Katie & Johnny

Beautiful venues, beautiful gowns, and beautiful friendship -- Katie & Johnny's December wedding pulled out all the stops at Rustic Oaks Ranch in High Springs. 

In outdoor weddings like Katie & Johnny's, the details are what make a couple's personality truly shine through. They brought out a bit of their southern flare through their very detailed cowboy boots. For extra pops of color, they chose bouquets of soft, cream and pink flowers from The Plant Shoppe Florist.

The love of bridesmaids is something special. Katie kept herself surrounded by a happy gathering of her closest gal-pals on her big day. Each bridesmaid wore their own style and shade of pink gown. We adore how it let their personalities shine. We especially love the big smile on their flower girl!

How hysterical and priceless are these photos? We absolutely loved watching this group posing and expressing their love for a good party and a good drink in this bar shoot. Fun fact: each bridesmaid had their own personalized and bedazzled bridesmaid flask for the first photo. The guys did not have bedazzled beer cans, but we think they were more in it for the fun than the flare!

Rustic Oaks Ranch offered a number of gorgeous sights for Katie & Johnny's guests to marvel at, especially when it came to the ceremony site. The ranch has multiple options for where to have the ceremony, including inside the barn and a space nestled inside a grouping of trees, and Katie & Johnny chose this rustic barn door spot for theirs. It tied perfectly in with their country look and created a sense of intimacy as they walked down the aisle.

Katie was stunning in lace! Her gown was a stunning mixture of sweetness, southern style, and intricacy. The added lace around her bouquet finished off the look and made her nothing short of a southern beauty!

Not even a 102-degree fever could keep Johnny from partying well into the night with his new bride! As you can see here, they were the center of attention at their reception, and their love lit up the barn.

Katie & Johnny, we hope you have a future full of lots of love and laughter. Enjoy this new chapter, and thank you for letting us be a part of making it happen!

Thank you to everyone who made this wedding special:

Venue: Rustic Oaks Ranch

Flowers: The Plant Shoppe Florist

Hair: Colee Ponder w/ Elegant Occasions Gainesville

Cupcakes: T&J Cupcake Creations

Ellie & Daniel

Weddings are always beautiful, but they truly shine when the love between the couple is evident in all that they do. That was the case for the wedding of Ellie and Daniel this October in Ocala.

Ellie had lots of fun getting ready surrounded by her bridesmaids. They all wore floral silk robes as they eagerly awaited getting dressed, with special robes for the bride and mother of the bride. When ready, Ellie's mother helped her into her flowing white gown in a sweet mother/daughter moment.

Another sweet moment came when two of the bridesmaids who were in Ellie's sorority fulfilled a sorority tradition with her. Their sorority gives its members pearls to be worn in some way on their wedding day. The two bridesmaids each sewed on the pearls to the bottom of Ellie's wedding dress. Talk about making a wedding personal!

You have heard of first looks at weddings, but have you heard of first touches? Ellie and Daniel shared a first touch and prayer by their priest outside the venue before their ceremony officially began. There were plenty of tears and laughter as the soon-to-be husband and wife reached out to one another. We absolutely loved it!

Carolyn Ann Photography

Carolyn Ann Photography

The work of a wedding planner is never done! We are here to help on your wedding day in any way possible, and sometimes, that includes helping carry your dress as you head to the ceremony. Ellie experienced this firsthand -- as did her gorgeous gown! 

Additionally, Ellie & Daniel got us for our extended planning package. This means they got six meetings and unlimited time on their wedding day from us. It is a great option for anyone who wants us to be there at all of the fun and detailed meetings along the way!

Carolyn Ann Photography

Carolyn Ann Photography

Carolyn Ann Photography

Our florist, the Graceful Gardener, truly outdid herself when she made Ellie's bridal bouquet. Not only were the flowers stunning and the perfect pop of color, but the bouquet also had a secret up its sleeve -- the toss bouquet! Wrapped in a separate ribbon, the toss bouquet sat nestled in the actual bridal bouquet to be unwrapped and used later. How genius is that? 

The reception took place at the Country Club of Ocala, a stunning venue with beautiful outdoor landscapes, a fun entry room, and a spacious, decorative ballroom. Guests were greeted first by this piece above. Florals from the Graceful Gardener mixed with pinned lace really made the wooden backdrop pop. 

Ellie and Daniel made good use of signage at their wedding. Signs were placed around the venue to add both a hint of personality and warmth to the space. We also loved the photos of themselves that sat alongside them. We always encourage couples to include bits and pieces of their love story into their decorations because it really does impact the venue space and atmosphere.

To add some variety, Ellie and Daniel chose two different centerpieces for their big day. The first was a floral arrangement filled with white and light pink flowers. The second was an assortment of floating candles surrounded by greenery. Each centerpiece was surrounded by navy blue napkins and silver chargers. Everything turned out so elegant and really filled the space in an earthy way.

Carolyn Ann Photography

Carolyn Ann Photography

Before the night's festivities, the couple took a walk through the country club's golf course for some intimate photos. The timing was perfect, as the dim lighting of sunset made the couple shine. That is the beauty of choosing a picturesque venue like this!

After a night full of dancing, it was time for the couple to head off to their new journey as husband and wife. As a special gift, they rode off in this stunning set of wheels. A trail of sparklers and their wedding guests led the way for this absolutely radiant send off!

Carolyn Ann Photography

We had the best time getting to witness the love and joy shared between Ellie, Daniel, and their families and friends. Ellie and Daniel, may you experience happiness and many blessings as you start this new chapter together. We loved helping you!

Thank you to our vendors: 

Wedding Venue: Christ The King Church (Ocala)
Reception: Country Club of Ocala

Flowers: Graceful Gardener 
Photography: Carolyn Ann Photography
Cake: Betty Cakes
Hair: Graceful Strands
Makeup: Cynthia McMillian