The Florida Bride’s Blog is thrilled to bring you our first giveaway!

Victoria from Custom Wedding Garters has graciously offered one of our lucky readers the chance to win their very own custom garter. They offer every color, theme, design, possible!

Contest Rules:

1. Go to Victoria’s site: Custom Wedding Garters. Look at the garters and pick your favorite.

2. Come back to The Florida Bride’s Blog and post a comment on this post, telling us about your favorite, and why you’d like to win!

3. Readers can win an extra entry by becoming a fan of Custom Wedding Garters on Facebook and Florida Brides Blog on Facebook.

4. Post this contest on your blog, link to our post here,  and win another extra entry!!!

This contest will close on June 5th at midnight. The winner will be chosen at random and announced on the blog. The winner will win a custom garter of their choosing from Custom Wedding Garters, with a value of up to $50.00. The winner will be able to completely customize the garter they win. Options are endless, including color choices, the addition of personalized monograms — Swarovski crystals can even be added if you want!

If the garter you want exceeds the $50.00 prize value, then Victoria will apply your $50.00 prize to the total cost of your purchase.

Note: You must be a new customer. This is a giveaway for a $50.00 GARTER not a gift certificate to her shop!

We are so excited about our first giveaway, and we can’t wait to see who the lucky winner will be!

Here is a fun Beachy themed garter!

All colors are offered!

How about a Florida Gator Garter?!

Or just a simple Monogram Garter?

Or a Miami Hurricane Garter?

xoxo,
The Florida Brides Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

The lovely Scarlett Lilian of Scarlett Lillian Photography sent us over this high fashion glam “Day After” photo shoot of Julianne and Greg.

Julianne and Greg were married in Tallahasse, FL but had an awesome idea to have Scarlett shoot a day after shoot to get a better grip on their taste and style.

Scarlett does amazing work and you can tell through her work that she has a love for fashion, fabulous divas, hot studs, and great model positions! We love her work!

Check out these fabulous shots she caught of this hot couple!

xoxo,
The Florida Bride’s Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

Talk about a fab.u.lous Bride! She is so stylish with impeccable taste! She had a killer knockout breathtaking Melissa Sweet Gown. This gown is truly stunning.  She had the most lovely details on her gown and not to mention knockout Bridesmaids to go with it! Talk about a great looking Bridal Party! Check out this Bride and her BM’s! Get it girl, love it! We love how her Bridesmaids were not matchy-matchy, but still complemented each other perfectly.  And of course, a bride with this much personal style is bound to have some incredible wedding details as well. Button-mum initials, green hydrangeas with coral toned roses….you can see those at the end! Thanks so much to adorable photographer Amanda Suanne for capturing this lovely day and sharing it with The Florida Bride’s Blog!

Girlfriend you rocked it on your wedding day, best wishes!

xoxo,
The Florida Bride’s Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

Ashley and Sam Brockinton, of Ashley Brockinton Photography, had fun shooting an awesome wedding in Islamorada, Florida. The lovely couple, Jess and JB, look super fun! They had the best day of fun in the sun and sand. Jess and JB were married at Coconut Cove Hotel in the Florida Keys.  Their colors were tropical with touches of royal blue accents, with base colors of the beach classics:  tan and white.  Their decor was fun and beachy. Some of the details we love: the rose petal aisle, sea shell decor, and fun lighting at their “tiki-style” reception. At the end of the night they had a huge firework show on the beach. We love this Florida wedding with its tropical touches and beachy inspiration!

Loved this wedding, Best Wishes Jess and JB!

xoxo,
The Florida Bride’s Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

Well today is Memorial Day, so Happy Memorial Day! If you have the day off, enjoy it with your family and soak up the Florida sun! In honor of the holiday, we are going to share something fabulous and blue!

How incredible would it be to wear a beautiful pair of Something Blue Manolo Blahnik pumps on your wedding day?  These heels are out-of-this-world fab-u-lous! Talk about the best “something blue” ever for your wedding day! Go ahead and drool over these hot babies, we did! They are all the rage at weddings this year. Everywhere we look, today’s bride has phenomenal shoes from some hot designer. And many brides are using their shoes as a way to inject some hot color into their bridal ensemble.  Thanks Manolo for these puppies! Amanda Suanne has also had the opportunity to have two brides with these suckers, talk about a lucky photographer!

PS.. Did you see that darling gown hanging in one of those photos? Well, stay tuned — we will be talking about it on Wednesday!

xoxo,
The Florida Bride’s Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

The First Look: a chance to see each other privately on this momentous day, before your special walk down the aisle. Choosing a first look is becoming  more and more popular at weddings.

Most of today’s couples have to decide whether or not they will do a “First Look.” After all, the moment when the groom sees the bride for the first time is a moment very sacred in wedding traditions, and many couples hesitate to give that up. But before you decide what you will do, talk to your photographer and really listen to the pros and cons. Talk to other couples who have taken this route.  A first look creates a moment that is private and special. Couples who have chosen this route are thrilled with the pictures and the memories. I seriously doubt that you will find a single couple who wish they hadn’t done a First Look.

We love to find First Look shots by photographers. Your photographer will love you even more if you opt to choose a First Look. Personally, after the wedding you will be glad you did it! This moment of peace before the wedding excitement takes over will allow some of your  favorite shots of the whole day to be captured. Yes, tradition is broken: but it sure is fun! It helps with the flow of your day, and it gives you the time alone as Bride and Groom that you deserve.
Don’t believe us? Check out these special moments below.

Aren’t those photos just perfect? Frame those suckers on your wall in a series, just priceless and so touching!

We also had to share with you this close up of the Bride’s hair! It is darling….

{Image Credit: Amanda Suanne}

Have a wonderful weekend! Starting next Friday the 29th of May, every Friday will be Freebie Friday!

You do not want to miss this series starting on the 29th!

xoxo,
The Florida Bride’s Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

Remember Part 1 of Jen & Matt, well here we present you Part 2! Jen & Matt had such a lovely wedding. We enjoyed Jen’s taste so much! She had so much style
and class! We LOVE the pink and orange, it was so killer and awesome eye candy!  Also, Jen and Matt you guys are so hot! Thanks for the steamy love shots of Mr. and Mrs.
we enjoyed every moment of sharing this wedding. We wish you the best marriage and Congrats on it all!

Thank youLa Dolce Vita Studio for this wedding, you guys rocked the camera!

xoxo,
The Florida Bride’s Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

We love this New Smyrna Beach Wedding featuring a sweet bride and groom, Jen and Matt. The amazingly talented photography duo, Melanie and Bradford
Watson of La Dolce Vita Studio sent us this fun and vibrant wedding. The bride brought in some amazing details: crystals and chandeliers to accent the awesome
venue selection, and a bright rose petal aisle for the ceremony.  The ceremony was filled with love, laughter, and emotion. Everything just looked perfect on this
special day. We can tell Jen and Matt enjoyed every moment!

Check out some of these details below captured by Brad and Melanie. We love the vintage-look birdcage veil, pink and orange bridesmaid dresses, bright gerber
daisy bouquets, and Jen’s adorable purple shoes. Love this!

Some of the vendors that made this day possible:

Reception Venue: Atlantic Center for the Arts

Caterer: Riverside Catering and Market

Photography: La Dolce Vita Studio

All images were sent in by La Dolce Vita Studio.

Make sure to stay tuned for Part 2 of Jen & Matt’s Wedding. You get to see all the details of their Reception and some steamy love shots of Mr. and Mrs.

xoxo,
The Florida Bride’s Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

Marble Slab Creamery. Marble Slab caters their Ice Cream. You can have a Portable Slab or a Sundae Bar at your own wedding reception. Talk about P-E-R-F-E-C-T for a Florida wedding! This could be used as your dessert for your reception, the favor you give your guests, or if your groom loves this idea he could choose it as his Groom’s cake! How fun, love this idea!

To find a Marble Slab Caterer in your area of Florida: click here.

Check out this Bride and her BM’s.. they were digging in! How adorable!

{Image Credit: Vue Photography}

xoxo,
The Florida Brides Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

Chip and Maggie were married at The Thomas Center in Gainesville, FL.  The images were captured by fabulous photographer Genya Garrett of Vue Photography. From Genya’s blog she quoted about the day: “Instead of a unity candle the couple poured soil and sand together from beakers…adding a twist.  During cocktail hour friends and family sipped on tasty libations form the vodka infusion bar.  The tiny drinks packed a punch!” How fun would this wedding have been to attend? Talk about cute! Paper lanterns hanging everywhere, bright pops of color, the fresh outside, bright green grass, a hot couple, a beautiful sunny day, and a fun dance! The details that Maggie created really stood out at this wedding; she did a great job! Personal touches and details like this make a wedding so memorable.

All photo images from Vue Photography.

xoxo,
The Florida Brides Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

Trend How-to: Creating a Lounge Space for your Wedding

Glance through any bridal book or magazine, and chances are you’ll see more than one posh “lounge” area. Lounges have been all the rage for the past few years or so, and with good reason. They give your guests an area to kick back, relax, and enjoy the show so to speak. They are a way you can truly provide your guests with all the comforts of home.

The following five tips are some general guidelines to creating a fabulous lounge space at any event!

1. Choose the physical space.
   

   For some reception venues, this may be easier than others. Perhaps your venue already has a separate little enclave that would be perfect for a tucked-away lounge space. But if you’re dealing with an enormous ballroom, you’ll have to get a little bit creative. Try using pipe and drape to delineate a separate area for your lounge. Or group your dinner tables in one section, and place your lounge area in its own corner of the ballroom.
   

   For reception venues with outdoor space, this is the perfect place to put a lounge, provided the weather will be comfortable. The comfortable furnishings and outdoor breezes will definitely inspire your guests to put your lounge area to good use!
   

2. Select your furnishings.
   

   Your furniture is the foundation for the entire look of the lounge. Typical lounge furniture items include sofas, loveseats, benches, and ottomans. You can mix and match these items to create a customized space all your own. Most major metropolitan areas have a rental company that provides these items, so try googling “wedding lounge furniture” and see what you find. Your event planner should have connections as well, and may even be able to offer you a discount!
   

   Some tips for your furniture: I love to keep the furnishings all one color. This way you can create a neutral base for your accessories, which helps them really pop. I also like to match the styling of your furniture to the overall feel of the event. For example, for a shabby-chic wedding I would choose Victorian-looking furniture with curved backs, rolled arms, and carved wooden feet. For a modern wedding, try all-white leather, and geometrically shaped pieces.
   

3. Pick your pillows.
   

   Almost every successful lounge area uses pillows to create “pops” of color and to customize the space. Depending on your overall look, you could get away with just a few pillows, or you could use tons of them. Typically, your rental company has these; but you can also find great pillows at home-décor stores, often at prices comparable to or less than rental prices. Use your pillows to tie the space to other areas of your reception, and to incorporate your wedding colors. Look for pillows with unique textures and embellishments. You may also consider pillows made of luxe fabrics, such as dupioni silk or tucked taffeta.
   

4. Accessorize the space.
   

   Don’t forget the little touches that add character and personality to your space! Think residential elements: carpets, lamps, candles, floral arrangements. Incorporate the unexpected. If your lounge space is outdoors, don’t neglect your overhead space. Can you string lights or paper lanterns above? If your space is near a tree, think pomander balls or votive lanterns hanging from the branches.
   

   One caveat when adding accessories: keep it simple. You don’t want your sleek space to become cluttered.
   

5. Light up your lounge.
   

   Last but not least, add lighting! It may be as simple as groupings of votives or pillar candles on “coffee tables.” Or you may want to rent elaborate par can lighting. For those going for the modern look, some rental companies are offering LED “glow cubes” and benches. For a beachy theme, the tiki torch really sets a mood. You want your guests to bask in a sultry glow in your lounge space. Leave the lighting low enough to be romantic, but don’t leave your guests in the dark!

Check back for Part 2, and we will share with you more  pictures and where to rent lounge furniture in Florida!

{image credit}

(Note: this article, written by Cassandra Cherneski, first appeared as a guest post on “Just Dandy.” When reprinting this content, please give appropriate credit.)

Remember the wedding that Chad from Pilster Photography shared with us earlier? Well now we bring you part 2 of Brett & Ashley. Brett & Ashley chose great colors. She  also chose a great band,  KTG Musical Entertainment to rock out the night. You can tell by the photos that the party was not going to stop! Chad quoted on his blog: “Even the 90+ year-old-grandfather-best-man jumped out and danced, and danced, and danced! I was taking pictures of kids sleeping and he was still showing his moves.”

The Florida Brides Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

The beautiful Serenata Beach Club is located in South Ponte Vedra Beach, just north of St. Augustine, Florida.  With its Mediterranean architecture, the intimate patio

overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and upscale feel, this tucked-away venue exudes romance.

We LOVED this wedding with its awesome details. The images are vibrant and fun.  Brett and Ashley decided to get married at the Serenta Beach Club and they were ready
to throw a P-A-R-T-Y! Their beachside ceremony was accented with orchids, sand dollars,  and Tiffany Blue all around. Ashley’s attention to detail is evident throughout
the event: her escort cards were tied to sanddollars and placed in Tiffany Blue beach buckets! How cute! We just know Brett and Ashley had a blast and all Ashley’s

hard work paid off. It was a gorgeous day!

The Vendors who made this day a success:

Lead photographer: Val Becker Photography

Second photographer: Chad Pilster with Pilster Photography

Cake: Publix of Ponte Vedra

Venue and Catering: Serenata Beach Club

Florist: 57 Treasury

Ceremony Guitarist: Richard Stratton

Band: KTG Musical Entertainment

Videography: Mauricio R. Belgrano with First Sight Pictures

Hair and Makeup: Danni with Envision Salon

Final Transportation and Hotel: Casa Monica Hotel

All pictures shown are by Pilster Photography.

xoxo,
The Florida Brides Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

The New Issue of Gulf Coast Bride is on the shelves. The Summer 2009 issue is filled with so much fun color. Amanda Suanne got to shoot the photo set up and feature for the new issue. How cute is this? From the adorable models, to the super cute bridesmaid dresses from Bella Bridesmaid, to the amazing shots of the beach! I just love this and had to share it! This is great inspiration for a fun Florida wedding on the beach with bright colors and adorable details. Check it out!

Concept and Design: Kelli Deary
Location: Ed Wallen Beach in Santa Rosa Flordia
Photography: Amanda Suanne
Brides Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid
Jewelry: Private Gallery
Makeup: Paint Me Pretty
Bouquets: Florals by the Sea
Surfboard: Ride On Surf School

xoxo,
The Florida Brides Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

This wedding in Seaside, Florida by Genya Garrett of Vue Photography is breathtaking. She amazes me with her work.

This wedding just screams F-L-O-R-I-D-A! What a beautiful event.

Check out these amazing images by Genya that came from her blog.

xoxo,
The Florida Brides Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

These shots were sent over by Lyndsay at PinkCoffee Photo. She did a fabulous Trash the Dress with a hot supermodel Lynsi!

This is what she quoted about Lyni’s Trash the Dress Session: “Always excited to work with her, I jumped at the opportunity. We met on an unseasonably COLD spring morning, but Lynsi wasn’t fazed. Not even a little bit. She’s a total professional and always works it with confidence. When the camera comes out she is nothing but fierce. I could work with her constantly. (Actually we have worked together quite a bit!) Not only is she hotter than hot, but she is also funny, kind and thoughtful. She brought me a gift that she had made! It’s an adorable photo frame decorated in a “Vegas Theme” for mine and Anderson’s trip pictures. How sweet is that?! Okay, I can’t forget her husband, Jim. He is so supportive of her. And even though he wasn’t dressed in his wedding gear, we still pulled him in for some steamy shots with his bride!”

Lynsi and Jim were married for about a week before the gorgeous bride was ready to trash her dress! These 2 are both FUN and CUTE! Lyndsay did a great job shooting Lynsi playing around and trashing her dress! Check out the pictures to prove it!

xoxo,
The Florida Brides Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

Part 2 of Sarah and Steve by Tab McClausand Photography. The wedding party, flowers, and for sure Mr. and Mrs. are so stunning! Thank you Tab for this beautiful

wedding! Enjoy Florida Brides Blog readers! Tab is an Orlando based Photographer but travels all over Florida, think of her if you are a Central Florida Bride!

If you missed Part 1, be sure to check it out here.

The Florida Brides Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

Tabitha McCausland over at Tab McCausland Photography sent us this beautiful wedding. Steve & Sarah were married at Town Manor in Auburndale, Florida. We love her hot shoes, the purple Bridesmaid dresses, and the eye-catching peony bouquets.

This couple is adorably romantic and obviously so in love. Come back tomorrow for part 2 of Steve and Sarah.

The Florida Brides Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

Welcome to The Florida Bride’s Blog! We are so thrilled to announce our official launch today.

The team here at The Florida Bride’s Blog has been working very hard over the past few weeks to begin building an exciting new resource for Florida Brides. Click through our archives to see the Real Florida Weddings we’ve featured, as well as adorable details and inspiration.

What’s coming in the next few weeks for The Florida Bride’s Blog? Vendor and venue recommendations, planning articles, contests, give-aways, and of course, more fabulous eye-candy from talented Florida photogs and event planners.

If you are a Florida Bride, please let us know via email or comments, and we’d love to provide you with a “Florida Bride Badge” as well as a reciprocal link.

Florida Photographers, Planners, and other Vendors — we’d love to feature your work! Please email us with your submissions!

Also, please go ahead and subscribe to The Florida Bride’s Blog by clicking on the RSS symbol near the top of the blog or subscribing here http://floridabridesblog.com/?feed=rss — we promise to bring you fabulous Florida inspiration and planning tips.

Thanks so much and we look forward to connecting with you,  our Florida Brides!

The Florida Brides Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find

Mary Beth Tyson of Mary Beth Tyson Photography shot this tent image designed by Lisa and Nancy at E-Events. This tent was from Jenn and David’s wedding in Longboat Key, FL. This tent is fab.u.lous!

Love the colors? I do! This is so dreamy!

The Florida Brides Blog Team

Danielle and Cassandra

Real Florida Wedding | Florida Vendor | Florida Find