I guess it was inevitable. After being part of so many other people’s weddings, I’ve finally decided to have my own!

You can follow all the details here, and yes, it’s a destination wedding:

A Reluctant Bride

This is one of my favorite photos of me and Sean (my wonderful fiancé), taken in San Antonio by Fred Egan, a talented and fun photographer from Dallas.

I wanted to share a quick link to a beautiful venue here in Sarasota, FL, the Ca d’Zan Mansion & Ringling Museum of Art.

The estate, established by John & Mable Ringling is 66 acres of landscaped grounds, including a Rose Garden perfect for an outdoor ceremony.  The mansion sits on the Sarasota Bay & offers beautiful sunset views for terrace receptions.  If you desire to have a Venetian feel to your wedding without going to Venice, this estate is really the perfect place.  Plus Sarasota offers so much for your guests, including nearby Siesta Key’s soft, white beaches.

And if you’re looking for an elegant yet dramatic reception venue I highly recommend the museum courtyard.   For further information contact the Events Dept. at 941.359.5700 x 5703. 

These days ice sculptures and ice bars are all the rage for wedding receptions.  And Shari had some great inspiration for an ice themed wedding but what about having your wedding surrounded by ice?  Here are a few ice hotels & chapels that are beautiful carved, creating unique venues for your ceremony.

The Ice Hotel, Sweden  { This hotel sits 200km north of the Arctic Circle and after your ceremony in the hand carved chapel you can head over to the Absolut Ice Bar for a catered reception. }

Hotel de Glace, Canada    { North America’s only ice hotel and of course like all of them, each year it is redesigned and hand carved. }

Iglu Dorf, Switzerland  { Six igloo hotels to choose from throughout Switzerland.  Each offers excellent skiing opportunties for you and your guests to enjoy. }

Fall is in the air. Of course, where I live in Southwest Florida that means 75 degrees! But I love it. After a summer of very hot weather, even 75 feels crisp and cool.

Today for Fall Week here at Fly Away Photography, I’m going to feature the work of a very talented photographer I just discovered, Amy Squires. She has tons of amazing work, but I’ve picked photographs from weddings that have a freash fall vibe.

She also has a really fun wedding blog called Wedding Chicks. Check it out!

I’ve been wanting to highlight Ian Prosser and his team at Botanica for a while since I really, really love his work.  Based out of Florida, they travel internationally, creating beautiful wedding and event floral designs.  So if you’re looking for a unique, elegant floral designer give their site a visit.  And to see a recent real wedding, visit their blog.  Happy Friday!!

Since green is my favorite color, there’s nothing I can think of that would be more fun than some green details at your wedding. Here are some fun ideas:

From left to right, top to bottom.

1. Use the scenery as your green! This is Pelican Preserve, one of my favorite locations in Fort Myers, Florida.

2. Cute butterfly favors — or could be decorations.

3. Minty favors.

4. Umbrellas, guests will thank you in the hot sun.

5. A pretty green color for a bridesmaid’s dress, actually hard to find! Trust me, I know. I tried on like 500 a few months ago.

6. Place card holders. These are freaking cute.

7. Fresh green invitations.

8. I love these Chuck Taylor’s! They are unisex. This is what I’d have the whole bridal party wear, groomsmen and bridesmaids

 Scarlett O’Hara never did have the big garden wedding, instead opting to wear her mother’s gown for a quick ceremony to Charles.  And of course her wedding to Rhett was small compared to the way Scarlett typically did things….big and extravagant.   Even though this weeks theme is all things inspired by kelly green, I thought I’d gather some inspiration for Scarlett, just encase she ever decided to throw herself a big Irish wedding.

I think this Atelier Aimee gown would fit her dreamy, girly side.

 And of course nothing would suit Scarlett more than a 3 carat emerald & diamond ring from Solomon Bros.

 The castle of choice to throw her fabulous fete would be in Ireland at Lismore Castle.

A garden wedding with roses, herbs and beautifully manicured hedges.

I imagine Scarlett would want the event to be a party to remember so she’d probably follow the afternoon ceremony with tea service on the lawn, where she could entertain and socialize.  Later guests would move to a tented reception for dinner and dancing.

 Followed up by a desert buffet.

{ last three photos from Martha Stewart }

Here are a few gowns I adore and feel would be perfect for a Florida wedding, whether it’s on the beach or at one of our many venues.  They’re soft, elegant and reminicent of the refreshing ocean breeze.  Which is your favorite?

{ Dress by Alfred Angelo } 

This shorter dress is one of my favorites for something modern & chic.  { Both dresses by Angel Sanchez }

I love this dress.  Non traditional, forward thinking and elegant.

My favorite gown that’s more classic & timeless.  { These gowns are designed by Atelier Aimee, an array of gowns that truly are unique & make a statement. }

For me, a wine country inspired wedding is sophisticated but with a rustic charm.  It focuses on good food, good wine & bringing together your closest family and friends.  The colors can be bold like a deep cabernet or soft and lush like a chardonnay.  The food is modern, colorful and bursting with various flavors.  If you can’t make it to Napa for your wedding, here are some ideas on how to bring wine country to you.

I love these lanterns, which give it a soft glow as the sun sets.

An aisle of rose petals with floating candles lighting the path. 

I absolutely LOVE this garden reception.  It feels elegant, rustic and a great way for guests to relax over an amazing dinner.

A ‘green’ bouquet made with herbs has a unique charm.

 And of course who wouldn’t want to include their pet into the day’s events.

These are just a few ideas I’ve discovered that struck my fancy.  If you have any ideas for a wine country wedding, leave us a comment.  All photos from Martha Stewart Weddings.

The Marie Antoinette Wedding was listed by The Knot as one of 2008’s Most Creative Wedding Trends: “We bet that Sofia Coppola had no idea that her fashionable blockbuster would inspire a whole new class of bourgeoisie brides! Lush floral centerpieces, rich gilded colors, big gowns, brocade, and decadent receptions are fit for royalty, complete with hand-painted invitations, champagne tasting bars, seven courses, and extravagant dessert displays!”

When I think of a Marie Antoinette Inspired Wedding, I think of over-the-top decadence – the kind of decadence you could rarely ever get away with. But with a tongue-in-cheek attitude, what guest wouldn’t want to partake in this affair? Just don’t forget to invite me.

1. From the movie, Marie Antoinette. It wasn’t the best movie, but it has some fun modern twists which you could use for inspiration for a wedding.

2. Marie’s real bedroom at Versailles. Well worth a visit!

3. The grounds are amazing. I spent a whole day just lazing around here.

4. What a necklace!

5. The lovely lady herself.

6. Raynaud “Marie Antoinette Gold” China.

7. Champagne in a box worth keeping.

8. You’ll need a special dress, or two…