Gisela and Richard were married in Miami on February 28th, 2009. I think their venue is one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen. And their “kiss” photo is worthy of a magazine (and poster size prints in their house). Here’s a bit about their wedding in Gisela’s words:
How they met:
We met through a mutual friend and began to date soon after. I knew he was the one when my excitement for moving to Italy for grad school was dampened by the thought of a potential break-up. We did break up for my first semester abroad, however we got back together and survived 2 years of long distance before I was finally able to move to Miami to be with him.
Ceremony and Reception:
We were married at the beautiful and historic Deering Estate in Miami. The estate is located directly on Biscayne Bay. The ceremony took place by the water, on the great lawn close to the key hole-shaped dock that is lined with majestic royal palm trees.
Guests were greeted with bellinis and the sounds of a violin wafting in the air. The ceremony was followed by a cocktail hour on the great lawn with passed hors d’oeuvres, signature cocktails and a lovely string quartet. From there, the reception continued in the courtyard of the estate. Guests were treated to big band music (courtesy of our DJ – a budget saver!), a starry night and a three-course dinner that featured a dual entrée of filet mignon and halibut.
The night was ended with cake-cutting and dancing in the estate’s ballroom with a beautiful black and white checkerboard floor.
Gisela’s Favorite Detail:
My favorite detail of the wedding was the centerpieces. My “look” for the wedding was “vintage glam” and the centerpieces embodied that perfectly, with the combination of candle-filled candelabras and silver vessels spilling over with lush florals that included garden roses, hydrangea and parrot tulips.
Also, I scoured ebay for a year for vintage rhinestone brooches and earrings to give each of my bridesmaid – they made for that extra-special touch on the wedding day.
Her Advice for Other Brides:
My best piece of advice is to breathe, eat, and let it go. All the months prior to your big day were spent in planning, so the day of, there is nothing left to do but to sit back and enjoy. Eat so that you have enough energy to enjoy your day and if anything goes wrong, let it go and don’t let it stop you from having a good time. Weddings are fun and wonderful and mishaps here and there just add a little color (and make for great stories in the future).
