Omni Amelia Island Plantation at The Oaks

Laura & Alan are officially Mr. & Mrs. Bruce!! This day has been a long time in the making…When they first met 4.5 years ago, I don’t think we could have imagined we would end up here and it honestly still feels surreal! Their wedding day took place on Amelia Island in Florida and it was truly everything we could have dreamed of and better.

Wedding days are huge part of their lives. Laura & I have been photographing weddings and Alan has been videoing weddings for several years. Together they’ve witnessed countless wedding days which made their day all the more special! After watching them serve so many other couples on wedding days, and it was an absolute JOY to watch them get to have their own wedding day!! Their excitement to be married showed through on their wedding day and there wasn’t a moment without the biggest smiles or happy tears.

There were so many highlights of the day, but I would say my top two favorites moments to witness were their first look and Alan’s face as our dad walked Laura down the aisle. Everything went by so fast during their day, but I have distinct memories of these two moments while I was standing watching them unfold. There wasn’t a dry eye for either moment!

During the months leading up to their wedding, they would often get asked where they were getting married and there were usually surprised responses when they said “Florida”! However, Amelia Island feels like home to us since we have family there and have vacationed on the island every summer for as long as I can remember. They knew they wanted the Lowcountry look for their wedding from the start of the planning process. When everything fell into place for them to have their wedding in Florida, they were excited because it meant they would get to celebrate their marriage in a place that is meaningful, without giving up their dreams of having ALL the Spanish moss and coastal views! It also meant that everyone traveling for the wedding had the opportunity to experience a place they love, and that was incredibly special. We had family and friends travel from all across the East Coast and it meant the world to Laura & Alan that everyone came to support them.

The day didn’t come without a few ups and downs that I believe come with every wedding…We spent the week in Florida before the wedding which meant there was a lot of time on the beach. Unfortunately for Alan, he had a little too much sun and ended up in the ER on Wednesday night until early Thursday morning. Although they didn’t get to attend their rehearsal, they were feeling up for joining everyone for dinner and we were just happy to see their smiling faces! Also, there was the looming question of what the weather would be like and whether or not the hurricane on the radar would turn into anything serious. However, there were sunny skies the ENTIRE week and even though it was a hot day, we were beyond thankful that rain wasn’t a worry for the day. I say all this because when you see these photos you will NEVER know all the little hiccups that happened prior to the day. We are grateful for God’s provision in healing Alan and giving them a beautiful summer day to get married on!

Laura put countless hours into making their day beautiful and memorable! Her Pinterest board really did come to life and I think now that it’s over, we can say that the hours spent making mock-ups of place settings and the to do list that takes 5 minutes to scroll through was worth it.…Her attention to detail was evident not only in the pretty design elements, but in making sure every guest was comfortable when it came to the seating chart, food & drinks, handheld fans for the ceremony, a popsicle cart for a cool treat after the ceremony, etc.

A few fun details that have to be mentioned…Laura had a vision for a seating chart — and not just any seating chart. 6ft tall, free-standing seating chart with oysters incorporated! Laura had the vision and the inspiration photos and our Dad made it come to life. It was a team effort to cut out, place, and glue all the name tags and oysters but it was so fun to see it come together! Secondly, Laura decided from the start that she wanted the bridesmaids to have mix-matched dresses and allow everyone to choose a dress they loved. There was definitely no lack of screenshots and mock-ups of what the dresses would look like as everyone starting choosing a dress, however seeing them come together in person was so fun because they all went perfectly together! Another item that was top on the list as far as the wedding design was concerned were unique table cloths. Laura had her heart set on having table cloths from Stradley Davidson and they truly brought the entire reception space to life. Finally, a fun element that they dreamed up was to have a popsicle cart for the guests to enjoy after the (very hot) ceremony. All the pieces came together and with the help of some sweet friends, the popsicles were delivered before the ceremony and enjoyed during cocktail hour!

Laura & Alan meticulously picked out every single vendor for their day and it is with full confidence that I say they truly chose the best of the best!! To every single one of you who was a part of their day, THANK YOU!! You played an important role in making their wedding day happen and we are thankful for you!

And now, the photos!! Here’s to the Bruces!!

Vendors:

Venue | The Oaks at The Omni Amelia Island Plantation

Planner | Corbitt Events

Photography | Lead Photographer: Tiffany McClure, Second Shooter: Madison Banks, Images Edited By: Jacqueline & Laura

Videography | Michael Lemley Films

Florals | Let Destiny Design

DJ | Full Circle Wedding DJs

Catering | Jimbo’s

Cake | Bliss Cakery

Bartender | Cheers 904

Rentals | All About Events