This Intimate + Elevated Destination Wedding in Miami Had a Runway-Style Aisle

Kristina + Jeff, based in Minnesota, decided to escape the northern chill for their “I do’s” by planning a sophisticated destination celebration that brought their closest friends + family all the way down to sunny Miami, Florida.

 The Old Miami meets Tuscan countryside vibe of Villa Woodbine provided the perfect setting for an aesthetic approach that JV Wedding Planning remembers as “elegant and romantic, but also very fun.” 

Pearls. Bows. Espresso martinis. The whole day was a brilliant black-tie dream. One thing we can’t get over? Kristina + Jeff decided to lay out their ceremony like a runway show with seating on both sides of the aisle facing inward!

Let’s take a look at the beautiful pics that Cortiella Photography snapped of Kristina + Jeff’s chic + fabulous Florida wedding!

We’ve got a major crush on Kristina’s tulle bows wedding heels. So fun + timeless!

Okay, how beautiful is this burgundy mother of the bride dress! Love that both the bride + the MOB are rocking tulle ruffle details!

“I tried on MANY dresses that all had very different styles,” remembers Kristina of her search of this gorgeous + dramatic ruffle bottom mermaid wedding gown. “I was pretty open to any unique style. I ended up choosing a local MN designer Colby John, and when I was trying on the dress he happened to be at the bridal shop, and we both couldn’t resist the dress! His dream actually is to get married one day in Miami as well so it seemed like it was meant to be!”

Our Favorite Memory
From the bride: "There were so many memorable moments, but getting to see my husband for the first time was so very memorable! I was so excited to marry him and I just couldn’t wait to see him, and I also knew he wasn’t feeling very well so just wanted to be there with him so we could do this together! I also loved all of our first dances, we did a special first dance with Nora and Henry (Jeff’s Kids & My Stepkids) to Stop by Spice Girls which was such a fun addition and so glad we could include them in so many ways for such a memorable night!"

The Runway-Style Ceremony

All of the day’s wedding signs and hand-written details were created by Miami Writes Co..

There it is! The runway aisle! You can look through our collection of unique ceremony seating ideas to start dreaming up your own non-traditional take on a ceremony setup.

Julia Rohde Designs created the day’s florals, including these lush, sophisticated, all-white baby’s breath + rose aisle-lining arrangements.

There are so many cool things you can do with wedding aisle decor. These monochrome floral hedges are definitely one of them.

Our Musical Choices
Processional
"Forever and Always" by Ryan Mack
Recessional
"Seve" by Tez Cadey 
First Dance
"One Touch" by Jess Glynn

Can we give a round of applause to Andrea Martinez, the HMU artist that created Kristina’s Old Hollywood bridal hairstyle and soft glam wedding makeup?

Take a look at this black tie Tuscan destination wedding and this striking San Miguel de Allende wedding to see a few more examples of weddings that went with a runway-style ceremony seating setup.

Since Kristina + Jeff were so far from home, they made the meaningful choice to fly their hometown pastor Ryan Braley to Miami to officiate.

The Romantic Reception

Rentals from Elements + Accents create this dreamy, glowy candlelit dark wood + white linen reception vibe.

To mask the reception setup during the ceremony, Kristina + Jeff had Miami Luxury Flower Walls bring in a 32 foot hedge wall that divided the tree-lined outdoor event space.

 “It was all about accentuating the venue with a neutral color palette, so the greenery could stand out,” says JV Wedding Planning of the wedding’s design approach.

Also, how suave does Jeff look in his Hugo Boss wedding tux!

One of the JV Wedding Planning team’s fave details? “The bride and groom wrote a letter to each individual guest. We used a calligrapher from Miami (Miami Writes Co.) and she wrote each guests name at the front of the envelope in different colors, which we used to identify the meal choice of each guest for Bill Hansen Catering.”

Our Advice
Have fun with it and DON’T STRESS!! Everything will come together and even if the little things fall through the crack no one knows but you so don’t sweat it! Enjoy the day and the process! It’s one you will never forget!

“I knew I didn’t want just one dress for the evening because fashion is a huge part of my life. I went with 3 different dress throughout the night,” Kristina says of her switch into this ruched high neck wedding dress and later into a tulle high low dress.

Such beauty in simplicity! Loving the texture of this white five tier wedding cake from Earth + Sugar.

Love that Kristina’s paired her sheer, tiered tulle reception dres with some cute pearly bridal sneakers! A perfect look for pouring the espresso martini tower!

Another creative touch? Kristina + Jeff also treated their guests to some serious Miami vibes with live, hand-rolled cigars from On Site Cigars.

We are very into this switch to a low pony bridal updo. Especially with this adorable personalized hair bow!

Congratulations, Kristina + Jeff on your romantic, elevated, and super fun Florida destination wedding! GWS wishes you both all the best!