Stunningly Elegant Key West Real Wedding

Taryn and Zach came all the way from Germany, where Zach is stationed, to get married in paradise. From proteas to their beloved puppy, their wedding day was the iconic destination wedding. Every detail oozed class, with a distinctive tropical elegance. It was captured beautifully with digital images and film scans by the oh-so-talented Iris Moore Photography.

Each carefully curated detail makes this magical day feel as if it is straight out the pages of a romance novel. Take a few minutes to daydream with us at the historic Fort Zachary Taylor in Key West with a stroll down Taryn and Zach's memory lane. We won't tell!

GETTING READY

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Taryn and her bridesmaids got ready at a classic old Key West cottage with a dreamy front porch and white picket fence. The bride spent a lot of time making things special for every last part of her wedding day, and the morning of was no different. 

Custom hangers for the dresses and matching floral robes made for beautiful pictures, and each accessory for her day was a perfect fit - from her stunning solitaire ring to her lace-wrapped clutch, lace and rhinestone garters, and Badgley Mischka heels. Her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel got ready with the girls, and what can we say besides adorable?

CEREMONY

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Guests were welcomed by a large gold-framed welcome sign with the couple's names and wedding date as well as sheet music cones filled with leaf 'confetti' for guests to toss as the newlyweds walk down the aisle after saying their I Do's. The wedding arbor was accented with fabric and soft florals and stood in front of the water.

Taryn and Zach were married at The Point, located on the west side of Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, where the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico meet. Located at the entry of the Key West shipping channel, The Point is always an active site with boats sailing by, fishing boats coming and going, and an occasional cruise ship passing. The breathtaking views made for a wonderful backdrop to the couple's nuptials.

RECEPTION

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Taryn worked closely with Fort Zachary Taylor's event director Kirsten who helped her to make every last detail perfect. Kristen and her team handled vendors, set up, and all of the day-of details, resulting in a spectacular affair that the bride and groom were able to enjoy without any worries. The reception was held in the Fortress, and was nothing short of magical.

The fort was built in the mid 1800’s to defend the southern coastline of the United States, and is used today as a state park. Cannons line the long, narrow reception area made entirely of brick and open to the outside through wide archways. String lights lit up the night both above the reception tables and outside, above the cozy seating area for guests to retreat to throughout the evening. Airy linen table runners, gold lanterns and candlesticks, lush greenery, and heartfelt thank you notes adorned the long tables. Don't mind us daydreaming the afternoon away!

Photographer: Iris Moore Photography

Event Venue: Fort Zachary Taylor State Park

Reception Venue: Fort Zachary Taylor

Floral Designer: Duarte Floral Design

Invitation Designer: Minted

Officiant: Rev. Steve Torrence

DJ: SoundWave Productions

Equipment Rentals: Eventfully Yours Rentals

Dress Designer: Ti Adora by Alvina Valenta

Dress Store: Wolsfelt's Bridal

Shoes: Badgley Mischka

Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo

Tuxedo and Mens Attire: Generation Tux

Hair Stylist: Bella Luxe Hair & Makeup

Transportation: Old Town Trolley Tours

Cake Designer: Key West Cakes

Caterer: Catered Affairs of Key West

What Your Hotel Welcome Gift Bags Are Missing

We recently shared what hotel welcome bags are and why you might decide to gift them to your out-of-town guests. The hardest part now is choosing what to put in them! Here’s our guide to filling your hotel welcome gift bags to help you make sure you don't leave out anything important.

Source: Frosted Plastic Welcome Bags

These bags can be as simple or as extravagant as you want them to be – anything from a couple basic necessities to a location-themed grab bag. Throw items in the bag willy-nilly or connect them all with a theme. The goal of these bags should be to help your guests feel more comfortable during their travels.

The Necessities

• Bottles of water
• Personalized water bottles, koozies or flasks
• Outdoor items like sunglasses, sunscreen, bug spray, handwarmers, or a rain poncho
• Advil/tums/bandaids
• An area map
• Mints or gum
• A grooming set with tweezers, nail clippers, and a nail file

 Source: Water Bottles, Custom Lip Balm, Monogrammed Floral Sunglasses

Local Gifts

• Write a personalized guide to your favorite nearby restaurants and attractions
• Include gift cards or coupons for a restaurant (bonus: you can use these almost like tissue paper as a filler, too!)
• Locally-made food or drinks
• Check out this list of state-specific souvenir ideas

Source: Colorado, Vienna

The Practical

• Portable phone charger
• A note that says “Please call anyone but the bride” and a list of phone numbers for people who know the area and the weekend’s events
•  Snacks
• Fresh fruit
• Power bars
• Trail mix
• Chocolates
• Bride’s and groom’s favorite candy or snack
• Something sweet and something salty
• Clothing-repair kit
• Mini sewing kit
• Safety pins
• Wrinkle release spray
• Lint roller
• Bottle opener
• Hand sanitizer

Source: Bottle Openers, Phone List

The Extra

• Alcohol
• Champagne is a good go-to, but don’t be afraid to include a local wine or a couple bottles of the bride’s and groom’s favorite beers or ciders
• Coffee – beans, grounds, or already brewed
• Candles or incense
• Lotion or soap
• Deck of cards or travel-sized game
• A hardy plant like a cactus or succulent
• A small notebook and pen
• A disposable camera
• Lip balm
• Nail polish
• An uber promo code for your event
• Febreeze or air freshener
• A recipe for a dish served at the wedding or unique to the area

Source: Cards, Plant, Candles

The Whimsical

• A lottery ticket
• The bride and groom’s favorite toys
• A favorite book or a book set in the area
• A handwritten book telling the couple’s love story
• Personalized “do not disturb sign” for their hotel room door
• A framed print of a map or photograph of the area or wedding venue
• Sparklers or small fireworks
• Postcards from the area your guests can send back home
• Drink coasters

Source: Box, Postcards

Themed Bags

• Wedding
• How can you tie your wedding theme into the gift bags?
• Wedding destination
• Focus on the unique, local items and maps
• Candy
• In addition to a variety of candy, include candy-scented candles, make-your-own candy kits, candy-flavored alcohol
• Travel
• Neck pillows, small blankets, eye masks, noise-canceling headphone, reusable water bottles, reusable bags, sunglasses, hats, passport holder, toiletry bag
• Spa
• Lotion, tanning oil or sunscreen, face and eye masks, coupon or gift card for a massage after the wedding (or a handheld massager), wine
• Color
• Use your wedding colors or another favorite color scheme and choose items suggested above within that color scheme
• For example, yellow, pink, and orange: yellow-framed sunglasses, mini bottles of orange juice and pink champagne, lemon-scented soap or lotion, a rose-scented candle
• Activities
• If there's a lot to do near the wedding venue, center your gift bags around these activities: sunglasses, energy bars and trail mix, trail guides, coupons for the activities, a local scavenger hunt
• Games
• A deck of cards, travel-sized checkers or scrabble, a book of road trip games, mad libs, plus all the best gaming snacks (chips, chocolate, popcorn, pretzels, m&ms or skittles)

Source: Travel Bag, Italy, Pineapple Theme, Toiletry Bag

Make sure you include a note explaining why you included the personal items! Who likes which candy or drink? Why did you choose that particular quote for the bag? Which restaurant is your favorite and why?

Keep in mind you’re doing this to help your guests feel more comfortable away from home, and think about their favorite things. You’ll also need to remember who is driving and who is flying – and what they’ll be able to fit in their luggage.

Have a little fun with the bags. Because you're not giving them to every wedding guest, you can make them more personal and give yourself a chance to think about how much this guest means to you and why you're so happy to have them attend your wedding.

Elizabeth graduated from The University of Findlay with a Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Writing. She now resides in Portland, Oregon where she is employed in the real estate business and is particularly enjoying the local cuisine. As a writer, Elizabeth believes in a quote from one of her favorite TV shows: "We have only two jobs on this Earth. The first: to learn. The second: to cope." A deep desire to learn struck Elizabeth when she was young, and now she hopes to help you cope by sharing information, and helping you apply the knowledge. Weddings and event planning can be overwhelming; sometimes it's okay to take a little advice from a stranger on the internet.