PONTE VEDRA INN & CLUB WEDDING | JESSICA AND MICHAEL | PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL

JESSICA AND MICHAEL WEDDING DAY

It’s very difficult to put into words just how perfect this wedding day was. I didn’t meet Jessica and Michael until their wedding day. For being so young, they were incredibly laid back. Jessica didn’t care to have any “getting ready” photos or detail shots. She wanted to get the show on the road, and for these two there was nothing more important in this day than the actual ceremony. Their faith is incredibly important to both of them.

The details and decor were unbelievably beautiful. None of us could get over just how incredibly unique the table centerpieces and ceremony arch were. Level 10 top notch. Honestly their vendors blew it out of the water. Tara Lee is an amazing coordinator and really takes the stress off her couples so they can ENJOY their perfect wedding day. And their band had the dance floor PACKED all night long. And their sunset, again…perfection.

When I walk through a wedding day with a couple, I get to see and feel their energies and personalities for myself. I get a glimpse into their lives. What is so special and unique is that PLUS the way their family and friends treated them and spoke about them throughout the day. These two are so young, but they were extremely grounded, grateful, respectful, and SO down to earth. I’m honored to have been a part of their perfect day as well as be in the list of amazing vendors who made this day so over the top.

Jessica and Michael, it’s no secret you two have something special. True love. And found so early on in this life. I look forward to watching your story unfold as you navigate the rest of this life together.

xoxo

Tonya

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ABOUT THEIR WEDDING DAY

Hotel accommodations for guests: Hilton Garden Inn Jacksonville Ponte Vedra Sawgrass and Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa

Rehearsal Dinner Location: Aqua Grill

Ceremony Location: The Ponte Vedra Inn & Club

Reception Location: The Ponte Vedra Inn & Club

Caterer: The Ponte Vedra Inn & Club

Wedding Coordinator: Tara Lee with Lovelee Events

Photographer: Tonya Beaver Photography

Cake: Crème de la Cocoa

Florist: Brent with Glenn Certain Floral Design

Officiate: rabbi Joshua Lief

Hair: Paulina Perez with Makeup by Paulina Perez

Make-up: Paulina Perez with Makeup by Paulina Perez

Entertainment: The Royals

Dress: Love, a Bridal Boutique, Robert Bullock

Groom and Groomsmen Wear: Brooks Brothers tux and Magnanni shoes and Parmigiani Fleurier watch
for groom, Vera Wang tux for groomsmen

Any other vendors who contributed that we need to mention? Wedding Earrings by David Kodner Personal Jeweler in St Louis, Missouri

How did you two meet?

We met freshmen year in college at Washington University in St. Louis. He was on the men’s varsity
soccer team while I was on the women’s soccer team. We were both on the medical track, so we had
many of the same classes. We started as friends. We would meet with our other classmate and friend,
Marissa, at 7:30 in the morning before chemistry lab to share breakfast. We then would hang out after
soccer practice each night and watch movies and shows with our friends. He first made a move during a
Halloween party between the men’s and women’s soccer team by putting his arm around me while
sitting with our friends sharing a late night snack. Since that moment, we hung out every day. After a
soccer game in North Carolina when I received a concussion, I had to sit in a dark room without any
entertainment. Michael would call me on the phone and keep me company by talking for hours. When
we flew back home, he asked me to be his girlfriend and we’ve been inseparable ever since!

How did he propose?

He proposed 4 years later on the beach while we were on a walk after Passover Seder. We were visiting my family to celebrate Passover, so we were back in Atlantic Beach for a few days, and home/ the beach is my favorite place in the world We came back up to the house after his proposal and my whole family
was there with champagne and balloons to celebrate. Over the year’s time following the proposal,
Michael and I got our puppy, Gemma, applied to medical school, planned a wedding, and bought a
house! We are so excited to continue our journey together in Gainesville, where we both will be
attending the University of Florida College of Medicine.

Wedding planning:

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

I just looked at inspirational pictures on the internet, Pinterest, and wedding magazines for inspiration.

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

The one part of the process that I wish I put in a little more thought and effort was the invitations. We
used Stephanie Shieldhouse with Highway Press. The invitations turned out beautifully, but I didn’t
spend as much time looking into what I preferred. And the reason for that, to answer the below
question, was because invitations were my least favorite part. It was so tedious, going over the guest list
many many many times to make sure we included everyone, to ensure we had all the right addresses,
and also to check over our work for mistakes so many times my eyesight started to blur! I think I just
wanted to get this process over with and get the invitations out, so if I were to go back, I’d first, start this
process earlier, and also, spend more time thinking about what I wanted the invitations to look like.

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

This sounds so cheesy, but I thought my wedding day was absolutely perfect. I loved having a small
wedding party, so during hair and make up, it was just my mom, sisters, and mother in law. Before the
ceremony, it was just my immediate family. I loved that and found it so special. The one thing I wish I did
was look at my venue beforehand. It was absolutely stunning, and I did not have as much time to take it

in when the festivities started. My ultimate advice would be to have fun. I’ve never had as much fun as I
did at my wedding. I danced all night long surrounded by family and friends, and I was overwhelmed
with the love I felt from that whole weekend.

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

Our whole wedding weekend was very warm and intimate. Michael and I were so overwhelmed, in the
best way possible, by all of the love we felt from family and friends the entire weekend. We felt such
gratitude for our friends and family, for taking the time and effort to be with us for our special day. We
really wanted to host people, to welcome them and make them feel at home. We started by bringing
welcome bags and goodies to everyone at airbnbs and hotels.

Friday morning, we had both our immediate families and our college friends over for brunch. We made breakfast casseroles, cut up fruit, and picked up our favorite local bagels to share with our friends. Afterwards, we all went down to the beach. Later that night, we had our rehearsal dinner which essentially was our welcome reception. We welcomed all 100 out of town guests at the Aqua Grill for a delicious meal and drinks. It was so nice to have this time before the wedding to really chat with everyone and thank them for coming.

Afterwards, Michael, my twin Rachel, and I went to our favorite ice cream place, Whit’s, for dessert. Then the wedding day came! It all went by so quickly, but I enjoyed every second. It was a very intimate set up for our hair and makeup. We got ready at my parents’ house with just my two sisters, mom, and mother in law. It was so nice to just be relaxed and with my family. My brother and dad went to pick us up food,
and we spent some wonderful quality time together before the festivities began.

I especially loved the time waiting to walk down the aisle, when it was just me, my parents, and my three siblings laughing and enjoying. It helped keep me relaxed before the big moment From this moment onwards, the day flew by! Michael and I were taken from place to place like a well oiled machine, and we enjoyed every moment. We felt like celebrities! We had a nice quiet moment together after pictures where we were able to soak in the joy and love we felt from our family and friends. Then after that, we ate and danced all night long! I have never had that much fun in my life. The band was absolutely phenomenal, and everyone was on the dance floor from start to finish. Michael and I could not have asked for a more perfect day!

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

My Jewish heritage is very important to me. Michael comes from a Catholic background, so much of his
family is unfamiliar with Jewish tradition. We decided to have a Jewish wedding, with my childhood
rabbi as our officiate and other tradition aspects of a Jewish wedding, such as being married under a
chuppah and signing the Jewish marriage document, a kettubah. One fun tradition at Jewish events of
celebration is the hora, a dance performed to the song Hava Nagila.

All of our friends and family gathered on the dance floor, and we all held hands and danced in circles. Then Michael and I went up on the chairs and were lifted into the air. My chair was essentially at a diagonal, so I was hanging on for dear life. Meanwhile, Michael is next to me protecting his head with his arms because he was about to go through the ceiling! All of our friends and family absolutely loved this tradition and were having the time of their lives. For days, Michael and I were humming the tune to Hava Nagila because we couldn’t get it out of our heads! It was so special to share that moment together and with others, to honor my Jewish heritage, and share our beautiful culture with others.