“I knew I would have my gown preserved to avoid any disappointment in the future! I use Oceanside for my routine dry cleaning, so I was so comfortable having them preserve the gown as their work has always been impeccable!”
Bride Carolyn
When was your wedding?
Jimmy and I were married on June 23, 2023.
What was the name of your venue and why did you choose it?
We were married at TPC Sawgrass. When we moved to the area, we started going to the clubhouse on a regular basis; Jimmy is a big golfer, and it is an iconic golf course and clubhouse. Jimmy proposed on the back lawn of the clubhouse, so it was the only venue we looked at for our wedding. We also live in TPC, which made the planning process very easy!
How long did it take to plan your big day? Any vendors you’d like to recognize?
We were engaged the week before Thanksgiving, so the majority of the planning started after the new year. We had a tight timeline, so it was very busy! Luckily, we had amazing vendors to help us!
- Beth Deland with Sew Beautiful Bridal did my wedding gown alterations (and rehearsal dinner dress as well)!
- Carley Rodriguez, the TPC wedding planner, was my bridal fairy godmother. Anything I needed, she made happen.
- First Coast Weddings – the team was great at coordinating and planning for our big day.
- Mark with The Faze Band – we went to see them play at a local restaurant after booking them and were able to practice our dance moves on a few occasions. Mark was so accommodating of special requests and worked with us on the flow of the evening to make sure all of the guests had a blast!
- Life and Love Photography – we did not meet them until the wedding day, but it was great to have a husband-and-wife team coordinating on photography and videography. They were so easy to coordinate with, and the end result was very cohesive.
- Jacksonville Flower Market had phenomenal flowers!
- Classic Cakes made the most delicious and elegant cake. They even incorporated our dog on one of the tiers, taking a bite out of the cake.
- Studio Bride – they nailed my hair and makeup, and I scheduled my trial before the rehearsal to take advantage of showing off their work!
- Sam Nelson was our live wedding painter, which means she painted a scene of our first dance throughout the reception. We have it hanging in our living room, and she really captured the room and details on my dress. And, our guests enjoyed seeing it come together during the reception!
- We had a crest created by Blue Harbor Paperie that we used on our invitations and as our guest book.
- Our beautiful invites were custom by Banter & Charm.
Who is the designer of your gown and where was it purchased?
Rita Vinieris was the designer, and I purchased it from Bridals by Lori in Atlanta.
When did you know that your gown was “the one?”
My mother wore her mother’s dress, which had beautiful, long lace sleeves, but I needed something more appropriate for a June Florida wedding. With an accelerated timeline for dress shopping, I needed something off-the-rack, so I went to Bridals by Lori in Atlanta because they have the best selection of designer off-the-rack dresses. My dress was the last one I tried on. The lace was everything I was looking for, and it had a gorgeous lace train. I had been adamantly opposed to anything with a plunging neckline, but the way the lace overlaid the bodice made it perfect. We also incorporated the simple bow in the back into our wedding cake.
Why did you want to get your gown cleaned and preserved? Why did you choose Oceanside?
Because my mother wore her mother’s dress, I thought I would want to somehow use part of her dress or veil to incorporate it into my wedding. I was so disappointed when I found out that her gown and veil were at my grandmother’s house but not well preserved, and neither would be salvageable for any repurposing. I decided not to wear a veil, and I knew I would have my gown preserved to avoid any disappointment in the future! I use Oceanside for my routine dry cleaning, so I was so comfortable having them preserve the gown as their work has always been impeccable! I read reviews and other bride’s stories, and I looked no further!
How did you and your husband meet?
We met on the Bumble app while living a mile apart in Los Angeles!
What is your favorite memory from your wedding day?
It’s hard to pick just one! My dad’s speech has been hailed as the best Father of the Bride speech anyone has heard. It was really special. And my dear friend, Carmen Reece, performed a song that she wrote and released right around the time I got engaged (Yes! with Craig David). She serenaded us while we cut the cake!