“Becky and Mike’s wedding was full of classic details that made their antique travel and dusty rose inspired wedding a joy for my staff and I to photograph. I was so impressed with so many of Becky’s DIY projects that looked like they were done by a pro. Not to mention the amazing gossamer light of a gorgeous evening that made every image almost perfect right out of the camera. These two have a spark between them that shows in every to-die-for smile that Mike flashes Becky and in every sexy glance she shoots back. We were so honored to be part of their day!” – Kate Gardiner Photography
From the Bride
It was 11th grade when Mike and I first set eyes on one other. We were high school sweethearts. He used to watch for me coming down the hall in between classes. We had a mutual friend that helped set us up. Finally, 13 years later, and after Mike’s time in the Army, many deployments to the Middle East and a lot of distance, we got married! We love to travel! In fact, Mike proposed on the top of a mountain during a sunrise hike in Bali. I always thought I would have him figured out and predict when the proposal was coming but I truly wasn’t expecting it, which made it all the more perfect and so romantic.
When we started planning the wedding, we knew we wanted a location with character that felt intimate rather than a sprawling ballroom. We wanted a romantic, outdoor ceremony. Having visited St. Augustine several years before our engagement, we decided to revisit and check out some venues there. We fell in love with the town for our wedding. It’s historic charm, cobblestone streets and romantic ambiance won us over. The courtyard at the Oldest House is where we chose to do our ceremony. The house has a garden area enclosed by brick walls and features a huge old oak tree in the middle. It was such a beautiful location for our ceremony and emulated the vibe we wanted to capture. The garden needed very little decor; we wanted it to feel natural yet romantic so we exchanged vows underneath a vintage chandelier hanging from the oak tree. Following the ceremony guests were transported via the town trolley to The White Room, our reception venue. The building was constructed in the 1800s and features an intimate dining room with original expose brick walls. But it was the attached rooftop with breathtaking water views that sold us. I wanted vintage inspired decor in golds, pinks and peaches. We also wanted our love for travel to be reflected in the design. Our escort cards – one of many DIY projects – were luggage tags that I made by coffee-staining card stock paper and stamping with vintage, travel-inspired stamps. The cards were displayed in vintage suitcases and directed guests to their “destination” instead of a table number. The tables were named after places we have visited including Bali, Croatia, South Africa, Argentina, and more. During dinner we played a slide show of photos from Mike and I on our travels as well as photos from our childhood.
Other DIY projects included our “Mr. and Mrs.” chair décor, which I made from stamping vintage-inspired card stock and hanging ribbons and lace on either side. The moms helped me make the ceiling bunting flags from the same vintage inspired card stock paper. The ceiling centerpiece featured tissue paper poofs and doily balls, which were made from doilies handcrafted by my mother. It was a nice touch to have my mothers handmade pieces a part of our wedding. Our centerpieces included vintage gold dresser trays, brass vessels filled with beautiful flowers and brass candlesticks and light pink glass details. Each one was slightly different and enhanced the eclectic vintage vibe of the wedding.
I love cupcakes so I opted to forgo a cake and featured beautiful, vintage inspired cupcakes with lace, gold and pink wrappers and gold and pearl accents displayed on a shabby chic stand. Our dessert table also featured macaroons and white chocolate-dipped pretzel sticks from local St. Augustine shops. As a favorite of mine and an ode to the vintage inspiration, we also had rock candy… pink of course.
Guests received favor bags adorned with a vintage-inspired skeleton key bottle opener filled with old fashioned root beer and vintage-inspired candy. We also gave our guests mad libs, a custom door hanger and an activity book for the children. The rooftop was beautiful with several vintage lounge areas around the dance floor. The band kept the party alive and it was such a pretty setting to have the dance portion of our reception. We danced a choreographed waltz for our first dance.
My bridal fashions were vintage inspired to fit the theme. The gown! When searching for my wedding gown I wanted an ivory or champagne dress that complimented the vintage style and wasn’t bright white. It was the first dress I tried on – really. I fell in love with the elegant A-line, champagne color, beautiful, delicate beads and oh my…the scalloped edges and sweetheart neckline only added to its beauty. My jewelry was handcrafted from vintage jewels. For my bridesmaid’s dresses, I wanted something unique, something that had a romantic flow to it. I found a shop through Etsy that made the dresses and sourced vintage fabric and lace. Each one was a little different and had beautifully executed, perfect imperfections.
The meticulous planning was well worth it! Our wedding was everything I imagined and it reflected the personality of Mike and I. It was a perfect blend of intimate romance and personal, unexpected moments followed by an awesome party! – Becky, the bride
Event Credits
Photographer: Kate Gardiner Photography // Reception Venue: The White Room // Ceremony Venue: The Oldest House // Floral Design and ceremony rentals: The Conservatorie Floral & Event Design // Reception Rentals: Tufted Vintage Rentals // Brides Jewelry: Amore Treasure via Etsy // Bride Hair Piece: Made 4 You Boutique via Etsy // Garter: FairyGarter via Etsy // Shoes: Badgley Mischka // Bridesmaids’ and Flower Girl Dresses: Armoursans Anguish via Etsy // Wedding Dress: Brides By Demetrios // Veil: Vanya Bvlgari via Etsy // Makeup/Hair: Amanda Hopcraft // Cupcakes: Small Town Cake Shop // Invitations: Shabby Scrap via Etsy // Officiant: Deborah Montana // Dress Hangers: Passion And Love via Etsy // Grooms Attire: Mens Warehouse // Ceremony Violin: Wehner Weddings // Band: The Faze
