Typically when you hear “nautical wedding” you think of the usual- navy and white stripes and boats- but this gorgeously romantic wedding from Dairing Events is unlike any other I’ve seen. Inspired by their love for everything about the water and Florida, Whitney and Nicolai incorporated nautical details in unique ways that reflected them perfectly, and Brooke Images captured it all beautifully! Whitney is here with us today sharing more about her gorgeous day- I can’t wait for you to see it all!

What (or who) helped you most in your planning process and/or on your wedding day?

Two people were instrumental in creating my dream wedding, my sister Cassidy and my wedding planner Adair Currie. Cassidy was my day-to-day decision maker. She was able to help me see the “big picture” of my wedding when I struggled to see it myself. Adair took care of helping me with the big pieces for the wedding. Having a wedding planner saved me from making my family set up everything and take it down. Adair knew my vision and was able to carry it out without batting an eyelash.

What was the most important thing to you when deciding who to work with for your wedding?

When Nicolai and I were deciding on vendors, we met with them and tried to get to know them a little more personally. We went with the vendors that felt like friends and family. It worked out well because we really loved our vendors and many of them are beginning to feel like just that -family.

What was your inspiration for your wedding details and/or design?

Nicolai and I live our life on the water. We wanted something that was classy, clean, and nautical. Our venue was most important because we wanted to showcase the Florida aspects we love -the water, the oak trees, and the sun. After we picked out our venue I quickly picked out the bridesmaids dresses (Lilly Pulitzer) and our groomsmen suits (JCrew). Between the venue and the attire we narrowed down our ideal wedding design.

What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

It is so hard to choose a favorite! I LOVE my broach bouquet! At every wedding and bridal shower I had, the attendees brought a gold broach. It was so special because it made me feel like I had so much love and support going down the aisle with me. I also loved doing a first touch with my husband. I remember being so nervous; I kept pacing and crying but as soon as he touched me I became overwhelmed with the sense of love he has for me. In this moment, Nicolai said a prayer, held my hand, and told me how he couldn’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together. This was such a precious moment for me. I will never forget that moment.

What is your best piece of advice for other brides?

Make it personal. We tried to showcase little touches that really described our relationship. We used different species of Florida fish for our table numbers because we love to fish together. Unfortunately, our grandparents on both sides had passed away but what was so wonderful was that no one in our families have divorced. Instead of doing a memory table we did a Legacy of Love table that included photos from all of our grandparents and both sets of parents on their wedding days. Another thing we did to make it personal was picking out local craft beer to serve at the wedding. Both my husband and I enjoy the local Jacksonville breweries so we made sure to share our favorites with our guests.

I definitely love Whitney’s recommendations for making things personal! It’s my favorite thing about weddings- the fact that details can truly tell the story of your relationship if you let them! I think my favorite detail from this wedding might be the oars at the ceremony… although the fish as table names comes in a close second!

So how about you- what details are you incorporating that are personal to you and your future spouse? I’d love to hear!

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Vendors who made it all happen…