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From the bride… James and I met in high school gym class when I was a freshman and he was a sophomore. We became friends, then close friends, and then best friends in that obvious way when you know two people like each other. A year and a half after meeting, James asked me to be his girlfriend. We dated for six and a half wonderful years. In that time, we got to graduate high school, attend the same college (Go Knights!), graduate college and find our careers and passions together. And thanks to the challenges and joys of life experienced over those six years, we knew with all of our hearts that we wanted to get married and spend the rest of this wonderful life together. So after James proposed to me – a complete surprise on New Year’s Eve with a surprise engagement party – I knew exactly what I wanted my wedding to be about: a celebration of our love, and a celebration with the incredible people in our lives.
Bellewood Plantation, our venue, offered the perfect canvas for my vision. A gorgeous, Southern-style home with a sprawling landscape, Bellewood had a place for our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all on the grounds. James and I wanted our decor and apparel to be simple and classic, and we wanted the atmosphere of our wedding to emphasize our joy to be getting married. Bellewood had handcrafted long, farmhouse tables and market lighting under the reception tent, so we forwent table linens and used gold chargers, greenery, and candle votives of varying sizes. Our flowers, white and pale pink with dark greenery, looked so lovely against the classic black tuxedos and slate blue bridesmaids’ dresses.
When I think back to my wedding day, it is a blur of so many happy moments, but there are three that stand out clearly. The first is when James and I exchanged the vows we wrote each other during our ceremony. The second is immediately after our ceremony (we didn’t do a first look), when we soaked in our first moments of marriage together, captured beautifully by Katie. And finally, I loved when we got to see our family and wedding party after our pictures. It was such a sweet time with all our favorite people in one place. Our wedding day was truly the happiest day of my life, and I feel so grateful for my vendors, our wedding party, all our family, my parents, and of course my husband, James.
Bellewood Plantation Southern Wedding
Venue: Bellewood Plantation
Dress: Morilee
Bridal Boutique: Aurora Bridal
Groom’s Attire: Michael Kors
Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Bill Levkoff
Floral: Violets in Bloom
Videographer: Sarah Walker Film
Makeup: In2 Your Beauty Makeup Artistry
Catering: Edible Art Catering
• ORLANDO WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER // FINE ART FILM WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER •
To God be the glory
