Donna and Asher said “I do” at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. The bride shared with us the story of their destination and big day!
I have always dreamed of a beach ceremony. The beach is my “happy place.” When Asher and I discussed our wedding, he was fully on board with the idea. We met and live in the DC area so a beach wedding here wasn’t really an option. Asher loved the idea of a destination wedding and something a little more intimate. Although this idea was appealing, we also wanted something that was convenient for our family and close friends. This is how we came to Ponte Vedra Beach. Neither of us are from the area; however, my sister and her family have been living in Ponte Vedra for many years. Asher and I frequently visit as my parents also stay in their condo a few months of the year. As a lot of people can attest to, planning a wedding can be stressful and time consuming! Needless to say, it was incredible having my mother and sister to help with the planning and selecting of vendors. We absolutely love the area and may relocate there within the next year!
What a story! From destination wedding to new hometown, this couple loved their location so much, they might just move there!
We asked the couple about any unique challenges they faced in planning a destination wedding.
It was sea turtle nesting season!!! We were completely oblivious to this as we are not from the area. Fortunately, my sister explained the phenomenon to us; however, there were still challenges that arose. Initially, I was opting not to get a wedding planner. When I met up with our photographer, Severine, she encouraged me to get one and put me in contact with “Simply Weddings by Amanda”. This ended up being a lifesaver! When Amanda went to take care of our beach permit (you need a beach permit in St. John’s County for any event taking place on the beach), she discovered that the permit could only be issued until 6:30 pm due to turtle nesting season. Our ceremony only started at 8pm so this is when my anxiety heightened. Fortunately, Amanda was able to reach an agreement with the county that all structures would be removed immediately following the ceremony and we were good to go, weather permitting :)
The ceremony?
It exceeded all of my expectations. Rabbi Matuson, from Beth El Synagogue conducted our ceremony. He took the time to get to know us as we met several times before our wedding day. We wanted to make everyone feel comfortable as Asher and I were raised with different faiths. The ceremony evoked a feeling of warmth, acceptance and love. Our wedding party consisted of family members. We both have a lot of nieces and nephews, 12 be exact 9 of whom were in our wedding in addition to two of cousins! This led to one fun rehearsal :).
We had a traditional Chuppah (similar to a canopy, an element of a Jewish ceremony). I wanted one with a rustic feel constructed out of branches with birch poles. I was not able to find one already made so my wedding planner, Amanda, with “Simply Wedding by Amanda” designed and constructed one for us!
I wanted a bohemian, rustic, and chic feel. This led to my chosen palate of neutral colors. The only pop of color we had was the green monstera leaves incorporated in the floral arrangements.
We had an incredible team of vendors from the event coordinator at the Marriott Sawgrass, Severine Photography, Simply Weddings by Amanda, A Happily Ever After Floral, D’Land Entertainment, makeup by Kimstasha, hair by Sarah Bright, to Mugwump Productions for the floor board used on the beach.
Congratulations to the newlyweds!
Destination Wedding Photographer: Séverine Photography
Wedding Vendors: Getting Ready + Reception Venue: Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa, Ceremony: Marriott Cabana Beach Club, Wedding Coordinator: Simply Weddings by Amanda, Florist: A Happily Ever After Floral, Cake: Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa, DJ: D’Land Entertainment, Dress: Watters, Makeup: Kimtasha, Hair: Sarah Bright, Boardwalk: Mugwump Productions
