whimsical

Antique but entirely elegant. These are the words that would perfectly describe this wedding. Our bride certainly loves old-fashioned decors but despite this fascination, she did not lose hold of making this wedding completely gorgeous. The reception setup is already enough proof of this description for the gold tones really brought out the elegance of the venue.

Here is what our bride told us about the road to this lovely wedding day.

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

Ricky and I met for the first time at a party the summer after my senior year- he had graduated from the same high school 2 years before. At the time we were both in relationships but became very good friends quickly! We had a lot of the same interests and it felt like I was talking to someone I had known for years. A year and a half later we re-met at a bar and we’re instantly drawn to each other! We had both just gotten out of the relationships we were in when we had met the first time and we exchanged numbers solely for the purpose of keeping in touch. We QUICKLY became inseparable, starting off as friends and turning into a love story. 4 years after dating Ricky asked me to marry him and 2 years later we were husband and wife. Ricky and I have been visiting Clearwater Beach every year since we met. As much as we love our home city we knew Clearwater had our hearts. We were blessed with over 100 guests at the Hilton Clearwater Beach on May 31, 2014.

What makes the two of you a perfect match?

We are best friends! We have the same interests, life goals and the same sense of humor- we are truly a reflection of each other.

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

The best advice I received while planning was to enjoy every second! I can’t express how much I miss it every day. It was a long process- but when you see it all come together on your wedding day you realize every second(no matter how stressful) was all worth it.

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

Planning a wedding from far away is not easy but totally worth it. We didn’t get to taste our food, we didn’t get to see the linens or chairs, I didn’t get to see my flowers- nothing! Being as”hands on” as I am it was hard to let go and trust my vendors but they were beyond amazing. Read reviews and take your time picking the people who are going to be taking care of things for you.

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

My vision for my wedding was antique, romantic and simple- with antique being my main focus. I’ve had a lot of people tell me I’m kind of like a grandma in a young persons body- I couldn’t agree more. I found all of my bottles for centerpieces, my cake cutter, forks, and earrings all at local Milwaukee antique stores and used old crates I’ve bought at yard sales. I wanted to keep the colors very neutral with gold and blush tones. The glitter tablecloths I used for the cake table and the head table we’re very out “out of the box” for me but they gave the room just the right amount of sparkle. Adding personal little touches were also very important to me. The charm on my bouquet, the grooms cuff links, and our cake topper were purchased on Etsy. There were pieces of my mom’s veil in my bouquet, I used my grandmothers ring for something old, and my something blue and something borrowed was a necklace I borrowed from my mom.

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

We invited about 140 and were blessed with 100 guests. It was way more than we expected and it was perfect.

How did you narrow down your list?

A little- with destination weddings it’s a little easier because you stick to family and close friends. You can always have a reception when you get home!

What songs did you use during the ceremony?

Processional- “Part of your world” instrumental- The Little Mermaid
Brides Entrance- Jurassic Park Theme
Recessional- “Viva La Vida”- Coldplay
Grand March- “Jump” Kriss Kross
First Dance- “Feel my love” Adele
Father Daughter- “Sweet child of mine” acoustic version

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

Grenada- an Island in the West Indies. If you ever have a change to go- GO. It was truly paradise.

What are you most excited about for the future?

We are most excited to start our lives together! We can’t wait to travel back to the Hilton Clearwater Beach and relax this time! We love to travel so we have a few places we need to see before we think about little ones.

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

Try to keep your focus on the main goal- marriage. Yes, the wedding is a huge deal! But once the show is over there is nothing left but the two of you. Try not to let the wedding day put a kink in your relationship.

What inspired the wedding day outfits?

I haven’t been envisioning my wedding day since I was little like most girls. I have, however, imagined my wedding dress. Lace has always been my only option(my mom’s wedding dress was lace) and with the Little Mermaid being my favorite movie I needed to have a dress that made me look like one. My dress was really special because I was able to take my cap sleeves off after the ceremony and have a fun strapless dress for the reception! I was originally set on mismatched bridesmaid dressed but all of the bridesmaids liked the same dress! The all looked gorgeous in it so we agreed on different neutral colors. It was exactly what I had envisioned. Because we were having a beach wedding we wanted to groomsmen to be a little more casual. With neutral colors being our palette we decided on grey groomsmen with the groom in a slightly lighter gray. We did not rent our suits! The guys bought their pants and the groom bought the vests and ties, we allowed the groomsmen to wear whatever white shirts and black shoes they wanted- it ended up being perfect! They all looked so handsome.

What was your favorite part of the day?

My favorite part of the day(other than seeing all of our family and friends in one place)was when we were announced husband and wife. I’m in love with the shot our photographer got of our first kiss!

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

I found all of my bottles for centerpieces, my cake cutter, forks, and earrings all at local Milwaukee antique stores and used old crates I’ve bought at yard sales. I had my cake cuter and forks hand stamped with the date. A lot of my decor was also DIY- I found mismatched gold picture frames and filled them with different little sayings and thank yous. I printed out my own little thank you cards for each place setting and had an entire kids table with pictures to color, crayons, sand buckets, shovels and candy

What were the highlights from the ceremony & reception?

Walking down the aisle with my dad was amazing. I was sure I was going to be hysterical but I kept it together(mostly because I didn’t look at anyone but Ricky). Our first dance and my father daughter dance were unforgettable but once everyone hit the dance floor it was out of control! A moment I will never forget is everyone that attended dancing to “Shout”. It was a sight to see.

Was there a theme for the ceremony and reception?

Romantic, antique, neutral

Vendors

Photographer:  Life Long Studios
DJ:  Grant Hemond and Associates, Inc.
Event Venue:  Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort
Event Planner:  K & K Events
Floral Designer:  Iza’s Flowers
Videographer:  Lexoria Wedding Films
Hair & Makeup:  Destiny & Light
Day of Coordinator: Confetti Events
Chair Rental:  Modern Day Events
Cake:  Chantilly Cakes
Officiant:  Sensational Ceremonies