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An adorable couple and wedding held at the Sawgrass Marriott in Ponte Vedra, FL! There is something so classic and formal about a Black & White wedding, and Kelly and Brad’s was just darling! Jessica with Jess Cumbie Photography shot this adorable wedding, and we are excited to have this couple featured!
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I love this steamy couple shot by 1313 Photography! They had the best location at Jimbos and Key Biscayne. I love the way the pictures came out for this couple. What great memories and not your typical engagement shoot. We can not wait for their wedding in September! Not to mention the bride is a knock out with some killer sexy heels in this shoot!
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For some reason, this couple looks like they could be best friends with my Husband and I! LOL They are darling, funny, and oh so cute! Our very own Florida Brides Blog Vendor - Candice K Photography shot this adorable Engagement shoot in South Walton! She is fabulous and so darn cute, be sure to check her out Brides. Tiffany and Alan’s wedding will be coming up in September at Sandestin Resort, we can’t wait to show case that to you!
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This fun session was shot by Leslie Roark Photography, she shot this adorable couple on their one year wedding anniversary. She shot their wedding of course, and they wanted some up to date shots for their one year. I think this is a great idea and fun way to love on each other in front of the camera and remember your special day one year later.
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This amazing Photo Session by Tab McCausland blew me away! How fun, she is in water and looking just so romantic and sexy! Way to knock this one out of the park Tab, this trash the dress rocked! Remember to schedule one of these sessions post wedding to put that dress back on and remember the moment with your hot hot man!
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This Engagment Shoot was shot by Oeil Photography. This cute couple got to use The Cummer as their backdrop for their shoot. I had to show this shoot so you can see the beautiful venue, The Cummer Museum, one of the best in Jacksonville. Check out the photos and enjoy!
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In our last “Planning 101″ post, we broke down the different names for wedding planners, and what services they provide. Today we’ll discuss what brides are the best candidates for needing planner services. Who needs a planner? Brides who are planning their wedding from another distance, and brides who work full-time and can’t devote many nights or weekends to planning are obvious candidates. But what about other brides? Local brides, or brides with lots of spare planning time? Could they still benefit from hiring a wedding planner? Most definitely. A planner can usually help you do several things. 1) They’ll help you maximize your budget. They’ll help you develop a realistic budget and prioritize your spending. A good planner will make it look like you spent a lot more than you actually did. 2) They can occasionally help you get discounts or complimentary services and upgrades due to their relationships with vendors. This is not always guaranteed, but it’s a fun plus when it happens, and can help off-set the cost of the planner’s fee. 3) They will help your event have a cohesive, put-together look, where every element is intentional. Many times I have brides in my office who are hiring me for “day-of” coordination (ours is a Day-of “Plus, called Wedding Week Coordination.) They start to show me various event elements, and tell me about different decor things they’re using, and I discover that their vision is all over the place. Aunt Sally may have picked up the favors on her way home from work, and while it’s an entirely thoughtful gesture, the favors seem a bit random, or worse: tacky. Other wedding decisions are made on a random, or spur-of-the-moment basis, and the result is a very dis-jointed event concept. 4) A biggie: they will save you time. If your photography budget is $3,000, a fairly average photography budget here in Florida, they’ll automatically know who can accommodate that, and who is out of your range. 5) They’ll act as a liaison with your vendors — communicating on your behalf. (This reason shows why it’s extremely important to have found a competent planner you “gel” with; they’ll be representing you to your vendors and it’s important that they “get” you and your event.) Often, in tense vendor situations, a planner is able to smooth ruffled feathers on both sides, acting as a mediator to keep all parties happy, but especially, being in the bride’s corner and protecting her interests. 6) They’ll be an immense comfort to anyone else who’s feeling stressed, or overwhelmed, and really just needs assistance to stay sane. Who doesn’t need a planner? 1) Anyone working with a very limited budget. As a general rule, a planner’s fee will range from 10% to 20% of your overall budget. If the fee they’re asking ends up being more like 30% to 40% of your budget, a wedding planner might not be the best use of your funds. (Not all planners will agree with me on this, but this is my opinion.) 2.) Anyone who is so controlling they will hinder the planner’s effectiveness with their need to be in control. Sounds unlikely? You’d think so, wouldn’t you? Hmm.. Watch a few of those bride TV shows out there and you’ll see some of these situations. 3.) If you truly do have all the time in the world, are very design-oriented and creative, I have no doubt you would be able to plan a fabulous wedding. After all, it’s not rocket science. 4.) Finally, some brides who are having very small, simple affairs might not need full service wedding planning. Now for the million-dollar question: Well then, if I don’t need a full-service planner, should I hire a planner to manage the wedding day? For all but a few cases, I’m going to say yes. Next Planning 101 post, I’ll give you a list of “Quiz questions” to ask yourself, teenage magazine style. If you have mostly A’s ….. Tune in next week for Day of Coordinator quiz time!! |
This cute engagement session was shot by Ashley Brockinton Photography. This couple is adorable and I can’t wait to see their wedding coming up. Just a few quick photos to share of the sweet and charming couple! I love how she got to change her wardrobe so many times! You can post photos all over your home and no one would ever know it is from the same shoot! Remember that Brides, make time for a change!
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You might remember Ashley and Matt from their to-die-for wedding on the beach with pink and orange EVERYWHERE that we posted last month!! Well, I just had to share their Day-After Shoot by Amanda Suanne.
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When Rachel Absher sent me these fabulous images, I just knew they would be perfect for The Florida Bride’s Blog. Amy and Nick make a stunning couple, and they hosted their detail-infused celebration at a drop-dead gorgeous venue, The Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota. This amazing museum made the perfect backdrop for photos, and the grounds feature bamboo and banyan tree forests which made for some sexy couple shots. I love the vintage texture to all the photos, and the couple’s creams and greens make such a perfect color scheme for this Florida Wedding. The ceremony details are stunning — a gracefully draped canopy, woven fans on the chairs, and gorgeous florals. We also love the reception area right on the water. Enjoy these stunning shots!! Vendor Details: Photography and Coordination: Rachel Absher Photography Getting Ready at the Hotel Indigo |
This is an adorable Engagement Session Shot by 13:13 Wedding Photography! I love their style, look and design! They are based out of South Florida. If you are looking for a South Florida Photographer who is sweet and loves to work with their brides, check them out! Here is a fun filled engagement session of Alexis and Matt. Matt works for the Yankees in Tampa too! How fun! What a cute couple! Can’t wait to see your wedding!
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With all the terms thrown around today regarding wedding planners, brides can get very confused. There are wedding planners, wedding coordinators, bridal consultants, day-of coordinators (DOC’s), and event designers. Brides wonder: Are these terms interchangeable? If not, what do they mean? Today we’re going to break these down for you, so you can know what to look for, and what questions to ask if you are considering hiring a planner. A wedding planner is an all-encompassing term for someone who does a majority of planning tasks for the couple; assisting with finding and booking vendors, some design assistance, etiquette advice, and more. This is probably the most common term. A wedding coordinator is a bit different. While coordinators can often be planners too, a coordinator’s role is to pull together all the planning elements. If you plan your wedding, (choose your vendors, design your details, lay out your timeline) but still need a contact on site to help you facilitate your planning, a wedding coordinator is for you. The term coordinator breaks down into further positions. Many times you have a “church coordinator.” This person works for the church, and while they may assist you with your ceremony details (pinning boutonnieres, facilitating the processional, etc.), their primary allegiance is to the church — making sure that the guidelines are followed, protecting the church’s property and more. You also may encounter a “venue coordinator.” This position is a bit more nebulous, and definitely depends on the venue as to how it works for you. Many times, the person a couple is meeting with at a venue prior to the wedding is actually a sales individual. This person’s job is to book sales and event business for the hotel. Sometimes they are on-site at the wedding, sometimes that’s another individual, known-as a banquet captain. “Venue Coordinators” rarely stay through the end of the night, and as with the church coordinator, their primary allediance is to their employer, the venue. They’ll make sure the rules are followed (by both you and your guests), they’ll coordinate the prep, serving, and clean-up of the food and beverage, and with any additional time they have, they can try to coordinate the details of your wedding. Again, ask specific detailed questions if you are counting on this person as your primary coordinator. What about bridal consultants? It’s an old-fashioned term, still popular mainly due to the organization ABC (the Association of Bridal Consultants.) A consultant’s role is to provide information — trends, etiquette, vendors, etc. They are a living resource for your bridal planning. Be careful though about this term — many “bridal consultants” are popping up in all kinds of wedding-related fields. The sales agent at the bridal salon is now your “bridal consultant.” Many floral companies have their wedding contact, known as their “bridal consultant.” As before, if you are hiring someone with any of these terms, ask many questions and never assume. A day-of-coordinator (DOC) is basically a wedding planner or coordinator that a bride hires to manage her wedding day. Most reputable planners refuse to do true “day-of” management — just showing up on the wedding day to execute the brides plans. Almost every planner will want to meet with the bride before hand, either in person, or via phone/email, to go over the plans and ensure that nothing has fallen through the cracks. A majority of planners who do offer this type of service offer a bit more than the bare-bones “day-0f,” primarily as a protection, both for their company and for the brides. At the end of the day, a planner’s name is on your event; the guests don’t know who booked the DJ, or who drew the floorplan. Planners are careful about the situations they walk into, so that the result can be pleasing for everyone. For a good discussion on DOC vs. DOC “plus”, visit this Wedding bee link. What about event designers? An event designer does just that: they design your event. They will work hand-in-hand with floral designers, perhaps being floral designers themsevles. They will be very hands on with designing the look of the event: choosing linens, designing lighting, bringing in specialty table decor, and more. Many planners will do event design as well, but not all, so be sure to ask. Furthermore, when you are looking at a planner’s portfolio, ask them to differentiate what type of service-level they offered for an event. Was it just a day-of booking? Is it one of their full-planning weddings, complete with event design services? Do all brides need planners? Probably not. Should every bride have some type of coordinator for the actual wedding day management? Well, it depends, but for all but the simplest of weddings, a good coordinator will make everyone’s lives easier. Look for our next “Planning 101″ post, which will outline more specifically who should hire a planner and who shouldn’t, as well as some disaster stories from brides and consultants. |
I absolutely love this wedding by VuE photography! They just rocked it and well Jennifer has great style and totally blew every preppy wedding out of the water! A tandem bike? Who would of thought it would have been so cute and fun! I love the green dresses and, well, the first look is priceless! Here’s the story behind it: the duo decided to meet before their nuptials. In a field beside the church, VUE built an outdoor set to use at the meeting spot. However- when Cliff saw Jen from across the field they both started running full speed. It was pure magnetism just like this whole wedding! ceremony: First Baptist Church, PC reception: Shark’s Tooth Golf Club flowers: Blossoms by Kirby Holt cake: Fatty Patty’s coordinator: Rachelle Youd band: Cool Rayz
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I found this wedding on the super cute blog of Leslie Roark! She is a doll and I am pumped to share this wedding she shot of Chris and Laurie! Chris and Laurie were married at the Seville Square Park Gazebo, in beautiful historic Pensacola, Florida. This fantastic location just so happened to be the same place Laurie’s parents were married, years ago! They had a beautiful wedding filled with love and perfection; this couple is just darling! Vendors: venue: Seville Square Park Gazebo, Pensacola Chris and Laurie, congrats! You two are destined for each other!!
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One of our Florida Vendors, Pink Coffee Photoart introduced me to this adorable company, Haute Fan Couture, and all I could think about was: Bridesmaids dresses!!! The owner of Haute Fan Couture, Jana, makes custom dresses in any color and style, and business is booming down here in SEC country! She’s currently working on a website launch so to contact her you have to use facebook. Contact Jana through facebook to place an order, or you can e-mail her here: HauteFanCouture@gmail.com Jana would like to extend a discount to all Florida Bride’s Blog readers for the following: All dress add-ons will be FREE! Add-ons consist of halter straps, eyelet lace hem, ruffle hem, re-moveable bow sash belts, etc… Just email her and ask her for more information!! I love this idea, ladies jump on it even for a fun football game!! What about this for an adorable flowergirl?
And these are all the dresses for my SEC Florida Brides.. Miami, Florida, Florida State. You name it! Even if you do not see your Florida College she can custom make you one for your Florida-football themed-Wedding!
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This adorable Trash The Dress was submitted by Ellie at Kurz Studio Photography. This is so romantic and the bride was beautiful, this was shot at Honeymoon Island! What a great place! Thanks for the submission Ellie, enjoy readers!
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I absolutely love this wedding by one of our Florida Brides Blog Photography Vendors, Kallima Photography. When she submitted this wedding I could not wait to share it! I knew you all would just think it as darling! So without further ado, I bring you Darby and Steve. This post is a little over board with photos but we could not help ourselves. These two had an adorable location, amazing flowers, so down to earth and just the couple next door! I just love these two and their style! location: winter park famers market florist: Grassroots Flowers catering: Arthur’s DJ: Sean Nyffeler
How sweet is this…. This is how Rebekah told this moment… then captured the photo…. “This was unplanned, but Steve decided he really wanted to pray with Darby before the wedding. Ben hid him in this tiny broom closet at the end of the hallway and I brought Darby to the door and placed her hand in Steve’s. Then we all started crying…because Darby just gave in to the tears….and Steve prayed for their marriage and their life and thanked God for giving him such an amazing woman to spend it with. It was the coolest moment…”
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The wedding of Mandy and Nick photographed by Mary Beth Tyson is beyond beautiful. These two are two darn cute together! Mandy put together an adorable, stylish wedding with simplicity and romance, with a result that was more than breathtaking. Some of the touches we love: the simple bamboo chuppah draped with crisp white fabric, the delicate dendrobium blooms tucked into Mandy’s hair, and the glam reception with chandeliers and oodles of candles! Mandy and Nick are beautiful and reflect so much love. Congratulations you two! Vendors and Details:
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