Southern Weddings

Megan + Jeremy met on a cruise six years before they said “I do” in Miami, so their nautical wedding was not only a nod to their beachside residence, but to the week they fell in love. Their plan to keep things feeling like “summer fun by the sea” was made possible by tackling wedding planning tasks together and making the day a representation of their personality as a couple. We love how much M + J took their theme to heart — all of these photos by Captured Photography put a smile on my face!

I need both of these shoes for me and my future hubs! I love seeing grooms and groomsmen have fun with their wedding day attire, too, and these are adorable for a nautical wedding.

My bouquet was a mix of red peonies, red roses and a few blackout lilies wrapped in white ribbon. The bridal party had a mix of red roses, red orchids and other red filler flowers wrapped in red and navy ribbon. The reception tables were decorated with galvanized French buckets in two different sizes and they were filled with red roses, peonies and orchids.

When it came to my wedding dress, I knew that I was looking for something from Allure Bridal, but I had no clue what would look good on me. I focused on stores with their dresses and I went to the first shop with my dad. I almost picked the second dress I tried on, but I convinced myself to try a few more. I was so happy I waited! A picture of the dress I really wanted had been saved on my desktop for almost three months, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. Finally, at the last boutique I went to, Leggenda Bridal, I found what I was looking for. I gave the consultant my few printed pictures, with my favorite hiding in the back because I honestly didn’t think they would have it. I almost screamed when that was one of the two they had in stock. When I put it on, it was more beautiful than I could have imagined! It was a strapless ball gown with ruching throughout the asymmetrical bodice. Then at the hips it flowed into a caught-up skirt adorned with organza flowers and feathers.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? Yes, after a few months of convincing, we agreed to do a first look. Jeremy really did not want to see me before the ceremony, but because the wedding was on a Friday night, it didn’t really allow us much time to take pictures. Luckily, we ended up doing a first look because we were able to shoot at a gorgeous site, because it rained so hard before, during and after our ceremony that you couldn’t see the other side of the street, and because it allowed us to be alone, relax and be natural with each other.

Oh, y’all. How beautiful is St. Patrick Church in Miami? The ceremony was Megan’s most memorable moment of the big day. “Our priest preformed such a beautiful ceremony and he made us feel as if we were the only ones in the church. The organ sounded perfect and the lighting was impeccable, but it is the loving and kind spiritual words that our priest spoke that I will never forget.”

Jeremy and I went for a very casual, vintage nautical theme. South Florida was perfect for this! We used local starfish and some vintage buoys to decorate the tables. For our sign-in table, we had two oars that each of our guests signed and our seating chart was a large fish net with place cards pinned throughout. We also kept our food very typical of the area, serving some seafood and some Spanish food. Our goal was to keep everything very South Florida and “summer fun by the sea!”

Describe your wedding cake or dessert: Our wedding cake was amazing! It fit into our nautical theme perfectly. It was four tiers covered with solid navy blue fondant. Artistically placed over each tier was a large white anchor, and crowning the top was a beautiful white sugar flower. On the inside, we chose to have alternating layers of red velvet and coconut flavors. It was delicious! We also had a groom’s cake. It was Miami Marlins-themed with a large logo on the top. It was a single layer of coconut cake and written below it, “Your love is my home run! I love you husband!!”

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. It was 6 years from the day we married that the two of us met on a cruise to Bermuda. We were both traveling with our families and celebrating our summer break. It was more than halfway through the cruise that we crossed paths at a local pub on the island. Jeremy was trying to watch the Miami Heat playoff game and I was nagging him to come and hangout with a group of other travelers at the bar. After a little convincing, he gave in. We hit it off that night and were inseparable until the boat docked. When we disembarked, neither one of us was sure if we would ever see each other again. I was from Saint Louis, MO and he was from North Miami Beach, FL. Not only did we have distance between us, both of us were off to college. Over the next four years, we dated on and off, always turning to each other in tough times. We would fly here or there just to spend a day or two together. Eventually, long distance just wasn’t what we wanted anymore. So I packed up my apartment and moved down to sunny South Florida. I arrived to loving arms and we have been by each other’s side ever since.
Describe the proposal. I was in my room getting ready for a night out and I hear Jeremy yelling for me from the other room. I quickly finish up and head toward our living room. As I walk in, I see him kneeling among the most adorable site I’ve ever seen. He had dressed our two dogs as a bride and groom, each with a sign around their neck. One had the words, “Will you” and the other had “Marry me?” I couldn’t have held back the tears if I had tried.
In what month did you get married? June
How many guests attended your wedding? 125
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? From the Old Testament, “The women who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Proverbs 31: 10-13, 19-20, 30-31) and from the New Testament, “God is love” (1 John 4: 7-12).
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. Our first dance song was by Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years.”
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: We had a small boat made to hold all the beer for the wedding. I was constructed by Unique Designs by the Prevals. It was built with a vintage style and painted in white wash, navy blue and red. We absolutely loved it!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The biggest challenge was trying not to worry so much. Racking your brain and obsessing over too many details makes planning more painful than fun. I love details, but you need to separate the controllable ones such as colors and favors, from the uncontrollable ones, like how will the tables look, if they will they be set up correctly or if the food will taste good.
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? Photography was one of the most important things to the both of us. In the end, all you have are your pictures, and we were not about to sacrifice that for anything. Jeremy and I were undeniably grateful to have such a brilliant photographer to share our day with us. Jenny and her assistant Shelly captured every moment of our day without missing one smile, tear, detail or dance move! The pictures that Jenny gave us are priceless.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? The best advice I have is to tackle it together. There is nothing worse than having to take on this huge task one-sided. Delegate tasks, even if they are small or tedious. Also, have fun with it. Pick things you and your partner like, not what you think your guests will like. This day is about you! They are just along for the ride.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Jeremy and I are taking some time to travel and spend time with our families. Then we are both looking forward to expanding our family!

Written with love by Nicole