 Loryn and Danny got married at beautiful Casa Marina Resort with closest family and friends, fun fact...and it was also Loryn's B-day so they had more reasons to celebrate until late night hours. We were happy to be a part of such fun day and meeting both of your families. How did you meet, who proposed and how? We first met in college sophomore year and started dating shortly after so I guess you could call us college sweethearts! We had been together for almost 10 years before Danny proposed! He proposed on his birthday and I should have known something was up because he made his own birthday dinner reservation because it was so much unlike Danny. After dinner, it was such a nice night out that I wanted to walk home from the restaurant not knowing that apparently, he had the engagement ring in his shoe! He kept trying to order an uber to the point where I was actually frustrated, he didn’t want to walk with me! I finally agreed to an uber and when we got home our door was open which was odd and as I open the door – the entire apartment is decorated with roses and pictures of us and there is a sign asking if I will marry him. When I turned around he was down on one knee proposing. It was such a great surprise that I couldn’t believe I didn’t see coming!! His mom and sister were hiding in our bedroom and had decorated the apartment while we were gone. After I said yes, our dog came running out the bedroom in a wedding dress costume for dogs. It was perfect! Why wedding at Casa Marina? We had actually never stayed at the Casa Marina, but had been to Key West a few times and I remember walking past the venue thinking how beautiful and grand it looked. I knew after our first trip to Key West that I wanted to get married there and walking past the Casa Marina pretty much sold the deal. What was your inspiration for the wedding? I wanted to keep our wedding more on the simple side and didn’t want anything too extravagant. We are both pretty laid-back people so I went with mostly neutral colors including whites, greens, champagne, etc. Everything turned out so beautiful especially with the ocean and Casa Marina as our backdrop! Describe some of your favorite moments at the wedding. ALL OF IT. From the moment I got up until the moment I went to sleep – the entire day was so special. There is really no better feeling in the world then having all your loved ones with you to celebrate your special day. From getting ready with my bridesmaids to our first look to the actual ceremony to our first dance to taking the conch train to Duval Street after the reception – it was all great! Also, fun fact – we got married on my birthday so during the reception, my MOH brought a cake out and everyone sang happy birthday! I enjoyed every minute of it and people aren’t lying when they say the day fly’s’ by so enjoy every moment of it. It was the most magical and best day of my life! What would be an advice to other brides from you. Don’t overthink and stress yourself out! Trust the vendors you hired to do their job and trust that everything will work itself out. Of course, not everything is going to go according to plan but that’s okay. Don’t forget what the day is really about which is marrying your best friend and be sure to make an effort to mingle with all of your guests – thanking them for coming! What are your future plans? Honeymoon? Because we were in Key West for a little over a week, we decided to wait on our honeymoon and instead are going to take a trip on our anniversary. We are thinking New Zealand but right now we are just enjoying being married and what’s to come next!  
 
              
 
             
  
   
 
  · Wedding Venue : Casa Marina
· Floral & Decor – Milan Event ·Beauty – Studio Marie Pierre ·Lighting/Power – PSAV ·Wedding Photographer – Weddings By Romi ·Videographer – Mark J Pierson Wedding Films ·Ceremony & Reception Music – Cutting Edge Entertainment – DJ Gunz ·Officiate – Paul Biagini (FOG) ·Wedding Cake & Desserts – Cakes by Karol ·Transportation – HTA/Conch Train
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 Ivey and Sam got married on very overcast day in Key West, Smathers Beach. Despite the weather their love just shined through and left everyone feeling full of beautiful emotions. Congratulations, and thank you for letting us to be a part of your special celebration. How did you meet, who proposed and how? Sam and I met on October 17th, 2013 through my best friend at the beginning of my freshman year of college at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. He saw a picture of my friend and I together and immediately said that he had to meet me. He told my friend that he would help her with her history paper in exchange for her introducing the two of us. We planned to meet one night after class at my apartment. He showed up with a dozen doughnuts in his hands (smart man). We talked like we had known each other forever and made plans for the next day to go on our first date. Sam proposed to me on March 25th, 2017 at the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, NC. He planned the whole trip for us and I was excited for us to both travel together and explore somewhere we had never been before! Before he proposed, we toured the beautiful gardens and soaked up the enchanting views of the mountains. When he proposed, he had a hidden photographer capture the moment and we had a photoshoot all around the Biltmore Estate. I remember us being so overwhelmed with excitement that we couldn’t keep our eyes off each other during the photoshoot! We just kept looking at each other and smiling, laughing, and shedding several happy tears! Why wedding in Key West? Our favorite spot has always been the beach so we knew when we got married that we wanted water to be the backdrop of our ceremony. Neither of us or our families had ever been to Key West before so we thought it would be an awesome adventure for everyone! I also have a friend that got married in Key West and she fell in love with it and even said that she would move there if she could! We decided to go for it and couldn’t be happier that we did it that way! What was your inspiration for the wedding? My inspiration for the wedding was to keep it very simple and let the beautiful scenery of the beach where our ceremony took place to really shine. I used shades of cream, blush, and soft peach incorporated in my bouquet. I went with those colors because they are neutral and elegant. Describe some of your favorite moments at the wedding? Our most favorite thing was that we wrote our own vows. We knew from the beginning that we were going to write our own vows to each other but we bought His and Hers vow books just days before the wedding. I highly recommend getting those books because I believe it will be a great keepsake to have and let our children read one day! What would be any advice to other brides from you? My advice to other brides would be to pick a few things that you really want to invest your time, money, and effort on and don’t stress about the other things that don’t have as much merit to you. What I focused on was making sure I had the wedding dress, veil, photography, and ceremony spot that I wanted and spent less time focusing on wedding cake, decorations, flowers, etc. It’s easy to become anxious and worried that something may not go as planned on your wedding day, but remember that the day is meant to celebrate you and your husband and it’s important to be present and in the moment because it goes by so fast and you need to cherish every second that you get celebrating your day with family and friends. What are your future plans? Honeymoon? After Key West, we went home for a few days and spent Christmas with our family. After that, we headed to Jamaica and stayed at Jewel Paradise Cove. It was an All-Inclusive Adult Only Resort in Runaway Bay, Jamaica. It was our first time out of the country together and first time in Jamaica! We cannot recommend that resort more! It was amazing. We kayaked, paddle boarded and did a boat tour which were all included in the package. Our most favorite part was going to the Blue Hole in Ocho Rios. We did several cliff-jumps off waterfalls and did rope swings into the beautiful bright blue water. The highest jump was 25 feet in the air and was definitely an experience to remember!                                           Ceremony site: Smathers Beach
Wedding Photography: Weddings By Romi Wedding Planner : Say Yes in Key West Make Up/Hair: Bella Luxe Reception: Sunset Key/Latitudes Wedding dress: Coastal Knot Bridal Wedding Shoes: David's Bridal Wedding Ring: Lautares, Greenville, NC Groom's suit : Express Groom's wedding Band: Kay Jewelers  Kayla and Robert had beautiful wedding celebration at Casa Marina Resort and got married at the beach with close family and friends. I asked Kayla couple of question about their wedding day. 1. How did you meet, who proposed and how? Bobby and I meant at Coe College in Cedar Rapids but we actually didn't date until years later. We were crazy about each other in College but timing didn't work out until I moved to Des Moines and we finally reconnected. We always kept in touch with each other over the years. We both knew there was something there because we would always find our way back to each other. Bobby proposed to me in Toronto, Canada. He planned a surprise trip for my 30th Birthday. I didn't even know where we were going until we got to the airport which was so fun for me because he knows I love surprises. He planned several things for us to do while we were there and one was going to Niagara Falls. He proposed on the gondola over looking the falls. We both cried of course and finished the day going down and riding the boat under the falls. Thank god he didn't do it there because we got soaked!! 2. Why wedding at Casa Marina? When we got engaged we both knew we wanted to do a destination wedding. When I was doing some research I came across the resort at Casa Marina through Instagram and fell in love with the beauty of it. Bobby and I had never been to Key West so we thought why not! We love to travel and explore new places so it was perfect for us. 3. What was your inspiration for the wedding? Our inspiration for the wedding was very simple yet elegant. I wanted the beauty of the ocean and nature to be most of the decorations. I used my bridesmaids flowers for the center pieces on the tables at the reception as well as the flowers from the beach ceremony. We wanted the day to be just about us and the love we have for each other not the amount of decorations. We decided the simpler the better. 4. Describe some of your favorite moments at the wedding. We both were so happy we wrote our own vows. That was by far the best part for both of us at the wedding. We were both so nervous to say them in front of everyone but it turned out to be the best part. Our guests felt the love in our vows and we felt it as well. After the wedding our guests all came up and gave us a hug with tears in their eyes, it was very heart felt. The reception was also a favorite of ours because none of us left the dance floor. We all stayed out and danced the night away which is so fun when you have a small wedding party. 5. What would be an advice to other brides from you. I would tell other brides to keep it simple. No one remembers what decorations you have at the wedding/reception so don't over do it. Don't worry about the small things like the cake, flowers, guests who couldn't make it, etc. Keep the important things the center of your focus, like the vows if you do your own (which I highly recommend), the first look and sharing that moment together and spending time with your wedding party because they're the closest family/friends there. Remember the whole day is about the love you have between you and your significant other so as long as you both are there and ready to say your "I do's" nothing else matters! 6. What are your future plans? Honeymoon? We went on our honeymoon from Key West to Jamaica. We loved Jamaica it was so beautiful, very calm and relaxing. Our favorite part was going on a sunset catamaran on our last day.  
  
   
                   
     
                          
               
          Key West Wedding Photography: Weddings By Romi
Florist: Milan Event Wedding Videography: WonderDog Studios Key West Officant: Aaron Wechter Wedding Coordinator: Simply You Weddings DJ: SoundWave Wedding Dress: Pure Bridal in Des Moines, designer is Essence of Australia. Bride's Wedding Ring: Joseph Jewerly Groom's Wedding Ring: Northern Royal Tux: Men's Warehouse  Wedding season is booming again and we're always happy to photograph at Fort Zachary Taylor again. Not only the venue is beautiful and you get the park to yourself after the sunset, but we love working with all the great Key West wedding vendors. I asked Tara couple of questions and her wedding tips: 1. How did you meet, who proposed and how? When Paul and i met, I was working in a funeral home in Paul’s hometown . His elderly grandfather passed away and used the funeral home where I worked . Paul’s grandfather always said that he needed to find Paul a nice girl, and we think this was his way of doing that! We are beach people and enjoy taking a couple trips every year . During our vacations we always enjoy taking night walks on the beach. In April, 2018 we were in Melbourne beach walking on the beach at night and Paul surprised me by dropping down to one knee and proposing at the waters edge . 2. Why wedding at Fort Zachary Taylor? Prior to becoming engaged we had taken a trip to Key West. We were out snorkeling and when we were on the boat I noticed the point at Fort Zach being set up for a wedding . I knew right then that if we got engaged that’s where I wanted to get married. Once we were engaged and did some more research we absolutely fell in love with the fortress. Between being able to be married on the beach, have the reception in the fortress and be in Key West it was just perfect. 3. What was your inspiration for the wedding? We wanted the wedding to be simple but romantic . We loved the beautiful simplicity of being married at the point, and then being able to have the romantic moodiness of the Fortress. We tried not to overthink any of the decor and just let the venue shine! 4. Describe some of your favorite moments at the wedding. We definitely enjoyed doing The First Look. It was so nice to see each other beforehand without anyone else around. It really took some of the pressure off ! We also had a blast sneaking off to take sunset photos. Between all the hustle and bustle of the wedding day it was great to have some alone time to really soak it all in ! 5. What would be an advice to other brides from you. When in doubt keep it simple, and try not to stress too much . It will be the best day ever. 6. What are your future plans? Honeymoon? After a week in Key West we went to Negril, Jamaica for a week. It was absolutely amazing! The resort (Couples, Negril) was the best resort we have ever stayed at and all the people and staff were so nice . The ocean water is always the perfect temperature and we absolutely loved being able to snorkel right off the beach . Congratulations Tara and Paul!! We loved being part of your wedding and meeting your families! 
   
   
     
                   
 
    Coordinator- Kirsten Corpion
Flowers- Duarte Floral Design Photographer- Weddings By Romi - Romi Burianova Caterer- Great Events Hair and makeup- Key West Wedding hair and makeup Officiant- Rev. Steve Torrence Dj- DJ Buggy I would recommend every single one of our vendors . Everyone was absolutely amazing! Kirsten thought of everything and was so on top of it . Duarte made the most beautiful bouquets and centerpieces that totally exceeded expectation. Romi made us feel so at ease and comfortable, even though we typically don’t like our picture being taken. Our food was awesome and we got tons of compliments. Everyone’s hair and makeup was perfect. The officiant was so helpful, kind and personable, and the DJ did an awesome job getting and keeping the party going .  Tropical, lively, energetic, loving was this wedding at Casa Marina Resort with Brady and Garrett. Check our last wedding of the season out!! From getting ready to monitoring the weather, to a small sunny window for a beautiful beach ceremony, lively reception, sparkles, glow sticks, singing with the band, lots and lots of laughs with family and friends, and dancing until the end. Congratulations Brady and Garrett, we were happy your wedding day was just perfect and we could have been part of it! Cheers to a very successful wedding season! Love you all. 1. How did you meet, who proposed and how? We met in New York City. Garrett had just moved from Santa Monica and Brady from Raleigh, NC. We met at a great little bar called V Bar in the East Village. We only lived a few blocks from each other and were inseparable from that night on. We stayed in NYC for 6 years then moved to Raleigh, NC where Brady is from. Garrett proposed to Brady with his great grandmothers ring in the mountains of North Carolina by a beautiful stream. It was perfect, and even after 8.5 years of dating, Brady was still surprised! 2. Why did you choose Casa Marina for your wedding venue? How did the rain affected your wedding? We love Key West and the beach and have always wanted a destination wedding. We think Key West is such a fun and happy place and wanted our guests to enjoy the great food and bars and beautiful, tropical sites. Casa Marina is such a gorgeous hotel and a great setting for a wedding. We wanted to get married on the beach but have our reception inside (in the AC!) so it was the perfect venue for us. We loved that the cocktail hour and ballroom still had a great view of palm trees and the beach and ocean. The rain wasn't ideal but it didn't stop us from getting married on the beach! There was a moment when we thought we would have to move the ceremony inside, but thankfully the rain let up and we made the decision to head to the beach. The rain ended up making the water super calm and cooled off the sand so we could be barefoot, and the sun came out just as Brady was walking down the aisle. It was perfect. 3. What was your inspiration for the wedding? Tropical and beachy but still elegant and classy. The colors were green, ivory, white. We wanted to keep is simple with the tropical greenery and white/ivory accents. 4. Describe some of your favorite moments at the wedding. The beach ceremony was one of our favorite moments. With the rain making us think we would have to move the ceremony inside, it made it that more special to be out on the beach as the sun started to come out. Brady loved walking down the aisle with her dad and seeing Garrett standing in the sand, right on the edge of the water. While we were standing up there, we turned around to see everyone in the crowd. It was such an amazing feeling to see everyone we love in one place all looking at us. It's a moment we will never forget. The first dances, Brady's dad's speech and the dance party are other favorite memories. At one point we looked around the room and every single person was on the dance floor. Garrett and Brady love a good band and dance party so it was really special, especially when all the fun glow sticks, hats, necklaces and tambourines came out! 5. What advice would you give to other brides from you? Don't let yourself get stressed out. It's easy to get overwhelmed with all the planning and all the attention during the wedding but when your wedding weekend kicks off be sure to relax and take it all in. It goes by so fast, so take deep breaths and look around the room so you can remember every moment. Also, make sure to tell your guests how much you appreciate them! 6. What are your future plans? Honeymoon? If you had honeymoon, tell me what you loved the most. We left for our honeymoon on Sunday after the wedding. We went to Santorini first then Mykonos in Greece. We spent 4 days in each place and it was magical. We went on beautiful hikes and boat rides and also spent time relaxing by the pool and exploring the cities. It was one of the most gorgeous places we've ever been.  
           
       
   
          
                                                              
  
                              Wedding venue: Casa Marina Resort
Wedding photography: Weddings By Romi (two photographers/ ceremony) Wedding Planner : Just Save The Date ( Kelly) Wedding Flowers: Milan Event Reception Chairs: Prestige Rentals Wedding Make up/hair: Bella Luxe Wedding Cake: Milk Bar Band: Private Stock Band Wedding Dress: Traditions Wedding Shoes: Zara Tuxedo: Bonobos Loafers: Wolf & Shepard Wedding Rings: Reliable Loans  Are you ready for a very colorful, whimsical garden wedding? I know I was. First when I met Regan she saw my underwater images at one of the restaurants in Key West and decided to call me when she got engaged to Dan! We created underwater photos for her wedding invitations and had so much fun doing it. To see them printed made me super excited and happy! Her wedding date was set for a year later but unfortunately some events happened so it had to be postponed. When I got Regan's email that her and Dan were finally planning their wedding again, I knew it was going to be an unforgettable event!! I was right! We immediately felt like part of the family and it was very hard to select just some of the images for this wedding blog. Key West Garden Club aka West Martello gave us many options for the perfect wedding backdrop with lots of greens and ocean colors. I asked Regan a couple of questions for the blog. 1. How did you two meet, who proposed and how? It's the 4th of July weekend 2013.... I had just moved full time to Key West that March. Dan was living in Ohio and a friend suggested a trip down to Key West for the 4th and they thought, why not!. Meanwhile, Dan's younger brother Matt had just started dating my younger sister Jourdan. Dan remembered Matt's girlfriend's family lived in Key West so, he figured he might want to invite Matt and his girlfriend (my sister) to come too. I didn't know many people yet so, when my sister called to say, she and her new bf (plus his brother and friends) want to come down for the 4th, I was stoked! It turned into a group trip and everyone came over to our parents house to swim and that's when Dan and I met. The group adventured around Key West all day but we found ourselves sitting next to each other watching the fireworks glisten over the Atlantic by nightfall. That's why we say we saw fireworks when we meet... it was literal and figurative because we fell in love that weekend! Fast forward to March 2017.... Dan and I lived together in Key West and had taken on a major project of renovating our own piece of paradise here on the island. After months of working on the house night and weekend we were ready to move in! We were stressed and exhausted but excited for our first night in our new home together. We were sweaty from moving all day, looked a mess and dead tired when Dan pulled the scooter over at the nature walk that overlooks the Beach. He said, "lets just take a moment and watch the sunset and unwind before we head home and start unpacking. I was in a daze and up for any procrastination! We walked to the end of the deck and he just hugged me from behind while we watched the sun start to set over the Atlantic. I was so tired I almost didn't register that he has started saying how excited he was for us to start this new chapter together. He continued with more sweet sentiments and I felt him move away from me so I turned to look at him and he was teary. I went numb and all sound faded away as he lowered to his knee. I could see his mouth moving and a stunning ring presented in a driftwood box. A few seconds went by and then I said, "That box is awesome!". Now, we were both flustered and I quickly said, "I mean, YES!. Of course, I'll marry you! and the ring is perfect!". We both giggled and hugged and continued to cry tears of happiness as we held each other watching the sun fade beyond the horizon. 2. Why did you choose Key West Garden Club for your wedding venue? We both love plants, nature and the garden club is one of our favorite spots on the island for both the surreal magic of the grounds and incredible views looking out onto the Atlantic! We knew we wanted to get married there and it was better than we ever dreamed! 3. What was your inspiration for the wedding? We are both laid back islanders now so we wanted the night to incorporate a Boho Beach feel. We wanted a relaxed environment that brought everyone together for a whimsical, tropical night by the water. 4. Describe some of your favorite moments at the wedding. Our vows.... we were so nervous to speak such intimate feelings in front of our family and closest friends but once we were up there everyone else faded away and we connected in a moment more meaningful and surreal than we could have ever expected! Dinner....we remember looking down the long head table at our family, friends and the magical scene created with decor, lights, lush gardens, and the exquisite sunset feeling so blessed in this ethereal moment. Toasts.... my dads toast left me speechless. The feelings he shared were incredible 5. What advice would you give to other brides? Write your own vows.... we were both nervous and put ourselves under a lot of pressure to make sure we said what we wanted to share with each other but that moment was so incredible and more special than either of us expected that we will likely go back to it time and again through the hardest and happiest situations throughout our life together. 6. What are your future plans? Honeymoon? If you had a honeymoon, tell me what you loved the most. We left that weekend for Italy. I planned the wedding and Dan planned the honeymoon..... it was perfect! We each poured so much of our selves into planning these events for each other that they both exceeded our expectation! We bounced around the country but Venice and Florence were our favorite cities We were both in awe of the history come to life through the architecture. Yes, the food and wine are an incredible as everyone says! We will definitely go back to other cities and continue the adventure.  
      
 
       
 
   
  
                 
                                      Wedding Photography: Weddings By Romi (two photographers)
Wedding Location: Key West Garden Club (West Martello) Catering: Catered Affairs ( Martina) Wedding Floral : Greg Slowiak Wedding Officiant: Aaron Wechter Music/Band: The Bay Kings Band Wedding Planner : Simply You Weddings ( Desiree De La Oz)  Paved brick pathways among orchid-filled trees and the grand home that was built by Captain John Huling Geiger in the 1840s as a residence for his family. . The Audubon House and tropical garden is in heart of Old Town Key West and was the choice of Key West wedding venue for Sophia and Andrew. For the sunset we were able to slip just across the street to Mallory Square and watched the sun goes down at this special day. 1. Sophia, how did you meet, who proposed and how? Andrew and I met while I was at college in Davie, FL. We were two kids who ended up growing up together and going through all the obstacles that relationships and your 20’s have to offer and we made it through the best of friends. Andrew proposed on his 30th birthday, which happens to be Valentines Day. We had taken a trip to New York a few days before, in which he planned on proposing but later admitted he was so nervous that every time he had the opportunity to do it, he chickened out. I found it sweet that after nearly 11 years, he still had butterflies when asking me to marry him, even though we already knew we would spend the rest of our lives together. He finally found the courage while we were out on a quiet dinner together the night of his birthday. It was intimate and private and perfect. 2. Why wedding in Audubon House? We chose the Audubon house because without a single decoration, the location is already gorgeous in all its natural beauty. It did not disappoint. 3. What was your inspiration for the wedding? We wanted an outdoor wedding because we wanted a venue with natural beauty and an open environment. The outdoors with a rustic touch. We love the outdoors and fresh air. It was warm, but it was breathtaking and totally worth it! 4. Describe some of your favorite moments at the wedding. Some of our most favorite moments were the dances. The couples 1st dance, father/daughter dance, and mother/son dance. The emotion felt during these moments is something we will cherish for a lifetime! And I can not forget the moment our daughter got on the mic and sang drakes part in the song sicko mode. It was definitely one of the biggest highlights of the evening. 5. What would be an advice to other brides from you. Try to enjoy and be present in every moment even though there is a million things going on and you have a 1000 emotions to manage, because when it’s over, you will look back and wish you could relive it again. It truly is one of the best days of your life. I wish I could have had a little more of it. 6. What are your future plans? Honeymoon? If you had honeymoon, tell me what you loved the most. We plan to continue conquering obstacles together and building the best life we can together with our daughter. We went on our honeymoon two days after our wedding to Tulum, Mexico. We can’t wait to go back! Congratulations Sophia and Andrew!! We loved being part of your wedding day! 
 
    
          
      
     
         
        Venues: (Getting Ready) : Margaritaville Resort
Ceremony/Reception: Audubon House Wedding Photography: Weddings By Romi Wedding Planner : Soire Events Wedding Videography: Mark J. Pierson Wedding Film Food : Catered Affairs Decor and Floral : Milan Events DJ: Alivia Adams Wedding Dress : Maggie Sottero Tuxedo: Timmy Tuxedo Rings: Blue Sophia Key West  Every day in Key West is beautiful, and specially the weekends when the celebration of love is solidified in the form of marriage. Shannon and Sean said their I'do's at Fort Zachary Taylor with their closest loved ones, and enjoyed their reception with the stars shinning above and the ocean as their backyard. Shannon and Sean's Love Story: Sean and I met while working together at an insurance company in the fall of 2013. At the company holiday party in January (where I was disappointed that Sean didn’t show), I admitted to a coworker that I had a crush on Sean. She proceeded to play matchmaker and Sean asked me out the first week in February. We ended up having our first date the next week on Valentine’s Day (unintentionally) because that Friday just happened to work for both of us and we didn’t want to push the date back another week. We like to call it our Annivalentinesary. We vacationed in Thailand for our fourth Annivalentinesary last year. Sean proposed while we were watching the sunset together at Promthep Cape, the southernmost point of Phuket, on Valentine’s Day. Two years ago, Sean and I vacationed with my family for our friends’ wedding in Key Largo. We had a great time in Key Largo for the week, but took a day trip to Key West and had a blast. We all talked about how we wished we had spent more time in Key West! I was a swimmer growing up and the water, in particular the ocean, has always been my happy place. A beach wedding was the obvious choice for me, and Sean has a lot of family in Florida, where his mom is from. After we got engaged, we started talking about Key West, and we both agreed it would be a great fit for our wedding. When I stumbled upon Fort Zachary Taylor in my search of Key West venues, it was a no-brainer. I’m an environmental engineer and whole-heartedly support environmental preservation and conservation, so a state park was a perfect fit. Part of the inspiration for the wedding was the venue. We wanted to keep the decorations minimal, because the venue (Fort Zachary Taylor) itself is so gorgeous. We wanted to highlight some of the local cuisine and thought a steel drummer would be a great way to set the laid-back, tropical vibe we were going for! I would say the wedding was a reflection of our styles – a little rustic, a little sophisticated, a little quirky – and truly felt magical. The first look was really special for both of us. We also both thought it was hilarious when a Fury boat passed while we were standing at the arbor and proceeded to cheer us very loudly, in the middle of the ceremony. Really, the whole day was perfect and we had so much fun celebrating with all our family and friends. My advice to other brides (and grooms) would be to relax and enjoy your day! I did most of the planning, but our day-of coordinator was really crucial and ensured that we were not stressing about all the little details on the wedding day. Some little things didn’t necessarily go exactly as planned, but we just rolled with it and enjoyed our day with one another and our loved ones. Sean and I are planning on going on a delayed honeymoon next year. We are talking about visiting a few places in Europe since neither of us has ever been, but we are still working out the details! We are saving up to purchase our first home (hopefully) next year and hope to start a family in the not too distant future. And we both look forward to any excuse to go back to Key West!!! 
 
       
           
           
                     
       Wedding Photography: Weddings By Romi
Caterer: Catered Affairs of Key West Cake and Cupcakes: Key West Cakes Flowers: Love In Bloom Steel Drummer: Van Bertie DJ: DJ Erika from Kiss Me Entertainment Hair and Makeup: Talie Ayers Lounge Furniture: Eventfully Yours Rentals Transportation: Conch Tour Train Wedding Coordinator: Jessica Jones Dress: Jadore Evening Suit Vest and Pants: Enzo Custom Shoes: Steve Madden (Hers), Cole Haan (His) Ring: Point No Point Studio (Hers), Blazer Arts (His) We believe that love should be celebrated in all its forms and we are happy to share this blog with you with wedding photos from one of our favorite Key West wedding locations, Fort Zachary Taylor. Laura and Melissa answered couple of questions for our wedding blog. Congratulations Laura & Melissa! We couldn't be happier to be a part of your wedding day! -How did you two met? Chesapeake and Potomac Softball (CAPS), our LGBTQ love connector! -Who proposed and how (where)? Melissa and our dog Maui proposed during a sunset walk on the Potomac River in Alexandria, VA. Maui helped by presenting the ring that was attached to her collar. -Why wedding in Key West? Fort Zachary? We wanted a destination wedding and loved the laid back vibe of Key West. We visited a year ago and went to Fort Zachary at the suggestion of our good friends (our officiant Betsy and her fiancee Lorraine). The park was gorgeous and we loved the idea of getting married on the beach at sunset. -What was your inspiration for your wedding? Fort Zachary was the inspiration in itself, we cannot have picked a more picturesque location. -Describe some of your favorite moments at the wedding? Looking around to see all our loved ones who came to celebrate with us. Our private moments in the woods before our introduction. Our first dance and that we actually pulled it off after a four week crash course of private dance lessons. Watching our mothers dancing like it was Studio 54. Also, we loved the photo shoot at the fortress. It was a fun, peaceful prelude to the adrenaline rush of the actual wedding. -What would be an advice to other brides from you? Take a couple moments during the day to step aside, just the two of you, and take it all in. Journal your favorite moments the next day so you will always remember them with details. We also did toasts the night before at a welcome event - it helped to have most of the tearful and quasi-embarrassing storytelling moments take place before the big day. -What are your future plans? Honeymoon? Trips? We are in the process of planning our honeymoon at an adventure resort in Belize later this year. This summer is all about relaxing with our two dogs Maui and Raja poolside and playing softball, of course ;) -Would you change anything looking back? Not a thing. The weekend was a dream come true...everything was shockingly perfect!     
   
              
                                          
               Caterer - Great Events
Desserts - Matthieson's cookies and Cupcake Sushi Flowers - Mama's Flowers DJ - DJ Erika from Kiss Me DJ Hair - Studio Marie-Pierre Lighting - Eventfully Yours Wedding Planner - Kirsten Corpion And our fabulous photographers- Romi & Stevie :) We traveled to the Big Island, Hawaii home of two of the world's greatest mountains, one of the world's most active volcanoes and 10 of the world's 14 climate zones. This beautiful destination wedding happened at Fairmont Orchid Resort located on the majestic sunny Kohala Coast. Inspired by culture, well being and genuine aloha, this was the perfect place to celebrate the love of Katrina and Leroy. I asked Katrina couple of questions for the blog: Leroy and I met on Match.com our first date was Easter Sunday. We met at a spot in downtown San Diego called Vino Carta. We had a phone conversation before meeting and spent half of the day talking about everything under the sun. He showed up for our first date with a gorgeous bouquet of all of my favorite flowers! One of the many things that won me over instantly. Leroy proposed to me in Italy in a small town called Orvieto its sit on top of a hill and has cobble stone streets and the Duomo di Orvieto which is all breath taking. He proposed at dinner with our friends at a small resturaunt called La Magdalena. It just was perfect! I was born on The Big Island, Hawaii and it holds a special place in my heart. I wanted to share that with Leroy as he actually hadn't been there prior to the wedding. The coastline is just breathtaking and holds many great memories. We loved the grass location at The Fairmont Orchid Resort and Mew the coordinator was very helpful and informative. I felt confident in their ability to help create a very magical setting and occasion. The inspiration was a Romantic and Natural theme, rustic...while still elegant. My favorite moments from our Hawaiian wedding was the First Look, having my Dad walk me down the aisle. Definitely saying Our vows to one another. The flowers were perfection! I think seeing everything come together after all the planning was really exciting as well. Advice for Brides.. try to enjoy the moment as it goes by so fast. Have a moment to yourself before walking down the aisle to clear your head. Designate someone to clean your hotel room after everyone is done getting ready! In our future plans- in spring of 2020 we will be taking a trip to Spain, The Mediterranean and Ibiza. Congratulations Katrina and Leroy, we were so happy to be a part of your Hawaiian destination wedding!!!   
         
  
          
  
   
      
  
              
                          
              Wedding Location: Fairmont Orchid Hawaii
Wedding Planner: Jots and Thoughts (Sara Kam) Wedding Photography: Weddings By Romi DJ: DJ Tiger 808 Audio Visual and Entertainment : Hawaii Sound and Vision Wedding Flowers: Grace Flowers Hawaii Wedding Invitations : Hawaii Calligraphy Hair/Make Up: Beauty Lux Salon Wedding Videography: Walczuk Productions Hawaiian Fire Dancers : Olowalu Productions Wedding Dress: Morilee Madeline Gardner Wedding Shoes: Badgley Mishka Event Rental Supplies: Big Island Tents |
