Real Wedding Florida
ABC Member Planner: Lynn D’Ascanio, D’Asigner Events, www.DAsignerEvents.com, Lynn@DAsignerEvents.com.Photography: Bob Care Photography.
Non-member businesses involved: Hawks Cay Resort, Marathon Florist, Sweet Savannah’s Bakery.The couple: Courtney and Jordan wanted a small, intimate event for their immediate family members and friends. Both are devout Catholics, so they wanted a church wedding and had their priest from Oklahoma flown in to say the Mass at the local Catholic church, San Pablo, in Marathon. Courtney, a sweet, down-to-earth girl, wanted her bridesmaids to be comfortable in their dresses, so she let them pick out their own colors and styles, which in turn, became the inspiration for the flowers and décor. Jordan is a happy-go-lucky guy with a great sense of humor. He is a military veteran and an EMT/firefighter. I was able to get them a 1950 antique fire truck from the Marathon Fire Station that served as their “limousine” to and from the church.
Wedding date: Sept. 12, 2014.Inspiration: This couple wanted to get married on the date of Jackie and John F. Kennedy’s wedding anniversary as they are fans of the historic couple. The theme included natural elements and retro-style. For the Catholic Church ceremony, candles with whimsical arrangements of yellow craspedia, yellow roses, hypericum berries, scabiosa pods, and eucalyptus lined the aisle. The same floral arrangement was mirrored in the bride’s bouquet and in their reception décor.
Color palette: Plum and yellow with grey/silver.Budget: Less than $20,000.Guest count: 20.Most unique design element: The transitional décor was the most unique. This included an intimate, family-style wooden table and eclectic elements such as driftwood flower boxes on purple satin rosette runners, bright yellow napkins on silver chargers and birdcage chandeliers.
Biggest challenge: There was no DJ or musical entertainment for the reception. The only thing the couple had was their own iPod setup. The bride’s wish to not have any “professional” musical entertainment seemed like a missing element to me, but I had to stay focused on what the bride wanted. I also had to be sure the setting was intimate for conversation, so I added a lounge area at the end of the table for after-dinner drinks.
Hindsight: Admittedly, when I was initially hired for this wedding, I wasn’t too excited about the small crowd size and eclectic ideas. But, when the design elements were developing, I realized that this “simple” wedding was becoming one of the most beautifully designed/decorated receptions I had created. In hindsight, I have learned not to think of a small wedding as “simple,” because they can turn out to be your finest work. ••
