Florida - Beach Bride

JoAnn & Glenn – Love is Patient

By Chie

Everything about this couple just shows the world that patience reaps great rewards. At first, they didn’t want to get married but time proved how much they truly love each other that they knew they can’t live without the love of their lives, so marriage suddenly became something that they both knew was perfect for them. After their engagement, they spent two years planning their wedding. The length of their planning period not only gave them less stress but also, since they booked everything way ahead, they were able to cut some costs. It was easy for them to do that because they were set on having their wedding day on their anniversary date. Smart move I must say!

Congratulations JoAnn & Glenn! And advanced best wishes to you two as well!

Our couple is getting married on December 6 of this year.

What is your story as a couple, how did you meet & fall in love?

Glenn and I will have been together 14 yrs the day we get married Dec 6, 2014. Glenn works as the manager of the caricature artists and draws himself at Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure in Orlando Florida. I met Glenn through a co-worker of his. When we first met we both didn’t want to get married but as time has gone on and the more we loved each other day by day, Glenn said he could not picture his life without me in it. I took him away for his birthday as a surprise and he ended up with a bigger surprise for me while walking down the beach at sunset, he dropped to one knee, told me how much he loved me and asked me if I would be his wife. Through my tears of surprise and happiness, I answered “YES!!”

What makes the two of you a perfect match?

We love and respect one another. We took our relationship slow but I wouldn’t have it any other way. We really know everything about each other. We always communicate, even if it’s something we don’t really want to talk about. We’re not perfect, but we both know how important it is to talk to one another and be careful with your words. This is were respecting one another comes in to play.

What was the best advice you received when you were planning your wedding?

Don’t rush in to it. Glenn and I have been engaged for 2 yrs. We wanted to plan and have the perfect wedding for us.

What tips & tricks (can we use “hacks”?) can you share future brides that you yourself have learned during and after your wedding?

Take things slow and do research. After we got engaged, I started going to Bridal shows and researching on the internet. I booked everything in 2012 so that I was locked into 2012 prices. This way we have time to save up for our big day and not start our marriage off in debt. We also are not taking our honeymoon right after the wedding also to save money for it. We’re taking it 3 months later which is also nice to give us something to look forward to after the wedding.

What are you most excited about for the future?

Being Mrs. Ferguson!! I know that might sound silly to some, but being we’ve been together as long as we have (14 yrs the day we get married) it’s a big deal to me.

What would you say, the overall story for this album?

We really wanted to revisit the time that we had together as a couple on the beach when Glenn asked me to marry him. We also wanted to do the engagement session at sunset because it is such a beautiful time of day and it was my favorite part of the day that day.

What was your favorite part of the day?

The Sunset, It was so gorgeous and full of color.

Here is some additional info the photographer shared with us regarding our bride’s wonderful dress.

I really wanted Joann to look and feel good for her engagement photos so I went out and personally picked out this gorgeous bright striped dress. I knew that she didn’t really own any clothes that were bright because we had a little talk about what kind of clothes she had and she told me that she only had clothes that were black, grey and white. She had recently lost some weight and I knew that she needed something that fit her better and showed off her new rocking body! She loved the dress and actually decided to keep it after the engagement session which really made me happy.

Vendors

Photographer: Alice Rose Photo
Makeup Artist: Marigold Scott On Location Hair & Makeup
Reception Venue: Daytona Beach Shores Beach House

Jeanna & Bryan – Simple but Precious

By Chie

This couple and their wedding day just filled me with a lot of “awwwws”. Their love story is so cute because it was unknowingly already in the making when they were both still kids. Can you imagine that these two cannot stand each other before? Maybe it is true that boys who pick on girls are actually just hiding their secret crushes.

Add to that, their wedding is precious as well because of the intimacy of the event. They only invited people (and critters, awww!) that they most cared about. This goes to show that on a wedding, it’s all about the couple and what they feel most comfortable with. Jeanna is a shy person and the thought of standing in front of a multitude just makes her uncomfortable so instead of having to please everyone, every bride needs to follow her lead and learn that a wedding day needs to be centered around the feelings and preference of the two people being united. Congratulations Jeanna & Bryan!

What is your story as a couple, how did you meet & fall in love?

Bryan was a friend of my brother’s for many years. He used to hang out with my brother and pick on me as a kid. About 4 1/2 years ago I got a friend request from him on Facebook and we became friends ourselves and connected after I hadn’t seen him since I was younger. We began to really like each other and realized there was a connection between us. We became a couple and never left each other’s side from there. One year ago he proposed to me after pretending to find a message in a bottle and then asking me in my favorite place in the world, St. George Island, just 15 minutes from where we held our wedding. Funny to think back on all the year’s ago and how I used to couldn’t stand him when I was younger.

What makes the two of you a perfect match?

We both are so similar. Some people say opposites attract, but I love that we love the same things and have the same sense of humor. He can say what I’m thinking sometimes before I even say it, and it’s so awesome to have that with someone!

What was the best advice you received when you were planning your wedding?

Don’t do the big wedding! I’m a shy person at heart and when I started thinking about having to stand in front of lots of people, I decided intimate and small was best. We also were trying to land a destination wedding from 8 hours away and I kept hearing that planners and coordinators take lots of stress away. This turned out to be very true. I was also not sure whether to have my dogs there, and my cousin Melissa, our photographer, made me realize it was our wedding. It was only going to be once and it’s important to have no regrets! So glad I listened to her and had them there.

What were some challenges you faced planning your wedding & what would you have done differently to avoid them?

We were trying to plan the wedding from 400 miles away. We also had a to plan a time that was convenient for everyone to make the trip that was coming. We hired Amy to coordinate everything and this made the challenge seem to disappear.

What inspired your wedding décor? Why did you choose the things that you did?

I have always loved the southern and vintage look. I wanted to use lanterns and thought they went even better with it being a summer wedding. Hydrangeas were chosen because they have always been my favorite flower!

What was the wedding budget?

The total cost of planning and the meal afterwards was around $3500.

Where did you save the most money?

My cousin Melissa Dunstan of Tangled Lilac is an amazing photographer and she did our photography for us! It was the most amazing gift we could have ever received!

How many guests were invited in your wedding and what was the final guest count?

I think round 38 people in all were invited. Final count- I think we had 22-24 including wedding party

What songs did you use during the ceremony?

We had a guitarist play and am not sure of the songs.

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

We stayed in the area and vacationed on St. George Island, FL.

What are you most excited about for the future?

Spending my life with my best friend. Hopefully we can still take our annual vacations there for years to come as well.

Do you have advice for couples still in the planning process?

Don’t stress over the small stuff. Remember it’s not about putting on a show for everyone and just try and remember to enjoy it and don’t let it overwhelm and stress you out! Remember what it’s all about in the end.

What would you say, the overall story for this album?

This album is the story of the day of marriage to my best friend in beloved Apalachicola. This hot summer day will forever be remembered as a wonderful celebration of our joining and happy memories created on the Apalachicola Bay.

What inspired the wedding day outfits?

I wanted a vintage look with some more popular styling of now. I liked the one shoulder shorter dresses for the bridesmaids because it seemed like a cooler option given the time of year as well as the color for the time of year.

What was your favorite part of the day?

My favorite part of the day was the reception at the Owl Café. It was a beautiful place with a wonderful atmosphere and food to die for. Best of all was spending the evening with the closest people in our lives.

Was there any Do it Yourself (DIY) projects? If so, can you describe them in detail?

I strung some letters in an old suitcase my mom had after an idea I’d seen on pinterest. I also took a letter E from Walmart and wrapped it in twine for another table decoration.

What were the highlights from the ceremony & reception?

The highlight of our ceremony was when we were saying our vows and my dogs started whimpering. I didn’t know why, but a man had his dog running loose in the park and they wanted to go up to it. I was trying not to laugh at the sounds coming from them. The highlight of the reception was getting to dance with Bryan. We never had really shared a dance. The food was also a highlight- soo good.

Their photographer, the bride’s cousin, also had some details to share with us on how genuinely lovely this wedding is.

What was your favorite part of the day?

Spending time with the couple right after the ceremony doing their couple photos, you could see just how much they adored one another. I love this time after the ceremony, away from the guests, when the couple gets just a few moments alone to let it soak in they are finally married.

What were the highlights from the ceremony & reception?

During the ceremony, the couples boxer dogs(Boss and Rosco) were walked down the aisle just like an attendant. It was adorable.

Vendors

Photographer: Tangled Lilac Photography
Event Venue: Lafayette Park
Caterer: Owl Cafe
Hair Stylist: Salon Lux
Event Planner: Bayside Weddings & Events

Natalie & Donovan – From the Field to the Beach

By Chie

Natalie & Donovan’s engagement pictures reflect their life together as a couple. They met in college where Natalie was a cheerleader and Donovan was a football player so they just had to have their university’s football field as part of the shoot. And since they now both live on the beach, they couldn’t resist having a sunrise beach setting either. Looking at all their photos, I just cannot stress enough how cute this couple (and their dog!) is. Both the posed and the stolen shots are giving out the impression that these two are fun people who are completely in love with each other. Congratulations Natalie & Donovan!

What would you say, the overall story for this album?

College sweethearts are engaged! Natalie was a cheerleader at Jacksonville University where Donovan played in the football team. They now both live at the beach, so we started our photo-shoot at Jacksonville Beach Pier for the sunrise shots. Then we finished our session at Jacksonville University playing football and just walking around the campus–since they both met at JU

What inspired the engagement shoot outfits?

Natalie wanted something blue for the beach session because it’s a “nature element” color and she still wants it to pop for the photos 🙂 Her other outfit for our second session is inspired by the nature colors again. We went to Jacksonville University and there are oak trees everywhere. Natalie and Donovan wanted a nature feel to their photographs since we did the first part of the session at the beach.

What was your favorite part of the day?

My favorite part of the day had to be the sunrise!! The clouds were amazing and the lighting was just golden! I couldn’t ask for a better sunshine lighting than that morning of our engagement photo session. My other favorite part is returning to our alma mater (we’re all Jacksonville University alumni) for the rest of their photo-shoot.

Was there any Do it Yourself (DIY) projects? If so, can you describe them in detail?

Not at this one. They had to much going on with their dog joining us so Natalie, the bride, just wanted to stick with no props

What were the highlights from the shoot?

Their dog, Winnie, got to join them for some of the shots at the beach.

Was there a theme that they followed?

Just matching the nature elements.

Vendors

Photographer: Corinna Hoffman Photography

Dianna & David – Blissfully Breezy

By Chie

At first glance, I thought our bride Dianna wanted to have edginess in her wedding so she wore a black bolero jacket over her gown. However, after reading their photographer’s story about that day, it was also actually because the weather became a little bit chilly for a beach wedding that the jacket served two purpose. But despite the weather being a spoilsport, you can still see from the pictures how happy everyone is, blissfully breezy indeed. It even became a reason for everyone to become closer together, literally! For they had to huddle to conserve body heat.

Though, I believe that even without the chill, looking at how this group of family and friends pose in front of the camera, you could really see how tight knit everyone is. So even if the atmosphere itself tries to ruin a wedding, if everyone is filled with love so sincere that it warms the heart, things will still turn out okay. Congratulations Dianna & David!

What would you say, the overall story for this album?

While I don’t know this couple very well, I know that they value family and love. It was a simple, yet very classy beautiful event. Filled with family and lots of children!

What inspired the wedding day outfits?

I believe that Dianna just wanted to be beautiful, yet casual. Classic but simple. I think that shows in her gorgeous dress… and bare feet!!

What was your favorite part of the day?

Gotta say…I love everything about weddings. But my favorite part of this one was getting to sample the wedding cake cupcakes at the end of the night! So delish and several different flavors!

What were the highlights from the ceremony & reception?

Oh my goodness… the highlights.. the weather! Who excepted a Florida beach wedding to turn into practically a hurricane? (Well…perhaps Floridians). But seriously, the cold and windy weather really could dampened a brides spirit. But Dianna took everything so gracefully. We all just laughed about it (and huddled together to keep warm). They did bring out the heat lamps and I had to thaw my hands out after the ceremony. I also really loved during the “reception” that the bride spent quite a long time dancing with her nieces, showing off her ring and just having fun with them. You could just tell how important family was to her.

Was there a theme for the ceremony and reception?

Classic elegance with a hint of “beachy”.

Vendors

Photographer: Liz Cowie Photography
Other Location: Aria Beach House
Bakery: The Cake Lady