Tropical Romance for this Chic Florida Wedding

Captivated by banyan trees and vibrant local flora, Jessica and Klavey’s Florida nuptials took a tropical twist on a traditional garden party wedding. Hosted at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, their venue included acres of Florida palms, live oaks, and bayfront views. Jessica wanted to focus on an airy and romantic feeling, and chose to keep a neutral color palette to not overshadow the incredible gardens. The couple gathered for a ceremony on the lawn alongside a wooden pergola. Guests were surrounded by oversized banyan trees and vibrant vegetation with a live harpist playing to accompany the wedding procession. At the reception, outdoor dining tables were enveloped by the banyan trees, which were romantically strung with chandeliers and bistro lights. The couple’s enchanted head table included a tufted loveseat with florals that surrounded the base of their table. A highlight for Jessica was the first dance, which the couple had rehearsed to perform at their reception. Scroll to see it all captured by Nikki Golden Photography.

My vision was very airy, romantic, and earthy. Timelessness and simplicity were two key themes. We looked for an outdoor venue that could bring in different tropical elements from Florida: a garden setting and European influence with neutral and earth tones. Our color palette was taupe, ivory, blush, peach, and rose. The house near the banyan trees has an Italian/Spanish look and the tropical vibe made it feel like a different world for guests to walk into.

I choose my dress with my mom. After trying on a million dresses, I narrowed it down to this one because it fit like a glove. It was exactly what I was looking for – something that hugged my curves, had some beading and intricacy while also being simple in some regards to the crepe material on the lower half of the dress, and a beautiful train that had a feminine air to it, while also being sexy with the beautiful back. I knew for an outdoor wedding, I did not want a large train to carry around, and this dress was absolutely stunning. It hit the mark for everything I could have ever wanted.

Selby Gardens is absolutely breathtaking and has so many hidden areas. I loved the variety of backgrounds for all my pictures (mixture of tropical palm trees, bay, lawn, banyan trees, etc.). The florals were gorgeous – delicate and romantic mixed with the table settings. I also really liked the furniture we had for guests and the chandeliers, which created a fairy tale look under the stars.

One of the highlights was my Aunts, who flew in from Jordan for the wedding. We played a couple of Arabic songs, and they had so much fun dancing with everyone. We also played Portuguese music to honor my mom’s side of the family. Being that both my parents were born in different countries and we celebrated both Arabic and Portuguese cultures growing up, this was one of my favorite memories. To showcase my heritage and have my friends/family come together to share these pieces that make me unique. Ultimately, having everyone we love in one place – celebrating our union. That is the most special thing I could have asked for.