Our 2022 Stunning Brides

Our 2022 Stunning Brides

Josie & Kyle Velasco

 

The Proposal

 Kyle and I were in Amelia Island celebrating our three years together. We planned to watch the sunrise on the beach one morning. While we were walking, he stopped and noticed something in the sand and asked me what it said. I looked at it and it said “will you marry me?” With rose petals near the shoreline. My immediate thought is, “oh how cool. We are seeing someone’s proposal from earlier.” I turn back to Kyle and he’s on one knee reaching into his pocket. I asked, “oh my god are you joking???” And he said, “no, but you’re gonna be so mad at me….I grabbed the wrong box in the room. I don’t have the ring on me.” I laughed so hard because it’s honestly so on par for our relationship and I love a good story. He had to run back to the hotel room while I hung out with the photographer and then we redid the proposal. THEN the fancy steakhouse he planned to take me for dinner had a fire in their kitchen and canceled the reservations. We couldn’t get into anywhere else last minute so we had pizza and ice cream to celebrate getting engaged. The whole weekend was perfect in our own way and I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

 

How She Knew She Had Found Her Gown

I was having a Mia Thermopolis moment and felt like an actual princess.

Favorite Part of Wedding Planning

Picking the songs for all the entrances and dances. I loved curating a sound track for our day.

Highlight of Their Wedding Day

My husband's grandpa and my stepdad getting down on the dance floor.

Advice For 2023 Brides

Don’t stress the small stuff. Something will go wrong, but no one else knows that it wasn’t supposed to happen like that.

Venue: Shidler Farms, Williston, FL

Photographer: Tyler Gets Weird

 

 

 

Mekenzie & Travis Smith

The Proposal

We dated long distance from 2017 to 2019. I moved to FL to be with Travis. In July of 2020 he proposed at the beach on a family vacation.

How She Knew She Had Found Her Gown

I had tried on probably 10 gowns and only liked a few. I went back to the dressing room to get ready to leave and I saw a dress hanging at the end of the hallway. The consultant said that dress had just come off the truck minutes ago and I would be the first to try it on. As soon as I put it on I knew it was the one. I had a smile almost as huge as the dress (which wouldn't fit in the fitting room LOL!).

Favorite Part of Wedding Planning

Honestly going dress shopping was the least stressful part of wedding planning and it was so much fun!

Highlight of Their Wedding Day

Dancing with all my friends and family and seeing everyone crying as I walked down the aisle.

Advice For 2023 Brides

You do not need to spend thousands of dollars on things that nobody is even going to notice. The truth is there were so many little things that went wrong or didn't go as planned on the wedding day that I was so upset about but not a single person noticed or remembered.

Venue: The Barn At Bellemoor in Belleview FL

Photographer: Maudie Lucas Photography 

 

 

 

 

Alexa and Shane Sapp

 

How They Met

I have known him since I was 7 and always had a crush on him, then we reconnected when I was 17 and we have been together ever since.

 

How She Knew She Had Found Her Gown

I didn’t want to take it off and I felt confident!

 

Favorite Part of Wedding Planning

The venue and deciding and coordinating all of the decorations.

 

Highlight of Their Wedding Day

Our first touch where we shared our personal vows.

 

Advice For 2023 Brides

Enjoy every moment, including planning, because it’s over before you know it!

 

Additional Thoughts…

The sandals in St. Lucia is an absolutely amazing honeymoon spot!

 

Venue: ValleyView, Alachua FL

Photographer: HEC photography

 

 

 

 

Morgan and Jared Houberg

 

How They Met

We met in middle school, we were best friends through all of middle school and high school. After the first year of college where we had kinda distanced ourselves because of the people we were dating Jared and I reconnected. At this point I had moved to pursue my career in riding horses and I had figured Jared wouldn’t want to do long distance but I was happy to have him back in my life as a friend. After a few weeks of texting, after class Jared drove 5 hours to Lexington Ky, to surprise me! We have been together ever since!

 

How She Knew She Had Found Her Gown

It checked all my boxes but also had such unique elegant pieces that I hadn’t seen before on any other dress!

 

Favorite Part of Wedding Planning

For me it was definitely a lot of fun being able to choose what I wanted, whether it be hair, make up, the dress, etc. it was all up to me and my style!

 

Highlight of Their Wedding Day

Jared and I did a first look in a quiet space before the wedding where we read our vows to each other! It allowed us to show our true emotions and have one on one time!

 

Advice For 2023 Brides

Making lists throughout the whole process kept me organized and made me feel accomplished. It broke down the tasks into simple things so I never felt overwhelmed.

 

Additional Thoughts…

The biggest thing I would have to say is just stick to your style and what parts of the day are super important to you and don’t give in to other peer pressure!

 

Venue: The Manor House of Stone Crest Farm in Lexington KY

Photographer: Quinton Thomas Photography

 

 

 

 

Kyle & Caycee Fairbanks

 

The Proposal

We met on instagram. Somehow I (Caycee) began following him and one day he posted a George Strait song on his story, and I commented on it. A week later we had our first date, and been together ever since! He proposed to me Valentine’s Day of 2022! We had agreed to not get anything for each other for Valentines because the next week we were going on vacation and wanted to splurge a little there. We made an amazing dinner at home for our Valentines date and at the end of dinner he said, “Well I did get you something for Valentine’s Day”. He proceeded to pull something out of a closet and hide it behind his back until he got to where I was sitting, and then he dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him! Now here’s a little context, about 45 minutes prior to him proposing, I accidentally sliced my pointer finger very deep with a knife. Thankfully, it was my right hand and not my left but now we have a funny story of the night he proposed…I got a ring on one hand and a very serious injury/ scar on the other! Both I’ll have forever!

 

How She Knew She Had Found Her Gown

I had a pretty good idea of exactly what I want my dress to look like, and when I tried on the sixth dress at my bridal appointment, that dress was exactly what I had pictured in my head. I felt so beautiful and knew it was the one!

 

Favorite Part of Wedding Planning

Honestly, seeing all of the work and decisions you made come to light on the wedding day is the best part. You get to see all the hard work you put in with picking out the overall style and design of your dream wedding come to life. And it’s the best!

 

Highlight of Their Wedding Day 

There’s so many amazing ones, but something really special was that we did a last dance with just Kyle and myself in the room, and it was just so special taking in the last few moments of our wedding, together, and recapping the day!

 

Advice For 2023 Brides

Make a vision board with photos of your dream wedding to show your wedding planner! It really helps them get the vision! Another cool thing I did was give my cell phone to my brothers girlfriend to take candid photos and videos during the whole day/night! It was so fun the next day, going through and seeing everything. She had a lot of our friends and family make us short videos of well wishes and we will cherish those videos forever! Also, enjoy your wedding day and soak it all in, because it goes by so quick!

 

Additional Thoughts…

We had our dream wedding and a day later took off on our dream honeymoon to London, Mykonos, and Athens!

 

Venue: Protea Wedding & Events Ocala FL

Photographer: Hampton Photoworks with John Hampton

 

 

 

 

Brett and Kerrie Costine

 

How They Met

We both graduated from the University of Florida and met while taking classes together and mutual friends!

 

How She Knew She Had Found Her Gown

I am obsessed with pearls and I also dreamed of an A Line dress. Once I saw the pearl details and the sheer straps, I couldn’t take it off. Even on my wedding day, I was told by multiple people how perfect my dress describes me! I would wear it everyday if I could.

 

Favorite Part of Wedding Planning

I used a lot of friends as my vendors and I feel like it made it special to plan my wedding with such amazing friends that supported me.

 

Highlight of Their Wedding Day

Daddy/daughter first look and my first dance with my hubby!

 

Advice For 2023 Brides

The day goes by SO fast so make sure to take it all in. Remember the day is about you and your hubby so just have fun!!

 

Venue: Granville Plantation in Newberry FL

Photographer: Livie Faye Photography

 

 

 

 

Libby and Trevin Tharp

 

The Proposal

Met in Gainesville. Engaged in New Hampshire. Married in Switzerland.

 

How She Knew She Had Found Her Gown

I couldn’t stop smiling from the second I put it on

 

Highlight of Their Wedding Day

Reciting our personal vows to each other

 

Advice For 2023 Brides

Elope. It’s the best thing you will ever do!

 

Venue: Oeschinen Lake, Switzerland

Photographer: Austin Carlisle

 

 

 

 

More to come...