Kimberly & Victor (03.29.08)

I've been a little behind in posting photos from our spring and summer weddings! Here is a slideshow with photos from Kimberly and Victor's gorgeous wedding.

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Ceremony Venue: Bethel Baptist Institutional Church Reception Venue: Omni Hotel Jacksonville Floral and Lighting: Wilson's Ltd. Seating Group Rental, Movie Premier Lights and Red Carpet: PRI Productions DJ: McGee Entertainment Cocktail Hour Music: Biva Jazz Linens: Connie Duglin Photography: Kris Graham Photography Videography: Turner Classic Weddings

Kristen and Matt's Photos By Agnes Lopez

Super wonderful photographer Agnes Lopez just sent Danielle and I the link to her blog post with some of Kristen and Matt's wedding photos. Love them!

Melissa & Drew (4.5.08)

Video by Chris Kennelly of Kennetic Productions - it may take a minute to load, so please be patient!

Brittany and Michael Live!

5:00 am Here I am, in my car heading to the wedding of Michael and Brittany! I'm sure the Channel 4 crew is already hard at work at Le Jardin on Park.

6:00 am

I’m at Le Jardin on Park, axiously awaiting the arrival of the bride and bridesmaids. They have been at Casey Powell’s studio having their hair done, and Kimtasha Armstrong has been doing their makeup. Very exciting!  The caterer, Katerlady, has arrived with her team to begin setting up the buffet and preparing the food, which smells absolutely delicious!

6:30 am

The bride and two bridesmaids have arrived, looking gorgeous.  The cake is here too, a beautiful creation by Classic Cakes.  John is busy putting the fresh flowers in between the layers while everyone from the tv station talks about how yummy it looks!  The groom is outside with his groomsmen, and some of the guests are even starting to arrive.

7:00 am

One hour til showtime!  The adorable flower girls, Eva and Lana, just arrived with their mom and baby brother.  Casey Black, one of The Morning Show anchors, has arrrived to begin interviewing the bride and groom before the ceremony, and the team from Alfred Angelo has begun getting the bridesmaids into their dresses.  Brittany is next!

7:30 am

In just a half-hour we will go live on Channel 4.  The bride and groom are both cool as a cucumber, but Brittany's mom is a little nervous about tripping as she walks down the aisle.  DJ Brian DeFoe has his equipment in place, and is ready to play the music for the beginning of the ceremony.  The guests are all seated, the flower girls got some practice walking down the aisle, and so far everything is going exactly as planned.

7:55 am

It's almost here!  The bridal party is lined up, waiting for their cue to walk down the aisle.  We're axiously watching the producer from Channel 4 for the signal!

9:00 am

The televised portion of Brittany and Michael's wedding is over, so everyone can relax and have fun!  The live events went very smoothly - from the ceremony to the toasts to the cake cutting to the first dance.  Now Brittany is dancing with her dad, and Michael will dance with his mom before heading inside to enjoy the yummy brunch buffet.

9:45 am

Just as I predicted - the food is fabulous!  Videographer Jenny Turner and I got to sit down for a minute to eat and catch up, which is always a treat. We're not done yet though, after brunch it's back to the alter for formal photos.

10:00 am

Brittany and Michael finally got to have their unity sand ceremony - because of the limited TV schedule, we had to cut it from the actual ceremony, but Jenny and photographer Michael Myatt both captured the moment for the couple.

11:00 am

It's time for our bride and groom to say goodbye to their friends and family.  After leaving Le Jarding through a shower of bubbles, the Rolls Royce supplied by Majestice Limo will take their to their honeymoon suite at the Seawalk Hotel in Jacksonville Beach.  I'm going home to take a nap!  :)

Be sure to visit The Morning Show page on News4Jax.com for more highlights from Brittany and Michael's wedding!  http://www.news4jax.com/morningshow/index.html

Brittany and Michael's Live Wedding Update

This week is very exciting as we begin the final preparations for Brittany and Michael's wedding, live on Channel 4's Morning Show! We have not only a rehearsal, but two rehearsals scheduled for Thursday.  It will take quite a bit of coordination to have not only the wedding videographer and photographer but also four cameras from the station and the audio crew as well!  Thursday morning the entire crew will be on-site to walk through all the festivities with the bridal party, and then we'll get started at 5:00 am with preparations on Friday.

Be sure to tune in Friday morning at 8:00 am to see the beautiful wedding ceremony, the cake cutting, and the first dance!

Lynsie and Alex (05.03.08)

What a gorgeous couple! Not only could they both be models, but their love truly showed every time they looked at each other. I got to work with both Lynsie, who lives in Tampa, and her mom, who lives in Georgia, while we planned this special weekend. Lynsie has a very contemporary style, but still wanted to incorporate some of the more traditional wedding elements.

Her biggest concern was getting a priest's blessing during the ceremony, which is not an easy feat at a non-church location. Thanks to Rent-A-Priest.com, we found Rev. Tom Koester, and he did a fabulous job incorporating some of the more religious aspects into the ceremony. We even rented a kneeling bench so that Lynsie and Alex could pray together during the ceremony. It was a moving and beautiful moment! The Magnolia String Quartet added the perfect musical touch to the ceremony.

After the ceremony at The Lodge and Club's courtyard, the guests moved to a Cuban-themed cocktail hour, with coral-colored table linens, mojitos, and hors d'oeuvres. Local Latin trio Le Monde played background music to entertain the guests before they moved upstairs for the reception.

The reception kicked off with great music from The Atlanta Showstoppers while the guests enjoyed the ocean view. The tables were covered in white linens, paired with mahogany chiavari chairs, and topped with sleek calla lily centerpieces from Liz Stewart Floral Designs. The diamond-patterned wedding cake by Classic Cakes added more contemporary drama, but the small pearl details added that touch of tradition that Lynsie is fond of.

At the end of the evening, the guests moved down to the beach to send Lynsie and Alex off to their suite through a path of sparklers. Photographer Gary Denman of Naturally Photography captured all the highlights with an artistic and creative eye.

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Shannon & Josh (4.5.08)

The weather was less than ideal, but Shannon and Josh still had a gorgeous wedding!  Their ceremony was held in the beautiful St. Joseph's Historic Church in Mandarin, and a reception followed at the Cummer Musum of Art and Gardens.  The original plans called for the dance floor and DJ to be outside, but with the heavy rain showers it had to be moved inside.  Aime Peterson and her team at Riverside Event Design did a fabulous job with the last minute changes, and Susan Mahla's team at the Cummer was great as well.  Susan is so wonderful to work with! The food from Designed Events was to-die-for, even when I got to eat it an hour after the guests did!  Oliv'r Twist kept the drinks flowing, while two DJs from The Pros kept the guests on the dance floor.

Luckily, Shannon and Josh met photographer David Allen at the Cummer a few days before the wedding for a photo session before the rain moved in, and got some great shots in the gardens.

Kimberly & Victor (3.29.08)

Wow.  That's all I can say about this wedding.  In fact, I'll say it again.  Wow! Kimberly and Victor have a wonderful story, and are a very special couple.  It's hard to believe it has been a year and a half since I first met Kimberly and her parents to talk about her wedding.  The ceremony was in the beautiful Bethel Baptist Institutional Church, which dates to the early 1900's.  And the reception that followed at the Omni Hotel's Florida Ballroom was amazing!

I use the term "dream team" a lot when referring to a wedding's vendors, but this event truly had the best!

• Photography by Kris Graham Photography
• Videography by Turner Classic Weddings
• Cake from Edgewood Bakery
• Floral and decor by Wilson's Ltd.
• Additional decor by PRI Productions
• Entertainment from both Biva Entertainment and McGee Entertainment
• Transportation from Carey

Kimberly really has an eye for detail, and this wedding was packed with them!  Monograms were created on the aisle runner, programs, banners on the church doors, menu cards, dance floor, favors... wow!  The "Old Hollywood" inspiration was carried through the color palette of black and ivory, accented with pale pink.  As an added touch, a red carpet and "movie premier lights" were added to the ballroom entrance.  A stunning gazebo structure framed the cake table, and soft pink uplighting made the ballroom glow.

I can't wait to share photos and video!

Congratulations to Brittany and Michael!

The winners have been chosen for WJXT's "Reveal Your Romance" Dream Wedding!  Congratulations to Brittany MacPherson and Michael Doss for being selected.  The First Coast Weddings team is looking forward to working with you!

Melanie and Eric's Video Highlights

Our friend Wes at Scenecrafters sent an exciting email this morning!  It had the link to the highlight video for Melanie and Eric's December 1st wedding in St. Augustine. http://scenecrafters.com/wood.htm

A great job as always, Wes.

WJXT's "Reveal Your Romance" Wedding Giveaway

Local TV station WJXT (Channel 4) does a contest each Valentine's called "Reveal Your Romance."  This year, they will be giving away a complete wedding that will be live on the Morning Show! The contest was announced this morning on The Morning Show.  Engaged couples will be asked to write the story of their engagement, and send it in to the station or drop it off at Jacksonville's new Alfred Angelo store.  The producers will read through the submissions and narrow down the field to 10, then to 5. They will be looking for great, romantic stories. 

The winner gets a wedding in mid-May for up to 75 guests. It will be a weekday morning wedding and it will be shown live on Channel 4's Morning Show.  Everything will be provided, from catering to flowers to entertainment.  The "dream team" of vendors includes:

• Wedding attire from Alfred Angelo 
• Le Jardin on Park will be the venue 
• Wedding gown and bridesmaids' dresses by Alfred Angelo
• Catering by Katerlady
• Cake by Classic Cakes
• Photographer Michael Myatt
• Videography by Turner Classic Weddings
• Floral design by Katrina Cox of Le Jardin on Park
• Hair stylist Casey Powell
• Makeup artist Kimtasha Armstrong
• And of course wedding coordination by First Coast Weddings and Events!

Watch our blog for updates as we begin working with the winning couple to produce their spectacular wedding!  Be sure to visit News4Jax.com for complete contest information.

Doreen & Andrew (1.26.08)

As a wedding photographer, Doreen has seen lots of weddings, and she created a simply stunning wedding for herself and Andrew! The most stunning element was the bridal party's attire - Doreen wore a pale blue wedding gown, while her bridesmaids wore  individual styles of ivory gowns. Gorgeous! And the groomsmen were equally handsome in their khaki suits.

The ceremony at St. Michaels Catholic Church was beautiful, with Doreen's brother escorting her half way down the aisle, and her father escorting her the remainder of the way to the alter.

When the guests arrived at the Golf Club at Amelia Island for the reeption, they were greeted by a photo area where each guest's picture was captured.  At the end of the evening, the photos were displayed in folders with a photo of the bride and groom from the wedding.  Wonderful!

The tables were lined with sheer gold runners and chargers.  Simple floral arrangements lined the runner, and a variety of containers held candies in shades of white, gold and pale blue.

Another truly unique element was the escort cards.  Each card was tied with ribbon and hung from branches in the center of a round table, but the truly special touch was at the bottom. Each card had crystals attached to it that were from an original chandelier at the Ritz Carlton next door.  Doreen had purchased the chandlier and took the crystals off individually to create this special momento for her guests.

The wonderful video below is by Chris Kennelly of Kennetic Productions.

James & Jessica (09.22.07)

Emma,

I intended to send this weeks ago... I have tried endlessly to find the right words to thank you enough for making sure our wedding day was fabulous.  From beginning to end, it was everything I dreamed and more.  While it was all over in a blink, everytime I look at the pictures an enormous smile comes across my face... Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your hard work and dedication to our wedding day.

(My mother thanks you as well - you guys kept her sane)

~ Jessica West

Melanie & Eric (12.01.07)

Melanie and Eric had a beautiful wedding day in St. Augustine!  The day started with the bridesmaids relaxing in the bride's suite at The Cozy Inn while they were pampered by extraordinary hair stylist Casey Powell and fabulous make up artist Kimtasha Armstrong.  Photographers Kris and Kate from Kris Graham Photography arrived at the Inn to take final getting ready shots, and then beautiful photos of the bride with her bridesmaids and family. Meanwhile, the guests were boarding the Old Town Trolley for a fun ride to the Oldest House for the wedding ceremony.  The bride's bouquet by Anything With Plants and Flowers was absolutely stunning, and officiant Cheryl Raby performed a touching and lovely ceremony.

The guests re-boarded the trolley for a quick trip through downtown before arriving at The White Room.  The reception was beautiful with the bride's candle and rose petal centerpieces and sheer silver table cloths.  The gorgeous cake from Publix (San Jose Blvd.) tasted as great as it looked, and the groom's brownie cake was a big hit!  DJ Carlton McGee kept the party going while videographer Wes Taff of Scenecrafters captured everything on film, including a very funny toast from the best man.

Instead of the bouquet and garter toss, Melanie and Eric opted for the Anniversary Dance - the couple married the longest had been married for over 50 years!  The couple offered advise to the newlyweds as the bride presented them with a small version of her bouquet.

At the end of the night, everyone (including the bride and groom!) climbed aboard the trolley one more time to enjoy the Nights of Lights on their trip back to their hotels.

The bride sent this terffiic email to all of their vendors:

Eric and I had an amazing wedding day on Saturday! And you all played a huge part in making it such a special day for us. We wanted to thank each of you for your hard work, guidance, patience, and professionalism. Everyone seems to really love what they do and it really shows!

We will highly recommend each of you to anyone who asks; and even those who don’t.  :) Feel free to give our contact information to anyone asking for references.

Thank you again for making our wedding day unforgettable!

Mark & Melissa (11.03.07)

Maggiano’s at the St. John’s Town Center hosted a very classy wedding for Mark and Melissa. The beautiful couple celebrated their marriage with over thirty out-of-town guests, including family members and friends. Some of the guests traveled from as far west as Colorado, and as far south as the southern tip of Louisiana, to attend this delightful destination wedding.

Mark and Melissa’s family arrived just in time for a quick rehearsal and then set off at record speed to do some last minute wedding shopping around the St. John’s Town Center.  Their most unusual find was a fabulous leather couch and chair set from West Elm, which they brought over to Maggiano’s to use during the actual wedding.  The gorgeous leather set was meant as a seating arrangement for their parents, but it unwittingly brought an extra touch of class to the already beautiful aesthetics inside of the wedding ballroom. 

On Saturday afternoon, both Mark and Melissa stopped by Maggiano’s (thankfully not managing to see each other), each wanting to check out the gorgeous arrangements of the yellow, pink and green cymbidium orchids from Anything with Plants.  They were also able to catch a glimpse of their delicious custom made cake by Piece a Cake, which was also donned with the breathtakingly beautiful cymbidium orchids.

At 6:20 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2007, a beautiful wedding ceremony was performed by Craig Grandstaff of Clergy Wedding Services, in which Mark and Melissa exchanged vows.  The couple personalized their ceremony and reception with yet another unusual find; Aaron Bing, a sax player that they ran across at an unsuspecting location, the Jacksonville international Airport! While Aaron was wowing the guests with his musical talent, they dined on delicious pasta and indulged in a sinful chocolate display.  

Also throughout the evening, Bassal Jadda, the wedding photographer, maneuvered his around the wedding guests snapping some great candid shots. Mark and Melissa’s wedding proved to be an ultra-classical affair, filled with joy and well wishes from friends and family near and far.       

Jillian & Jason (10.19.07)

       

With the success of the book "Offbeat Bride," and the spawn of DIY Weblogs, a new generation of indie brides are whipping out their sewing machines and craft supplies in hopes of an Etsy-worthy wedding.  While I have seen some frightening DIY projects, and it is my experience that this very special occasion is best left to the professionals, every once in a while a bride is able to manage the perfect balance of personalization and sophistication.  Such was true with the wedding of Jillian and Jason.

Jillian is an uber-talented indie fashion designer, with her line of SIMONE all over Etsy.  Jason is equally accomplished in his love of music, playing percussion for a local band.  Together, they are one talented rockstar couple- and anything but your typical bride and groom.  Thus, they took cues from their relationship and a little guidence from great vendors... making a destination wedding to remember!

Their 80 guests travelled from as far as Boston to be a part of the Sunshine State wedding- and by some grace of God... the rain held out.  It poured for miles and miles for hours and hours- and then the clouds parted just in time for their 5 o'clock ceremony- and it was nothing but blue skies, sunshine, and rainbows for their vows.  Guests were greeted by bagpiper, and invited to toss their heels aside for the barefoot beach ceremony.  The ceremony was officiated by the couple's close friend... and the highlight of the whole day was seeing Jillian walked down the aisle in her hand-made wedding dress.  It was stunning!

Guests were then treated to a casual reception at The Finch House... just a brisk walk from the beach.  Here, they dined on a tropical-inspired menu created by Smashing Pans atop tables with custom linens sewn by none other than the crafty bride.  They ooed-ahhhed over the cake (Publix) which was designed by- you guessed it- the bride!  The ecclectic blend of reggae, punk, and rock and roll love ballads (One Voice Productions) were so indicative of the evening's lighthearted mood... with guests lining up to leave their well-wishes in the retro polaroid guestbook.

As the evening drew to an end, and Arte de Palm Photography prepared for their money-shot... the couple danced to one last song all alone.  This was my favorite part of the entire night... the bride was so giddy with glee- the groom in his yellow and black nike sneakers and tux... dancing to "You are my sunshine"... and then they made a mad dash down an aisle of sparklers to their antique get-away car (Majestic).  Off to St. Lucia for the honeymoon!

Heather & Nick (11.03.07)

This weekend, I traveled to Crawfordville (just outside Tallahassee) to share Heather and Nick's wedding day with them.  Heather and I were maid- and matron-of-honor respectively at my cousin's wedding last June, and she said I just had to be there to help her on her wedding day.

Heather has always been an earth goddess, and was environmently-friendly long before it was trendy.  What better place for her wedding than a green* hotel?  The Inn at Wildwood, an "eco-friendly, nature based lodge" according to their website, is a beautiful setting for a wedding.  Heather told me she picked this location long before Nick even popped the question! 

As the guests gathered for the ceremony, Nick's cousin provided background music with his saxophone.  The big surprise, though, was that the bride's arrival was announced by bagpiper Mike Bailey.  Heather planned this special suprise in honor of her grandmother.

After Heather and Nick's sweet wedding ceremony under the arbor, the guests moved next door to The Bistro for a wonderful Southern reception. The menu included individual fruit and cheese platters for each table, yummy gumbo, and a chicken and beef duet entree. The wedding cake by Myra Jean was to die for!  The bride designed the table centerpieces with fall gourds and candles, and each table had a unique look.  Personal flowers by The Flower Peddlers added the perfect fall touch to the decor.

Heather,

Thank you so much for the endless advice & endless answers!  Our wedding day would not have been as beautiful (and stressless) without you.  We are so grateful for everything you have done!

Thank you!

Nick and Heather

(That's the groom with his adoring bride and her bridesmaids!)

*If you want more information about green lodging, check out the Florida Department of Environmental Protection website.  The Florida Green Lodging Certification Program acknowledges and promotes lodging facilities that demonstrate water and energy conservation, waste minimization, recycling, indoor air quality, environmentally preferable purchasing, program sustainability, and pollution prevention.

Ellie & Tim (10.20.07)

 

What a special weekend in Ponte Vedra Beach!  Ellie and Tim celebrated their marriage with 19 of their closest family members and friends with a full weekend of activities.

The weekend began with the arrival of the guests at The Lodge and Club at Ponte Vedra Beach.  After settling in to their rooms on Friday, the group gathered for casual cocktails and a Southern barbecue buffet dinner overlooking the ocean.

Saturday was an early morning for the bride, who was already having her makeup done by the wonderful Kimtasha Armstrong at 7:00 am!  After a trip to The Spa, Ellie was ready for her close up with photographer Nikki McEneaney of Photography By Nikki.

At 11:00 am, a beautiful wedding ceremony was performed by Cheryl Raby of A Vow, Two Keep.  Ellie and Tim personalized their ceremony with meaningful vows that they are sure to treasure.

After cocktails under the oceanfront trellis, the party moved into The Conversatory for a wonderful lunch.  The simple and contemporary floral decor was supplied by Floriade in Jacksonville Beach.

The gorgeous chair covers and table linens included a custom-made 20' runner for the center of the table.  Michelle and Melissa at Royalty Events worked with me to find just the right shade of green!

And what wedding would be complete without a yummy cake from Classic Cakes.  Ellie and Tim chose chocolate cake with chocolate ganash filling for both layers, but couldn't decide between fresh raspberries or strawberries - so they had both!

Jen & Mike (10.06.07)

  Many warm wishes to "The Mr. and Mrs."  Jennifer  and Mike  (both of Channel 4) were such a delightful couple to work with over the last month.  Their courtship has spanned over six years, as they met while working at a tv station in Michigan.  Their families traveled from all over (12 states in total) to be a part of their special day, and to get a glimpse of the "sunshine state".  While the weather was less than cooperative, the wedding was such an amazing event- one of those really special occasions where you can see two families weaving into one right before your eyes.

 The week began with a welcome party at the couple's residence on Thursday.  The festivities continued with a Rehearsal Dinner at The Sawgrass Marriott, hosted by the Cabana Club.  While the showers forced the party indoors, the staff at the Cabana Club did such a wonderful job accomodating the large group (nearly 180) on such short notice.  The Champions Ballroom was transformed into a tropical paradise, complete with cabana umbrellas, Mai Tai, and music via Steel In Motion.  Festive beach balls, sunglasses, sand pails, and welcome bags greeted guests.

The ceremony was held at Holy Family Catholic Church, where Father Dan moved the entire congregation to tears with his touching homily.  The bride was escorted by both her parents and her adorable grandparents offered the gifts.  The entire mass was so very personal and indicative of their strong family ties.

While the monsoon poured outside, guests were escorted to the Sawgrass Marriott via limos courtesy T & T East Coast Limousine.  Phyllis did such a wonderful job of keeping our bride dry and our groomsmen on time! 

During the cocktail hour, guests were invited to find their seat via sand dollar escorts, beautifully penned via Calligraphy by Joy.  Jen and Mike had such fun with the table numbers, opting to do years that were of importance in their lives- giving a brief description and then fun facts of other events occurring that same year.  It was a lovely conversation starter for their destination guests who were not be familiar with one another.

Guests were then ushered into the Masters Ballroom, where a beautiful palette of ice blue and subtle shades of lavender were laid by Rose of Sharon, Jax Stage Lighting, and Aloha Interior Plants.  Each of these vendors did their part to really make that ballroom amazing!  After a wonderful plated dinner, guests put on their dancing shoes to the sounds of KTG.  As always, KTG delivered an amazing performance. 

The entire night was captured through the lense of the ever-so-talented Leah Powell, with a superstar second shooter (Darice Michelle).  --- pictures to follow shortly----

To round off the weekend's celebration, guests were gathered for one last hoorah brunch on the Cascades Deck, perhaps the first rays of sunshine all weekend. 

It was such a pleasure to work with this couple, as they were so organized and sincere.  Their love was ever aparent with the never-fading smiles on each of their faces.  It further touched me to meet the lovely families that Jen and Mike are so fortunate to have... and the fact that 180 of their 250 guests traveled from nearly 12 states is testiment of the impact that they have of each person that they meet.  Mike actually had guests representing every year of schooling since preschool AND every job that he has ever had... how impressive.

Ashley & John (10.06.07)

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs.! Ashley, John, and their families were such fun to work with over the past year. Despite the rainy week, this destination wedding would be one to remember!

A beautiful wedding mass was held at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, where the bride and her mom were very involved during the time they lived in Ponte Vedra Beach. As a very special touch, the bride's grandparents acted as "ring bearers," adding a touching and personal moment to the ceremony.

To get the party started, the guests boarded a trolley to Sawgrass Beach Club - Angie and her staff are always such a delight to work with! The tropical but sophisticated decor created by Liz Stewart Floral Designs set the tone perfectly.

After a wonderful meal of crab cakes and filets, the crowd danced the night away courtesy of Diggin' Rhythm and Brass. The highlight of the evening though was the sparkler-surrounded exit of the bride and groom on their tandem bike!

Mark and Joi of Pennington Photography and Design shot some amazing pictures that Ashley and John will treasure, including a great group shot of all the wedding guests on the pool deck. Jeffrey Stoner of Jeffrey Stoner Video rounded out the "dream team" of some of the best wedding vendors in the state.