We have been waiting since March(!!) to get to show you these images- and Southern Weddings V9 is finally here! Being featured in their magazine has been on our bucket list since V3 came out. Count them- six years of admiring, supporting and cheering on the hardworking ladies who pour so much value into a magazine that is far more about marriage than just weddings. We were beyond delighted to be asked by the SW team to help pull together, design + implement this styled shoot. We fell in love with the Floridan, citrus vibe and complementing the whole look with a bold black & white stripe added the needed touch of chic sophistication!

We were able to style the shoot at the beautiful, historic Casa Monica Hotel & the courtyard of the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine, Florida. We knew that we wanted to help tie in as many of the cheerful, bright citrus colors as possible. It was so fun to see how the bold, bright colors throughout the day popped off the green grass at the ceremony and the gorgeous stone deck of the reception. Also, knowing that Florida normally means a warm vacation for your out-of-town guests, the cheery welcome bag was a compilation of the sunshine state’s best treats!

The courtyard at the Lightner Museum is absolutely stunning, and we wanted the richness of the building & and freshness of the green foliage to really be the hero of the space. We kept all of the decor low, so that the stately palm trees could stand proudly in the background. We loved the little decals that Twinkle & Toast eagerly scripted for the parents of the bride and groom. They were such sentimental details which added that extra touch of familiarity to the ceremony. Oh, and then the overflowing blooms in the modern, black stands: YES, PLEASE. They turned out so well, and we loved how the abundance of the florals were a welcoming, bright moment for the altar.

The chic, cocktail style of this Kate Spade dress had the sweetest Southern nod in the back- did you spot the two bows? It was such a fun, subtle detail. And we loved our groom’s citrus bow tie- the Southern Weddings gals found those at Rock Avenue!

Oh, those bouquets.  We just couldn’t help but giggle at the personality of the orange frittilaria. They gave us that extra feisty punch we knew we needed. We complemented them with the romance and fluffiness of garden roses, coral charm peonies, daffodils, boronia, ranunculus, tulips and mambo & majolika spray roses.

Cocktail hour is one of our favorite places to infuse a couple’s story & provide some form of interaction for the guests. We created a watercolor map of the US and incorporated a Fujifilm Instax camera so guests could take pictures and tack it up to show where they came from.

And the cocktail table linens from Kate Ryan Linens… can we get an ‘amen’ for saying it: they are amazing! The tailoring of the button cuff was everything we could ever hope for- and the best, subtle hint towards the party to follow.

We loved how the escort display turned out as well! The lines of the invitation suite were mimicked with the shape of the pegboard backdrop, and the gorgeous calligraphy escort cards by Twinkle & Toast balanced beautifully with the festive baskets.

And then, this.

Our heart skips a beat each time we look at it. When we started dreaming up the idea for these custom linens with Kristin from Kate Ryan Linens, we could have never have imagined just how beautifully it would turn out. And the sleek Emma chairs? Just forgettaboutit. They are gorgeous. But, we loved how the pink hemstitch napkins grounded the table back into the Southern roots of the shoot.

All of the same blooms from the bouquets were repeated throughout the tablescape. We mentioned this over on our Instagram– but these parrot tulips ended up being one of our absolute favorite moments in the floral design. The black of the center and the white frill of the edge was delightful!

And what is a party without some food & drinks! Cuban sandwiches were a scrumptious touch, prepared by Casa Monica.

Wish Vintage Rentals created this custom pegboard bar for us, which was so fun to style!

And the final sweet treats of the day were provided by the Pastry Studio who is ever-so-talented. We loved these key-lime pies, especially! And this gorgeous cake that again mimicked that same shape of the invitations & escort display.

Hyppo Popsicles, which originated in St. Augustine and is spreading like wildfire (you must check-out their mobile carts for your wedding!) provided icy cold pops. It was a refreshing way to end the day!

Well, friends. That is a wrap. Cheers to you & yours going after your bucket list and dreaming up the wildest of dreams. Thanks for joining us!

From Laura: On a personal note, this shoot was one of the most incredible opportunities for me. I love the heart of SW and to be placed within the pages of this magazine was an immense privilege. I have long stalked admired so many of the talented vendors in this issue, and to be among them is downright humbling. It’s funny how God works, isn’t it? After dreaming up the vision with the SW team, I wound up having to have knee surgery three weeks before the shoot. This was the biggest opportunity for AE & our team, and I was hobbling through the day on crutches. Melissa & Sarah: I could not have made it through this without you. You (literally) were my hands and feet and I am so blessed and thankful that you were along for the ride.
To any aspiring wedding industry professionals: the best advice I can give you is to seek after vendors who share your same vision and heart. That day, each of the vendors blew me away with their willingness to pitch and help make this magic happen. It was one of the most humbling days of my life to be so limited, and yet feel so unbelievably supported. So thank you- to each of the vendors below- for making this dream a reality.