When Keith & I got engaged, we both agreed that we wanted something outdoors. I am a proud Floridian & love that Florida has it's own special culture. I wanted something that showed Old Florida with hints of citrus, old oak trees & Victorian elements. Keith was the one who actually found the Rossetter House in the arts district of Eau Gallie(I'm a lucky girl! We all know how difficult it can be to find the perfect venue). We signed a contract the very same day!
We had a bridal party of 1 maid of honor & 3 bridesmaids. We had 1 best man & 4 groomsmen. 1 handsome ring bearer & 3 precious flower girls.
I am a huge fan of what I like to call the "5 planning process". Get ready; this is how I live my life & what I tell brides to do! You & Groomie sit down with no friends or family. Discuss what is the budget (discuss before hand what each side of parents are going to contribute) you both feel comfortable with. List 5 things you cannot live without for your wedding day. 5 things you love, but aren't deal breakers. You can always revisit them later (typically you will get 2-3 things out of this list). Then 5 things that you hate to see when you are a guest at a wedding. Voila! You have a pretty sturdy structure & with the help of a professional, you can get the ball rolling.
Our 5 HAD TO HAVE things were:
- I had to hire a salon to come to the venue to do my girls hair & makeup so we could just sip on mimosas & relax! www.stylzsalonandspa.com
- Full liquor bar was non negotiable with our group (luckily our venue allowed us to bring in our own alcohol which is a huge money saver).
- Details!!! I'm a big fan of stationary & everything DIY
- My amazing husband let me have 4 & the only 1 he took was PASTA!! I've said it once & I'll say it again; the hubbs lives for Italian. Our amazing, amazing, amazing caterer www.twochicksandapot.com set up a pasta bar for him.
This picture is worth a thousand words. My little girl is so sweet!
The 5 things we loved to have and were able to incorporate into our big day were:
- Preserved flowers. They were so beautiful & everyone was able to keep their bouquets forever. preservedfloralsbylizann.com
- A day of coordinator. No matter how much of a pro you are, you have to have someone handle the details on the big day. We had several things go wrong (little did I know at the time), & our coordinator was so wonderful! We really couldn't have asked for any better www.winterparkweddingdesign.com She was actually honored with The Knot's best pick for 2012!
- My dress was bought at David's Bridal. I loved it but, I really wanted to make it my own & customize it. Alterations can really add up when you start taking things off & adding little embellishments here & there.
- Our wonderful honeymoon in Jamaica!!!!! We definitely needed after all the chaos that comes with wedding planning! www.sandals.com
- Since we were using the beautiful, lush yard of The Rossetter House, we had to bring in EVERYTHING! www.chairsforaffairs.com
We had a small wedding of 70 guests. We chose to have an intimate wedding since we were on a budget. I always recommend to brides on a budget; cut the guest list! That way you don't have to compromise the quality of your big day just to invite a friend you went to college with 7 years ago!
Someone looks nervous! ;)
As a gift to my husband, I made his Mets grooms cake! He loves the taste of homemade yellow cake and chocolate frosting. I filled the cake with a white chocolate custard & covered it in fondant.
It was one of the most wonderful days of our lives :) Thank you to our family, friends & amazing vendors that helped make it such a treasured memory.
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Rossetter House/www.rossetterhousemuseum.org
Florist: Preserved Florals by Lizann/www.preservedfloralsbylizann.com
Officiant: Sensational Ceremonies/www.sensationalceremonies.com
DJ: Direct Entertainment/www.direct-enterainment.com
Coordinator: Winter Park Wedding Design/www.winterparkweddingdesign.com
Hair & Makeup: Stylz Salon/www.stylzsalonandspa.com
Caterer: Two Chicks & a Pot/www.twochicksandapot.com
Cake: Publix/www.publix.com
Photographer: Stephen Mays Photography/stephenmaysphotography@gmail.com
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