This Boca Grande wedding is everything coastal wedding dreams are made of! With bridesmaids in sweet floral dresses, shell table numbers, and bright fragrant florals, you will be swept away in the beauty created by NK Productions Wedding Planning. Jacqui Cole captured this couples magical wedding day at the Gasparilla Inn to perfection and we are excited to share it with you below!
How did you meet? We met through friends in Chicago, and immediately hit it off!
What is your proposal story? Jimmy proposed in May while we were out walking our dogs. There is a beautiful flowering tree that arches over the sidewalk on the street where we live. He proposed under the arch, and had champagne and a surprise party with family and friends afterwards. It was perfect!Tell us a little a bit about your wedding: We got married on the beach at the Gasparilla Inn Beach Club, in Boca Grande, Florida. Our theme was just to make it fun, and relaxed. At the end of the day, we just wanted it to be a great party for our guests! Because of this objective, we simplified many of the wedding traditions. Our ceremony was only 10 minutes long, and guests were given champagne beforehand, we did flaming bananas foster in lieu of cutting a cake, and kicked off the dance party with fireworks. Our colors were corals, peaches, and pinks, with light blue accents and some tropical touches, but didn’t want anything that screamed “beach wedding.” In lieu of traditional bridesmaids dresses, attendants were asked to pick any floral dress they wanted, and each carried a single long stemmed coral charm peony instead of a bouquet. We really tried to bring the relaxed, fun feel throughout all elements of the wedding.
What was the most important to the two of you while planning? Was there anything that you chose to splurge on or skip? The most important thing for us was throwing a fun, but elegant party. One area where we did not compromise was our food selection. The Gasparilla was generous and coordinated ensuring our canapes reached all of the guests. For dinner, we chose to not have our guests select their plates, rather indicate to us any dietary restrictions. Our courses included an heirloom salad, seared scallops and then a beautiful surf and turf with a filet cooked to perfect medium rare and a wonderfully prepared black grouper.
What were your favorite parts of the day? Our first look was very special, and certainly anticipated. We did it in the English garden at my parents house. It has several twists and turns, which made it very fun to come around the corner and surprise Jimmy. Of course, our two dogs wouldn’t let the action happen without them, so they ended up being in all the pictures!
Did you include any family heirlooms or special traditions? Jimmy’s cousin was our officiant, and their grandfather was a judge in Chicago – he had a speech/ceremony he typically used when he married couples, and Jimmy’s cousin used parts of that in our vows, which was very special to both of us. We also had my five year old nephew do a reading during the ceremony, which was a personal favorite moment! In addition my veil is an heirloom from my grandmother.
Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now? Have a back up plan for everything! Of my group of best girlfriends, every single person ended up having unexpected weather on their wedding day. As long as you have a great team and plan in place, it won’t impact your wedding day. If you don’t, though, it can be a cause for a lot of last minute anxiety! At the end of the day, though, the most important thing is that you have fun. The most beautiful brides are the happiest!
Photography: Jacqui Cole | Venue: Gasparilla Inn | Event Planning: NK Productions Wedding Planning | Floral: Velvet and Twine | Stationery: EVR Paper Co | Rentals: A Chair Affair | Hair: Fresh Salon | Makeup: Fresh Salon | Wedding Dress: Rita Vinieris Harlowe Gown | Groom’s Attire: Suit Supply | Bride’s Shoes: Loeffler Randall | Veil: Family Heirloom | Submitted via: Matchology *This post contains affiliate links.
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