit Color Palette Will Have You Jumping to Add A Pop of Color to Your Wedding Day!

Slices of grapefruit and actual pieces of coral aren’t your typical wedding day inspiration, but it’s what inspired Elite Planning Firm and we have to say…we are here for it! Taking place at the ever so romantic Vizcaya Museum & Gardens in Miami, Elite Planning along with photographer, Elizabeth Fogarty wanted to showcase to brides how pops of color are just as dreamy as a neutral color palette! From an overflowing bouquet by Ever After Floral Design to a colorful invitation suite by Fig. 2 Design, they nailed it! Take a peek below and don’t stop until you get to the grapefruit cocktails!!

From Elizabeth Fogarty Photography…May from Elite Planning Firm and Liz from Liz Fogarty wanted to put together an editorial celebrating bright colors with lots of energy. They wanted to encourage brides planning their wedding to not be scared of using a colorful color palette. Yes, neutrals photograph beautifully but using a pop of color will set your wedding apart.

They used the color of the grapefruit and the texture of the coral as their inspirations, which led to beautiful details from the invitations to the cocktails. Claudia from Fig 2 Design made custom acrylic table numbers, which are super fun!

Vizcaya Musuem & Gardens is probably the most gorgeous venue in Miami with lots of history, being a museum with beautiful gardens. It is the perfect backdrop for any sophisticated and romantic wedding and can be turned into quite the fairytale. Of course, they had to wrap this editorial up with grapefruit cocktails!

A Perfectly Crafted Office + Playroom Combo

Not many people have space for both a dedicated office and a dedicated playroom and yet achieving the perfect balance of two difference needs can be so hard! Right!? Because how do you achieve #girlboss status when there are toys all over the place!? Well, lucky for us, the fabulous Beth Aschenbach, co-founder of Palm Beach Lately, has it down to a science and has successfully designed one of the chicest, most well organized, entirely beautiful office playroom combos we have ever seen. We dare you not to fall in love with all of the perfect details!

From Lifestyle Blogger, Beth, at Palm Beach Lately... With the baby coming soon, my husband and I decided to switch a few rooms around to best accommodate our growing family. We decided to turn the office into a playroom/office.

Our original design was for his office needs, so I enlisted the help of Korinne from Urban Simplicity to help me best utilize the cabinet space to organize the toys, books, games, etc. The original office had grey shelving and cabinets, so I first had it painted all white and switched the silver to brass hardware.

Korinne started Urban Simplicity in 2010 after working for a decade in politics and splits her time between Palm Beach and New York. She combines a passion for problem solving with a sense of humor, cheerful nature and Southern charm. She organized what was in the old playroom and helped me pare down to only what we wanted to keep. We simplified it to keep what Grace currently plays with and saved some toys for the baby and donated the rest of the old toys and stuffed animals to charity.

I had a lot of keepsakes that I wanted to organize from baby shower and baptism to school and cards we keep. She selected some adorable blush boxes in different sizes to accommodate what we planned to store. I also enlisted the help of my friends from Luxe Report Designs to style the shelves with a mix of blush pink ginger jars, shells and rattan accessories.

My desk is my new favorite place in the house! I love how Luxe Report Designs incorporated the rattan desk accessories and chair from HIVE. They used the new beehive lanterns Lindroth Design as well as our favorite rattan hurricane vases and raffia baskets with shells mixed in blush pink file folders, stationery and more. I have wanted this lamp by Celerie Kemble / Kemble Interiors at The Kemble Shop for a while and this was the perfect spot to put it!

I came across 527 Photo on Etsy and she has so many beautiful tropical prints from Miami, Hawaii and other destinations. This one jumped out at me and I knew I had to include this relaxing palm and umbrella print it in this room. Framebridge did a beautiful job framing the art and the quality and turnaround time was excellent. The girls flanked the art with assorted blush pink ginger jars from Lauren Haskell Designs and white canvas palms from Matilda’s.

The Container Store recently introduced a wide variety of kids’ storage for playrooms, closets and everything in between. Here is a list of the products we used from The Container Store:

Assorted sizes of the Linus clear drawer organizers
Multi-purpose transparent bins
Blush Pink Bigso Stockholm Letter Boxes
Blush Pink Bigso Stockholm Paper Drawers
Blush Pink Bigso Stockholm Photo Storage Box
Natural Seagrass Belly Baskets
Pink Cotton Rope Laundry Hamper
Blush & Ivory Rugby Stripe Storage Cubes
Linus Deep Drawer Bins in Clear
Gold Bin Clip Label Holders

Not Your Typical Tropical Wedding with a Color Scheme That’s Sure to Surprise!

We love when brides aren’t afraid to be bold and experiment with never been done before styles! This gorgeous wedding at Vizcaya Museum and Garden blends modern eclectic vibes and tropical details with a traditional garden setting, not to mention an unconventional color scheme that will have you re-thinking everything. Masi Events and the talented team of vendors were up for the challenge of creating Gaby and Joe’s dream wedding – and boy did they deliver. Trust us folks, you’re going to want to see the full gallery of images captured by Gianny Campos to grasp just how special this personality-filled day truly was!

From Masi Events… Gaby and Joe got engaged in the Fall of 2017 and Gaby immediately knew the perfect place to host their wedding. Gaby being from Miami had always dreamed of having her special day with Joe at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. Gaby and Joe live in Portland Oregon and decided to work with us to help bring their wedding vision to life here in Miami. Gaby and Joe wanted to incorporate aspects of their current life inspired by their eclectic city and modern relationship to the overall feeling of their wedding. Vizcaya provides an impressively beautiful, yet more traditional garden backdrop. It was fun finding ways to infuse the competing styles of modern eclectic against the traditional french garden environment that the venue typically suites itself for. This wedding was going to be different, and we wanted to bring a style and decor not yet seen at the space.

Gaby’s childhood home in Miami has a lush garden full of tropical flowers and foliage. We decided to use elements from her home garden in the floral elements such as Vibrant Red and Yellow Heliconia Rostratas, surrounded by tropical foliage like monstera leaves and rich undertones of deep muted colors provided by Croton Leaves. The floral decor was balanced out with touches Gloriosa, Proteas and Citrus Orange Accents.

The ceremony was surrounded by modern lanterns and providing overwhelming candle light, with the main focus being a wooden arch with asymmetrical and lush tropical greens and overflowing hanging tropical floral. Gaby’s Bouquet was absolutely stunning, complementing the floral design, yet having its own personality with an incredibly intricate oversized weave of tropical leaves set off to one-side. All set in-front of the gorgeous back drop of Vizcaya’s Garden Mound. The cocktail reception took place in the indoor courtyard of the Vizcaya Mansion. We utilized modern linen-less wire cocktail furniture combined with low boy tables with modern bohemian Indigo Batik patterned linens.

The escort display consisted of a green floral wall with hexagonal mirrors with the guests names calligraphed on each tile. For the dinner reception furniture we wanted to create a bohemian backdrop with a modern geometric flair. We combined exposed wood tables with gold wire frame chairs and elevated tropical arrangements with geometric vessels, against round tables with a deep rich indigo blue velvet linen and white modern wire frame chairs. A fun flair was added to each place setting with the use of modern white & gold flatware, a gold rimmed coupe charger and fun tropical Maui print napkins with humming birds. The event space was centered around the dance floor a smoked oak wood floor and modern oversized geometric hanging floral. The menu was reflective of Gaby and Joe’s favorite dishes and restaurants from Portland and the all from their favorite vineyards from Oregon. It was a truly special evening, one full of memories for the two of them, their friends and family. It’s a wedding that will always be a found memory for us, not only because of the relationship developed with Gaby and Joe, but because of the fun we had bringing their eclectic modern vision to a traditional and elegant venue.

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This Couple Tied the Knot at an Ancient Spanish Monastery! The Definition of Old-World Charm.

For these two, an Ancient Spanish Monastery was where the wedding bells rang, and the day was filled with family, friends and all of the elegance you can imagine! Erika Delgado Photography captured every intimate moment from the ‘I Do’s’ inside a small chapel to the couples first dance surrounded by their guests. Soco Alicea planned today’s fete alongside Ever After Floral Design, who together created the most beautiful and fitting to the venue centerpieces. Take a peek below and get swept away in Erika’s photos and the old-world charm of this romantic wedding day!

From Erika Delgado Photography…The Ancient Spanish Monastery and it’s old-world charm set the scene for Carissa and Jorge’s wedding celebration. They were married in the small chapel and then dined and danced in the cloisters of the timeless building, which was incredibly romantic.

It was a fairly intimate event with their nearest and dearest friends and family, including their children who were important bridesmaids and groomsmen in their stunning bridal party. We absolutely loved the fusion of family and friends that played important roles throughout the day, which made for even better photo opportunities.

About the Photographer…Erika Delgado documents beautiful weddings with her brother Alexander and her husband Joshua. The team is based in South Florida and NYC and together they offer years of experience with meticulous dedication and care in each of their projects.

Erika’s work is described as “Timeless, Editorial and Authentic”; she is often recognized for being trustworthy, for her attention to detail throughout your experience with her, her joyful spirit and quality of customer service; Erika’s photographic works will evoke emotion and inspire.

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How a Floral and Event Designer Proposed to the Love of His Life

Happy Pride Month, everyone! Today we’re celebrating with the sweetest proposal story ever. Chris and Jeremy’s story will have you happy crying from beginning to end. Their love for each other is what Nicholas Sparks dreams are made of. Oh, and did we mention Chris is a super talented floral and event designer himself?! So yeah, it’s no surprise the decor was straight out of a fairytale. With a little help from Soco Alicea and Love In Vintage – Chris was able to pull off the surprise of a lifetime. Check out the full gallery captured by Vanessa Velez and Enuel Viera to see all the can’t miss moments.

From Jeremy… As a man, I always assumed that I’d be the one doing the proposing in life. I was ready to propose to my partner Chris – we had been together over two years, had weathered a few storms together, and were still as madly in love with each other as we were at the beginning of our relationship. It’s hard to be totally sure of anything in life, but I was sure that I wanted to spend it with Chris by my side. But then something completely crazy happened. Before I could propose to him, he proposed to me. The story of Chris’ proposal to me is the story of our love. It’s a beautiful story, told in minutes but unfolding over years, as unique and ephemeral as each of his floral creations and just as beautiful. My Thursday on February 28 was fairly normal until my boss told me to leave work for the day at 3:30 PM. When I got home, there was a trail of single balloons hanging from the ceiling on clear wire. I had to take a moment to smile – Chris had done this once before early in our relationship. We had been dating only a few months and I had gone on a weeklong work trip. On this day each balloon held a message that led me back to memories of us and a new one to be made. There on the bed he had laid out clothes for me – a crisp new white shirt and beautiful green jacket, and on it a watch, a rustic compass we picked up at a bookstore in Montreal, and my old travel journal, open to a new page. And above this was one final balloon. I popped it, and read the note: Curtiss Mansion, the next step in our journey together. I picked up the travel journal. I had kept it as a diary when I travelled through Asia in my twenties, but there were a few blank pages left in it.

In those pages, Chris had written: “Remember the first time we got lost in each other’s eyes? The whole World melted around us and nothing was left but you and me. Since that day every embrace, every kiss, every memory has written a love story named after us. Since I meet you my life has been an adventure, one I never thought was possible. Our love is written in the stars and there are moments we have spent together that some only read about in books and hear in love songs. You have always looked for adventure, and ask are you ready for the next chapter? Do you take me forever? This time I leave you with something to find me, maybe not a glass slipper but a trail of balloons leading to an address. There I will be waiting.”

I arrived to the Mansion. To the side was a beautiful vintage head table with a massive arrangement. I saw white anemones, roses, ranunculus, delphiniums, carnations, spray roses, and greenery. I knew he chose to use anemones because they are one of my favorite flowers. And to Chris, roses reminded him of growing up in his father’s rose garden so they were significant too. And then there was Chris, standing on the scroll, on the first page of the next chapter of our lives. He was dressed in a beautiful pink suit and that same amazing smile, and once I saw him everything else melted away. It was just him and me in the moment. I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, and I closed the distance between us.

He took my hands, looked into my eyes, went down on one knee, and said those magic words: “Jeremy you are my everything. I want the world to know just how much I love you. I want you to know that I choose you forever. And now I need to know – Jeremy Paul Mason – will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?”

And then he offered me the ring. Then suddenly in a moment it all came into focus, the one true most important path forward in life’s journey. That journey is with Chris: in the sunshine, in the rain, in the dark and light, to the moon and back. Because our love is from the stars, and it shimmers and grows every day. Chris made the brave step and grand gesture of asking me to take this new journey with him. The only possible answer was yes.

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Italian-Inspired Miami Wedding at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens

On the surface, this Italian-Inspired wedding is gorgeous—featuring charming tropical scenes at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, impeccable style (hello Oscar De La Renta gown!) and a tented reception with quite the view. But peel back the layers of who Amanda and Mike are and you’ll find those meaningful details deep within the heart of their Big Day. They were guided by some of the best in the biz including, Jessica’s Events, Bill Hansen Luxury Catering and Event Production, Anthology Co. and of course, Kat Braman, behind the lens. Join us here in the full gallery when you’re experiencing their wedding story below.

Mike and Amanda met during their sophomore year at Georgetown University when they were both members of the varsity rowing team. They moved in together the summer of 2016 and Mike proposed exactly one year later at the Brooklyn Bridge Park overlooking Manhattan. He planned an incredible engagement weekend surrounded by their closest friends and family. Mike jokes that he barely got the ring halfway on Amanda’s finger (during their engagement) and she was already on the phone to book Vizcaya. Amanda grew up in Fort Lauderdale, FL and fell in love with Vizcaya while visiting the historic museum with her family when she was 13. She says she knew immediately that she wanted to get married there one day.

They chose their November wedding day to mark their 7 year anniversary. In honor of Mike’s father, who passed away in January 2010, they asked his father’s close college friend (who was also a Georgetown alum), to officiate their wedding ceremony. Amanda and Mike both love Italy; and since Vizcaya was conceived as a modern and subtropical interpretation of an eighteenth-century Italian villa, Italy was the perfect inspiration for their wedding design, menu, and vibe. Vizcaya is so beautiful on its own so they strove for a timeless and minimal aesthetic. The color scheme was very neutral with lush flowers and lots of greenery.

From Amanda… One might say I was detail-obsessed – although the overall aesthetic was intended to be minimal, I fixated on every detail to make sure it all felt like a cohesive vision. From our Vizcaya inspired invitation suite and programs with custom drawings and timeless calligraphy to ensuring that our signature drinks were incredibly personal (Mike’s was the “Brown Mumbler”, his father’s favorite drink, and mine was a classic Brazilian Caipirinha named the “Lola”, in memory of my family’s dog that passed away only a few months before the wedding). Another favorite detail was that our party favors were Blommer Chocolate bars provided by Mike’s family’s chocolate business.”

Although the overall aesthetic was Italian, they also layered in many Brazil inspired details in honor of the Bride’s heritage. This included live Brazilian music during cocktail hour, the Brazilian signature cocktail, Brazilian desserts (brigadeiros), and the most exciting detail was the Brazilian Samba dancers/drummers that really got the party going. Amanda and Mike were also one of only five weddings per year to be allowed a fireworks show at Vizcaya. The fireworks made for a spectacular finale after the Brazilian entertainment.

From Amanda and Mike… Our wedding was incredible in so many ways. We are thrilled that we found many ways to honor each other’s families. We are so incredibly thankful to our amazing families that were nothing but supportive and excited throughout the planning process. The flowers, food, and entertainment were all spectacular but the most memorable part of the night was being able to share the day with our families and friends that traveled from all over the world to be with us.

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Elegant St. Petersburg Winter Wedding at Vinoy Renaissance

What does a winter wedding look like in Florida, you ask? Well, it looks like this collection of pretty images from Ledia Tashi. A mostly-winter white palette, with touches of silver, fresh peonies and a side of pink venue thanks to Vinoy Renaissance. One look at the captures below and you’ll be floating on whimsy, magic and elegance. Dive in right here!

What did you envision your wedding being prior to planning?

I wanted a beautiful all white wedding with touches of silver. We decided on December, right before Christmas to do the wedding. Vinoy park right outside the hotel we had our wedding in st Pete was filled with lights. We wanted our out of town guests to really enjoy the atmosphere and have a good time! The weather around this time in Florida is absolutely perfect. Little to no chances of rain and cool weather with no humidity and beautiful sunny weather. I couldn’t have asked for a better day.

What was your color palette and your style vision?

All white wedding, touches of gray. My vision was luxe, flowers everywhere. The main focal point for me was the stage where my husband and I would sit in front of the dance floor. This is where people come up to greet the bride and groom and take pictures. I wanted a halo above the white sofa with florals dangling from above and arrangements around the stage.

What unique elements or DIY details did you include?

One unique element was the “getting ready room.” I wanted a beautiful space for the bridal party to be together, get ready for the day and have a good time. We draped an area in this meeting room, with a white sofa to take pictures on, white floral arrangement and a mannequin to display my wedding gown.

What was your favorite moment? Your favorite crafted detail?

That’s an easy one. Definitely the first look was my favorite moment. I was so excited but so nervous to see his reaction. He used to always ask me and my sister about the dress and what it looked like. I would give him wrong details to try and throw him off. I was so glad when he turned around and I got to see that smile again. He loved it and I could wait to spend the rest of the day with him.

Tell us about your flowers, your gown, your favors, your cake, etc.

Our wedding favors were also from Jordan. They were acrylic Qurans in a clear box with touches of gray. On the top it stated “mashAllah” in Arabic which means “God willing.” My flower bouquet was all white peony, with white satin ribbon. My bridesmaids bouquets were a mixture of white hydrangea, peony and roses. My flower girls had white roses and baby’s breath for flower crows with a white ribbon in the back.

What is one piece of advice that you could give brides-to-be?

To just relax! All the details leading up the wedding can be super stressful. I remember feeling so overwhelmed. But you just need to have faith that your vision will come to life and all the vendors you had hired will make sure that you and your husband have the most unforgettable experience that you’ll cherish for the rest of your lives.

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An Equestrian Mauve Wedding at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens

Today’s beautiful bride and groom tied the knot at the magical Vizcaya Museum & Gardens under an ethereal chuppah by Julia Rhode Designs teeming with blooming branches and greenery galore. Masi Events did an amazing job at incorporating meaningful details into the wedding design in order to reflect the bride and groom’s unique personalities. From the stationery to the decor, you will notice elegant equestrian details representing the bride’s passion for riding. For the groom, an addition of classic New England fare to pay homage to his roots. Check out all the can’t-miss details at the full gallery, captured by the so very talented KT Merry Photography.

From Masi Events… Jaime and Matt wed at the stunning historical Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. They entrusted us to plan and design their wedding, from the first impression to the very last, for a special and memorable weekend for their closest friends and family. We wanted to make sure to create an experience that was a reflection of them as a couple and would resonate to their guests that were all traveling to Miami, the city the couple resides. We love creating and designing the invitations as this really gives guests the first glimpse on what is to come. They were all wrapped in a delicate champagne paper with a silk ribbon and bronze wax seal enclosed in an envelope with a botanical liner sent off in a mauve envelope with hand calligraphy and a collection of vintage stamps. Jaime, being an accomplished equestrian, we wanted to be sure to incorporate her passion into the details.

The emblem design incorporated a laurel with a trophy in the middle. This subtle symbol was carried throughout the wedding including in the gold vintage vases on the centerpieces and horseshoe table numbers designed by Julia Rohde. Guests were welcomed at the hotel with a market tote bag filled with local goodies including glazed donuts from a Miami favorite- the Salty Donut. We also included Fatty Sunday pretzels birthday cake flavor as the wedding also took place on the bride’s birthday! The weekend itinerary had a custom watercolor illustration of Miami and highlighted the main points of interest for the wedding. The ceremony was designed to have an ethereal feel from the moment guests walked up the steps lined in candles and greenery. The chuppah was designed with natural white flowering branches and wild florals that complimented the wild white florals that lined the aisle.

Guests were greeted with a refreshing white sangria upon arrival and after the ceremony guava mojitos and Kinsley old fashioned cocktails were served. The menu was really important to Jaime and Matt and making sure, from the presentation and taste, that it would all be memorable. We wanted to incorporate some of Matt’s New England roots and we did this by including mini lobster rolls and crab cakes among some of the hors d’oeuvres.

After cocktail hour guests were invited to dine and dance underneath a greenery garland, chandelier filled tent. The coloration for the wedding was followed through here with mauve colored garden roses mixed with blush colored ranunculus arranged in a romantic and loose style. We also included some subtle details such as a guild gramophone, decanters, and coupe champagne glasses to pay homage to the 1920’s era in which the venue was built in. The menu cards gave guests a glimpse into the culinary experience they were about to delight in.

The celebration continued as guests danced through the night. The wedding cake was set among a lavish display of desserts and rosé champagne birthday cake for the bride. The lower terrace had an inviting lounge grouping with an after-dinner drink bar filled with cordials and a cigar roller.

At the end of the evening, Jaime and Matt departed in a 1955 White Bentley silver cloud as all their guests wished them well as they started their happily ever after. The wedding was beautifully captured by KT Merry and tells the complete story of the wedding day.

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Timeless Black & White Miami Wedding at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens

One part classic, one part tropical and add a splash of love—that’s what you’ll get when you pull up a seat to today’s Miami fete from Masi Events. With a live band, fireworks show and a chuppah dripping in florals by Ever After Floral Design, I’m betting the guests were talking about this one for a good long while after the day was done. And we get to join in the party with this gallery from Alisa Ferris, chock-full of pretty.

From Alisa Ferris… Melis + Leandro’s Vizcaya Museum + Gardens wedding was a no-expenses spared stunner. Impeccably planned by Masi Events, the NYC-based couple’s big day featured a 10+ person live band and fireworks show – 1 of only 5 allowed at Vizcaya per year.

After getting ready at the Mandarin Oriental in Brickell, the couple had their first look at Vizcaya. In a first, the father-of-the-bride accompanied his daughter to her groom. The result provided us with some gorgeous candids. If your father will play an important role in your wedding day, you can also consider doing a first look with Dad before meeting your partner. Flower girl (ah hem) dog, Charlotte, was as sweet and innocent as she looks. Incorporating your dog on your wedding day creates a fabulous memory. Be sure to have a friend or assistant on hand to manage the pet once the ceremony is over.

Melis’s father went above and beyond to surprise his daughter on her big day. As the couple shared their first kiss as husband and wife under the chuppah, flower petals canons rained hundreds of rose petals over the couple and guests. Following a traditional Jewish ceremony, the 200+ guests watched the sunset over Biscayne Bay during the cocktail hour, and partied the night away.

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Romantic Garden Industrial Wedding Inspiration at Ellie’s Garden

The most beautiful blending of styles often comes from marrying a personality-filled venue with just the right details—like today’s editorial from Natalie Broach Photography. The backdrop, Ellie’s Garden, sets the stage for garden industrial romance to flourish, with blooms from Lina Bosque and beauty by Jessica Rowe. Soak up the peachy, coral and burgundy palette in the full gallery!

From Natalie Broach… As a wedding photographer, I get the amazing opportunity to work with real couples by photographing them on one of the biggest days of their lives! My light and airy style is also combined with capturing real emotion by getting my couples to feel comfortable in front of the camera. Though weddings keep me very busy, I always love pushing myself and tapping into my creative side through other types of photoshoots. After doing a fun styled shoot last year with some creative vendor friends of mine Jessica Rowe Hair and Makeup Styling and Verdure Florals, I knew It was time we all came together again to share ideas for something that would be unique and beautiful. We all can agree we love a good black tux and white lace wedding gown, but we knew in order to truly create something that would stand out, we were going to have to go beyond what we are all used to seeing.

It all started with finding a beautiful couple and we did just that! Though they may not have been a real couple, Nina and Devante sure fooled us with their beautiful chemistry in front of my lens! I was able to give them direction just as if they were a real couple and I love how they responded to it. Having the groom whisper something sweet or funny into his bride’s ear to get that little burst of laughter is the perfect way to capture instant joy. Asking the bride to slowly lift her eyes to his or to have her softly touch his arm as he sweetly tucks her hair behind her ear, are all little ways of getting these incredible and authentic looking images.

Picking an amazing location was next on our list. As soon as we saw Ellie’s Garden we completely fell in love and were so excited they were on board with our photoshoot. Located in the heart of Jacksonville, in Historic San Jose, Ellie’s Garden and Warehouse offers a space unlike any other. The strength of industry meets the romantic backdrop of nature. The perfect balance of yin and yang, and the ever changing garden and grounds offer a look that suits any season and event. The garden and exterior grounds are 16,000 sq. ft., while the warehouse is 4,300 sq. ft.. This provides so many different layouts that every affair is special and unique unto itself. The location instantly gave us major secret garden vibes with a touch of glamour. With large antique metal gates to set the mood when entering the garden to the colorful landscape featuring Florida native plants, this venue was absolutely perfect.

When it came to florals, Lina from Verdure Florals wanted the flowers to have a romantic and whimsical feel for the shoot. She used beautiful garden roses, ranunculus, carnations, sweet pea, lisianthus, and some grasses to add texture. Her favorite part about this beautiful bouquet was that all of the greenery you see is from her own backyard. This gave it that romantic, secret garden, hand tied bouquet look that is just stunning.

Selecting the perfect dress and suit can be very challenging when you have so many amazing options to choose from. My favorite local bridal boutique, Love a Bridal Boutique, were so kind to lend us a dress. We originally had a different dress selected but the week of our styled shoot, the ladies at Love Bridal received a new dress and when they sent me an image I knew that was the dress for our shoot! The other dress we had originally selected was beautiful as well but this one by Jack Sullivan completely knocked the other dress out of the picture.The Carrie gown by Jack Sullivan Bridal features a lace bodice, complete with a strapless sweet heart neckline. The skirt is a soft a-line that highlights three tiers of Chantilly lace trimmed layers. We paired this with a pair of gorgeous earrings by a.b.ellie that Love Bridal Boutique offer. The Coryn earrings feature organza tuffs with rhinestone accents and gold hoop detailing. They absolutely completed the look and added a more glamorous feel.

When it came to picking the Groom’s suit we knew that it needed to compliment the colors of the florals as well as our location. As soon as we began the process of looking at different colors, we quickly landed on this skinny fit burgundy suit by New Look, purchased at Asos. We paired it with a New Look White dress shirt, Cole Hann brown shoes and decided to leave out the tie for a more modern approach.

For the hair and makeup, Jessica, from Jessica Rowe Hair and Makeup Styling, wanted to create a very natural and soft glam look. She did a golden and bronze light smoky eye using different shades of browns that paired beautifully with a soft pink lip shade. She kept the natural texture of the model’s hair for extra volume and added loose curls for a low up do. She pulled pieces to frame her face to go along with the natural and whimsical look for the shoot.

For the stationary, Ashley, from P+Co Design Studio, wanted there to be a balance of boldness and delicacy, romance and modernization. The negative space causes the eye to stop and focus on the content. It creates a boldness but the layout, thinness of the letterforms, illustrations, and color palette point back to the delicate look of the shoot. Ryan from M.C. Pressure, absoulutely nailed it with the color and paper selections. The paper is thick and textured and perfectly blends a modern look with a handmade feel. The color palette of the stationery is romantic but still modern.

Minimalist Meets Mid-Century Modern Wedding Inspiration at the Penthouse Riverside Wharf

Everyone’s favorite trend nowadays isn’t just good for your home décor, it’s also perfect for your wedding design! This stunning style shoot from Taralynn Lawton Photography shows you exactly how to bring that chic mid-century modern look to your Big Day. With the help of Roxanne Bellamy and Simple Florals, this gorgeous shoot is filled with inspiration – from contemporary minimalism in the bride’s gown to subtle and organic texture in the floral arrangements. We have a feeling these pics are about to take over Pinterest wedding boards everywhere..

From Taralynn Lawton… When Roxanne of Roxanne Bellamy Events and myself started planning a shoot together, we knew we wanted to create a bridal and wedding inspiration that was effortless and understated, yet bold and fashion forward at the same time. So we thought what better way to express both the bold and the understated than by channeling the Mid-Century Modern style? Combining design elements from the period for the tablescape with contemporary minimalism in the fashion, we created a light and airy wedding inspiration filled with sleek lines, gentle curves, mixed metals, subtle textures, and organic blooms by Simple Florals.

One of the star pieces in Roxanne’s design were the curved lucite chairs sourced from Bubble Miami. Their transparent nature kept the design light and refined while their unique shape added a pop of excitement to the tablescape! With the form of the chairs in mind, we knew we wanted to juxtapose their playful curviness with more angular lines throughout the inspiration while keeping with the airy see-through motif. Crystal of Made Divine brought this to life with her hand crafted stationery suite, featuring a perfectly clear acrylic invitation with modern white lettering.

Crystal also brilliantly tied in the marble design of the place settings in the envelope liners and the velvet texture of the table linens in the gold stamped “His & Hers” vow books. And of course there’s the bridal fashion!! What fun we had here. I knew from the start I wanted something sleek and minimal with an architectural flare, and the girls at Chic Parisian did not disappoint when they pulled this stunning Romona Keveza gown! Continuing our theme of mixing curves and angles, we sourced two different ring inspirations, a minimal oval solitaire in rose gold from Susie Saltzman and platinum princess cut with a more ornate setting and diamond halo from Dadlani Jewels. We styled them with fun geometric jewelry in mixed metals, including statement piece earrings by Jenny Bird. With our focus being on fashion and form, we wanted to keep the setting simple yet chic. The Penthouse at Riverside Wharf in downtown Miami was the perfect space to highlight our styling with it’s floor to ceiling windows, white walls and concrete flooring, providing a contemporary and elegant atmosphere that allowed our design element to really shine.

A Classic Wedding at The Breakers Palm Beach with an Old-World European Feel

Not only is this classic wedding incredibly gorgeous and complete with an old-world European feel, it’s also filled with the most thoughtful, sentimental details incorporated throughout the day. With a little help from Carrie Zack Events, this stunning bride personalized her wedding in just about every way you could possibly imagine. From a venue that’s near and dear to her heart, to the addition of Italian ruscus in her floral arrangements as a nod to her roots, to sewn in pearls from her mother’s wedding gown in the sleeves of her dress. We are beyond blown away by the sheer beauty and precious details of this timeless affair. See it all captured by Lance Nicoll Wedding Photography below!

From the Bride… Chris has spent a lot of time traveling the world for work. He worked in a private equity firm in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for three years. Prior to meeting me, he moved back to West Palm Beach FL to be closer to his family in Vero Beach FL and to take a job opportunity in Palm Beach. I had been living in Europe and working in the fashion industry as a model. I decided to move back to West Palm Beach to finish my degree, and that is when Chris and I met. Chris and I met 4th of July weekend three years ago during a sunset cruise for my friend’s birthday. Chris later asked our mutual friend, “Can you please help me ‘run’ into her again?”. Luckily the next day, our mutual friend coordinated a firework viewing party at their house where Chris and I were able to exchange numbers. The venue we chose for our wedding has always held a special place in my heart. Growing up, my family would vacation at The Breakers so the property is filled with all these precious memories that I hold so close to my heart. As a little girl, I can remember feeling awe struck at the all the history it’s gorgeous gilded-age walls hold. Getting married at The Breakers was like a dream come true! Walking down its beautiful hallways as a little girl with my dad was always a favorite memory of mine.

Chris and I love to travel. Our wedding was inspired by the travels we shared together. Chris had proposed at St. Michael’s Mount, in Cornwall England — a beautiful hilltop, castle on a tidal island on the Cornish coast. It was important to us for our wedding to feel timeless and classic with an old-world European romantic feel. That is why we chose white florals with a hint of fresh summer greens that featured Italian ruscus — (a shout out to my Italian-family roots that Jennifer from our floral and design team thoughtfully picked out). I also wanted all my sweet angelic bridesmaids in white. Their dresses featured classic lines with a gorgeous cowl back that felt timeliness and feminine to me. I really wanted the gilded age, baroque architectural features of the reception ballroom to stand out. We choose decor to highlight these features that kept with the old world setting. We used crystal candelabras and place hundreds of candles in the sills of the 12 arched floor to ceiling windows that encircles the ballroom. This made the amber wash light bounce and glisten all over the room highlighting the already opulent space. All the candle light was very romantic and soft. I worked very closely with my friend Siuleth at Eleven Note to create our invitation suite. For me, all the little details are what make an event amazing. So, having a hand crafted invitation set the tone for our elegant old-world European feel. Siuleth watercolored the iconic front of The Breakers for the invitation liner. Featuring the historic property in the invitation gave the guest a sense of what was to come

Siuleth also designed a custom chocolate bar wrapper that featured all the wedding weekend details and a personalized “thank you letter” from Chris and me. We paired the custom chocolate bar with bottle of Champagne for our welcome gift for the guests. To keep with our timeless and elegant feel, a harpist and violinist welcome ours guests to our ceremony which was held in a historic church that my family has been going to for generations. My bouquet was designed after my best friend/grandmother’s (Mimi). I love how elegant cascading bouquets are. Having mine designed after Mimi’s was a special way to honor her presence since she is no longer with us. My mom also had Mimi’s engagement diamond set in a necklace for me to have her “close to my heart” on my wedding day. Our floral designer use a mini Calla Lily for Chris’ boutonnière, which was what my parents choose for their wedding florals. So sweet! My dress was designed by Zuhair Murad. It was important to me for it to feel feminine, classic, but with a modern-twist which Murad is a master at! I had previously worn a dress by him for a fashion shoot and knew I had to get married in one of his designs. It was important to me to be able to wear the dress both at the ceremony and reception (since it is such a special day!), the slip that gave the bodice it’s structure during the ceremony actually slides out so it revealed a little more skin for the party and was easier to move it for all the dancing that followed. During the fitting, we had pearls from my Mom’s wedding dress sown into the sleeve (wrist area) so I could see a special piece (something borrowed) of my mother’s as I was holding my bouquet down the aisle. My mom and I are very sentimental, she gave me a beautiful “wish box” after she helped me get into my wedding dress. The box had all these wonderful hard-written wedding ‘wishes’ on heart shaped notes that she had collected from my closest family members and friends. It totally melted my heart!! Love her so much. A true treasure! We also loved adding little sentimental touches anywhere we could, I had a custom lucite clutch made with J + C and Stuart Weitzman J and C shoe clips to wear on the big day!

The cake was one of the first things guests saw once they entered the ballroom. I wanted it to be a focal point of the room and to mirror the center pieces we had. It had to be a piece of art all to its own. We had our recurring J + C placed one of the top tiers in gold script and each of the 6 tiers was separated by a layer of luscious florals. It really drew a lot of attention. Since it was a summer wedding, we choose light and refreshing flavors, lemon cake with lemon mouse and fresh raspberry filling. At the end of the night, we offered our cake in “To-Go” favor boxes that read “Midnight Snack #SladeGetsJade” since The Breakers is known for their OTT desserts, after the main course, The Breakers Signature Mini Martini Sundaes was presented to each guest. It had Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry Haagen Dazs IceCream, Chambord Macerated Berries 3 Chocolate Fluted Cups with Toppings (M&M’s, Reese’s Cups and Candied Almonds) and a Milk Chocolate Heart that Read, “Christopher loves Jade” in a bed of White Rock Sugar with Butler Passed Hot Fudge and Caramel Sauce. It added a fun and whimsical element to all the classic and elegant vibes of the night. Plus, who does not like ice cream sundaes in the summer! After all the guests entered the reception ballroom after the cocktail hour and got situation, Chris and I made a grand entrance and were escorted by a champagne parade with sparklers. It was the grand entrance of a lifetime! We went right into our first dance, Chris and I were choose “Color of Love” by Sade. The lyrics felt perfect for us and Sade is so chic! We also had a Bride and Groom signature cocktail called “The Slade” that was a rift on a Paloma garnished with an orchid (perfect for summer!). At about 11:00pm we had

“Cheeseburgers in Paradise”butler passed around the reception room and dance floor as a “late-night” bite. Everyone loved them! The planning process was one of my favorite parts! My mom and dad were so sweet and involved every step of the way. They are huge dancers and love music so they were tasked with finding the best band. They choose The Social, a 12 piece show band, which was a huge hit! They are an incredible show band and entertain like no other, we danced all night long! The girls even did a outfit change after dinner into these stunning gold lame jumpsuits. So fantastic, everyone loved it!! It was wonderful to have all my parents support and to share the planning process with them- such a special time for us all. We had an incredible team and The Breakers is beyond flawless to work with. They not only know how to make a wedding day beyond spectacular for the bride and groom but also for all the family and guests too! We really wish we could relive our wedding day, it was perfect, timeless and beyond what we could have imagined!

Tropical Wedding Inspiration at The Historic Walton House

Bright, tropical colors mixed with darker and muted tones against a lush green background created a picture perfect shoot, produced by Masi Events and captured by Alisa Ferris Photography. The natural beauty of the venue paired with oli Flor’s stunning centerpieces made for what looked like a dream of a reception table! From flamingos to flourishing greens and even gold palm trees, it is safe to say that there was no shortage on photo opp’s at The Historic Walton House. Take a peek below and don’t forget to check out the full gallery….and the array of animals that made appearances throughout the day!

From Masi Events…The Historic Walton House is a beautiful tropical lush setting. When designing we wanted to incorporate colors that all worked well together but also popped with the all greenery. The bright reds, rich burgundy and lighter pinks and taupes all worked harmoniously together.

The ceremony backdrop was designed with two art deco gold palm trees with a lush floral installation. Danielle Curry of oli Flor has a natural instinct when it comes to designing and creating beautiful environments. She had foraged some dried leaves that morning that added interest and texture to the centerpieces.

The tablescape was a wooden farm table paired with these beautiful rose velvet chairs. The runner had the couple’s favorite song hand-lettered down the table. Sea grape leaves were used as the place cards and gold trim on the serve ware and flatware added the perfect touch.

Instead of your traditional bridal bouquet the bride wore a floral garland, draped beautifully over her dress. Such a gorgeous and different way of carrying flowers to not cover your gown! The three tier watercolor inspired cake created by Earth & Sugar looked perfect with the venues bright and vibrant colors.

The natural surrounding of the venue enhanced all the beauty that was designed for the ceremony and reception. An absolutely perfect place to say ‘I Do’ and celebrate the day away with colors and backgrounds that won’t disappoint!

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A Modern Gray and Green Miami Wedding at Penthouse Riverside Wharf

Clean, modern and minimalistic – this wedding is all the above and more. The gorgeous bride and groom decided to tie the knot on their 10 year dating anniversary… how romantic is that?! With the help of Roxanne Bellamy and floral design by Anthology Co., the couple’s dream of a modern wedding with subtle Miami flair truly came to life. Don’t miss out on all the stunning details at the full gallery, captured perfectly by Julie Cate!

From the Bride… I was fifteen when I met Kevin. We were both green, full of life, and very ambitious. We officially started dating May 18th, 2008. 10 years later, our love was sweet enough and, to celebrate our anniversary, we got married.

For the wedding, we went back and forth on how we wanted it to look and feel. Because we both grew up in South Florida, we knew instinctively that we wanted to draw inspiration from our surroundings. Lush, tropical greens and an open air vibe topped the list. One of our favorite things to do as a couple is visiting amazing spaces, like the Miami Beach Edition and PAMM and taking in the aesthetics. Both those locations have done an amazing job defining Miami elegance and we wanted to do just that in designing our wedding.

We had an amazing team, hand-picked by Roxanne Bellamy Events, that brought our vision to light. We decided as a couple that we wanted to have our hand in one design element of our wedding so we chose to design our stationery together and absolutely loved the outcome.

From the Planner… Modern + Minimalist is the perfect phrase to describe the aesthetic of Alyssa + Kevin’s wedding. This darling couple have such discerning taste and wanted it to spill over into their event. They chose to incorporate some real Miami flair into their wedding; from a view of the Miami skyline and lush tropical foliage to the nod to the burgeoning art scene to the inherent vibrancy of Miami. I’m always honored to help my couples have the wedding they desire.

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Key West Wedding at The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum

Going for a tropical-without-a-passport kind of wedding? Key West is IT my loves. As someone who has experienced the island first hand, I can tell you it truly does feel as if you’ve arrived to a whole new destination by jet. One look at this wedding captured by Care Studios and planned by Destination Wedding Studio and I think you’ll agree.

From the Bride… We’re living in New York, and both originally from China. I went to school in Florida and Key West is always my favorite place in FL. Chandler took me on a trip to Key West last May and proposed on the lighthouse right across the Hemingway Home. In addition, Ernest Hemingway is one of my favorite American writers. My undergraduate thesis is about his short story “The Snow of Kilimanjaro”. As a result, Ernest Home & Museum became our first choice of the wedding venue.

We met at a friend’s game party. It was an adventure game in an escape room in New York and we were in the same game group. I like Chandler’s intelligence, rationality. I’m growing up to a better person with him. We feel we understand each other without more words and we bear with each other’s differences.

Chandler: I like Roxanne for her unconditional care of me, her maturity and faithfulness, her artistic tastes, and her advice that help me be more mature. Being with Roxanne ever day makes me willing to take more responsibilities and be unsubdued by difficulties. She constantly gives me courage and hope. She has become the very reason for my being.

I did some general research about wedding planning and the wedding planners at Key West. I was lucky to get Destination Wedding Studio by my side. They provided me the wedding timeline and recommended vendor lists so I knew what I was supposed to do for my wedding and made my selections of wedding vendors easier. I went through the vendors’ websites and social media accounts, and some wedding website reviews for decisions.

Because we chose Hemingway Home & Museum as the venue, I decided to have my wedding invitations mainly in green to match the color. I contacted an online producer in China, reviewed their wedding invitation templates. I chose one simple template, edited the design and had them print it out. I also got the candy boxes which match the invitation style.

For the theme color, I usually like black & white and most soft colors, so the flowers are in soft colors, and table linen is in light grey. I thought blue could go well with the greens in Hemingway Home, so I had my bridesmaids in light blue, groom in navy and groomsmen in dark blue.

The decor is one of the things I care most at my wedding. Thanks to my planner Peggy for suggesting a long table as my reception table, then I started looking pictures on Pinterest & Instagram for decor inspiration. Those pictures really helped shape my final thoughts about decor – a long reception table decor by hanging top with flowers, branches, glass balls, and lanterns. I sent some pictures to my planner and florist, talked about the ideas and they handled the details for me. Peggy also got the chargers/napkins that match the flowers perfectly.

About the unique wedding cake: I found some book shape wedding cake on Pinterest and decided to have one because I and Chandler both love reading. And we’re having the wedding at Hemingway Home, so Hemingway’s books were the covers.

Most importantly, my bridal veil was made by my designer friend. It became much more meaningful!

My favorite memory of the day was the first dance, the groom and friends’ performance, and dancing after dinner. I was glad to see that everybody was having fun.

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Flagler Museum Wedding With All The Bells and Whistles

From the Bride… As a little girl, I always dreamed of getting married in the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Florida. This Gilded Age mansion was once Henry Flagler’s wedding gift to his wife. Once Oliver and I looked at it together, we knew, immediately that it was the place for us. With the help of an amazing team of vendors… Anthology, Masi Events, Katie Lopez Photography, Nuage Designs, Pinwheel Film Company (and SO many more!) we were able to curate a day that was the start of the next incredible chapter of our lives as husband and wife…

We wanted the day to represent who we were as a couple, where we came from, where we have been, and where we are going. With this in mind, we planned our wedding style to be a “New England meets Floridian” theme. New England – since that is where Oliver is from, where both of us still have family (my parents go there four months out of the year) and where I spent every summer in Chatham, Cape Cod growing up. And Florida – since that is where I am from, where both of us met, currently live and where we were getting married.

Our theme was carried throughout our wedding day in all of our details, from the food (we served lobster roll and crab cake apps!) to the flowers (we used oranges and magnolias). The design was really first executed with our paper details and monogram by PAPEL & CO. In the monogram, we chose to use a hydrangea to represent New England and a banana leaf to represent Palm Beach. We used the monogram as our key visual, shown not only through our day of pieces, but also my wedding gift and our cocktail bars facade. Natalia from PAPEL & CO also did an amazing job illustrating the foliage of both locations in a cohesive way on our invitation pieces. We even had vintage stamps that represented both places, like a Cape Cod lighthouse and Florida Egrets.

In terms of the detail colors, both were a big significance in terms of our family. Blue and White china was incorporated into our design throughout as it represented the tradition of family – my grandmother and my mother, who are Danish, have both collected and used royal Copenhagen fine china throughout my life. The blue and white china detail was shown through our escort card display and day of signage (which were plates my mom and I collected throughout wedding planning), our cocktail linens (by Nuage!), our wedding card Ginger Jar, and our reception vaseware.

My favorite crafted detail was the escort card display as it was a labor of love by my mom and our amazing vendors – Jessica from Masi Events and Veronica from Anthology. The display was the statement piece I always dreamed of.

Our cake – by Earth & Sugar was a mix of classy and casual. We used classic buttercream frosting and styled it with florals by Anthology but the flavor was more casual. Using funfetti cake and cream cheese frosting.

Our flowers exceeded all our expectations thanks to Veronica from Anthology. The florals really represented New England meets Florida — using foliage from New England mixed with oranges from Florida. They were subtle, yet elegant and using low mixes of florals in blue and white vases, it assured an intimate dinner party vibe.

Oliver and I met (and work) at Burger King Corporate in Miami. So bringing this fun element of our story was especially important when thinking about our “late night food.” We created a custom logo using “The Hurds” with BK’s logo. This logo was used on the packaging for burgers and fries. We even branded it a “whopper of wedding” and handed out crowns during the Hora Loca.

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More from the Bride… With the “New England meets Floridian” theme in mind, we curated our primary color palette and style to represent the scenery of both locations. Our colors were ivory, dusty blue, dusty green plus blue/white china and rose gold details.

My gown was by Hayley Paige paired with Jimmy Choo heels. The dress was a modern take on a traditional style. The art deco sequins on the traditional mermaid style was just what I was looking for. I paired it with Jimmy Choo shoes that had an orchid on them which was important to me (as I was born in Hawaii).

For personal florals, Anthology used silvery green sage, garden roses and peonies and tied the bridesmaids’ bouquets with dusty blue velvet. At the ceremony and reception, Veronica used cascading urn arrangements inspired by the urns at Flagler. The magnolia urn arrangements at the reception added height to the room without ruining guests view of each other.

Incorporating unique and personal elements was one of my favorites part of wedding planning. Jessica and I worked together to see what touch points would most exemplify Oliver and me:

Oliver rowed at University of Penn so the men’s drink was served with a wood oar and I attended FSU so the female drink was served with a wood arrow.
He is also a notorious instagrammer amongst his friends for constantly posting food with the hashtag #tubbyapproved. Since Oliver was the lead on all things food with the help of Chez Gourmet, it was important we used this hashtag as an Easter egg on our wedding details. We used this on our cocktail napkins and our menu cards.
Although neither of us are Hispanic, the Miami and Hispanic culture of “hora loca’s” is important to us since we have attended many weddings with this element. We thought it would be an amazing touch to end the night.
We added Jordan almonds as a personal favor on the tablescape. As this a Greek heritage and was also served at my parents’ wedding, it was important that we continued the tradition.
For many years Oliver and I have always said our future family drink would be a “HURDicane” to represent our new last name and South Florida hurricanes. Having Chez Gourmet curate this for the first time and serve it at our cocktail hour was so special.

My one piece of advice to brides it to make it a weekend event – I was so glad we had events starting Thursday through Sunday because it gave us an opportunity to really talk and engage with to our guests on other events besides the wedding day. So on the wedding day, we could focus on enjoying time with each other and seeing those people who were only there on the day of. Making it a weekend event doesn’t need to be too expensive either – on Thursday we did a Cheeseburgers in Paradise themed BBQ in my parents backyard with bridal party and family as a welcome party.