White and Gold wedding at Treasury on the Plaza In St. Augustine Florida
There are just some clients that come into your lives, and you know that you are destined to be- be connected, be great friends, be a part of their lives…Just BE. Nicole and I were that way, from the moment we first chatted, to the moment she walked down the aisle {I confess I balled like a baby}. Part of the crazy thing about being involved in a couples wedding, is that you really get to know THEM. The ins and outs of their relationship, the insight into their plans, all of it. For Nicole and I, I think we chatted every day about the wedding..and workouts, and outfits, and wine, and and everything in between. When her and Clifton married, I felt like one of my dearest friends was tying the knot! One of the things that make this job so unbelievably awesome!
Nicole and Clifton had a stunning wedding at Treasury on the Plaza in downtown St. Augustine, everything that Nicole and Clifton had dreamed it would be! From the STUNNING decor, to the awesome MUSIC {Rivertown is the bestest} and one hell of a venue, this day was pretty much perfect from beginning to end. Stunning, shining and completely over the top…much like the bride who planned it all with her awesome Coordinator, Katy Hurtig of Coastal Coordinating. I am often asked by clients {and friends} what my favorite part of any wedding day is, and while I love watching my clients pledge their lives to each other, I wont lie…I love the shoes, and I love the cake! Luckily for me, Nicole and Clifton did not disappoint me here either! Nicoles shoes are probably the most beautiful pair I have ever seen – if you are getting married and looking for shoes, check out Rene Caovilla shoes…you will think you have gone to heaven!
Nicole and Clifton, Thank you for allowing me to be part of your day, and tell your love story. I won’t lie, marriage is a lot of work…tougher than the toughest day of your engagement. But, the journey is worth it! I hope the two of you know nothing but love and support, and always remember the way you felt during your last dance…just the two of you, surrounded by love and happiness! I love you both to the moon and back! Congratulations!!
Their Fabulous Team of Vendors:
Ceremony – Grace United Methodist Church Reception – Treasury on the plaza
Bridal Gown – Monique Lhuillier
Makeup – Stephanie Bolen Hair- Kenzie
Flower and Decor – Anything with Plants and Flowers Invitations – The Write Touch
Reception Music – The Rivertown Band Coordination – Coastal Coordinating
Catering – Executive Food Service Cake Designer – Not Too Shabby Bakery
How did you two meet?
We actually met at our friends wedding in Savannah, Georgia! Cliche, I know… but how cute??! Right?! lol We were both in the wedding party, so we officially met after the rehearsal dinner when we all went out to celebrate pre-wedding at Savannah Smiles! He saw me at the bar and asked me what my name was and if I wanted a drink. The next day we danced the night away (sometimes when we were the only ones on the dance floor) and I knew that he had to be my person from that point forward.
How did he pop the question?
We went out to a really yummy dinner at Medure in Ponte Vedra, and during dinner he mentioned maybe going for a walk on the beach afterwards. I didnt think anything of it, because this was kind of normal for us since moving closer to the beach. I will save all the mushy gushy details for our memories, but in short, after a very quick walk on the beach, he got down on one knee and proposed! I think I about fainted! 4 years later, my dreams finally came true!
How did you choose your theme? Flowers? and overall wedding design?
I think I had a secret pinterest wedding board since the day after I met Clifton (which he happened to find up on my computer one day… talk about embarassing!). So needless to say I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted from a longggg time prior to his proposal! I wanted classic and elegant, so ivory and gold it was! We ended up adding in hints of pink with the lighting choices at The Treasury, which I think was a nice touch. I also knew I wanted floral arrangements that said WOW, so we decided on a few different arrangements to mix things up a little since we had a lot of tables.
What was the best moment{s} of your wedding day?
This is incredibly hard to decide! Best moments… hmmm… ALL OF IT!!!! Saying “I Do” and hearing the pastor announce us as Mr. and Mrs. Williams was probably the BEST moment of all, but getting ready with my closest girlfriends, our first dances, and being with all of the people we love and care about having the time of our lives with the most INCREDIBLE band were probably all close seconds!
How would you describe your overall wedding experienece?
Overall wedding experience was MAGICAL. It truly was a dream come true. I dont have many other words for it.
What photography related advice would you offer to a couple?
I was seriously recommend you taking your engagement pictures with your wedding photographer! Getting to know Kelly beforehand was so much fun, and so great because we felt so comfortable with her on the day of. We knew her style, and her fun personality and felt comfortable leaving the day in her hands.
Tell me about your dress. Where did you find it, how did you choose it, how did you know it was the one?
Ohhhhh my dress. My pretty little Monique!! The designer of my dress was Monique Lhuillier. I found it at Chic Parisien in Miami, Florida. I found her (my dress lol) at the first shop I went to, where I also tried on about 20 other dresses. I promised myself I wouldn’t be impulsive and buy a dress at the first store so I went to about 4 other stores, tried on probably 20-30 others, and kept thinking about this one. I went back to Chic the following weekend and tried the dress on again. While I was there I found another dress that I also loved, but there were some things I wanted to change, and with Monique, it was perfect the way it was. I did decide to add a sparkly belt to it, designed by Erin Cole, and it added the perfect amount of glitz and glam to the super classic and timeless gown I chose. And OF COURSE I have to find my Cinderella shoes I’d always wanted to complete my Monique! Rene Caovilla has the most gorgeous, jaw dropping shoes, that I’ve had my eyes on since I was a little girl and I knew that I’d feel like a princess in these gems! These shoes were EVERYTHING; a little white to keep it traditional, gold crystals to tie in my ivory and gold theme AND crystal dust lacquered on the bottom of the shoe to finish it off! In my honest opinion… Monique, Rene and Erin Cole were the most magical trio of them all!
How was your experience taking photos/working with me on your wedding day?
It was just HORRIBLE! HAH. JUST KIDDING! Working with you was absolutely FANTASTIC. It was PUREfect! See what I did there? Wouldn’t have it any other way.
Did you see each other before the wedding? If not, did you like waiting or would you have rather done it differently? Tell me why or why not!
No, we didn’t see each other before the wedding. We already live together, and have a puppy son, so we decided we wanted to keep some things traditional. Looking back, we’ve both decided we wouldn’t change this, but it would have been nice to get some pictures done prior to the ceremony so we could enjoy cocktail hour.
Any tips on how to prepare for the wedding photos?
Just know how you are most comfortable smiling, what side you like to be on most, and let the photographer know this! Make sure your photographer also knows what type of pictures you like and want! Save picture ideas on a pinterest board and share it with your photographer!
What were you most anxious, nervous or fearful about regarding your wedding day and what was the outcome?
This is going to sound so silly, but truth be told, I was TERRIFIED of tripping and falling walking down the aisle. I am super clumsy! Luckily, I didnt even come close to that happening! Bullet dodged!
Any tips on what to bring?
I made a list of everything I needed about a week prior to the wedding, so as I packed everything I went down the list to make sure I didnt forget anything I needed. I brought my handheld steamer, which turned out to be gold the day of the wedding. Other than that, just the normal essentials. Your planner (if you have one) usually has an emergency kit as well, and if you choose Kelly as your photographer, this lady ALWAYS comes prepared!
What do you want to always remember from your wedding day?
I always want to remember the overwhelming love I felt when the doors of the church opened and I saw Clifton’s face and the feeling of having all of my dreams come true. I always want to remember the joy we felt during our first and last dance, and I always want to remember the smiles on everyones faces as they danced the night away!
“IF I only I knew!” what is one piece of advise you would give to brides planning their wedding day?
It’s not a “if i only knew”, because I did know this, and Kelly kept reminding me of this during the planning process… but its more of a reminder to all the brides out there… You and your groom getting married is the only thing that truly matters. You tend surround yourself with all the little details that no one is going to notice, and if it starts to drive you crazy, just drop it! In the end, saying your “I Do’s” is the most important part of the night! But I understand, and trust me, I get it! You want everything to be PERFECT. Just promise me, you don’t spend an hour and a half picking linens…. Guilty as charged. “/
What kind of food was served at your reception?
Surf and Turf was the main entree at our reception. Yummmyyyyy in our tummy!!! Thank you Executive Food Services for the delicious meal!
What was the first song you danced to as husband and wife? Father-daughter dance? Mother-son dance?
Our first dance as husband and wife was to From the Ground Up – Dan and Shay. My father-daugher dance was to My Little Girl – Tim McGraw and his mother-son dance was to You are the Sunshine of My Life – Stevie Wonder
And where are you going on your honeymoon?
Our honeymoon was in Hawaii! It was INCREDIBLE. 5 nights on Maui, and 5 nights on the Big Island. Need I say more?! Aloha!!!!
i missed the wedding because my flight was cancelled due to the hurricane. However, after viewing this presentation I feel (almost!) like I was there.
thank you for this lovely glimpse into nicole and clifton’s day.
phyllis (big mama!)