Alvie and Daryl’s Wedding day sneak peek {Ponte Vedra Lodge and Club Wedding Photos} | Jacksonville Florida Wedding Photography

Alvie + Daryl Wedding Day

Alvie and Daryl had one of those wild wedding days where you just prayed and hung on for the ride. We kept watching the weather all week, and the % chance of rain got lower and lower with each passing day so I felt pretty confident the rain would hold off. WELLLLLLL, the rain didn’t hold off…it was actually the day when random tornados popped up all over town throughout the day.

Most couples pick their wedding venue based on the place they want their ceremony to be outside. When that plan changes last minute, it is very disappointing. But we hoped for the best and just hoped that in the end everything would turn out exactly how Alvie envisioned.

Once we got her dressed, we went down to do the first look. It was still pouring down rain, but we found a little patio out back that had pretty light and pretty backdrops. I think it was the perfect setting for their VERY emotional first look. I love that you can see the STORMING that is going on in the background of the photos.

The thing that I love about them is, they have each other and that’s all they need. Yeah it was sad for a minute when the rain came, but once they saw each other, their spirits immediately lifted.

Low and behold about 30 minutes before the ceremony, the sun came out. We really wanted to get ceremony chairs and decor moved from the inside plan B place back outside to the plan A space. Unfortunately the staff for the Lodge had been sent to the Inn to set up another party so all us vendors and every guest helped move everything back outside.

Alvie was getting her wish of having an outdoor wedding!!! As you can see from the ceremony photos, they were very emotional as they said their vows to each other. They both wrote a letter (as well as their parents), and sealed them up with a bottle of wine to be opened on their first wedding anniversary. Year one of marriage is a WILD ride (for most of us!) so it will be really fun to read those letters. What a great idea!

We quickly took some family formal photos, and we still needed to take more photos of just the couple. I kept watching a dark cloud out of the corner of my eye. It was well north of us, but it was moving west to east…and it was BLACK. The rumbles of thunder kept me moving quickly!

Family pics ended, and we were walking around front to do some pics of just the couple when we all saw a lightning bolt! I don’t think any of us have ever ran so quickly in a long time BUT we did make it safely inside. Usually I’m all about a bride and taking care of her.

Well you know Florida weather, so we waited 10 mins for the storm to pass then ran back out for some photos. Holy Moly was the light INCREDIBLE after the storm (as it usually is!). I couldn’t stop taking photos b/c the light was just so perfect. Alvie and Daryl are into cars so they wanted pics with their cars.

Thankfully we were able to find a great space for that too, and I’m really happy with how they all turned out ESPECIALLY when we could have had zero outdoor pics due to weather.

Reception came and the DJ had everyone in that place having a great time literally from start to finish. He made everything special from intros to that last private dance. It was really a reception that will go down in the books as having some really fun times, really emotional times, and then wrapping it all up with a gorgeous sparkler send off.

All in all, looking back on that day, I’m just SO thankful the weather calmed down just in time for the ceremony and some gorgeous photos. Talk about great timing!!! Yeah a few things went wrong through the day here and there, they always do! But these two honestly had a really amazing wedding day, and their friends and family made it SO special for them (not to mention how entertaining this ONEEEE table was!)

Alvie and Daryl, you two have been SO fun to get to know. One of my favorite wedding day memories to date was Daryl running down that street yelling “I changed my minddddddd!” as he was running to grab his keys. I laughed at you two non stop (not to mention how many hours we laughed during the editing process!)

You two just make life fun, and in life and in marriage laughter just makes everything better. Thank you SO SO much for choosing me to be your photographer. It is a huge, huge honor to me.

xoxo

(and a HUGE thank you to Amber and John for second shooting!)

Wedding Weekend Info (from the couple):

Hotel accommodations for guests: The Lodge & Club Ponte Vedra, Hilton Garden Inn Jacksonville /Ponte Vedra, Hampton Inn Ponte Vedra

Rehearsal Dinner Location: The Lodge & Club Ponte Vedra

Ceremony Location: The Lodge & Club Ponte Vedra

Reception Location: The Lodge & Club Ponte Vedra

Caterer: The Lodge & Club Ponte Vedra

Wedding Coordinator: Day-of coordinator, Robin Schaal from The Lodge & Club Ponte Vedra

Photographer: Tonya Beaver Photography –

so glad Tonya and her team were a part of our wedding! Not only did she capture our wedding beautifully, she went above & beyond to make sure the bride was happy and everything went smoothly.

Things will go wrong that day, but Tonya is prepared, and she quickly became my go-to person. Our day would not have been the same without her! Worth every penny, and now we have amazing photos to keep for a lifetime!

Videographer: First Sight Pictures –

talented, super easy to work with, and they produce quality work. Weddings can get expensive, but DO NOT skimp on videographers and photographers – you want to be able to look back on your wedding, especially those sweet candid moments!

I particularly like the packages they offer, which includes a two minute wedding video trailer in addition to the wedding video. The trailer is short and sweet, and sums up our day perfectly. Great to share with family and friends!

Cake: Choux Cake Studio –

Tamatha was great to work with! She offers complimentary cake tasting, which you’ll find all the delicious flavors you can dream of. Cake design was a breeze for both the wedding cake and groom’s cake. I had a very vague idea of what I wanted for the wedding cake, and Tamatha was able to create a beautiful cake for us.

Florist: Kelley’s Bloom Room

Officiate: David from River City Weddings.

You can get easily overwhelmed by the amount of decisions you have to make during wedding planning. David made it super simple for us with his brochure that allows you to easily customize ceremony details (traditions, vows, etc). David was helpful (answered my many questions thoroughly), flexible, and professional.

Hair: Miss Mum Make-up.

Her main expertise is make-up, but she was also able to do my hair exactly the way I wanted it (updo with braids and curls) during our hair and make-up trial! Trials are strongly recommended so you can prep your hair (length etc) for your wedding.

Make-up: Miss Mum Make-up.

I’m an eyeliner, mascara, and chapstick kind of girl, and knew I wanted a “natural” look. Mum understood that, and she made me look and feel beautiful during the make-up trial. When it came to the wedding day, she replicated the look exactly, and the make-up held up for over 12 hours in the Florida humidity, rain, and sun

Entertainment: DJ Jeffrey from D’Land Entertainment –

AWESOME. One thing we were worried about was keeping everyone entertained, knowing there was a generational and cultural gap among our guests. Jeffrey delivered as promised- he knew how to read the crowd and kept the party going all night!

Jeffrey also worked with us on the reception timeline to make sure we did all the traditions we wanted to do. I cannot stress enough how important it is to pick a good DJ/MC!

Wedding Dress: The White Magnolia –

they do one-on-one appointments so you and your party are the only ones in the shop! I actually picked out my dress when I went back by myself – it was too overwhelming and distracting for me the first visit.

Wedding Shoes: Aldo

Bridesmaids Dresses: The Weddington Way –

my bridesmaids were all over the world, so this site made it easy for us to discuss and choose their dresses (they also ship internationally!)

Groom and Groomsmen Wear: Men’s Warehouse – super easy. Those guys know how to dress men.

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Before the Wedding …

How did you two meet?

We were neighbors, and we each have a dog. After sniffing each other out a couple of times (the dogs did), we went out to lunch!

How did he propose?

It was Christmas Eve 2013 in our new house and I had just gotten comfortable on the couch. He suggests opening up some Christmas presents. I said ‘no’ because I wanted to do it the right way. After much persistence, I got up – and that’s when he got down on one knee and popped the question.

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

Pinterest! I lost many hours there.

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

I looked at a few websites (weddingpaperdivas.com , mint.com) for ideas, but ultimately decided to go with Tonya since the quality of the photos was guaranteed and the price was comparable 🙂

What was the most fun part of wedding planning?

Food and cake tasting, and recording our first dance remix (something D’Land Entertainment offered) !

Which part did you not like as much?

Covering all the little decisions (e.g., What shade of the mint should we go with? How would you like the napkins presented?), big decisions (e.g., Who is going to sit where? How would we divide our time between all our out-of-town family and friends before the wedding?), then worrying you’re still missing something.

After the Wedding …

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

Looking back NOW, I have to say the high point was running down the street with my new husband and Tonya’s team during our post-ceremony photo session because the thunderstorm came through for the third time that day (thanks to Florida’s bipolar weather). Then the sun comes out 10 minutes later…and Tonya took some of the most beautiful sunset pictures. Life is an adventure – and without the storms in life, it’s hard to appreciate the good 🙂

If you could give yourself any advice prior to the wedding, what would it be?

I would tell myself that things will probably not go the way you have planned it, no matter how much you plan – so don’t stress over every detail! Delegate tasks to your MOH and trusted people. Pick good vendors. Trust them. Breathe, and go with the flow when things go wrong. Remember, no one will remember the details that didn’t happen.

Where did you go for your honeymoon?

We can’t decide where to go yet!

Tonya Beaver Photography Studio Location: Jacksonville Beach, FL

318 First Ave N

Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250

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https://www.tonyabeaverphotography.com/weddings

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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!