Make sure to scroll down and see Part I of the preview, too!
June in Florida may be miserable, but with some frequent A/C breaks we are able to keep everyone looking cool for some gorgeous portraits. These were all done on the grounds of the Oldest House in St. Augustine. It has such a perfect charm for shooting after the Ceremony as well!
One of my favorite “outtakes.” I don’t remember at all what was said, but these reactions are generally my goal while babbling or encouraging clients to be ridiculous. ;)
One of the things I love most about St. Augustine weddings is the joy of riding the trolleys! Couples can book trolleys for their guests and the bridal party to transport between locations, which is just such a perfect way for the character of St. Augustine, as random tourists and guests cheer.
Now, on to the Reception!
This was one of my favorite details of the day… custom cigar station for guests to use on the patio.
As you are about to see, every detail of Nicole and Drew’s was just perfect. When I first met with Nicole, she told me she wasn’t creative and was worried about how her wedding would turn out. I just knew that wouldn’t be the case and gave her the names of some of my favorite blogs. She obviously figured out how to capture the perfect level of classy, creative details and ideas. Next up, cupcakes with a mini cake instead, with several flavors to choose from (they had a sign with what each was). Yum!
Annnnddd…. AN ICE LUGE. I was so excited when I saw this. I knew about them but this was my first one at a wedding! It should be pretty obvious, but basically the bartended pours the drink through to the other side, resulting in a perfectly chilled but not watered down drink. and of course an amazing display. Theirs is, as you see, customized to refer back to their undergraduate colleges. Not sure love would have united UF vs. FSU as easily, but I guess FSU vs. Miami is a bit easier. ;)
The speeches were incredible.
It’s always so touching to hear about couples’ lives and passions. I was crying and laughing too! I already knew that Nicole and Drew are both experts in autism. Nicole is about to graduate with her degree in School Psychology and Drew graduated/is about to in Clinical Psychology. Their family spoke about how much they appreciated what Nicole and Drew do for individuals with autism, and the efforts they put towards making significant changes for those individuals. Nicole and Drew also chose not to have favors, instead having a card at each seat explaining they donated towards an organization that helps with autism. If there is a cause that is very important to the couple, this is a meaningful and classy way to incorporate it into the wedding day instead of favors that are often eaten or thrown away.
So I have to share my two favorite stories from the speeches, I just can’t help it!
First, the Best Man told about the first time he met Nicole. He came into the office at the University where Drew was working… for Nicole. As soon as he started to tell this story, Nicole and Drew started laughing. He reported how he saw this tiny “5 foot nothing” woman come running out of her office, yelling at Drew, throwing papers (at him, in the trash?) and telling him he was fired. The Best Man recounted his immediate reaction– “I like her!”
The second story was the decisive moment that led to Nicole and Drew getting married. He had some opportunities elsewhere but was talking to his brother (the Best Man) saying he really had feelings for Nicole. His brother told him he should act on it. Apparently he called back 15 minutes later saying he just walked up to Nicole and kissed her. And then, a few years later, they got married. So freaking sweet!
