There aren’t many couples I’ve photographed that have made me feel like I’m part of their family on their wedding day, but this is without doubt one of them. I didn’t have the opportunity to meet this Erica + John until I arrived on their wedding day but that did not stop them from drawing me right in  From the moment I first arrived at their wedding location to waving farewell as they exited later that evening, I felt as though I were among my own friends and family.

Erica + John, what a joy and honor to capturing your wedding day! Thank you both for loving me in such a marking way; on a day that’s supposed to be all about YOU! The love and encouragement I experienced from you both and your families, will not be soon forgotten.

What was your inspiration for your wedding? What design themes or elements did you follow? I wanted everything to be simple and timeless.  I knew I wanted greenery for the florals, so I based everything off that. I love how clean white flowers look and I didn’t want to do anything too over the top because the venue had a lot of natural beauty.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress.  I was really nervous about finding my dress.  My mom and brother flew in for the weekend and I was hopeful we could find something during their trip.  It put us on a bit of a time crunch and I had no idea what kind of dress I wanted.  I also invited a good friend of mine, Jill, to come with us because it meant a lot to me to have her there.  Luckily, I walked out of A Bridal Boutique in less than 2 hours with a dress.  I think I only tried on 3 or 4 dresses before we knew we had found the one.  I wanted to make some changes to it and it needed some alterations.  A good friend of mine that I used to work with made the dress absolutely perfect.  She took out an illusion neckline, altered the length, and added a bustle for me.  By the time she was done, it was exactly what I wanted and more!  She made the dress even better than what I imagined.

Please tell us about your gorgeous flowers and the arrangements. The flowers were the center of my inspiration.  I loved the simpleness and elegance of greenery with white flowers.  I saw Aime’s work on a blog and contacted her immediately.  She sent me an inspiration board that was exactly what I envisioned and she made it come to life on our wedding day.  My favorite detail of the flowers was the arch we stood underneath for our ceremony.  It made everything come together.

What were two of your favorite moments from the day and why? Erica- Without a doubt, the ceremony was my favorite part.  My brother ordained the wedding and made it so personal.  His words were perfect and he included so many memories and stories that were heartfelt and touching.  I know how hard he worked to make it special for us, and I will never forget how happy his words made me during the ceremony.

       John- It was really nice to spend time with our family and friends.  We had a lot of people travel to spend the weekend with us and that meant a lot.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you?  Finding a venue was the hardest part of the planning process.  I did so many internet searches I can’t even remember how many places I scouted.  Since so many people were traveling to us, we thought Jacksonville would be easiest to get to.  From there, narrowed it down to a few places and when I saw the library’s courtyard I knew it was perfect.  I called John after touring the venue while he was at work and he was in as soon as he heard how excited I was.  I hadn’t gotten that feeling with any other venue.

What advice would you give to couples planning their day? Take some time to celebrate your engagement.  We took a couple months to enjoy being engaged before we jumped into wedding planning details. We don’t regret that decision!

Vendors:

DJ + Entertainment- DJS To Go

Invitation Suite- Wedding Paper Divas

Flowers- Aime Peterson

Cake/Desserts- Family Friend

Catering- Davoli Catering

Dress Designer / Dress shop- A Bridal Boutique, Gainesville FL

Suit designer / Suit shop- Vera Wang, Men’s Warehouse

Bride’s shoes- Antonio Melani

Photo / Film- Molliner Photography

Rentals- Aime Peterson

Venue (Ceremony + Reception)- Jacksonville Public Library Courtyard

Bridesmaid dresses- BHLDN

Hair/Makeup- Paulina Perez