Kat Braman is here today with this laid back Florida wedding. Says the bride, “We were hoping for a location that could serve as both accommodations for us and our guests and a site for all events. Because all of our guests were traveling to us, we also wanted to share a truly Floridian experience. The moment we toured the River Palm Cottages and Fish Camp we knew our search was over: bright, colorful cabins in a tropical setting right on the water… a pristine campground just gushing Old Florida charm… it was perfect.”

“We did a first look and I cannot recommend that experience enough. After all the prep and busyness on the wedding day it was awesome to set aside that time to take each other in and take the moment in before the big event. Our photographer led that right into our couples portrait session, and I think the resulting photos captured the joy and calm we had in each other.”

“Planning an outdoor wedding near the end of Florida’s storm season means being ready for rain. We hoped for the best – and our weather truly cooperated for the ceremony – but the downpour came at the reception after dinner during the first dances. Torrential, buckets of sideways rain! But a little water didn’t stop anyone. Friends and family jumped in to help: the side panels of the tiki hut were rolled down, our caterers held on, the band unplugged and friends moved the dessert table to safety. The band started back up and everyone kept dancing. Most importantly, we never stopped smiling! No one who was present will ever forget that part of the day.”

The bride used a mix of printed fabrics throughout the wedding, including fun patterned napkins in a variety of colors.

SEE THE FULL GALLERY FOR MORE BEAUTIFUL PICS FROM THIS RELAXED FLORIDA WEDDING.

 

What inspired you when you were planning your wedding?  There were many sources for inspiration and we went a few different directions before honing in on what we liked about each one, and figuring out how to bring it all together. Sheldon is from Hawaii so we wanted tropical inspiration. I’m from the Midwest and have a family heritage of woodworking, quilting, canning, crocheting, and a love of all handcrafts. In the end, our mix was a little tropical, a little Midwest, a lot Florida and all very us. It was homey and elegant, and well-suited to our beautiful surrounding without competing with it.

Did you include any traditions in your wedding?  Sheldon is originally from Hawaii, so including traditional maile leis was very important to him. I spent some time looking for a vintage necklace to wear with my simple dress before realizing that the Hawaiian bride’s ivory pikake lei was a perfect choice, but I kept that a surprise for him when I walked down the aisle.

What was the best advice you received as a bride?  “Make sure you PLAN to enjoy yourself on your wedding day.” Sounds simple, but this advice from my now sister-in-law became a mantra and guided me in many decisions, and kept me from taking on too many projects that might occupy our time on the wedding day itself.
Also, “Colors all get along together, that’s the great thing about them!” I tried not to stress about fitting any wedding detail into a little mold, but the question I would often receive after “Have you picked a date?” was, “What are your colors?” I had my heart set on using a mix of printed fabrics throughout the decor, and a dear vintage jewelry shop-owner in our neighborhood was such a welcome voice when she assured me that any colors I wanted to include in our day would be beautiful, and they were.

What advice do you have for other brides?  Trust your own ideas. The internet is an awesome resource, but don’t let it drown out your own creativity. That, and stop looking once you’ve found it! A wedding is a big project, and a lot of time, energy and stress can be wasted in constant search for something else. My dress was my first purchase, and was a serendipitous find. I loved it, I stuck with it and happily moved on, and never looked for another.

Photographer: Kat Braman Photography / Venue: River Palm Cottages in Jensen Beach, Florida / Floral Designer: Brandy’s Flowers & Candies / Leis: Hawaiian Lei Company / Officiant: Pastor Alan / Catering: Food Shack + Leftovers / Cake: The Sugar Monkey / Stationery: Sofia Cuba of Casa Azul Design / Music: The Nouveaux Honkies / Favor boxes: Nashville Wraps / Salted caramels: Seattle Sweets & Company / Rentals: Tentlogix / Dinner napkins: Sewed by the Bride’s Grandmothers with Fabric from Hawthorne Threads / Dress: J.Crew /  Veil: Bella Bridal Veils / Shoes: Frye / Earrings: Kendra Scott / Hair, Makeup: Deidra Marcus Salon & Spa / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: David’s Bridal / Suit: Nordstrom / Groomsmen’s suits: Studio Suits / Ties: Tux & Tulle