A secret I held with the mother of the bride

My text to iHeart

Actually, we held a few secrets.  However this was the biggest.  Today we know it was 100% the best secret ever kept.  You see, this bride didn't want video.  Her mom & I kept the secret that we had hired iheart until the day of the wedding.  Today, we saw the video trailer (below) and this was my response to the videographers (iHeart Films) and Emilys response (bride) and her moms response to me.

The mother of the bride's email to me.

Bride's email to her mom & I

South Seas Island Resort Wedding - Emily + Clark from iheART Films on Vimeo.

PS, we totally got rained inside for this wedding.  Torrential rains.  Kind of great proof for how a great back up plan (or in case plan D) can still be amazing.  I am so in love with the draping, lighting and church pews.  Oh, and the church pews were another one of the secrets we kept.

Untraditional music for your wedding ceremony

Looking for some inspiration for music during your wedding ceremony or for the dinner portion of your reception?  Many of our clients have turned to us trying to figure out the best way to keep the traditional feeling of a wedding, but bring it up to date.  Two things you can try.  Check out Pandora's Classical Goes Pop station.  It's amazing how much is out there! Your string ensemble may be able to pull off some of these covers.

Want bigger? Consider having a pianist perform.  Bring in the baby grand and WOW, you have a sound that can not be replicated.  If you've never seen a pianist playing classical...find one.  Its just sublime.  If you like the idea of totally unique sound and a performance, try an electric violin duo or ensemble.

Love the sound of voices?  Want to see pure shock and awe on guests faces?  Have a choir or barbershop quartet greet guests.

Trying to think of a great way to give the band a break, but don't want that lull that always comes with it? Check out Drumadics : Y'all they are insane I tell you.

See your wedding venue all dressed up! Are you following me on Instagram?

It can be really hard to imagine what your potential wedding venue looks like when its "dressed" for a wedding.  Even though your wedding will certainly look different from what we have done, its nice to see that there really can be transformation!

Captiva Ballroom at South Seas, Vanderbilt Ballroom at LaPlaya,
Sunset Cove at South Seas & Kings Crown Lawn at South Seas

So with that said, follow me on instagram.  I often post photos from behind the scenes and right from our weddings and wedding events (welcome receptions, luncheons, rehearsal dinners cabana parties and farewell brunches). Along with my wedding photos you'll see some real life photos of our studio happenings and my family & friends.

Your dance floor could be "Legend"ary

In case you missed it, John Legend married Chrissy Teigen. No doubt, that was an epic wedding and celebration!

First of all, they got married in Italy (Lake Como).  That is code for utterly romantic.  The large lush ceremony arrangements and its backdrop are breathtaking.  I'm headed to Greece next month and I'm now looking at this wedding and thinking, "maybe I can add a couple days for Italy..."
Can we talk about these dresses for a minute? Love.them.all. Vera Wang, you never fail us do you?

I'm sure we can all agree, their playlist must have been something else.  Two really good things.  One, you can get all the details on the wedding in the current issue of Martha Stewart Weddings.  Its 8 pages to drool over.  Secondly, Martha Stewart sent over their playlist!  hello Easy, its nice to meet you:

How to have the greatest destination wedding in Naples, Florida

Do this:
Hire Liz Banfield to capture every last detail so that you can soak up the weekend in real life.
Then...

1. Invite a couple hundred of your favorite people to Florida

2. Give them awesome sea inspired welcome bags

3. A couple days before the big wedding, have a small private ceremony with only your most immediate family and then have a nice "just married" lunch

4. Take some incredible photos around town and at the Naples Pier. Then head over to your Parisian rehearsal dinner at Le Lafayette

5. Invite all the over ladies for a retro and vintage inspired bridal luncheon, complete with a silhouette artist and glass bottle cokes

6. Welcome everyone to Florida and set the tone for the weekend with a Tommy Bahama style sunset bash at The Naples Beach Hotel

7. Before the big wedding, remind everyone how much fun the beach is with a beach bbq complete with all the beach games

8. Get pretty with all your besties, take your bridal portrait and then meet your groom for some pre-wedding photos before going over to Port Royal to have your big ceremony under the shade of a pretty sailcloth tent

9. Have cocktail hour in the sand, and have a bagpiper signal the sunset and the call for dinner & dancing

10. Get a big incredible high energy you-just-cant-sit-down wedding band

11. Do a dine-around so that if anyone can break away from the dance floor they can eat at any time, and almost any kind of food. Have a gigantic Ice Sculpture between the Beer & Bourbon bar and the late night DJ

12. Make sure your cakes fit the mood...by the sea inspired for you and Masters blazer for him

13. Have more fun than you could have ever imagined because this is the best night ever

Making it happen: Dr Dan Lamey, Kakes by Karen, St Ann's, Botanicals on the Gulf, Le Lafayette, Jim Hjelm, Monique Lhuillier, Salon Tease, Liz Banfield, A Bryan Photo (video), Garden District (Bridal Luncheon Floral & Saturday wedding), Silhouettes by Kathryn, Naples Beach Hotel, Port Royal Club, Sperry Tents, Party Time Rentals, Aria Dresses, J Crew, Taylor Rental Naples, Jim McWilliams, Island Events Rentals, Talent Entertainment, Elan Artists, Stereophonic DJs, Weddings by Socialites

You can see more images in the inaugrual issue of Coastal Living Weddings, currently on newsstands.