As an experienced bridal hair and makeup artist, Giselle’s expectations for her perfect wedding were high. She was tired of the cliché events she worked every weekend in southern Florida and wanted a unique wedding that would be unlike any she had ever attended. That’s why Giselle and Bill chose to go north to Tallahassee to throw their vintage-glam destination wedding underneath the old oak tree they had always dreamt about.

Searching for the ideal location that encompassed all of their visions — a plantation feel with oak trees, southern charm and Spanish moss — was surprisingly easy. All it took was a simple Google search of northern Florida weddings to find The Goodwood Museum and Gardens. The only issue was that this historic site was fairly persnickety about décor, clean up and times, not to mention they had to purchase event insurance.

The DIY aspects of Bill and Giselle’s wedding were a crafter’s dream. “I love being crafty and this was such a great excuse to live in Michael’s for a year! Perhaps I went a little crazy with all of the details but I enjoyed every second of ribbon choosing and hot glue burns that I would do it again in a heartbeat!” exclaims Giselle.

From the formal wedding invitations that were hand wrapped in ribbon and lace to the cocktail hour mason jar centerpieces embellished with twine and broach details, every possible aspect of the wedding oozed creativity with Giselle’s imaginative touch. Giselle used silver spray paint and rhinestones to glam out her table numbers, which stood on a moss-covered base. The crafty details go on and on but the most unique aspects of this wedding were the bridal party’s bouquets and boutonnieres. Instead of using traditional floral arrangements, Giselle crafted fabric flowers, enhancing them with pearl, broach and burlap details.

Giselle’s new best friend throughout the planning process quickly became WeddingWire. Since she planned without any help from a professional planner, she relied on this trusty site to recommend the best vendors in northern Florida. Also, by hosting the event up north, Giselle and Bill were able to spoil themselves with a more flexible budget. Their motivation behind a destination wedding was the opportunity to get married at their dream venue but surprisingly, it ended up being significantly less expensive per person, which was a major perk. “We decided to allocate some of the newly freed funds into a videographer (Best. Decision. EVER.) which we would not have had if the wedding was close to home, “ explains Giselle. 

Overall, Giselle urges brides to relax and allow the planning process for their destination wedding to be fun and hands on rather than stressful. After all, “A destination wedding does not have to be any more stressful than planning one in your backyard”. Giselle’s one regret is that she wasn’t as hands on with the process as she could have been when it came to taking advantage of technology. Mockups and samples of the reception would have been helpful to signoff on so that everyone was clear on what needed to be done the day of the event. Above all, It is important to have fun and trust, knowing that you’ll be blown away come wedding day.

Vendors: Photographer: Ashley and Greg Granstad of Brooke Images Photography, Ceremony/Reception Site: The Goodwood Museum and Gardens, Gown Designer: Davids Bridal Collection, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Tommy Hilfiger, Bridesmaids Clothing Designer: Dessy, Monique Lhuillier, Cake: Maria Streety of Artistic Confections, Catering: Klassic Katering, Video: Eric Torres of Collab Creations Films, Hair: Rebecca Corrente of Phairis on Location Hair Styling, Makeup: Mckenzie Ramirez of MJ Makeup Artistry, Limo: Classic Limos Tallahassee, DJ: Amplify Entertainment