Southern Weddings

Arjola + Peter are an amazing couple. The two met while in college doing volunteer work in their spare time. After several years of dating, Peter asked Arjola to marry him and she answered in her native Albanian tongue, “Po”… translation: YES! Together, the two planned their own unique and fantastic wedding while both finishing up school. (Peter was finishing his MBA and Arjola her undergraduate degree while applying to graduate school). The end result was a wedding that was filled with special details. Ceremony took place in {St. John’s Cathedral} in Jacksonville, Florida with a reception at {Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens}.  How gorgeous is Arjola’s bouquet!? Floral design by {Glenn Certain Studio}.  Special thanks to phenomenal photographer, {Agnes Lopez} for sharing these stunning images with us.  Happy Friday!

How did the two of you meet? While changing the world!  Volunteering at Jacksonville’s Prudential Youth Leadership Institute (PYLI).
Describe the proposal: It was on July 23rd, a romantic dinner over the Atlantic Ocean at the Cocoa Beach, FL Pier and a walk on the beach. It was a starry night and Peter stood up, took my hand, helped me up and as the nice ocean breeze whisked his curly hair, he knelt in the sand and he said “Jola, I adore and respect you and I will cherish you forever, will you marry me?” I said…”Po” (means YES in Albanian).
What attracted me to my husband was: His curly hair, his persistence, his wit, oh yeah and being a soccer player helped too!
Why do you love your husband: His love is patient, his love is kind. He is patient and he is kind.
What attracted me to my wife was:  Her amazing beauty that radiates from within and glows outward gracing all with genuine care and respectful deep regard.  Yeah, and she’s hot too.
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: Among so many to choose from one would be August 1, 2008, the night before Peter’s MBA graduation, exactly one week before our wedding.  We packed a picnic dinner and they were showing our favorite movie outside, Casablanca, at Leu Botanical Gardens in Orlando.  It was a gorgeous setting and gorgeous weather and as we watched our favorite movie under the stars and cuddling on a blanket, we would look into each other’s eyes and say “we’re getting married in a week!!”
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: This was one of the
easiest decisions for me.  Within the week of our engagement, my matron
of honor gave me Martha Stewart’s Weddings Magazine and that is where I
saw the Rivini gown I wore.  As soon as I saw it, it was the one and
only, I knew I would wear that dress.  I just hoped that it would not
look bad when I actually tried it on.  I was able to find it in Winter
Park, Florida and the day I went into Solutions Bridal to try it on,
the designer of the dress was there.  I was able to talk to him and
request more rushing at the top (as it was shown in the add) and do
little tweaks here and there so he instructed the ladies that worked
there to make notes for him and he would know what it means later, so I
felt privileged, it is a bit of a couture dress…The name of it is
Eros.  I had all my bridesmaids pick a dress THEY thought I should try
on and I did, but when I put on my gown they all agreed that it was the
one.  Jack, our one year old nephew, literally ‘gaa-gaad’ over it when
I tried it on, none of the others fancied him. So I knew I had made the
right choice.

Check back later to hear more from Arjola + Peter…