Graphic designer Gabrielle of Cazadora Creative Co. and her guy Benjamin had such a unique concept for their destination wedding, and we gotta say, Miami’s Vizcaya Museum & Gardens at night *completely* encapsulated their style. Our bride sums it up: My vision was Secret Garden meets Miami, edgy meets romantic, and art deco meets old world elegance. We used very mauve-y and moody florals with matte black accents. So intriguing, right? Thanks to Lauren Apel Photo for giving us a closer peek!
Love these portraits, don’t you? Gabrielle says, I have actually known Lauren for a few years now. I fell in love with her on Instagram and when she opened up her schedule to do a couple portrait sessions, I knew I had to take advantage of that. Ben contacted her almost a year before he proposed and I contacted her again days after we got engaged and booked her on the spot. Hiring Lauren was the easiest part. She is an incredible person and so wonderful to be around on the big day. She really captures a moodiness and a realness that just takes you back to that emotion instantly.
These bridesmaids in black, so good!
Originally, I flew to Miami with my mom and Ben’s mom to look at venues. When I walked into Vizcaya I knew this was where I wanted to start the rest of my life with Benj. There is something about Vizcaya that just feels like it’s out of a dream. It’s the secret gardens and the magnificent villa overlooking Biscayne Bay, the perfect landscaping and ancient statues. It was straight magic and that’s all I knew. Sadly when I visited, I was informed that there were no open dates for nearly two years, as November was the most sought after month for weddings at Vizcaya. I returned back to Texas a little disappointed. About a week later, on a Monday morning, I got a call from the events coordinator at Vizcaya. She wanted to inform me that 11.11.17 had opened up and in 17 years of event planning, Vizcaya has never had a November date become available. It was magic and it was meant to be.
The bride walked down to the aisle to a string version of La Vie En Rose—you can probably imagine how romantic that was with the soft lighting, huh? This venue was meant to be for sure!
On their favorite moments…
Gabrielle: Impossible question. But I would say when we were pronounced husband and wife and we walked out together to Aretha Franklin “Say A Little Prayer”. All of our guests were singing along and it really just set the mood for the rest of the night. OR when we finally said our own vows that we had spent months writing to each other!
Benjamin: When unbeknownst to me, Gabby had our officiant read a love letter from Johnny Cash to his wife June, one of my favorite artists. I’m a music snob and for my bride to nail the music at our wedding for every moment, that tugs at my heartstrings and was just another sign of what an incredibly insightful and brilliant woman I was marrying.
Be sure to click into our gallery below for more inspiration from G + B’s Florida wedding:
We were engaged for 15 months. We knew we wanted a November wedding so it worked out well for us to have a little extra time to plan a destination wedding. The biggest hurdles were the hurricanes that hit 60 days before the wedding. My family is from south of Houston, on the coast, so we struggled through Hurricane Harvey and then when Hurricane Irma hit South Florida… You can imagine my stress level as a bride. The biggest tip I would give to brides and I feel like this applies in any situation, first and foremost, remain graceful and try to remember that the outcome is the same. At the end of the day you already found your soul mate and the rest is secondary. The second tip would be just to live as presently as you can in every moment, they are fleeting!
All our best to Gabby and Benj!
Photographer: Lauren Apel Photo / Videographer: McDuff Productions / Venue: Vizcaya Museum & Gardens / Planner: Elite Planning Firm / Florals: Anthology Co. / Hair & Makeup: Sydney Ann Lopez / Stationery Designer: Cazadora Creative Co. / Cake: Earth & Sugar / Catering & Event Services: Thierry Isambert Culinary & Event Design / Officiant: Rev. Eddie Rodriguez / DJ & Lighting: The Event Factor / Car Rental: Florian’s Classics / Bride’s Dress: Martina Liana from Patsy’s Bridal Boutique in Dallas, TX / Shoes: Gucci / Veil: Custom from Kathryn’s Custom Veils / Lipstick: MAC Whirl in Dirty Mauve Rose / Jewelry: Family Heirlooms / Reception Dress: Three Floor / Bridesmaid Shoes: Steve Madden / Earrings: Made by Bride / Groom’s Suit: Ralph Lauren / Shoes: Stubbs & Wootton / Ring Bearers: Eton Suits
