Isn’t this photo from Everence Photography the sweetest? E + A are history lovers who met while working at a museum, and having decided to keep the wedding local at Marco Island, the tropical Old Florida theme came naturally. Erin planned the whole thing, and they pulled off a ton of DIY projects to stay within their $10K budget while keeping everything bright and festive for their 78 guests. Don’t forget to read her wedding planning tips after perusing the pics!
They never chose specific colors, but it all came together as they focused on a vintage tropical vibe.
The bouquet recipe a la Bella Florals by Theresa: peonies, protea, roses, pineapples, ranunculus, monstera, and sweet pea.
On those tropical Eliza J bridesmaids dresses, Erin says, I knew I wanted something non-traditional, but I worried the busy print of these dresses might be too much. In the end, I went with my gut and was so happy with how they brought our theme to life. The girls loved them, too!
The Historic Church of God and their reception venue, Olde Marco Inn, are the two oldest remaining structures on Marco Island. They incorporated a bit of the history in their programs for all their guests to see what they loved about the venues.
As far as wedding DIYs, the decor, centerpieces, programs, calligraphy, place cards, photo booth, custom guestbook, and signage were *all* crafted.
The most memorable moment of the day for both of us was riding in the back of a Model T from the ceremony to the reception. We rode just a couple of miles down the island’s main thoroughfare and when we arrived at the reception all of our guests were waiting for us. It was a bumpy ride but ended up being the perfect way to shake off any nerves because we just laughed and laughed the entire time. People were honking and we just relaxed and took in the once-in-a-lifetime experience. We were so grateful to the Marco Island Historical Society (where Austin works) for loaning it to us. It really made our day that much more unique!
So many sweet moments! Check out Erin’s wedding budget tips below…
Take your time. This was really big for us. We allowed ourselves time to do research, figure out what was really important to us, and find the best deals. Even working with a small budget, our wedding was big investment for us. We decided that hiring an amazing photographer and having our guests enjoy a nice meal were important to us.
You never know unless you ask. I set a very strict budget for my dress, so I only looked at dresses that were in my budget. This helped a lot. After finding my dress, my mom and I noticed a few snags. I offered to buy the dress off the rack for a discount, knowing we could fix the slight imperfections. They were happy to offer a discount and I came in under budget.
Budget for unplanned expenses. I was really set on not having favors, but Austin had this great idea about a week before to hand out kitsch-y ‘Marco Island’ magnets. We agreed that it was worth it for our guests, most of whom had never been to Marco Island before, to have a little memento from our wedding. So we asked the souvenir shop to cut us a deal and they did!
Congrats, you two!
Photography: Everence Photography / Ceremony Venue: The Historic Church of God, Marco Island / Reception Venue & Catering: Bistrol Soleil at Olde Marco Inn / Planner: Bride, Erin / Florist: Bella Florals by Theresa / Hair: Ricks Island Salon and Day Spa / Makeup: Bride’s Sister, Megan / Invitations: Print The Love Boutique / Printing: The Print Shop / Cake & Cupcakes: Friend, Annemarie Zoller / DJ: Southwest Florida Entertainment / Ceremony Music: Bride’s Uncle / Bride’s Dress: Impression Bridal from Forever Love Bridal / Shoes: Nine West / Veil: Bride’s Mom, Love Jill / Earrings: I’ll Never Tell / Wedding Band: Gordon’s / Other Jewelry: Vintage / Lipstick: NYX Liquid Suede in Life’s a Beach / Bridesmaid Dresses: Eliza J from Nordstrom / Groom & Groomsmen Suits & Shoes: Mens Wearhouse / Tie: Stafford / Wedding Band: Zale’s
