Eileen & Luis' Fairy Tale Wedding

Eileen & Luis | Castle Otttis, Florida

Photos by: Our Day Wedding Photography

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WEDDING PROVIDERS

Photographer: Our Day Wedding Photography//Event Venue: Castle Otttis//Cinema and Video:GotYaPhoto.com
Tuxedo and Mens Attire:Mens Warehouse//Musicians: Carolyn Snyder Menke//Makeup Artist: East Coast Makeup
Caterer:Mellow Mushroom//Professional: Our Day Wedding Photography//

Submitted via Two Bright Lights

They tied the knot in the beautiful St. Augustine Church in St. Augustine, Florida.

GETTING READY FOR THE PERFECT DAY

THE CEREMONY

What inspired your wedding theme?

"We got a lot of our wedding inspirations from Pinterest. After a year of planning, we were very pleased with how our special day took place. Our photographers at Our Day Wedding Photography were a big part of our wedding being a day we will never forget. I chose them because of their amazing portfolio and because they had experience shooting in the castle. Our wedding ceremony was in the same place I proposed to my wife, in an Irish-inspired castle in St. Augustine, Florida called "Castle Otttis." The colors we chose blended perfectly with the castle: lilac purple, sage green and castle gray. There is such a blend of cultures and beliefs within our two families, that we decided to have a non-religious ceremony. We just wanted a day that reflected our love for each other and focus on all the blessings we have in our lives. It was the best day of our lives."

It's all in the details

All of the decor was DIY. Thankfully, my mother, grandmother, and wife's Maid of Honor are extremely creative artists. When they put their heads together with ours, it was like watching magic happen. My mother had made hand-frosted wine bottles with battery-powered lights inside that glowed on each dining table. My wife's Maid of Honor made hand-made party favors and brought in an old-fashioned typewriter and library card catalog with a sign that read, "All because two people fell in love at the library." These were some of the wonderful touches each brought to our wedding reception. We were so pleased by the enchanting and positive environment everyone created.

THE RECEPTION

Any advice to share with other couples?

Give yourself plenty of time to plan! Ignore what companies say you "have to" have at your wedding. It's your day, so make it yours at a budget you can handle. We decided to only invite close family and friends who we knew were going to bring positive energy to our wedding. The day FLIES BY, so take the time to look around, hug some loved ones, and enjoy this amazing experience. This is your one day to be truly happy.

What were the florals like in your wedding

We hired a florist in St. Augustine who brilliantly used our three wedding colors: lilac purple, sage green and castle gray. We beautifully decorated our alter at the castle with a floral vine, where the picture of my wife's father was displayed. The owner of the castle did not want real flower petals inside the building, so we used purple satin flower petals for our beautiful flower girl. We remained consistent with our theme at our reception, which was at a mansion we rented nearby.

How did you choose your wedding day look?

The wedding dress was a complete secret from me (the groom). From what I understand, she looked at over 1,000 dresses before she saw "THE ONE." My only stipulation was that she absolutely loved what she chose.

What was the most anticipated moment of your wedding day?

The most anticipated moment of the wedding was seeing my future wife in her wedding dress. She was so beautiful in her dress, I couldn't stop the tears from coming. She is my world!