Category: Destination

Sara and Troy’s romantic, rustic beach wedding vision came to life this last December thanks to the stunning views at Iberostar Rose Hall Beach Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Sara wasn’t really sure if a “romantic, rustic beach wedding” was a thing, but the wedding coordinators at the resort listened to what she wanted and worked their magic – and it turned out perfect! The couple and thirty of their friends and family celebrated on the warm and sunny beach with an oceanside ceremony and an outdoor reception overlooking the resort and the water. Sara says her favorite moment of the day was “standing up at the ‘altar’ saying our vows, digging my feet into the sand in front of family and friends.”

Sara and Troy met in 2010 through mutual friends while at a Super Bowl party. According to Sara, Troy kind of failed the first meet and greet due to a few too many drinks. They later became friends on Facebook and Troy asked Sara on another date, and they were inseperable after that! Five years later in September of 2015,  Troy proposed to Sara at their home. She happened to be wearing his favorite shirt that read “Love Me Like You Love Deer Season” and because Troy is a “total outdoorsman” he said the timing of him proposing and her wearing that shirt couldn’t be more meant to be.

Sara’s advice (and some great destination wedding advice!) for future brides is: “Don’t sweat the small stuff! I became obsessed with how everything was going to look for pictures (those memories last forever) but I wasted so much time exploring ideas instead of just going with my first plan/gut ! Make a decision and stick with it – don’t change plans! Destination weddings are tricky unless you visit the resort before you decide! It’s hard to imagine your vision if you’ve never seen the place. So that would be my advice – visit the resort first before deciding and planning! It’ll help 90% of your worries!”

Photographer – Stephanie Marie Photography

Dress – La Belle Vie

Shoes – Forever 21

Tux – Men’s Wearhouse

Flowers – H.O.F Decor

Venue, Catering, Cake, Music, Hair, Makeup, Event Planning –
Iberostar Rose Hall Beach Resort, Montego Bay, Jamaica

Rings – Kay’s

Stephanie and Justin celebrated their fall wedding in an intimate ceremony with thirty of their closest friends and family at Mountain Top Inn in Chittenden, Vermont. Stephanie’s favorite part of the wedding was her bouquet – her dad passed away 10 years prior to their wedding, and she wanted him to be part of their wedding day so she put pictures of him on a ribbon and tied it around her bouquet so he’d be holding her hand down the aisle (pictured below!) The couple kept the celebration going a month later with a bigger reception in Omaha at the SAC (Strategic Air Command and Aerospace) Museum where they were surrounded by giant airplanes. (A dream come true being an Air Force Vet myself!!)  They danced all night long, celebrating each other with 300 guests and had food provided by two different food trucks. 

Their backstory: Stephanie was grocery shopping when she ran into a friend who worked at the store. They chatted for a bit, then they went back to shopping. After a while her friend found her again and told her the chef (Justin) wanted to meet her, so they snuck over to the kitchen to check him out, but he was hiding in the back. Justin later got her number and arranged a date – it was a blind date for Stephanie – since he saw her in the store, he knew what she looked like, but since he was hiding in the kichen, Stephanie had no clue what he looked like! She must have liked what she saw, because three years later they traveled to western Nebraska for a weekend away, where Justin was teaching Stephanie how to fly a kite, and her kite kept falling to the ground. One of the times she went to pick it up, she turned around and there was Justin on one knee with a ring. The rest is history!

If Stephanie could change one thing about her wedding day, she would have invited less people to her reception. Her advice for future brides is, “Don’t worry and stress over the little details. It’s not necessary to invite every person you know. Keep it simple.”

You can see their engagement session here!

Photographer – Stephanie Marie Photography

Venue – Vermont: Mountain Top Inn, Omaha: SAC Museum

Dress – David’s Bridal

 Flowers – Vermont: n/a, Omaha: Janousek Florist & Greenhouse

Catering – Vermont: Mountain Top Inn, Omaha (food trucks): Johnny Ricco’s and Anthony Piccolo’s

Cake – Vermont: n/a, Omaha: Tasteful Indulgence

Music/DJ: Complete Music (Omaha)

Hair & Makeup: Michele Strom

Rings: Alletti

Katie and Brandon described their vision for their wedding day as simple and laid back yet elegant, and that is exactly the vibe they captured at Evergreen Lake House in Evergreen, Colorado. Their attention to detail was spot on with the location, with a navy, gold, blush and ivory color palette, beautiful floral arrangements and bridesmaid’s dresses, a stunning wedding dress designed by Pronovias, and even some fancy footwear for the boys! The ceremony was performed by the groom’s uncle, Roy, which made it even more special, and 85 guests traveled to Colorado to witness Katie and Brandon finally become Mr. and Mrs. Brinton!

A little backstory: Katie and Brandon met in high school and had their first date on October 4, 2003. They dated for six years before taking a four year break. Fate eventually brought them back together, and on October 4, 2015, Brandon popped the question next to Lake Laverne in Ames, Iowa – with their two dogs there to witness! You can see Katie and Brandon’s engagement session post here.

Katie and Brandon’s favorite moment from their wedding day: “The end of the night when, as husband and wife, we went back to our hotel suite, drew a bath, and sat and shared each of our incredible versions of the day. Everything about the day was perfect and wonderful, it was so seemless, and more than I ever dreamed. There was something extra special about being able to share it all, at the end of the day, with my best friend.”

Venue : Evergreen Lake House | Evergreen, Colorado

Officiant : Roy Tudor

Event Planner : Julie Lundy Event Design

Dress Designer : Pronovias

Dress Boutique : The Bridal Boutique | Des Moines, Iowa

Shoe Designer : Nina

Jewelry : Earrings – Kate Spade, Bracelet – family heirloom

Menswear : Morman Clothiers

Florals : The Olive and Poppy

Catering/Rentals : Biscuits & Berries

Cake/Cupcakes : Happy Cakes

Hair : Amy Cox (friend of the bride)

DJ : Elite DJ

Accommodations : Sheraton Denver West

I think the only thing I would have done different on my wedding day is to forego the tradition of my husband and I sleeping apart the night before.  Waking up and snuggling in the morning, like Jason and Mariah did, is so personal and memorable!  Enjoy Jason & Mariah’s intimate Park City, Utah elopement!

Hair: Hair Design by Ericka Dowsett
Makeup: T’Ann Payne: Makeup Artistry
Gown Gateway Bridal & Prom
Flowers The Potted Pansy