A rustic, relaxed, outdoor venue was this couple's goal, and the result: an The Ancient Spanish Monastery wedding with birdcages, succulents, yellow and grey. What caught our attention first, though, are the things we love most about the gorgeousness of Todd Good Photography 's work - all the emotions and stolen moments captured so poignantly, and the epic sweeping portrait views. Perfection!
Stephanie and Andy were high school sweethearts, having been introduced to each other by Stephanie's friend and Andy's sister, Amy. I love the way the bride described the way in which they met and grew up together: "In my junior year of high school, a chatty girl named Amy sat behind me in English class. Amy and I grew to be pretty good friends throughout the course of the school year, and as she got to know me, she was convinced her brother and I would hit it off. One afternoon, Amy invited me back to her house after school to work on homework - this is where I first met Andy, who had graduated from our high school three years before."
Over the course of six years, Andy and I essentially grew up into adults right before each other's eyes. He taught me how to drive, took me to my senior prom and always had me home by curfew. Six years later, after we both graduated from college, Andy proposed to me near Biscayne Bay right before a celebratory graduation dinner.
“ Although our relationship was by no means perfect, we knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives next to each other.”
The two described finding their venue, The Ancient Spanish Monastery , as the "first and biggest hurdle" of their wedding planning. Finding a rustic and relaxed vibe in Miami was a challenge, and weather worries added to their list of anxieties, but the monastery's outdoor charm and covered cloisters sealed the deal. Stephanie fell in love with a palette of grey, yellow and white, and the two chose elements that they loved - succulents and rustic birdcages - to represent them as a couple. Mini potted succulents did double duty as escort cards and favors, and they honored their families with a framed photo display.
"We wanted the vibe to be informal for dinner, so we decided on serving a buffet style paella - in keeping with the theme of the venue. It turned out to be so delicious and our guests were raving about it all night long - kudos to our caterers for really making sure Andy and I ate (twice) and enjoyed our wedding without a care in the world."
Many of the couple's favorite moments were on the dance floor; says Stephanie, "We were concerned that not too many people were going to be dancing and that it would be kind of awkward. We were pleasantly surprised the dance floor was bursting at the seems shortly after dinner; it is truly a magical feeling to see both sides of your family and friends having so much fun together. At the end of the night, it felt like we had just come from a really great party; we cherished every minute."
Looked like everyone had an amazing time - especially the two of you (just as it should be). Congrats, Stephanie and Andy!
