Over the summer, we were so very honored and excited to finally produce an event that only held us spellbound creatively, but also emotionally.  Ashaki and Embry became more than just great clients over the course of our planning, but great friends (I miss them so! Thank heavens for Facebook!). The two were married at the beautiful historic Crane Cottage at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel for an outdoor wedding and reception.  In addition to the great details that kept us sketching, bustling and literally enthralled, we had the opportunity to work with some of the best vendors like the phenomenal Agnes Lopez and Gay Whatley, as well as the outstanding band from Atlanta,  Excite and local favorite, Tommy Tucker of Dance Jammers who provided the tunes for the after party (which was a tribute to the great, late Michael Jackson and some how had a remix of Hava Nagila.  I will never question the depth of Tommy’s music library, every again.  Ever.)  Our team was also fortunate to work with the ever so talented Christina Grimsley of In Motion Video Productions.

Christina provided us with the video that now is on the gallery of the FABULUXE website, but I wanted to take a moment and share it here so that you can see her work.  I cried during the wedding and I cried again when I viewed her awesome production of the video. It was like being there all over again—I know if I  felt like that, Christina’s clients must feel the same way, and that is an awesome way to feel. I can’t say enough fabulous things about her so if you are in need of a great videographer, look her up!

Introducing…

One of the biggest questions couples face today is whether or not to see each other prior to the ceremony.  I, as a die-hard romantic, felt like there was something magical about the groom’s face as he sees his bride ascend up the aisle for the first time.  That being said, I understood my brides’ concerns and desires to not see their grooms before walking up the aisle. 

Then there was Caryn—gorgeous, smart, and dare I say it, practical.  Caryn decided she would  see her groom prior to the ceremony.  As we built the timeline for them to secretly meet at Jekyll Island’s historic Villa Mariana, I crossed my fingers that the we could keep it private, intimate and magical.  Since Caryn and Jonathan’s wedding was at the Jekyll Island Club’s Crane Cottage, the Spanish Colonial, Villa Mariana was the perfect getaway that was close by.  Caryn described it as one of the most beautiful moments of her life.  She walked up behind Jonathan, put her hand on his shoulder and he emotionally turned around, visually took her in and swept her into a long embrace. 

It doesn’t get much better than that.

And the pictures prove it:

These moments, captured by the illustrious Scarlett Lillian just go to show that the same intimacy and magic you wish to capture at that moment going up the aisle, can still be present at a first meet.  Can’t you sense the anticipation and tingling in your toes when you see Jonathan’s back to Caryn?  You can almost feel his heart racing and see his unrelenting smile as the seconds tick away until that slight touch on his shoulder.  Imagine how he felt at that moment—not having to share Caryn’s beauty, that moment, that love—with anyone else.  It was theirs, and theirs alone.  Time had stopped.  (well, for them. The wedding planner was hard at work )  Linens didn’t matter, the bar tab didn’t matter.  What mattered was that the most important person in their lives were together.  And in love.  Not only does it save you a lot of time during your cocktail hour, but it also gives you private moments that you may not have again until the end of the evening.

Still not convinced?  Check out what event engineer Saundra Hadley has to say, as well as photographer Jennifer Stone’s thoughts.  Either way, it is your moment…whether you spend it at a “first moment” or going up the aisle.  I know you’ll make it fabulous.

PS—The ceremony for Caryn and Jonathan was just as emotional.  I bawled the whole time. I know….Crybaby Wedding Planner. But I’m still awesome.

If you are having your wedding on either St. Simons Island or Jekyll Island, you now have a new place to get pampered before the big day.  Even if  you’re just in the area, it is a good excuse to take care of you.  The King and Prince now has The Royal Treatment Cottage which is described as:

…an historic beach cottage on the Resort grounds just steps from the sands and sea breezes of the Atlantic. Here an intimate seaside retreat has been created where the utmost attention is given to experiences that soothe and treatments that rejuvenate.

The front porch with its comfy chaises invite you into the calming atmosphere inside where the casual warmth and refreshing decor of a quaint beach cottage are right at home with its indulgent and therapeutic elements. A fireside relaxation lounge, changing cabanas and quiet treatment rooms all ensure a tranquil experience.

 

While at The Royal Treatment Cottage for their treatments, guests enjoy the use of robes, sandals and totes for personal belongings. Complimentary bottled water is provided with juices and teas available.  Check out the list of services and reserve your spot now! 

Fourth of July always has a sentimental meaning for me.  It’s the day I had my first date with my husband and it was my original due date for my daughter.  This year, it has a new meaning, as I had the opportunity to spend and share it with Allison and Chuck, who were married on St. Simons Island.  This wedding was so much fun, and even though the growing crowds on the island had the entire vendor team on pins and needles, the wedding went off flawlessly!  Having worked with Allison and her mom all those months was such a joy.  When I finally saw Allison moments before she walked down the aisle, we both broke into the tears and hugged repeatedly.  I still laugh when I think about it; I hear her mother say “Alright, girls. Cut it out”. 

To celebrate Chuck’s Scottish heritage, Allison surprised him by having the fabulous bagpiper Jim Sloan perform for the ceremony.  The adorable ringbearer was a doll—he followed (very seriously, I might add) behind the flower girl and tiptoed around her dropped petals, stating he “didn’t want to step on her pretty flowers”…

Allison’s mother was fabulous—she was so creative by making the centerpieces and so many other elements of the wedding.  They coordinated perfectly with the silk and lamour linens in the beach inspired colors of sand, french blue and ivory.  The elevated sweetheart table was draped in both taupe silk and caviar pearl beaded chiffon, which complemented the floating candle and starfish centerpieces.  The casual beach vibe strewn with gerbera daisies and roses was pulled together with the ladies and gents in their wedding attire and flip flops and starfish and sand in the decor—all beside an oceanside setting.  There were so many sweet details:  female guests received beach cookie cutters, while the gentleman received custom golf balls. All guests were treated to guest baskets with items inspired or about St. Simons Island. 

One thing I loved about the wedding is the laughter.  There were so many great people, reunions and fun moments at the wedding.  Allison and Chuck had a “Second First Dance” song:  Adam Sandler’s “Grow Old With You” (hence the huge laugh on Allison’s face above).  The boots in the earlier picture were from Allison’s dance with her dad—they started out to “Isn’t She Lovely”, which then turned into a rousing rendition of “Cotton Eyed Joe”!

I had  such a great time helping to bring together Allison and Chuck’s event vision and working with Allison and her mom.  Now I have another reason to love July 4th.

Special thanks to Spencer and Anna Clark for the photos.

As many of you know, I absolutely love where I live and work.  Surrounded by gorgeous islands and beaches, and so many other awesome parts of nature and history, it is a wonderful place to live.  I keep up with the happenings of all local wedding and event professionals with blogs and social networking.  The Jekyll Island Authority had a brilliant campaign on Twitter: a picture would be posted, and if you recognized where it was on the island, you would win a guest blogger spot on the official www.jekyllisland.com blog.  Having met so many beautiful couples and planned so many gorgeous destination weddings here, it was so nice to let everyone know why I love this area so much.  Check out our guest blog post on the Jekyll Island blog!

Do you have a favorite Southern cocktail of your own?  Tell us about it!