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.

Fun Joyous Celebratory Destination Wedding on Captiva Island

There are so many reasons why people choose to have destination weddings. Some want to keep it small, some want to do something different, and then there are those who just want to have the BEST TIME EVER.

This is one of those weddings.  It was a spectacular summer wedding that I will never forget.  I adore Michelle and Luke.  So much so that I have yet to return this to them (sign on left).  I just can't.  I have no use for it.  But if I return it, it would mean the wedding is over for real. And as far as I am concerned, there is no reason for the celebrating to end. All this being said, watch this awesome video by iheart films. Its one of the cutest videos ever and totally shows what a fun wedding weekend should feel like. So fun. So so fun.


South Seas Resort Wedding - Michelle and Luke from iheART Films on Vimeo.