Amanda & Geoff by Karen Miller

Amanda & Geoff by Karen Miller

WALKER’S LANDING

Photography by Flora & Fauna Photography

Amanda Adam met Geoff Gillman in Boston in 2019. Amanda lived near Fenway Park and didn’t have a car, and Geoff lived in East Boston with a car. “Geoff, being born and raised in Massachusetts, wanted to show me areas outside the Boston city limits,” says Amanda. “On our first date, we walked his Bernedoodle, Ollie, through the Fells, a park just outside Boston.” Not only did Amanda and Geoff hit it off from the start, Ollie gave his approval, and the couple began dating seriously.

Amanda’s family has had a house on Amelia Island since 2002, and her parents eventually retired to the island in 2010. Her sister landed in Atlantic Beach in Jacksonville after attending Clemson University. Although Amanda and Geoff fell in love in New England, Amelia Island was calling them.

“When the pandemic hit in 2020, Geoff and I were working in Boston and living just outside the city in a tiny apartment,” says Amanda. “When Boston shut down, we seized the opportunity to visit my parents and experience island life.”

After a year and three long trips to Amelia Island, Amanda and Geoff decided to move to Fernandina Beach permanently. Soon after the couple moved to Amelia, Amanda began to study for the Florida Bar Exam. Little did Amanda know, in the midst of her bar exam preparations, Geoff was planning the perfect proposal.

“I found out later that almost the whole town of Fernandina knew about the proposal!” laughs Amanda. “Geoff was so excited. We owe J.J. COOPER and First Love Brewing a special thank you for keeping his secret!” Geoff proposed to Amanda

on Boneyard Beach at Big Talbot Island. He then planned for Amanda’s family to meet them at the Fernandina Harbor for a sunset cruise with Amelia River Cruises to celebrate together, after which the couple enjoyed a special dinner at David’s Restaurant.

For their wedding in May, the couple knew they wanted to introduce their friends and family to their new home of Amelia Island. “We planned a full weekend to show off some of our favorite spots and create a memorable island experience for outof-state guests,” says Amanda. “Notwithstanding the natural beauty of Walker’s Landing, a big reason we chose that venue was due to its handicap accessibility. Geoff’s mom, Enid, uses a wheelchair, so we wanted her to be comfortable navigating through the wedding venue.”

Amanda and Geoff’s destination wedding weekend began with a welcome dinner at the Sandbar & Kitchen at Main Beach. On Saturday, they rented out the pavilion next to the Amelia Island Welcome Center and used that space for the wedding rehearsal. Their rehearsal dinner was catered in the courtyard of the Island Art Association, and after the rehearsal dinner, the guests met the wedding party group for dancing and drinks at the Green Turtle.

“Our design inspiration for our wedding was vintage Florida,” says Amanda. “Dairing Events seamlessly incorporated those details into our wedding design.” There were several nods to Ollie at Amanda and Geoff’s wedding: the bar on the back porch at Walker’s was dubbed “Ollie’s Tiki Bar” and his image also appeared on the cocktail napkins.

Their wedding was vintage Florida through and through, from the food to the décor, to the natural beauty that is Walker’s Landing. And, after their perfect weekend, Amanda and Geoff honeymooned in Hawaii, before settling into married life on Amelia Island, where today they enjoy the splendor and serenity this coastal community has to offer.