After a gorgeous ceremony located in her childhood church, Sarah and Matthew had their wedding reception at her parent’s estate on the water in Deland, Florida. Guests were shocked when they arrived because the bride had explained it was “just a backyard wedding”… and little did they expect to be transported into a fanciful fairytale! Every single detail was taken care of and accounted for. The vendor team was simply flawless and the decor was stunning. Sarah envisioned vintage and unique design + decor for each table setting, and ensured that the vibe was the same the whole day – even down to her stunning dress!
Joe Hearn Events seamlessly executed Sarah’s concept and C&C Captures was there to photograph the entire day. Now prepared to be amazed!
The Dress
One guest described the bride’s dress as “something out of a movie.” 3D sequin floral designs, pops of color, and the veil which was her grandmother’s!
The gown is Teuta Matoshi, a designer known for her beautiful and creative combinations of fabric and embellishments. Bride Sarah shares with us the experience of finding her perfect gown:
“My wedding dress was picked to coordinate with my great-grandmother’s 1929 headdress. I found it in my grandmother’s house months before we got officially engaged, the same weekend that Matthew & I decided to buy our house from the same decade as the headdress. It felt like I absolutely had to wear it for our wedding. It had been stored in a Florida attic, so I had to do some restoration and ended up making my veil with organza & portions of lace from the original (disintegrated) veil.
So when it came to finding a wedding dress, I knew it had to match. I have been obsessed with Teuta Matoshi’s designs for years, but I was unsure about ordering my wedding dress sight unseen! I went to a traditional bridal boutique when we got engaged, but none of the dresses felt quite right. That night, at dinner with some of my family and one of my bridesmaids, I ordered my gown from Teuta Matoshi (the Blooming Chambray gown). It came in about a month later, and didn’t even need alterations! It was perfect.”
Are you as obsessed with Sarah’s look as we are?!
The Romantic Ceremony
The most memorable part of our wedding, without question, was our ceremony. The ceremony was held at the church where I had gone to school for eight years, so it was so special to have our ceremony there. When planning our wedding, we knew that having a big, traditional church wedding with all of the accompanying sacraments was important to us as a couple. Another memorable moment came by making sure to take time together, just by ourselves. We had a private last dance, and a private moment together immediately after the ceremony to just celebrate being married!
The couple was kind enough to share with us their inspiration behind their big day:
“Our wedding mood board was heavily inspired by art deco, fairy tales, and old Florida nature. The reception was at my parent’s house, and it was so special to be able to have all of our friends and family together where I grew up. We worked to incorporate items and special things from both of our families- I wore my great-grandmother’s 1929 headdress, my grandmother made our wedding cake, we had wedding photos from both sides displayed at the entrance, and both of our rings were heirloom family rings. We both love thrifting and repurposing, so we used thrifted china plates and a lot of secondhand details. Our home has an orchard of camellia trees that Matthew has been restoring to its former glory, and so we used petals from one of our camellia trees for the flower girl.”
The Bridal Party
These matching brown bridesmaid dresses perfectly complimented the embellishments on Sarah’s gown!
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Looking sharp gentleman!
This bridal party looked nothing short of amazing.
Iron & Clay flower farm and design studio took care of all the beautiful floral arrangements seen throughout the day… and they’re absolutely beautiful.
Happily Ever After
This adorable mini wedding cake was made by the bride’s grandmother!
It looks like these two can dance the night away!
Don’t stress it too much! Wedding planning can be a long, drawn-out process, but we planned ours in exactly 100 days. That timeline was only possible because our venue was my parents house and I had so many people willing to help me! The “super short wedding planning” is not for everyone, and definitely had its downsides. It did, however, force me to go with my gut and not second-guess or stress over small details.
Congratulations to Sarah and Matthew on your big day! The team here at GWS wishes you a lifetime of bliss!
photography: C&C Captures, LLC // venue name: Bird Dog Estate, Deland, Florida, USA // planning: Joe Hearn Events // florals: Iron and Clay Flowers // wedding dress: Teuta Matoshi // videography: C&C Captures, LLC // catering: Joe Hearn Events
