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My dad is the youngest in his family. He has four sisters. And now, he is married with two daughters. For his entire life, he has been in the company of women, so since my immediate family was staying together before the wedding, it made sense that he would be there for hair and makeup on my wedding day. After my hair was done and before my makeup got started, we had breakfast together. It was a nice quiet moment together.
2 of 50
I am extremely close to my parents. I lived with them twice in my adulthood. I FaceTime them every morning. They’re always looking out for me, even in this picture.
3 of 50
I knew I wanted a subtle something blue. My shoes couldn’t be seen under the massive tulle skirt of my dress, and I liked that. They were made by Ted Baker and had a sweet bow detail and rose gold accents.
4 of 50
This shot of my dress in the wild really displays the beauty of the tulle. I fell in love with that full, unrestrained underskirt the second I laid eyes on it.
5 of 50
My parents have been married 40 years, but I've recently been less interested in their love story and more in their friendship. They truly enjoy one another’s company.
6 of 50
Since I was having a wedding in a city in which I did not live, I had to pick and choose how I would schedule my trials. Unfortunately, I was unable to do a makeup trial, which looking back on, it was so dangerous and very out of character for me. Still, it worked out perfectly because I loved my makeup day-of. I had not one complaint, and that’s saying a lot for a person who is a constant critic of everything.
7 of 50
The lace overlay on my dress was so delicate and pretty. I loved the boning in the bodice. My girls were there to help me get into my dress.
8 of 50
Here’s a secret: I hated the bridal suite at my venue, but loved all of the pictures of me in the mirror inside of it. In black and white, they are very striking. I remember feeling wired in this moment but thinking, “Okay, I look good. This is what I envisioned. The day is going as planned.”
9 of 50
After choosing my dress, I was left to figure out what to do for accessories. I knew I wanted a headpiece. Originally, I was going to do something bedazzled and flat to the head which is very in style right now. When I saw this headpiece, though, I felt the nude beading fit more with the tan/blush/ivory tones I had going on with my dress and decor. Plus, too much bling in a daytime wedding didn’t feel right to me. The veil was all my mother. She wanted me to wear one, but I felt it would look ridiculous pulled over the headpiece. However, in the end, I felt the look was perfect with just the right amount of drama.
10 of 50
This bouquet was perfection. The florist for my wedding will always and forever get all of my praises. She is uber talented, listened to every word I said, and executed my vision to a T. The King Protea shines here.
11 of 50
I felt so beautiful in this moment and oddly calm. I love the way the veil and headpiece look together here. The way the veil bubbles just right at the back.
12 of 50
My photographer did a great job giving me the drama I was looking for in our bridal portraits.
13 of 50
This is the moment Steve opened my wedding gift to him which was the opportunity for him to design his own pair of custom shoes. He loves shoes and talks all the time about wanting to design his own, so I thought it would be a great gift.
14 of 50
Oh dear, sweet Pinecrest Gardens. You made it so easy for us! The venue took care of decor just by being it's usual gorgeous self. Lush trees, an amazing lake, clear blue skies. The area where we got married was under a beautiful tree that framed the space wonderfully.
15 of 50
I really didn’t think I would cry. I know it sounds silly now, seeing that I cried the entire ceremony. At one time, I thought I was going to really lose control. The second I turned the corner to walk down the aisle, the emotions welled up beyond my control. My dad however, clearly kept it cool.
16 of 50
Steve was also more emotional than I expected, and that really made me break down. I love the emotion he showed. It was so honest and pure.
17 of 50
There was also plenty of laughter in our ceremony too. We were both coming from the heart and so happy to have our loved ones there to share it with us.
18 of 50
My dad was so calm. He is the most laid back person I know. Rumor is, however, that he did tear up a time or two.
19 of 50
The tree was so lovely.
20 of 50
Our officiant spoke both Creole and English which was important to us to make sure that all of our guests felt included.
21 of 50
It was so sweet listening to Steve’s vows. He really spoke from the heart and was so vulnerable in that moment.
22 of 50
Steve let me pick out my own band, and I love the way it fits with my ring. He had trouble shoving it on at the altar.
23 of 50
We tried to not get too racy with our parents in the front row and all.
24 of 50
My parents have been big cheerleaders in our relationship. They really love Steve.
25 of 50
We were on such a high, once the ceremony was over.
26 of 50
We signed our license with two of our friends. Stephanie has been in my life since high school and has been a constant and most dependable friend.
27 of 50
There was such an adrenaline rush, once the ceremony was over. I kept thinking how unexpected that high was. Steve and I were laughing the whole time during our post ceremony photos. We had champagne and could hear the music. And people, including the string duet, kept coming up to us saying how romantic our vows were. It was a sensational moment.
29 of 50
There were so many interesting parts of Pinecrest Gardens including this wooden installation.
30 of 50
My favorite shot, and the first one I posted to social media, from the day. Our planners were bustling my dress, and the photographer caught it, and of course, I hammed it up. Love this picture.
31 of 50
My two guys. Love them both dearly. They do have many differences, but I find it interesting the ways in which they are the same. I definitely think my father played a role in the man I chose to spend the rest of my life with.
32 of 50
My very favorite girl. My mother was by my side the entire wedding process. She is so adorable and very supportive. I love her to pieces.
33 of 50
Steve’s grandmother was the only grandparent present that day. She means so much to Steve and his family, and we are so honored that she could make it. She doesn’t speak much English so having Creole spoken at the ceremony was important to us.
34 of 50
We were very aware of a budget, so I find that when you don’t want to spend much, keep it simple, and it will often look chic. I love our low centerpieces. They really popped. I was very against gold Chiavari chairs (I wanted white or clear), but my mother insisted, and I gave in. I think they worked in the space.
35 of 50
Some more fine work by our florist. Nothing loud or garrish. Everything with taste. I can't get over how wonderful of a job she did.
36 of 50
While I loved all the tulle on my dress, it was quite a headache during our post ceremony shoot. By the time everything was said and done, I had all kinds of branches and dirt caught in it.
37 of 50
Our photographer really wanted us to show our personalities. This, ladies and gentlemen, is me in a nutshell.
38 of 50
I love this sweet man.
39 of 50
Right before going into the reception, I asked Miguel if we could stop and take a few shots on these wooden seats.
40 of 50
Our entrance! Oh man, this was a whole entire moment! I worked closely with DJ Dro ahead of time to mix two songs related to the University of Miami, where Steve and I met. So many of the people in the audience were either Hurricane alums or huge fans, so the audience was reallllly into it. The energy was crazy.
41 of 50
When a University of Miami player forces a turnover in a game, they are awarded the turnover chain. This was a tradition implemented by, now head coach, Manny Diaz. I ordered two faux turnover chains from Etsy, and Steve and I wore them during our introduction. The U is all about swagger, so we had to bring it!
42 of 50
I love to dance, shamelessly. So does Steve. We are usually the first people on a dance floor. We made sure to get the party started for our reception. I think I sat down once.
43 of 50
I loved our cake. It was so simple, and the amaranthus draping from one layer to another was just the perfect touch.
44 of 50
I wanted to show Steve’s boss early on.
45 of 50
These two girls have been partying with me since our days at UM. I just love how all of our guests came to dance and have fun. I’ve been to some stiff weddings, where no one wants to get up and boogie. I was so glad that our guests let loose.
46 of 50
Steve and I asked DJ Dro to play a block of Haitian/Caribbean music, since more than half of our guests are Haitian. I could really see how much Steve’s family, particularly the older guests, enjoyed this part of the party, and we were glad everyone felt included.
47 of 50
Of all the things I did this day, the bouquet toss felt maybe the most surreal. It was weird to be the one tossing, when, for so many years, I was catching! We played M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls” because I thought it was more representative of the ladies at my wedding than, the often used, “Single Ladies.”
48 of 50
Arms up, drink in hand. Just how I like it!
49 of 50
Steve and I curated our wedding playlist meticulously, sitting down one evening before the wedding for two hours to hash out exactly which songs would be played when. We wanted to make sure every song was perfect, and there would be no lulls. We had a lot of “This is my song” moments. This was one.
50 of 50
Dropping it low for my husband.
