Gina & John {September Wedding at Carillon Beach}

This memorable Italian wedding was destined for greatness! After choosing Carillon Beach for their destination wedding, everyone was able to come together from all over the Southeast {from Boca Raton to Tennessee} to plan this beautiful event. It was so much fun bringing the feel of Tuscany to the Emerald Coast!  Gina & John were such a fun couple with fun quirks and details {wait until you see the Yoohoo cake!}.

Gina and John at Carillon Beach

There’s nothing better than having your mom by your side as you get ready for your big day, and an added bonus of a perfect view of the Gulf!

Gina and John at Carillon Beach

The details were all in place as we anxiously awaited the arrival of their 70 guests.

Gina and John at Carillon Beach

With a larger bridal party in the Meeting House, it’s often best to split the groomsmen and the bridesmaids on each side. This makes it less of a tight squeeze in the Meeting House. Of course, good ol’ Rev. Harry Houseman always puts everyone at ease!

Gina and John at Carillon Beach

Ahh… the lighting was just perfect on these newlyweds! John & Gina had a little time to kill before entering the cocktail hour, so Rae & Wesley {Rae Leytham Photography} found these perfect spots for a photo op!

Gina and John at Carillon Beach

A little wind makes for a cute, silly walkover picture! I love moments like these!

Gina and John at Carillon Beach

It’s hard to beat our beautiful beaches at sunset!

Gina and John at Carillon Beach

Gina’s head table was completely breath-taking. Nothing says “Tuscany” more than grape leaf vines and romantic, candlelit lanterns. The vintage French pottery added a perfect, European touch!

Gina and John at Carillon Beach

Wine bottle chandeliers were impressively hung inside the tent. The dark wooden pergolas were custom-built to house her head table, and all the little surprises in between. Naturally, yummy olive oil and spices were placed at each table for dipping the French baguettes into.  It certainly created the cozy mealtime that Gina was going for!

Gina and John at Carillon Beach

After that killer dinner, it was cake cutting time! This beautiful work of art by Rhonda {Confections on the Coast} came with another fun treat for the groom! Although not an alcohol drinker, his friends know him for his love of Yoohoo consumption. It was such a great addition to the wedding smiles!

Gina and John at Carillon Beach

I think everyone got a kick of how realistic the Yoohoo cans really looked!

Gina and John at Carillon Beach

As the couple snuck away for a few alone-moments by the fountain, the guests continued their heavy dancing and fun with DJ Paul! This is just beautiful!

Gina and John at Carillon Beach

It was a sparkling ending to John & Gina’s wedding day! Congrats Mr. & Mrs. Bell! {cue the jingles!}

{CREDITS}
Venues & Planning: Carillon Beach, Ceremony: Meeting House & Reception: Village Green {Exclusive to Carillon Weddings}
Makeup & Hair: Solace Salon in Rosemary
Photography: Rae & Wesley Leytham {Rae Leytham Photography}; See Gina’s full blog HERE!
Floral/Event Design: Events by Nouveau Flowers
Catering: Townsend Catering
Cake: Confections on the Coast
Reception Music: DJ Paul of {GTS}
Minister: Rev. Harry Houseman

Filed Under: Blog, Carillon Beach Meeting House Ceremony, Carillon Beach Village Green Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Allie & Mark {June Wedding at Carillon Beach}

Over the years, it has been so much fun watching brides come from all over the world to celebrate their destination weddings with us in Florida.  This year we were honored to coordinate 4 of our own Carillon Beach homeowner’s weddings!  We got to hear stories of them growing up and visiting their Carillon homes for family vacations.  We also got to hear them mention how they would bring friends along, and would sneak through our wedding events, hoping one day they would also get married in Carillon Beach.  One of our gorgeous brides, Allie, was able to do just that…


Allie now lives in Charleston, SC, but was happy to be back in Florida for her wedding. Another plus side to getting ready in her family home, was being calm and collected throughout the entire day!  It was nice to get ready in a familiar home with well known surroundings. When we walked into the house, Allie was getting pampered by Two Fishes Artistry, and should couldn’t have looked more relaxed. Her beautiful bouquet of pink peonies, tulips, garden roses and freesia was to-die for!

You can tell Mark fell in love with that infectious laugh! You could tell her excitement as she finished up some of her last minute details. Allie and Mark chose to have a small bridal party with only a matron of honor and a best man. It was decided that it would be the least stressful and simple choice for their intimate celebration.

When we first met Allie & her mother Nancy to sit and plan her dream wedding, we joked that having retired General as a father, Allie would never marry a military guy… She seemed to prove herself wrong as her handsome ‘Major Oberson’ waited for her at the end of the aisle. You could tell just how proud her father was as he walked down his only daughter.

With Ret. military chaplain, Rev. Harry Houseman as the officiant, the Meeting House was filled with proud members of the US military that evening.

As soon as the ceremony was over, we took the newlyweds into the Promenade for a few quick photos. I just love this shot of Allie and Mark! Plus, who doesn’t love those ‘something blue’ Badgley Mischka’s?!

A timeless organically elegant look was captured throughout their reception.

Nouveau’s pergolas and mahogany chiavari chairs brought such a perfect sense of romance to Allie’s tented reception.

The cake was perfectly paired with the decor of the wedding. It complimented every aspect of her event. The lounge area was illuminated by Nouveau’s bottle chandelier and accented by a bold, damask print.

For the reception, Allie removed her veil and replaced it with a whimsical, white flower. The guests also enjoyed passed champagne with chambord and a fresh raspberry garnish. Now that’s what I call a HAPPY BRIDE! 🙂

Delicious details from Townsend Catering. Mark & Allie chose to go with a station menu to encourage their guests to stroll around and enjoy the great company.

Allie’s proud parents toasted the new couple to kick off the evening. Everyone danced the night away as Meet the Press band wow’d the crowd! Congratulations to Allie & Mark! We can’t wait to see you on your visits to Carillon!

{CREDITS}

Venues & Coordination:  Carillon Beach Meeting House & The Village Green (exclusive to Carillon Weddings)
Photography: Paul & Mecheal Johnson of Paul Johnson Photography; Allie’s full BLOG
Floral/Event Design:  Christina Springfield of Events by Nouveau Flowers
Officiant: Rev. Harry Houseman
Catering: Townsend Catering
Cake:  Confections on the Coast
Ceremony Music: Bay Arts Trio + Trumpet (WMP)
Reception Music: Meet the Press band (Gulf Talent Services)
Hair & Makeup: Renee Armour of Two Fishes Artistry

Filed Under: Blog, Carillon Beach Meeting House Ceremony, Carillon Beach Village Green, Weddings Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Amy & Gary {May Wedding at Carillon Beach}

I must say that I have really been looking forward to posting this wedding.  I’m fairly certain that Amy is one of THE sweetest people I have ever met.  She was literally the opposite of a “bride-zilla”, which was one of the first phrases out of her mouth while planning her wedding.  “I really am not picky, I trust you guys and I do not want to be a bridezilla!”  Now, if this isn’t a wedding planner’s dream bride, I don’t know what is?!  As a trained dancer from FSU, her elegance and grace was apparent throughout her big day.  Amy’s appreciation for classical music, as well as great dance music, really gave her guests something to enjoy!  She knew immediately that she wanted to go from a full quartet for her ceremony and cocktail hour, to a great DJ who really knew how to keep the guests dancing!  I know I learned a few steps as she taught us all how to “Dougie!”  I hope you enjoy Amy & Gary’s wedding as much as we loved being there for it.  Don’t forget to catch the fantastic trailer at the end.  But first, I love starting out with a few of her adorable engagement session shots in Apalachicola, FL!…

Lady Love…

We like boots with a ‘tude on this sweet, Southern gal! You’d better hold on to this one, Gary!

Wedding Time.

Ooh La La! What gal doesn’t love dressing up in Louboutins & Vera Wang on her wedding day?!  This classically beautiful bride made an easy transition from quiet & sweet, to sassy & glamorous!

Perfect little details surrounded Amy’s big day. We just loved how her Tiffany blue and soft pinks complimented each other. Amy chose to have her paper products custom designed by the incredibly talented, Dauphine Press.

What a wonderful Etsy.com find! Amy had a personalized tag made for her amazing bouquet of orchids. We love those kinds of personal touches!

Southern belles love their peonies and Amy was no exception! They are just beautiful at this time of year. Our ballerina showed off her perfectly pointed toes as she waited to walk through the Promenade. I could not stop laughing because she kept pointing out her non-existent “kankles” from getting a bit of a sunburn earlier in the week. *Don’t kill me, Amy!* Needless to say, we had lots of laughs from her silly comments before the ceremony. To compliment her bouquet, we chose to go with simple, orchid blooms for the boutonnieres.

We just love the simplicity of the Meeting House in Carillon Beach. Keep an eye out for those same, cherub arrangements as they are transferred to the reception!

So in love! 🙂 You can almost hear her giggle through the picture.

This is one of my favorite ‘new’ ways for guests to sign a guestbook! One of their precious engagement photos was turned into a custom-designed puzzle where their guests would piece together and sign a special note to the bride and groom. A clear, double-sided frame was also included so Amy and Gary could choose to have either side showing in their home – all their signatures or their photo! I know this is a cute idea that will definitely be seen again!  ((I particularly liked the nod to the Dawgs!  As a surprise to Gary, she even had the string quartet play “Battle Hymn of the Republic” as they recessed after their ceremony.  To those fellow Georgia Fans, we all know this song as “Glory, Glory to Old Georgia”! GO DAWGS!))

Ahh, a classic first dance to Rascal Flatts’ “Bless the Broken Road”.

We all got such a kick out of Amy’s dance with her father. As a nod to their family, and her last name being the oh-so-Italian, Mutarelli… Amy chose to dance to “The Godfather Waltz” straight from the movie!

Amy’s tablescape was beautifully accented with the cherub arrangements from the Meeting House. Her look was very whimsical, but romantic. Her wedding cake was also a piece of artwork in itself.

After the ceremony, we swept them away for their sunset pictures at about 7:30. Although it was a little windy, Amy looked just gorgeous!

In the springtime, we tend to keep a look out for our lucky frog who always seems to make his appearance at our events. I’m glad he made it so close to the dance floor  because these guests were definitely dancers! A handful of the girls were part of the FSU dance team and they surely showed off their moves! After their seated buffet was over, the guests moved outside, under cafe lights to dance the night away. After a quick dress change so Amy could boogie down, everyone ooo’d and ahh’d at her perfect, short BCBG dress! She was a knockout!

It was another flawless night in Carillon Beach…  We’re so happy for this happy couple and wish them both the absolute best!

{CREDITS}
Venues & Coordination:  Carillon Weddings
Makeup: Robin Klag (site)
Photography: Genya Garrett & Wesleyann Knetzer of VUE Photography; blogged wedding
Cinematography: Diva Productions
Floral/Event Design:  Christina Springfield of Events by Nouveau Flowers
Catering: Townsend Catering
Cake: Confections on the Coast
Ceremony Music: Bay Arts Quartet (WMP)
Reception Music: DJ Paul (GTS)
Invites: Dauphine Press

Filed Under: Blog, Carillon Beach Meeting House Ceremony, Carillon Beach Village Green, Weddings Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Claire & Trey {April Wedding at Carillon Beach}

Claire and Trey at Carillon Beach

Claire was such a gorgeous bride! She chose to have 2 beautiful gardenias tucked in her hair. It was the perfect Southern touch to her bridal attire.

Claire and Trey at Carillon Beach

Southern touches from head to toe! The peonies were absolutely to die for throughout April! We just loved Claire’s ruffles completely covering her dress! Flowy and romantic are two words to describe this gorgeous bridal gown.

Claire and Trey at Carillon Beach

The Meeting House was perfectly adorned with a wooden cross and giant urns with cherry blossom branches that were later transferred to the reception. The wooden cross that was hung above the windows had a strand of small white tea roses that was in loving memory of their grandparents and loved ones who had passed.  This was a sweet addition that Claire & Trey wanted to have simply recognized in their programs.

Claire and Trey at Carillon Beach

I LOVED the story of her rings! Trey had taken parts from both of his grandparents’ rings to create Claire’s gorgeous setting. It was so unique and gorgeous. I’m such a fan of sentimental rings like this! She will truly treasure this one day as an heirloom piece! Trey even had the gold melted down, then plated it in Platinum for his beautiful bride!

Claire and Trey at Carillon Beach

I adored her girly, pink cake with hundreds of little flowers everywhere! Yummy!

Claire and Trey at Carillon Beach

Sweet Southern charm. I was happy to have helped her with her escort cards and complimenting menu cards. “The menus brought the whole look together and just added a special touch to the table setting,” her mother {Donna} remarked.

Claire and Trey at Carillon Beach

How fabulous were the hanging arrangements?! Select tables had floating centerpieces that have a light, garden-feel to the blue and white tent. The flowers were Candy Bianca Roses (pale-pink), white and pale pink hydrangeas, pale blush stock, white rose and esperence roses. They were perfect!

Claire and Trey at Carillon Beach

The week before the wedding, Claire’s mother was able to have these made to accent their chairs at their sweetheart table.

Claire and Trey at Carillon Beach

The newlyweds were able to sit back and relax to the music of their Jazz Band and enjoy each other’s company.  From the start, they both claimed that they did not have a group that danced much, so we accommodated this by having a smaller dance floor and wonderful jazzy music to have for background entertainment.  The plus side of having a sweetheart table is having intimate time during your reception with your… sweetheart!

Claire and Trey at Carillon Beach

Perfect ending to a perfect night! After dinner and cake, the Jinright’s were ready to head back and get changed for a longer night of partying!

Claire and Trey at Carillon Beach

They arranged for this vintage convertible to whisk them away for the evening! Congratulations Claire & Trey! From the looks of the pictures they sent us on their honeymoon, they were having a fabulous time celebrating their new marriage!

{CREDITS}

Venues & Coordination:  Carillon Beach Meeting House & Village Green (exclusive to Carillon Weddings)
Photography: Kay Meyer of Kay Meyer Photography
Makeup: Robin Klag (website)
Floral/Event Design:  Events by Nouveau Flowers
Officiant: Rev. Billy Rich (personal friend)
Catering:  Townsend Catering
Cake:  Rhonda Joodi of Confections on the Coast
Ceremony Music: Harp (Wedding Music Plus)
Reception Music: John Calogne Jazz Band (Gulf Talent Services)

Filed Under: Blog, Carillon Beach Meeting House Ceremony, Carillon Beach Village Green, Weddings Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,