A Modern Florida Beach Wedding

Planning a stateside destination wedding can be tricky enough—but coordinating a stylish beachy affair for 80 guests in Florida while you're living in Amsterdam requires ninja-like party-planning skills, and a little bit of help from friends and family. Just two days after advertising creative director Adrien proposed to Jennifer, a gallerist and art dealer, in Big Sur, California, he got a job offer in Amsterdam, so the couple planned their modern Grecian ceremony on Rosemary Beach, Florida, (where she used to vacation as a child) via Skype and Pinterest. "The only way that I could wrap my mind around planning a destination wedding from the North Sea of Holland was to have it in a place that was not only familiar and deeply special, but where my mother and sister were located," Jennifer said. "I needed them on the ground—two more sets of eyes!" 

New York-based stationer Bella Figura designed the letterpress invite, which introduced the day's black, white, and gold palette. "The gold foil chevron pattern indicated that our wedding was to be an elegant fete at a seaside destination, but didn't read 'beachy,' which was important to me," Jennifer said.  

The couple exchanged vows in Rosemary Beach Town Hall before they and their 80 guests celebrated with cocktails and dinner on the lawn of Eastern Green, a beachside park right outside the hall. 

Jennifer bought three J.Crew gowns to try on, but finally decided on the one-strap "Georgina" because of its modern Grecian feel. She paired it with Michael Kors wedges and Alexis Bittar earrings. Her dapper groom sported a navy Paul Smith suit.

Jennifer carried a bouquet of only white ranunculus made by Myrtie Blue. 

A chalkboard sign outside of the town hall welcomed guests to the ceremony. 

Inspired by Roman sacred springs, a moss-covered urn filled with hydrangea, garden roses, and branches greeted guests as they arrived into the ceremony space.  

The couple married underneath an arbor made by their florist, Myrtie Blue, who decorated the wooden structure with white hydrangeas and garden roses.

The Christian-vow-exchange ceremony was a quick one—just seven minutes long! The couple's pastor, Michael Young, helped them in editing it down "so it felt like a reflection of us, our relationship, and our love and wishes."

Postceremony, guests exited through a pair of French doors and gathered on the yard for cocktails—Palomas and Champagne with Chambord—and hors d'oeuvres, which included an oyster bar.

Michie May Paperie made two types of flags to adorn drinks during cocktail hour: One had gold hearts (shown here), and the other was emblazoned with a "J" on one side and an "A" on the other. "Our initials, JA, mean 'yes' in Dutch, a tiny detail that we loved," Jennifer said.

Tags from Sugar Paper were lettered by the bride and tied to whimsical animal figurines, which the couple DIY'ed with a coat of gold paint. "We couldn't get the gold metallic paint to adhere to the plastic," Jennifer said. "It took multiple attempts with different paints and primers, even the help of our house painter!"

The couple stole away to the beach at sunset for a few portraits. "I'm not really a barefoot-on-the-beach kind of bride," Jennifer said, "But we did get married at the sea, and the light and colors streaming through the sky were gorgeous that evening."

The couple arrived to their party in style—Adrien wore shades—and as soon as they were announced, they danced to Marvin Gaye's "Pretty Little Baby."

To make the tented reception space look like a modern garden party, long farm tables were punctuated with floral centerpieces and moss table numbers situated under glass cloches. Guests feasted on beef tenderloin, crab cakes, and sauted vegetables.

Lush, romantic blooms including hydrangeas, garden roses, and peonies, dotted the dinner tables.

The gilded dessert was courtesy of Confections on the Coast, who sheathed each tier (two strawberry, one coconut, and one vanilla) in white fondant trimmed with wide gold brushstrokes. Sugar peonies and a moss platform added a touch of garden-party romance. 

Guests showered the couple with white flower petals as they left the party. "It was actually an afterthought," Jennifer said. "We decided upon it the night before our wedding, but it produced some of my favorite images from the entire event."

Photography: Lauren Kinsey

Location: Rosemary Beach Town Hall (ceremony); Eastern Green (reception)

Event Planning: Shelby Peaden 

Catering: Townsend Catering

Flowers: Myrtie Blue

Officiant: Pastor Michael Young

Stationery: Bella Figura (invitations); Sugar Paper (escort and place cards) 

Cake: Confection on the Coast