This adorable couple got married in Florida at the Gasparilla Inn & Club. They had a beautiful outdoor wedding, with white and blue colors and a gorgeous floral arch. Their tented wedding reception was overflowing with florals and elegant tables capes and decor. To make the celebration even more memorable they also included their family dog, a super cute English Chocolate Labrador.
Keep scrolling to see all of the beautiful photos by Hunter Ryan Photo and the film by I Heart Films. Nk Productions planned every detail and Nk Productions created all of the amazing florals. You can see all the images in the full gallery.
Our story
Nick & I met while in college at the University of Florida and were friends for quite some time before we started dating… it’s funny how it happened.. Nick was in need of a last minute date for his formal & I was his fraternity’s sweetheart so we spent the weekend together and the rest was history! Fast forward 4.5 years & Nick proposed in a place that has held such a special place in our hearts throughout our relationship, Boca Grande, FL. Boca Grande is where Nick met my family, It’s where we’ve made some of our best memories with friends, where we’ve celebrated birthdays & new jobs, and now It’s the place where we were engaged AND married.
The proposal
We were spending the weekend in Boca Grande, FL with some of our very best friends & had plans to meet for drinks before dinner at The Temptation. I was heading to BZ’s at the Gasparilla Inn on the golf cart with Nick & my best friend, Fleece, when Nick said our other friends were running late & we should go to the tiki bar first. I didn’t think anything of It because they had just gotten to town, so we went to the tiki and sat down for drinks. Fleece said she wasn’t feeling good and left, so Nick asked if I wanted to walk on the beach with him. This is when I thought something was weird…a) I was worried about Fleece!! b) Nick would never suggest a beach walk when he is wearing his nice shoes for dinner…. so I started looking at his pants for a ring box and didn’t see anything! This is when I told myself I was a nut for thinking he was proposing when really he just wanted to walk on the beach. So we went for a beach walk and before I knew It he was on one knee asking me to marry him!! I remember Nick saying ” Sara, I’m more in love with you now than ever before. Will you marry me?” I couldn’t believe It !! I was the happiest girl in the world & we celebrated with our friends in Boca Grande all weekend long.
The family dog
Winston – bride’s family dog & Nick’s best friend, they spend every single day together. He’s an English Chocolate Labrador from VA so he had to be our ring bearer and a big part of our day.
Signature cocktails
Nick is known by our friends & family to have one of the longest drink orders at the bar, so of course we needed to make it a signature cocktail for the wedding night and call it the Albert, UF’s mascot. Hendricks martini, dirty, dry, on the rocks with hand stuffed blue cheese olives. My signature cocktail was inspired by my very favorite drink from Bartaco in Tampa, FL Smoke on the Water. We called It the Winston. Mezcal, fresh watermelon juice, fresh lemon juice, mint.
Wedding crest
We worked with Simply Jessica Marie to design the perfect wedding crest. We included oysters because they are one of our favorite things to eat together, palm trees because they remind us of Boca Grande, & coral to give the crest an island feel
Wedding Map
Simply Jessica Marie designed a custom watercolor map for our invitation suite & welcome letter and It included all of the places that are so special to us on the island
Welcome Bags
Signature Welcome helped us create the perfect welcome bags for our guests. Tate’s cookies & popcorn – our favorite snacks. Gemma’s Jam, made by Riley McKenna a groomsman in the wedding. Smitty’s Rub made by Smitty at Hudson’s Grocery in Boca Grande. Just a lot of special touches of faves of ours and some local island faves too!
wedding cake & italian cookies
My dad’s family is from Siciliy & I love Italian desserts. Since both of my dad’s parents have passed away, we wanted to have their favorite desserts at the wedding as a tribute to them. The pastry chef at Gasparilla Inn made an italian cream cake with canoli filling for our wedding cake & fresh italian cookies – both desserts I grew up eating at my nana & papa’s for Sunday night dinners.
Check out the cutest wedding guest BTS here:
