John had been planning his proposal to Kellie for a while. They were visiting Walt Disney World from New York, one of their favorite places. He called me and we planned where he would propose in front of Cinderella Castle, texting back and forth until the time came. The crowd around us pointed, smiled and applauded. Kellie was so happy and so surprised – it is one of our favorite proposals ever. Happily Ever After John and Kellie! xo
From John: We met in 2nd grade and we liked each other in 3rd grade. So much so, Kellie wrote about me in her diary. Many years later, when we were 21, we reconnected on Facebook. After only a few weeks we felt a connection and the rest is history.
You know when someone talks about a person whose smile lights up a room? That’s Adrienne. She and John just got married and it was such a fun party. (see their engagement photo shoot here) The intimate ceremony and reception was at Cafe DaVinci’s in Deland (Courtney and I got married there too, almost 10 years ago!) and was wonderfully planned by Courtney Ford Event Design. Since they were unable to attend, John’s parents watched the ceremony through Skype. I especially loved their First Look, next to a wall that had just been tagged with “LOVE” and heart graffiti all over it. They read their vows only to each other and it was so sweet. We were so happy to be a part of it. xo
From Adrienne: Describe your wedding day style in one sentence Classic and comfortable. Describe your wedding planning process We were really fortunate to work with Courtney Ford Hamil of Courtney Ford Events. I knew we didn’t a long engagement, so the first thing I did was meet with Courtney to pick a date that would work with her schedule. She helped us line up the rest of our vendors which was a huge relief. What advice would you give to future brides for their wedding day? First, that people are more important than details. So we kept everything very simple so we could afford to feed a lot of people. Also, not to sound cynical, but a lot of the wedding industry is about comparison. Don’t even let yourself go there, and don’t buy the magazines! Make choices that are meaningful to you, whether that means your wedding is super elaborate or barefoot on the beach. Don’t stress too much, enjoy yourself, and dont forget to eat! Anything you would have done differently? Not really, all the things I was worried about ended up not mattering in the end. Most memorable moment during the planning process When we first started planning I asked John if he had any wishes for the wedding. He’s not that into party planning, so I had the feeling he wouldnt care about many of the details. I was surprised when he said “I want a weenie cart.” He was half joking, but I thought it was a fun and affordable idea! So he got his weenie cart, with a cute red and white striped umbrella. Also, about 3 weeks before the wedding we took an extended weekend in North Carolina, it was amazing. I recommend stepping back from the planning to remember why you’re doing this in the first place. Which moment are you the most excited to see in photos? Our favorite moment of the day was the first look when we share our vows. Everything during the day was such a blur, but I remember that moment very clearly. What was your wedding inspiration? From the very beginning I knew I wanted our wedding to feel like a family reunion. John and I are pretty laid back, and informal people. We were inspired by all of the years where we found ourselves hanging out with friends at Cafe da Vinci on a weekend afternoon. Describe some of your favorite wedding details and how you came up with them Courtney put together simple clear vases with greenery (no flowers). I love the way it looked so simple and modern. Our venue is very colorful with lots of detail, so I think the low key decor honored that vibe. John wore a suit with no tie which was SO handsome. We didnt have official an official bridal party, though we did invite some close friends to get ready with us. That was really special, especially at the moment when I realized I didn’t know how to apply my fake eye lashes. Last, John has two god daughters who are in their early teens, and I have a 1 year old niece. We really wanted to include all 3 of them in the ceremony, so Elle and Wyatt (the goddaughters) walked Avery (my niece) down the aisle. I couldnt see it, but John said it was adorable. What are you most looking forward to as a married couple? We’re excited to continue working on our house, settle in a bit, and start a family.
Today Corisa graduates from The University of Central Florida with a degree in Business Marketing! We had so much fun running around campus, popping bottles of champagne and climbing on statues. Congratulations Corisa! We can’t wait to see what you do next. xo
From Corisa:
“I started college off as an elementary education major but then I changed my major about a year ago and took extra classes. That way I could still graduate when I wanted to. My goal after graduation is to pursue a career in marketing and see where that takes me. Something I’ll miss most about UCF is the football games and going as a student and being able to experience everything college has to offer.”
We love intimate weddings, all the guests are friends and family that you love. Tina and Ed had their beautiful intimate wedding at the Art and History Museums in Maitland, with a donut cake, sneaker wedding shoes, breakfast for dinner and friends from their childhood. Here is to you, Tina and Ed, and your new adventure together xo
From Ed:
Tina and I are a bit traditional and non-traditional in so many ways, so we decided our wedding really reflect us. We love breakfast food so we decided to service breakfast and coffee. Believe it or not, we weren’t huge fans of the traditional wedding cake so we decided to do a donut cake instead. We are big supporters of small and locally owned business so we kept that in mind when we made any wedding decision. Decor was mostly made by small business owners or ourselves with friends & the donuts where from a local company. Even our rings where designed by myself and made in New York City by a husband and wife duo who had over 10 years experience working for Tiffany making jewelry.
We wanted to keep our wedding small, unique and intimate and we where able to accomplish this thanks to friends, family, each other and the great small business that supported us.
Tina and I met online a little over two and a half years ago. Neither one of us where really looking for a serious relationship. We quickly came to realize how much we had in common and how compatible we are together. We shared a passion for sci-fi, arts, music, the outdoors, health, learning, exploring, traveling, food and goals. I proposed to Tina on my birthday at the Sequoia National Park in Three Rivers California beside the largest tree on earth,The General Sherman (Tina has a thing for trees lol) We really wanted a small outdoor wedding, something intimate and private with close family and friends. Tina and I plan on leaving our jobs as a Registered Nurse & User Experience designer and traveling the beautiful United States in a van full-time for a whole year. After our travels, we will be settling down and experiencing whatever life has in store for us. Thanks again for everything Kelly, we are super excited to see the pictures.
Venue: Maitland Art Center, Mayan Court Yard
Caterer/Florals: Encore Caters
Tables & Chairs: Orlando Wedding and Party Rentals
Officiant: Rev Gary David
Tina’s Wedding Dress: Deirdre by Maggie Sottero, from Bellissimo Bride in Deerfield Beach DJ: Our trusty Spotify playlist and friend Jim.
Bridal Suite: Cottage at Lake Lilly Hair and Make up: Kristy’s Artistry Design Team
One of my favorite styled wedding shoots was with beautiful model Julia Vivian and floral designer Julia of Julia’s Floral Design. We set up in the garage at Artisan Alley in DeLand for some pink whimsical wedding inspiration. Dress: So Sweet Boutique Furniture: The Nest. Hair: Blake Elliot Salon and Gallery
Dr. Jill and Dr. Don have been our eye doctors for years, we have been friends and have done lots of photo shoots with them and beautiful Isabelle (see one of her here.) We can’t wait to do more family shoots when their baby boy arrives! Isabelle is going to be an amazing big sister xo
Yukun and Xinyan were in Florida on a cruise and wanted photos on the beach before their wedding in Indiana next month. They are so sweet and so beautiful, this photo shoot was like a breezy day at the ocean.
