A Day of Love, Sand, & Sea : Filly & Liz

I haven't published a blog post since this past summer and I wasn't sure what I wanted to write about next, but after seeing these photos, I had to write about one of the most beautiful days I've ever been a part of. Welcome to the wedding of my amazing uncle, Feleipe Sweeting, and his beautiful new bride, Liz Sweeting ;)

BRAXTON GARDINER PHOTOGRAPHY

I'm very close with my Uncle and Liz, so from the moment that he and Liz were getting married, I knew that I wanted to help in away that I can. For those who know me, I love planning things, so functioning as their Wedding Planner was right up my alley. I also am OBSESSED WITH WEDDINGS (to the point where I already have mine planned...yikes) so it was a perfect match. They had a planner in Nassau named Lashanta Smith (who was amazing!!!) and myself, so once we connected from both ends, the sky was the limit.

THE PREP:

Liz is just about one of the most beautiful women that I've ever met, inside and out. She is simple, elegant, and timeless. In speaking with her, she didn't want anything to be over the top. She wanted everything to be a reflection of who she is, and I wanted to give her more than she had even asked for. Functioning as wedding planner and her maid of honor gave me an advantage to make sure that everything was smooth.

On the morning of November 11, 2017, we got dressed in the romantic Royal Towers at Atlantis, Paradise Island. We had the most beautiful room overlooking the property, completed with a sunny day and a cool breeze. I set up the room with Aroma Therapy Candles, Champagne, and lots of food. I wanted Liz to be as relaxed as possible and enjoy her special day. She wanted her bridal party small, so it was just myself, her now step-daughter Caitlyn, and her mom, Marci. Her son Hunter was also with us and kept us laughing the entire morning.

For Hair, we hired Asante who works at Windermere in Harbour Bay, Nassau, and she was AMAZING! Oh my goodness, she made us feel so elegant. Liz wanted a simple up do, with some free flowing curls, and Asante gave her a result even more beautiful than she imagined.

For Makeup, we hired Richeae Ferguson who is by far one of the most talented makeup artists I've ever met, and one of the sweetest human beings in the world. Liz doesn't like wearing too much makeup, and Richeae took that into full consideration. She made Liz look like the most beautiful version of herself. She was glowing and overjoyed!

And after, the morning was all settled, we finally got to see the moment Liz put on her dress...

SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL... and most of all, she was happy! Now, off to become Mrs. Sweeting!

THE CEREMONY

Filly and Liz wanted to have the ceremony outside and on the beach. We landed at Palm Cay, which is a private development in Nassau East. Living in Nassau really makes you appreciate the beauty of the ocean. They wanted to keep it small & intimate, with only close family and friends. We paired each chair with a burlap tie with Babys Breath as accents. The colors were beige and white with baby blue accents. And to top it off, it was a beautiful day.. I mean, Just look at the photos <3

Now I am always blown away by the bride and her party, but I have to say the groom and his party definitely gave us a run for our money! They all wore custom white linen suits, with baby blue collard shirts and open toe shoes. I mean, it was the most seamless combination and they looked PERFECT! They had a full day of pampering themselves. They had facials and pedicures. I'm not lying, they were really trying to show us up!

And then the moment we were all waiting for...

The ceremony was so beautiful and timeless, just like them.

All of these beautiful photos are taken by photographer Braxton Gardiner, and let me tell you, he is one of the best, as you can see from his work!! We actually pushed the wedding back an hour so that we could have him, and it was absolutely worth it. Liz walked down the aisle to "It Feels Like Home" and that's exactly what the ceremony felt like, HOME.

THE RECEPTION

The reception was adjacent to where we had the ceremony. We had about 8 tables placed around the pool with center pieces that Liz, my best friend Alana, and myself handmade the night before! By far one of the most creative and fun DIY projects. We ordered vases & candles, then decorated & filled them with sand from Palm Cay, shells, nets, and flowers.

Now In true island fashion, we partied all night long! The reggae, soca, and old school played all night and we had the most amazing time. It was a day that no one will ever forget. I gave a speech, but the real tears came when Tyler and Caitlyn gave words telling their dad how much they loved him, and how grateful they are for Liz in their lives. Their wasn't a dry eye in the house. As the day turned to night, we all continued celebrating this beautiful union...

I AM SO HAPPY that I got to be apart of this day. That's what I love about weddings. They're a celebration of love and God bringing people together. At the end of the day, all that mattered was Filly & Liz, and I've never seen either of them as happy as I saw them on their wedding day.

I love you both so much and wish you so many years of happiness.