There is something about that combination of navy and hot pink. It’s classic, it’s preppy, and it just *pops*. Well my friends, these photos by Aaron Lockwood Photography definitely do the colors of pink and navy- and this wedding- justice! What’s more, the bride, Talah, has shared some great advice and wisdom with us, so you’ll definitely want to pay attention! :)
What (or who) helped you most in your planning process and/or on your wedding day?
I enjoyed taking on most of the wedding planning myself. I loved immersing myself in bridal magazines, reading the blogs, talking with recently married friends, and collecting great ideas on Pinterest which I then used to create my wedding “lookbook”. That said, I also had a great support system with very involved parents and a super supportive husband-to-be. My parents were my eyes and ears in St. Pete as I was planning my wedding from several states away; I sometimes joke that The Vinoy and our amazing coordinator there, Stephanie Petitta, became their home away from home throughout this process. My husband has the patience of a saint and somehow just knew when to offer up an honest opinion versus when to smile and nod, and tell me what I wanted to hear! He kept me sane! Additionally, we had an outside wedding coordinator who helped pull everything together, and made sure that the events of our wedding day were seamless.
What was the most important thing to you when deciding who to work with for your wedding?
First and foremost, I think you definitely need to meet with your potential vendors in person before making a decision. Recommendations are extremely important, but also, it’s essential to make sure that you connect with your vendors and that they understand your vision for your wedding day. For example, I had been talking with a recommended florist only to have them ultimately tell me that they weren’t going to be able to create the arrangements I had envisioned at my price point and that I should consider looking elsewhere. After the initial onset of panic, I was just so grateful that they were honest with me, and that we didn’t just settle. I set up a meeting with La Vie en Rose who had just recently been recommended by two friends, and within minutes of meeting Nga and Nicholas, I immediately felt comfortable with them, and trusted them to bring my vision to life. They just “got me”, and it was the most comforting feeling. This is the feeling you should have when talking with all of your vendors!
What was your inspiration for your wedding details and/or design?
McClain and I chose to have our reception at an historic landmark hotel, The Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club, near my hometown in Saint Petersburg, Florida. We wanted to respect the character and old world charm of the classic grand ballroom while making our wedding uniquely our own. We chose a color scheme of hot pink and navy blue with accents of gold to create a “preppy chic” look which was reflective of both of our styles. The floral arrangements, huge balls of hydrangeas and roses, created a clean and classic look with just the perfect pop of color. As I love everything-monogrammed, I asked a graphic designer friend to create a special wedding monogram for us made with our first initials. Our monogram became the design element which tied everything together- from all of our printed materials to the cake, drink stirs, candy bags and more, our monogram was present throughout.
What was your favorite thing about your wedding?
Oh my goodness, this is too hard! So I’ll have to give ya’ll my top five instead, okay? J
1) Walking down the aisle of the church to meet my best friend, my now-HUSBAND, is a moment I will never forget.
2) Sharing the best day of our lives with our family and friends, knowing how far so many of them traveled in order to be there with us, was just surreal and incredibly moving.
3) When my dad lifted me off of my feet and spun me around in the air during our father daughter dance
4) The moment we walked into the ballroom (while our guests were still having cocktail hour) and I saw for the first time that everything had come together just as I’d imagined it
5) ALL OF THE LITTLE DETAILS that made our wedding special to us- including the colorful paper pom poms decorating the trolley, my sweet hubby’s outfit change into his debonair dinner jacket, the framed wedding photos of our parents and grandparents scattered throughout the lounge area, and the McDonald’s cheeseburgers which served as the perfect nightcap
What is your best piece of advice for other brides?
On your wedding day, try to take some time with your husband to just step back, soak everything in and ENJOY IT! It will go by oh-so-quickly, almost as if you’re floating through the night, so you just want to relish every second of it! Oh and, make a cognizant effort to eat the amazing food you spent so long picking out! (I still have regrets about missing out on the latter!) Happy planning!
A huge thanks to Aaron Lockwood for capturing the amazing details, colors, and that very handsome bride and groom. And an equally big thank you to the lovely bride herself for sharing doing such a great job answering our questions!
Happy Friday, ELDers!
xo-Kristine
Vendors who made it all happen…
Latest posts by Kristine (see all)
- Hot Pink and Navy Georgia Wedding - December 7, 2012
- Yellow, Red, and Orange Mexico Destination Wedding - November 30, 2012
- Purple and Blue Jewel-Toned Florida Wedding - November 16, 2012
I love the pop of colors in the shoes! They’re so nice to see with the white dress. Nice touch with the personalized towels for the bridal party too!
I love the colors! It really takes on a regal look! Gorg!
Congratulations to a wonderful couple, Talah and McClaine. You both look amazing! Thank you for letting us be a part of your big day! It was a pleasure working with you. -Nicholas and Nga.