Brides & Weddings Magazine
Captured & submitted by Our Day Wedding Photography
Kaity and Josh wanted something spectacular, and they sure got it! Read all about their fairytale wedding that blew everyone away!
Q1: Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day? Did you have a specific theme, style or color palette? Did you incorporate any cultural or religious traditions in any part of your day?
Our Wedding was November 23rd, 2020 at the Treasury on the Plaza in Saint Augustine, FL. Fairytales were the inspiration behind our wedding day with subtle hints of the fairytale “Beauty and the Beast” which is my favorite love story. The style of our wedding was very elegant, classy, whimsical, shown through the warmth of candles/votives, lanterns filled with flowers, greenery, fairy lights, and deep shades of burgundy, gold, and navy. My husband and I are the people we are today because of what God has done in our lives to take us out of toxic situations and find one another. Our belief in christianity was a big part of our wedding with a unity glass part of our ceremony that represented God and the both of us being bonded together forever. Traditional parts of our ceremony were included including the blessing from both sets of parents, scripture from 1st corinthians, traditional vows, our own personal vows, and a dear friend of mine, pastor, RN, doctor, educator, and confidante who helped me in my darkest time officiate our wedding.
Q2: Let’s talk wedding decor. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?
For our ceremony, the aisle was decorated in LED candles in clear cylinders and satin rose petals of gold and burgundy I purchased on Etsy. At the end of the aisle, the treasury’s vault was closed to represent the sealed bond we share. Two floral arrangements on clear acrylic pedestals were on either side of the aisle in shades of burgundy/peach colored roses, blueberries, eucalyptus, and tree fern for our fairytale theme.
The Foyer was also decorated with hints of beauty and the beast decorations, a floral arrangement in our colors in the center table with a mirror sign directing to our guestbook, and a rose covered by a glass cylinder ornament. The foyer also had a welcome sign for the Perry’s wedding covered in flowers of our colors with greenery draped over the sign, a dedication to my grandparents and Aunt who have passed and were missed on our wedding day, pictures of my husband and I from our engagement party, and clear acrylic signs directing our guests to complimentary hand sanitizer and masks to safely protect everyone at our event from COVID-19.
Our reception was beautifully laid out in round tables, chiavari chairs, burgundy linens, ivory napkins, and decorated with faux ivory and navy rose petals around the center of the table. The centerpieces were designed by myself with beautiful ivory and gold lanterns filled with fairy lights and faux flowers with burgundy, red, navy, and greenery inside each lantern. We sat at a classy acrylic sweetheart table, with acrylic stands on either side of the table with our beautiful floral arrangements that were used during the ceremony, and on our sweetheart table was gold lettering that spelled out Mr. and Mrs Perry, eucalyptus navy and burgundy flower garland draped over top of a sequin gold runner, burgundy embellished champagne glasses and a beautiful ivory and gold throne love seat fit for a king and queen at their fairytale wedding. Our dessert table featured a beautiful top tier gold and ivory design, with red sugar roses on top followed with our cake topper (“you’re my favorite”) and varying flavors of cupcakes below including (raspberry/chocolate, chocolate fudge, lemon, carrot cake, and red velvet). On our dessert table was also a grooms cake with glass shards forming a fire and a sword sticking out of it for my knight and shining armor to save his princess.
Q3: What were the florals like in your wedding? Did you use flowers in any of your design elements like the bridal bouquets, centerpieces or ceremony backdrop? Did they play an important part in the overall style of your wedding?
The florals for my wedding had an overall earthy, whimsical, and fairytale vibe to them. Florals included burgundy roses, seeded eucalyptus, spiral eucalyptus, dark red caspia, thistle, dark blue berries, tree fern, ivory roses, and leonitas roses. The flower arrangements used during our ceremony were then moved to our sweetheart table and adorned on either side of our throne love seat. The flowers played a huge part of the overall style of our wedding representing our whimsical fairytale. The feel of our florals was included in the bridesmaids lanterns and centerpieces as well.
Q4: Did you personalize the day in any way (food trucks, guest entertainment..etc)? What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?
Our ceremony was personalized with a special unity glass ceremony and our own personal written vows. In terms of our reception my husband and I had practiced special dance moves for our first dance, my father and I had choreographed our father and daughter dance, we had a special song dedicated in the memory of my grandparents an anniversary dance celebrating guests at our wedding who have been married for many years. Lastly, we rode away in a cinderella horse and carriage symbolizing our fairytale wedding.
Q5: Let’s talk fashion. How did you choose your wedding day look? How did the groom? Describe both looks in detail.
I chose my wedding look based on our theme. I knew I wanted a gown that looked like it was fit for a princess but also had a style that was flattering to my body shape. My gown was ivory in color, was made of organza with flowing multi layered tiers for the ball gown, a sweetheart neckline, and bodice made of an intricate design of lace flowers and beading that was fitted to the end of my hips. I made an alteration to my dress with a lower cut in the back for a more sensual feel. For my hair, I wanted a soft look/half up half down with soft curls and the top of my head was crowned with a crystal tiara. My makeup was fairly natural with a hint of a smoky eyes and burgundy lips. For my jewelry, I chose a more simpler look due to the complexity of my gown. I went for a single drop pearl and crystal necklace and crystal and pearl stud earrings. On my hands, I wore my engagement ring and my late grandmothers diamond and gold engagement ring on my right hand. For my shoes, I wanted my favorite color so I chose Badgley Mischka closed toed red crystal embellished shoes for a pop to my look. My husbands favorite color is blue so he picked a royal blue suit and to distinguish himself from the groomsmen we both picked a burgundy bow tie. His undershirt was an ivory color to match the color of my dress with ivory and gold buttons and to finish the look with black dress shoes. My husbands boutonnière was made of a dark red rose, thistle, burgundy caspia and tree fern.
Q6: How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal.
I met my husband Josh randomly at his place of work, at an AT&T store in Palm Coast FL. I was a customer walking into the store after finishing a running race and was inquiring about the status/delivery of my apple watch. Josh came up to me right away and helped me as I rambled in conversation. After finding out when my apple watch would come in, Josh gave me his card with his number stating if I needed help with my account to reach out to him. I texted him later that day to see if he was trying to be a helpful sales rep or if he was actually interested in me and he told me he was interested and asked me out for dinner.
In terms of the proposal, I had been hinting and bugging Josh about when he was going to propose for awhile. I had already picked out my engagement ring and was now just waiting for the time he would ask me. In conversation one day, Josh asked me if for his birthday we could go out to Harry’s Seafood Bar and Grill in Saint Augustine which was August 14th. I became suspicious when he asked to go out to eat at the location of our first date on his birthday. I agreed, but a couple of days after that realized I wouldn’t be able to do that because I was working late that night at my second job as a lifeguard. As soon as I told him I couldn’t, I noticed his face of disappointment so I was sure he was planning to propose, but then figured he would wait until the weekend came. After I got home from my lifeguarding in service in my wet bathing suit, I gave Josh his birthday card and Josh said he had a card he forgot to give me for our dating anniversary which was two days prior, so I still didn’t suspect anything. I opened the card at home in our kitchen and it said, “to my future wifey…. and inside for lifey” with a special note reassuring me of his feelings and that he wants to marry me. I still didn’t understand thinking he was just being sweet and when I turned around I saw him down on one knee with an opened ring box. He didn’t say anything at first and then I said are you going to say anything and he said, “Will you marry me?” and then I said yes!
Q7: What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
The most anticipated and special moment of the day was waiting to see my husband at the other end of the aisle has he first looked at me, his bride. Seeing the look on his face was everything I had envisioned on our wedding day. I really looked forward to the whole ceremony and hearing his personal vows to me.
Q8: Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?
In terms of wedding planning advice, I advise anyone planning their wedding to choose a very established, organized wedding planner to help you with all of the small details and timeline of your big day. There are many things the day of the wedding that you won’t remember and you as the bride will be so overwhelmed that you need a coordinator that will communicate effectively and professionally to all vendors day of, make sure you and vendors are on time, as well as implement all the details discussed on your day. Make sure you look at reviews and talk to other vendors regarding a coordinator of your choosing before you book them to make sure that planner has pulled off successful weddings with minimal issues. In terms of marriage advice, try to take time where you and your husband just enjoy the small moments, take a minute to get away, discuss the day, your feelings, talk, hug and kiss one another, and make sure you try to eat if you can. Nerves kick in and its hard to eat, but try to eat and hydrate throughout the day. Enjoy the intimate moments with your husband and interactions with your guests because it is only one day and will only last a few hours.
Vendor List:
Tuxedo & Men’s Attire- Men’s Wearhouse
Bridal Shoes- Badgley Mischka- satin embellished red pumps
Ring Designer- Kays Jewelers and Shygems.com
DJ- Partystarters Tampa
Dress Shop- Demetrios Bridal and David’s Bridal
Caterer- Gypsycab
Make up Artist/Hair Designer- The Glam Studio- Diana Costa
Floral Designer- Flowers by Shirley
Event Venue- Treasury on the Plaza, Saint Augustine FL
Officiant- Dr. Zenesha Barkley
Photography- Our Day Wedding Photography
Videography- James Schuler Photography & Videography
Cake- Sweet City Cupcakes
Rentals- Andy’s Taylor Rentals, St Johns Illumination, Simply Elegant Wedding and Party Rentals in Jacksonville FL
Transportation- Country Carriages
