CASA MARINA JACKSONVILLE BEACH WEDDING BY TONYA BEAVER

SERENE AND BENJAMIN WEDDING DAY PHOTOS

Love Story:

How did you two meet?

We met through a mutual friend our freshman year of college (college sweethearts!!) We started out as distant friends and reconnected a couple of months after meeting and have been inseparable since!

How did he propose?

Benji proposed at the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago. I (Serene) was under the impression that we were doing family photos for our annual Christmas card. Of course, I wore my best red dress and had a fresh manicure (thank goodness). My mom guided me through the beautiful scenery of the Conservatory to a small pond where Benji set up pictures, candles, balloons, and flowers and was waiting on his knee with my dream ring.

After the proposal, we had dinner overlooking the city skyline at The Signature Room at the 95th.

Wedding planning:

How did you decide on your color scheme, flowers, and cake?

I (Serene) have been planning my wedding since I was a little girl. My mom and I spent countless hours of my childhood watching Say Yes to the Dress. I had a whole pinterest board that I carefully crafted over the years, so it was not difficult for me to decide on things after we got engaged.

I knew I wanted to portray a vision that would be timeless and classic, so we chose to go with a lot of whites, ivories, browns, and greenery.

Benji and I love lemon cakes, and we have always said that we wanted to have a lemon cake at our wedding. We chose a design with real florals to tie the cake into the rest of the decor. We had an amazing wedding planner (TouShay Events) that made our dreams come to life.

How did you decide on your invitations, and who did you use?

With the help of Benji’s mom, we handmade each of our wedding invitations. Benji’s mom created the design on Canva. We wanted our invitations to match the whimsical feel of our wedding, and I think we achieved just that.

What was the most fun part of wedding planning?

Our favorite part of wedding planning was choosing the jewelry. We have family friends that own a jewelry shop (Sam & Sons Jewelers in Oak Lawn, IL) and we worked with them to create the most amazing pieces. Serene’s rings were custom made & Benji’s band is his late grandfather’s ring that we took to the shop to have engraved. Sam & Sons also created a beautiful necklace using the diamond’s from Serene’s mother & father’s wedding rings.

Which part did you not like as much?

Benji and I are a pretty laid back couple, so we don’t do a lot of party/event planning. I think that the hardest part was making so many decisions.

What are the biggest pieces of advice you wish you would have known before the wedding day.

Fortunately, we got some pretty good (and funny) advice from our makeup artist on the day of the wedding. Christina (Makeup By Christina Burns) told us that whenever you feel like you are going to cry, squeeze your buttcheeks together. We both still cried like babies, but we shared a lot of laughs over the advice nevertheless.

Wedding Weekend Info:

Hotel accommodations for guests: Casa Marina Hotel and Restaurant
Rehearsal
Dinner Location: N/A
Ceremony Location: Casa Marina Hotel and Restaurant
Reception Location: Casa Marina Hotel and Restaurant
Caterer: Casa Marina Hotel and Restaurant
Wedding Coordinator: Shay Heebner
Photographer: Tonya Beaver Photography
Videographer: N/A
Cake: Staci Glover
Florist: Shay Heebner
Officiate: Amanda Benjamin
Hair: Jackie
Make-up: Christina Burns
Entertainment: Eddie Ramirez
Transportation: N/A Wedding
Dress: Bella Bianca Bridal Couture
Wedding Shoes: Pelle Moda
Bridesmaids Dresses: N/A
Groom and Groomsmen Wear: Indochino

Any other vendors who contributed that we need to mention?
Jewelry: Sam & Sons Jewelers
Butterfly release: Clearwater Butterfly

In your words, can you give a storyline of your wedding day?

Our wedding was on June 22, 2023. It was a partially cloudy Thursday with lots of rain on the radar. We woke up and spent the morning trying to avoid seeing each other until the ceremony. We took turns eating breakfast with our families and then all the girls began getting ready together.

We took lots of pictures and videos, and played a special playlist to get ready. The hotel delivered champagne and we had snacks as well. After getting ready, we were able to check out all of the decor and prayed that it wouldn’t rain during our outdoor ceremony. Benji spent his day going for multiple walks/runs on the beach, watching several movies, and also partaking in the gifted champagne.

When it came time to start getting ready, it took him a good 15 minutes to put his suit on and he was ready to roll. We took pictures with our families separately and then the ceremony began. We had a very small and intimate wedding, with only our immediate family present. During the ceremony, we had a butterfly release, read our personal vows, and cried lots of happy tears. We then had hors d’oeuvres and took more pictures. Finally, we finished the night off with dinner and dessert.

What was the high point of your wedding day that you hope to remember forever?

The highpoint we hope to remember forever is seeing each other for the first time walking down the aisle. We chose not to do a first look, and I think that made the moment even more special. We will never forget how we felt seeing each other.

Tonya Beaver Photography Studio Location: Jacksonville Beach, FL

318 First Ave N

Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250 

To view more Wedding Sessions, please visit:

https://www.tonyabeaverphotography.com/weddings

For more Wedding pricing, please visit:

https://www.tonyabeaverphotography.com/wedding

Hi, I’m Tonya, a Jacksonville Florida Photographer. I specialize in photographing weddings, families, and babies. I would love to hear all about your photography needs to see if we’re a right fit for each other. As a photographer, I get to capture the most exciting and life changing experiences in people’s lives. 

Not only in Jacksonville, but all over North Florida: Ponte Vedra, Amelia Island, St. Augustine, etc. 

I know there are quite a few photographers in Jacksonville so it can be overwhelming. But I invite you to check out my wedding, family, and newborn portfolio. Also, feel free to check out some of my reviews that my previous clients have given me. Jacksonville is one of the most beautiful areas for photographing engagements, weddings and family photos. From the beach, golf clubs, parks, downtown, gorgeous churches and so much more. I look forward to hearing from you and getting to know you more!

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