Southern Weddings

For all of us that were told “don’t marry a musician”, we have a reason as to why you should.  Not only, is Joe a handsome groom, but he just so happens to be in a band.  The band was playing a show in Jacksonville, Florida, and it was there that he met Amy. The two exchanged email addresses and from there bloomed a relationship that would eventually lead Amy to leave her native Florida to be with Joe in Nashville, Tennessee.  However, it was Jacksonville that will hold the title of where the two became engaged as Joe asked Amy on the spot where the two first met and exchanged those email addresses. For more of this couples sweet story we bring you to the ceremony. Joe, still passionate about music, surprised Amy with a sweet song written just for her during the ceremony.  Hello!  How romantic! This all took place at the {Oldest House} in St. Augustine with fab photographer {Scarlett Lillian} capturing it all.  More to come…

How did the two of you meet? Everyone always told me that I would meet “Mr. Right” in the moment and way I least expected. And that was exactly how it happened for Joe and I. I was attending a concert in my hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, and Joe was traveling with the band that was performing. We met, exchanged email addresses, and before we knew it, were diving head first in to a long-distance relationship. We dated for a year and a half before I relocated to Nashville. It was never how either of us thought we would meet our soulmate, but I suppose love really does find you in the places you least expect.
Describe the proposal: Joe completely surprised me by proposing at the exact spot where we met, surrounded by friends. It was absolutely perfect.
What attracted me to my husband was: His heart. The first thing I ever noticed about Joe was his genuine kindness towards others and his concern for other people. The first night we met, he treated complete strangers (not just this cute girl) with the same respect and kindness. In the years since then, that quality about him has not changed. He is the most giving, loyal, kind-hearted, genuine person I know.
Why do you love your husband? He balances me out and helps me to be a better version of myself. Not only does he challenge me in the serious areas of life, but he also helps me to not take life too seriously. He makes me laugh harder than anyone else can, and he is my best friend.
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: There were a lot of great times, but I think we will always remember the 6-hour drives/plane rides we would make during the first year and a half of our relationship. Having a long distance relationship was challenging to say the least, but those roads we traveled, literally and figuratively, remind us every time we drive them of how far we’ve come. It’s a sweet memory that although it was difficult not living in the same town, when you believe in love, anything is possible.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I flew to Florida for my first “wedding planning” trip, and squeezed in appointments at a few bridal shops in town. I really wanted my mom to go with me when I tried on dresses for the first time, although not really expecting to find a dress that weekend. Needless to say, the moment I put the dress on, I didn’t want to take it off. My mom & I looked at one another and said – “this is the one.” It was quite possibly the easiest part of the planning process!
How did you choose your wedding location/venue? Growing up just an hour away, St. Augustine has always been one of my favorite places. It only took one visit for Joe to love it as well. So when it came time to plan our wedding, we knew St. Augustine was the perfect town. We wanted our guests to fall in love with the city just as we had. It is, after all, the “Oldest City in America.” We would argue it is also one of the most enchanting. I had always dreamed of having an outdoor wedding & reception, and was beginning to think that having both in downtown St. Augustine would be impossible. We stumbled across the St. Augustine Historical Society and two of their venues fit our vision perfectly. The moment we walked in, we knew it was the spot we had been looking for. Our ceremony took place among the gardens of the Oldest House, along the cobblestone streets and just off of the Matanzas Bay. A few hundred feet away was the Llambias House, which was built in 1763. We had an outdoor reception under a canopy of trees, dancing the night away in the courtyard with lights twinkling above us. We shared the night with the people we cherish most, and it was as if we had our own private party in history’s back yard. Absolute perfection.

More to come from Amy + Joe!