Florida Back Alley Wedding: Nikki + Carlo

back alley wedding

When it comes to super unique places to day I Do, Nikki + Carlo totally crush it with their amazing back alley wedding! Nikki is a wedding photographer in southwest Florida + photographs a TON of beach weddings every year, so she knew she wanted to do something different that would fit with her + Carlo’s fun sense of style. Missing the industrial edge of her hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania, they decided to go for an intimate 25-guest celebration in Bootlegger’s Alley in Fort Myers. Their incredible venue was found by Kehrin of Jet Set Wed, who also beautifully styled the setting. And the pretty photos by Stacy of Set Free Photography have us itching to attend a wedding in an alley ourselves! Here’s a bit more about the day from Stacy:

Nikki and Carlo have a distinct personal style that lends itself to the non-traditional, and in keeping with this notion, Bootlegger’s Alley in historic downtown Fort Myers was the perfect venue that genuinely fit their personalities. Nikki opted to rent her gown from Rent the Runway , and knowing that a white gown was not quite right for her, she was thrilled to find this stunning gold and black dramatic gown that appears to have been made just for her. It was an incredibly intimate wedding with only family and a few friends in attendance, but the love and emotion of this day is forever imprinted on my heart.

two toned dress

black heels

Rent the Runway dress

LOVE that Nikki chose to wear something fun + unique! And her bouquet by Signature Florals was definitely one of her best accessories!

Rent the Runway dress

first look

first look

dapper little ring bearer

first look

clipboard ceremony program

Our Musical Choices

Processional: Use Somebody – Kings of Leon (Acoustic Instrumental)

Recessional: I Will Wait – Mumford and Sons

First Dance: Crazy Love – Van Morrison

back alley ceremony

back alley ceremony

Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding

There were so many incredible moments for the day it is really hard to pick one. Seeing the venue decorated for the first time was amazing and blew us away. Jonah (Carlo’s son) was a big part of our day and we wanted to include him. Nikki said vows to Jonah and he was with us during the whole ceremony. Also, Nikki’s mom, who isn’t exactly the emotional type BAWLED the entire wedding day — tears of joy of course. Carlo’s Uncle Zeo Tony surprised us by serenading everyone with a beautiful Itailan song (which set Nikki’s mom off in tears again) and lastly, Nikki’s dad was busting moves on the dance floor which NEVER happens.

back alley ceremony

Florida back alley wedding

Florida back alley wedding

Florida back alley wedding

gear boutonniere

Florida back alley wedding

back alley bar

Florida back alley wedding

Nikki says, Carlo’s family is also Italian, so we decided to have Italian inspired appetizers for cocktail hour and indulged in our favorite Italian treats for dessert.

chalkboard

Florida back alley reception

black and gold tablescape

black and gold tablescape

water ball escort card

Major love for this gorgeous tablescape, which seems to fuse the tropical vibe of Florida perfectly with the industrial-chic theme that N + C were going for.

fern centerpieces

Florida back alley wedding

first dance

first dance

Our Advice To Those Planning Now

Trust your vendors and let them do what they do best!!! We picked our vendors based on our love and admiration of their work and we didn’t want to snuff their creativity in any way. We gave them complete creative control. We couldn’t be more thrilled and even with all of the pinterest planning in the world we wouldn’t have been able to envision more perfect results.

photography: Set Free Photography // venue name: Bootlegger's Alley, Fort Myers, Florida // event design: Jet Set Wed // florals: Signature Florals // wedding dress: Rent the Runway // hair stylist: JA Makeup Artistry // makeup artist: JA Makeup Artistry // groom attire: Express // videography: Fidelis Films // paper goods: dm Paper Designs // catering: Webster's // music: Steve Farst // officiant: Tonya Malay // event planner: Kehrin Hassan of Jet Set Wed // bride's shoes: Zara and Jessica Simpson // dessert: Italian Pastries from Paesano's // rentals: Party Time Rentals

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