Five years ago on a beautiful spring day I stood in front of a White Gazebo in Robbins Park and said “I do” to my best friend and college sweetheart in front of all of our family and closest friends. The date was April 25, 2015 and it was one of the most unforgettable and incredible days of my entire life and one that I still remember like it was just yesterday. I sometimes wish I could go back in time and relive that moment because there was just so many beautiful emotions going on at the same time and because it was the best feeling in the world to be surrounded by the people that we loved and cared about the most.
My wedding was held at a beautiful park that is secretly tucked away in Davie, Florida called Robbins Park which is a bit hidden and tricky to get to from the main road. What I loved about the park was that is was very well preserved, serene, peaceful, and not too many people knew about it at the time. Plus, it had all of the components that I was looking for in a venue since I wanted an outdoor ceremony but an indoor reception in a nature setting and I wanted it to feel like we were in another state or place.
As most people know weddings tend to be very expensive especially if you live in a large city like Miami but since I was on a specific budget for my entire wedding (under $10K) I not only had to find a place that was very affordable to meet my budget but one that would still be beautiful, charming, and what I had originally envisioned for both the ceremony and reception. So with a lot of research I found Robbins Park and I honestly don’t regret my decision on having my wedding there! I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an extremely affordable place to rent in South Florida that has a beautiful nature setting and backdrop and that would make for some gorgeous photos! We had around sixty guests so it was a very small and intimate wedding just the way I wanted it!
Since I have a love and passion for all things vintage and antique along with movies like Anne of Green Gables and classics like Pride and Prejudice I decided to make my Spring wedding theme a Vintage/Anne of Green Gables inspired one. I am a person who is very attentive to detail so prior to my wedding I had gone to numerous thrift shops and collected different types of tea cups, tea pots, rustic frames, lamps, books, etc. to use for the setup of the reception area.
I wanted to do something very special, unique, and personal that goes with my overall concept so since both of grandparents (one on my mom’s side and the other on my dad’s side) passed away several years ago and couldn’t be there physically at my wedding I decided to display two of my favorite photos of them in loving memory and honor of them. I also did it because I wanted it to feel like they were there and that they were a part of my wedding. Aside from countless trips to the thrift shops, I also found a lot of things on Etsy and some lace table covers which I hung between two trees outside for a rustic photo backdrop which gave a really nice touch to my photos! Plus, this idea was also inspired by my love of classic romance movies and books and I honestly have to say that it came out amazing all thanks to my mom and sisters help!
Everything from my classic lace wedding dress (which I got for only $200 at David’s Bridal during their January Sale) to my simple pearl earrings and hairpins to my bouquets brooch all added that vintage touch that I was looking for and had originally envisioned and dreamed about. I wanted a very simple hairstyle and natural makeup look that will still show in photos and overall my hair and makeup artist did an incredible job and I was really happy with how both came out! I absolutely loved my makeup because while it did show in photos it was still very natural and light and my husband who is not a fan of me wearing a ton of makeup approved of it and actually loved it so it was a win-win situation!
While I was getting ready in the morning and early afternoon it started raining and I got really concerned about the setup outside getting wet and ruined and having to move the ceremony inside the lodge. Luckily, it stopped raining right before the ceremony took place around 4:30/4:45pm and while we were actually suppose to start at 4pm we actually started late because we were waiting for someone who was running late that needed to walk down the aisle. However, besides that little mishap that put us a bit behind schedule everything went smoothly and just as planned after that.
The outdoor ceremony took place in front of the parks White Gazebo and it was really special because I got to walk down the aisle with both of my parents and we had a violinist playing the “Only Hope” song from my favorite romantic movie, “A Walk to Remember” in the background. We had one of our pastors from the church we were currently attending at the time to conduct the ceremony and we each exchanged our own vows that we had written to each other. Afterwards we did something that is not typically traditional in a ceremony like a unity candle or sand pouring to give an example.
Since I absolutely love butterflies we decided to do a butterfly release before walking out together on the aisle after the kiss and it was such a beautiful and significant experience for the both of us! I didn’t only want to do it because it was a beautiful experience to share and showcase during the ceremony but mainly because of the symbolism and meaning behind it. The meaning behind releasing butterflies at our wedding was that we were starting a new chapter of our lives and welcoming positive change.
This was so impactful and meaningful to us since we had faced several challenges prior to getting married and we honestly wouldn’t be standing there in front of everyone if it wasn’t for God’s help and provision. We both share the same faith as Christians so we know that it was God who ultimately brought us together. So we released about a dozen butterflies one by one to symbolize starting a new beginning chapter of our lives and then we kissed and walked down the aisle.
After the ceremony we took some group photos with our families, bridesmaids, and groomsmen and then my husband and I got a few more shots taken of us before heading inside for our grand entrance as husband and wife!
Our reception was held at the lodge which had a very cozy rustic looking fireplace, two wooden bookshelves on each end of the fireplace, and light wooden floors which was recently remodeled. We had our table and all of our guests table setup in a rustic way and just the way I had instructed my wedding planner.
After we made our super fun grand entrance, we started off the night with our first dance which was to the beautiful song, “Just A Kiss” by Lady Antebellum and to a very emotional father and daughter dance. I wanted to cry the whole time especially when I was dancing with my dad since he raised me and always worked so hard to provide for me and my family but I actually held back my tears and was singing and smiling the whole time. I was also really nervous at the same time since everyone was watching us. The son and mother dance was so beautiful to watch because I saw my husband cry and smile at his mom in a way I’ve never seen before and it was just so emotional and beautiful to watch and it was honestly one of my favorite moments of our wedding!
After our dances my sister who was the maid of honor and my brother-in-law who was the best man each give a really funny and awesome speech and made a toast to us. Before eating we had a good friend of ours who was also a pastor pray over us and bless the delicious food that we were about to eat.
A little bit after everyone started eating my husband and I went to do the cutting of the cake. Our gorgeous cake was from Todo Dulces and it was a really rich buttercream vanilla and chocolate ganache cake which was absolutely delicious and a huge hit at my wedding along with the appetizers and entree that we choose. We picked a very simple but elegant design for the cake and we added three different colored sugar peonies flowers to it just to give it a pop of color and to match the floral colors of my bouquet. I think my favorite part of the whole cake though was our topper from Anna Crafts which is found on Etsy that was custom made and came all the way from South Korea!!! I was super impressed with the attention to detail and how it looked just like us! It definitely made the cake even more perfect!
After the cutting of the cake, it was time to party and we had such a blast dancing with our families, grandparents, and friends! We danced for like two or three hours and then everyone headed home. It was undoubtedly the best day ever and I am so thankful to God, my parents, my husband’s parents for making this beautiful vintage inspired wedding happen and to all of our families and close friends who showed up that day and just completely showered us with love! I am forever grateful and humbled and I wish everyone’s wedding day felt just like mines!
Wedding Details:
Venue: Robbins Park Lodge
Event Planner/Bride Bouquet/Bridesmaids Bouquets/DJ/Setup/Catering: Event Boutique Miami
Photography: George Street Photo & Video
Hair & Makeup: Mirlen (Local Miami Artist)
Brides Dress/Brides Shoes/Bridesmaids Dresses/: David’s Bridal
Groom Tuxedo/Groomsmen : Men’s Warehouse
Rings: JVL Jewelry
Cake: Todo Dulces
Cake Topper: Anna Crafts – Etsy