Preview Edition
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From the Editor’s Desk Welcome to WED Florida’s Preview Edition! We’ve designed WED Florida to bring you the best tips, articles, real weddings and more to assist you in planning your Florida wedding. Our full edition will be available soon with more of what you see here. We hope you enjoy our magazine – it has been infused with love! I’d love to hear what you think, or if you have ideas for articles you’d like to see, write to me at editor@wedbizmedia.com. Happy Reading!
Kelly Kelly Werder, Editor-in-Chief
Tips for Your Florida Wedding
by Kelly Werder, WED Florida and
No Worries Weddings There are some key points to keep in mind when planning your Florida wedding and here’s a few ideas to help your big day go smoothly in the Sunshine State: Everyone thinks Florida doesn't have seasons but we do -- hurricane season, tourist season, high
season, low season, rainy season, and some of these can vary a bit in different areas of Florida. For example, the biggest bargains to be found for wedding venues and hotels is during the summer – low season for almost all of Florida. Except for Orlando – summer is high season in Disney World – so be sure to ask when high
season is and if there are any festivals or special events that may be happening during your wedding weekend. It can add a special touch to your wedding to be in Key West during Fantasy Fest but it will also triple the cost of your hotel room. No matter where you are in Florida, June 1 to November 30 is hurricane season.
The most active time is August and September which means that you can find amazing bargains for a destination wedding but you need to have a really good back-up plan in case of rain. And you may even want to invest in wedding insurance in case of a total cancellation due to a big storm.
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Florida is the sunshine state but we still get
rain, especially in the summer season. If you’re planning a beach or outdoor wedding, be sure to have a Plan B – an indoor location for your ceremony and reception. The best months for weddings in Southwest
Florida (Naples/Ft. Myers) are April/May and October/November. Barring a rogue storm, those months have some of the best weather and reasonable hotel rates.
Most beach areas in Florida are public so you
will have on-lookers but for the most part they are respectful for your ceremony. They just want to see the beautiful bride walk down the sandy aisle. Think about what’s important to you for your
Florida wedding when selecting the specific location. There is a perfect destination for every type of bride. If you want a sunset beach wedding, then the
West Coast is where you’ll want to look miles of sandy beach with sunset views.
Photo by Photographic Images by Jim
For chic and trendy with plenty of hot spots for clubbing after your reception, nothing beats
Miami. If you want a Caribbean wedding without leaving the United States, the Florida Keys are for you. And if you want to truly be a princess on your wedding day, Disney holds the key, right down to
Cinderella’s Carriage and six white horses to help you arrive in style. Depending on the time of year, you may want to think about offering bug repellent to your guest
to fend off mosquitoes. In some areas, what’s more common are no-seeums – tiny little gnats. For those, offer Bounce fabric softener sheets – they smell better than bug repellant and do the trick with those types of pests. To add a special touch to your décor, take inspiration from the beautiful surroundings.
We designed a centerpiece with tropical flowers set in Conch Shells for a Florida Keys wedding and
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added starfish to boutonnières in Marco Island. Popular beach wedding favors here include chocolate seashells and sand dollar Christmas ornaments. Sometimes less is more – if you have a beautiful ceremony location already, keep the décor
simple. If you’re using an arch or chuppah, think about natural materials such as bamboo to keep it in sync with the tropical atmosphere. And sometimes the sand, the ocean and a beautiful sunset are all you need! If you are having an outdoor ceremony, providing a water or ice tea station is a nice touch.
For very warm months, cool towels offered to your guests after the ceremony is a life saver. If you’re doing ceremony programs anyway, think about having them printed on a fan. A fan
program can help keep your guests cool if a breeze is lacking that day. We’ve even provided tropical straw hats to guests as they arrived to the ceremony at one wedding I did in the Keys. Most important, relax and enjoy your big day!!
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Photo by Photographic Images by Jim Resource Directory
Photo by LuminaireFoto
More coming soon — Check WEDFlorida.com for our full version in March!
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Resource Directory Locate your wedding vendors and local bridal shows
A No Worries Weddings at Naples Bay Resort; WED Florida
Centerpiece by Floral Encores; photo by Cher Hanna Resource Directory
National Spotlight Vendor
We created the Resource Directory to assist couples in locating vendors and bridal shows in your local area. On our website, you’ll find these same vendors listed under Preferred Vendors and Vendor Profiles of our Spotlight and Featured Vendors.
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Preferred Vendors: Southwest Florida—Ft. Myers, Naples, Marco Island, Sanibel, Captiva Spotlight vendor—Sunstream Hotels & Resorts Southwest Florida Weddings ~ unique, enchanting, flawless. SunStream Hotels and Resorts offer true luxury, unsurpassed service and a staff dedicated to your every detail to help you create a most memorable and enchanting day! Whether your dream is a small, intimate wedding or large formal affair, SunStream offers seven unique condominium resorts with endless amenities to make your day everything you’ve dreamed of and more!
Visit Sunstream Featured vendor
Featured vendor No Worries Weddings & Events
Coordinators/Planners
239-281Full Service Planning, Day-of coordination, Officiants. Leave the worrying to us!
Voted Best of Weddings by The Knot
Florida Weddings Online www.FloridaWeddingsOnline.com Sue@FloridaWeddingsOnline.com
Your wedding is a reflection of your personality and style!
239-728-2592 Where Cherished Memories of a Lifetime Begin. Florida Beach Weddings for two or two hundred.
866-592-5807
Florida Talent Consultants
National and Local entertainment for all occasions. Bands, DJ’s, specialty entertainers.
Featured vendor
Niche Event Rentals www.NicheEventRental.com info@nicheeventrental.com
239-352-9000 A unique rental company offering the very best in seating and presentation creativity.
A DJ with Class www.ADJwithClass.com adjwithclass@me.com 239-872-3648
We make your event unforgettable by providing you and your guests with a lively master of ceremonies and non-stop continuous music for your listening and dancing pleasure.
Music—DJ’s
Rental Items
Featured vendor
239-775-6555
Want a Ceremony that Reflects the Beauty of Your Love? We are Seasoned Professionals who can Touch the Hearts of Everyone Present.
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239-653-9404
www.FLATC.com kevin@flatc.com
cynthia@abeautifulfloridawedding.com
Featured vendor
www.BotanicalsontheGulf.com botanicals1@hotmail.com
Entertainment brokers
Featured vendor A Beautiful Florida Wedding www.aBeautifulFloridaWedding.com
Botanicals on the Gulf
Let Botanicals on the Gulf make your wedding dreams reality. Call to schedule your free consultation.
Florists and Flowers/plants
Floral Encores www.floralencores.com floralencores@msn.com 239-597-1718
www.MyNoWorriesWedding.com info@noworriesevents.com
A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes
Officiants
888-865-5844
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Preferred Vendors: Southwest Florida—Ft. Myers, Naples, Marco Island, Sanibel, Captiva Spotlight vendor
Featured vendor
Naples Videography & Photography www.NaplesPhotoVideo.com naplesphotovideo@comcast.net 239-495-1323
Luminaire Foto www.LuminaireFoto.com karl@luminairefoto.com
239-848-8926
Wedding Photography and Videography – Full service Photography Studio – New techniques and vision for Modern Brides
We're Karl and Nanette, a husband and wife team providing eco-minded and socially responsible photography for modern and mindful couples.
Photographers
A Moment in Time www.SWFLphotography.com info@swflphotography.com
239-860-5354 Specializing in weddings, special events and family portrait photography throughout beautiful Southwest Florida
Photographic Images by Jim www.photographicimagesbyjim.com jim@photographicimagesbyjim.com 239-331-7541 Combining photography style with unique texture overlays to create fine art for your wedding day.
Avant Garde Images www.NaplesPortraits.com info@naplesportraits.com
Christine Vertin Photographer www.vertinphoto.com christinevertin@comcast.net 239-261-4PIX
239-263-7001 First class wedding photography with the expertise to capture our beautiful sunsets and your perfect day.
Featured vendor Naples Original Video Productions Featured vendor Sir Daniel & Faces by Frohmberg FacesbyFrohmberg.com
www.NaplesOriginalVideo.com info@naplesoriginalvideo.com
239-594-5588
We are Naples' Original Video Productions, Inc. ~ Wedding 239-919-0841 Specialists—We have created thouBridal Hair and Make-up on location sands of heirlooms for families or at our Salon International location. FacesbyFrohmberg@ymail.com
Your wedding should be fun - the entertainment with us is always free.
Favors
Featured vendor
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Naples Sea and Sun www.NaplesSeaandSun.com custserv@naplesseaandsun.com
Reel Treasures www.ReelTreasuresVideo.com
877-801-9996
patti@reeltreasuresvideo.com
Naples own all natural tropical scented soaps and after-sun care lotions. Perfect for favors and welcome gifts!
Videographers
Hair, Make-up
Sir Daniel & Faces by Frohmberg
Certified Professional Photographer capturing your treasured moments.
239-348-8700 SouthWest Florida’s High Definition Video Specialists
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Preferred Vendors: Southwest Florida—Ft. Myers, Naples, Marco Island, Sanibel, Captiva Spotlight vendor
Featured vendor
Stonebridge Country Club www.stonebridgecountryclub.com
Hilton Naples www.HiltonNaples.com
jredburn@stonebridgecountryclub.com
naphctb2@cooperhotels.com
239-280-7729
239-430-4900
Venues—Country Clubs
Inn of Naples www.InnofNaples.com sara.b@innofnaples.com 239-649-5500 x197
Heritage Bay Golf & Country Club www.golfheritagebay.com f&b@golfheritagebay.com 239-384-6167
Travel is more than just A to B. Travel should take you to a oncein-a-lifetime Celebration.
Lake side ceremonies; cocktails on our gorgeous balcony; dinner and dancing in our spectacular ballroom.
Charming Hotel - Function Room for Bridal Showers & Weddings, and great, affordable accommodations for your guests.
The Villages at Country Creek View our eZine vccdebbie@daystar.net 239-947-4488
The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club www.NaplesBeachHotel.com
Beautiful outdoor ceremonies followed by a savory dinner and dancing -- all on your budget!
The Beach Wedding of Your Dreams Amazing white sand beaches and crystal blue waters are natures backdrop for memories that last a lifetime.
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Venues—Hotels & Resorts
A setting as special as your special event. At Stonebridge Country Club we provide you with a beautiful palette of lush greens & glistening crystal blue lakes.
c.allen@naplesbeachhotel.com
888-231-2197
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Naples Sea and Sun Naples own all natural tropical scented soaps and after-sun care lotions. Perfect for favors and welcome gifts!
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NaplesSeaandSun.com
877-801-9996
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aflairforaffairs.com elisacsep {@} aflairfraffairs.com 407-896-1476 An award winning team based in Florida; specializing in planning and design for sensational, emotional & unforgettable events!
Miami Beach 305-674-0600
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