This lakeside Country Club Wedding in Fort Myers, Florida, fulfills our vintage elegance dreams with gold, white and hunter-green decor.
Nichi & Drew’s romantic wedding was the perfect testament to their love! Overlooking the lake and rolling greens of one of Southwest Florida’s Country clubs, Nichi walked down the aisle with her father by her side to the sensual sounds of a saxophonist. Gliding down the aisle in lace, grace, and confidence, Drew watched his bride-to-be with an amorous gaze and loving tears. Their ceremony was filled with touching moments, including Drew’s father administering their vows and Nichi’s brother serving as Man of Honor.
After emotional “I dos,” the couple was set for a night of celebrating! They infused unique personal elements into their reception, like basketballs (a nod to Drew’s Sports Editor position) and hip cultural vibes, including everything from hip-hop, Caribbean, to K-pop music. They even put on a show for their guests attending in person and via Zoom by rejoining their wedding party dancing to the Notorious B.I.G’s hit song: “Mo’Money Mo’ Problems.”
More details from their vintage country club wedding below!
- Couple: Andrew (Drew) Doxy & Denisse (Nichi) Merino
- Date of Wedding: Feb 20, 2021
- Location of Wedding: Fort Myers, Florida
Quick Facts:
- Theme: Vintage vibe with a splash of modern accents.
- Color palette: White, gold and hunter green.
- Florals: White roses with orchids and eucalyptus, with orchids having the main focus among flowers.
- Gifts for one another: Nichi was gifted a surprise Tiffany 1837 interlocking circle pendant necklace (delivered in a touching moment by Drew’s mother) on their wedding day.
- Special performances: Nichi’s father dedicated three Balada songs to her. She became overwhelmed with emotion as he surprised her with the songs, as he regularly sang to her as a child.
- Parent’s reception entrances: Cumbia and Kompa dances (respective of their native cultures from Haiti & Mexico)
- Groomsmen & bridesmaids entrance song: Global musical favorites from hip hop, Caribbean to K-pop.
- Bride & Groom’s entrance song: “Mo’Money Mo’ Problems” by the Notorious B.I.G.
How they met…
We’re both Jehovah’s Witnesses, so we met at a convention and eventually joined the same congregation. Spending a lot of time together in shared worship, we grew closer.
The proposal…
Because of the pandemic and wanting to adhere to what was safest, the groom set up a proposal outside of the bride’s room while she was in a Zoom meeting dressed very nicely, so when she emerged from her room, she was greeted by the groom and family on one knee as rose petals highlighted her path from her room to the proposal site in the living room with family and friends watching on Zoom.
Decor & DIY details…
It was an outdoor ceremony with a circle arch. Orchids hanged from the arch and there were roses and flower petals down the main aisle with chiavari chairs on both sides. The arch was DIY, all wedding signs were as well with a Cricut machine, glass, and vintage-vibe frames. Wax seals on the menus were DIY as well.
A fist look with dad…
The ceremony…
Mr. & Mrs. Doxy…
Wedding attire & accessories…
An all-lace mermaid Rosa Clara gown with sleeves, a long tail, and a tattoo back lace design spoke to the bride. She accessorized her look with an all-pearl and floor-length veil and styled her hair into a classy updo with natural glam makeup.
Hunter green is the favorite color of the groom, so he wanted a suit that heavily featured that along with his second favorite color – black. This lead to a tux jacket that was primarily hunter green with black lapels.
The bridesmaids had hunter green dresses and the groomsmen wore hunter green ties. The best man and parents wore burgundy to accent the green and gold colors.
Cultural & religious elements…
As Jehovah’s Witnesses, we had a Bible discourse given by Frantz Coulanges, a close family member, as he highlighted Christian principles that would encourage us as we started our marriage. We avoided things like toasts or other common wedding traditions without a Bible-based source.
Personalized details…
We had live music with a saxophone player who played the processional, recessional, and cocktail hour. We had a champagne wall and a Polaroid photo booth. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, we had custom frames throughout with messages/signs. The polaroid booth was one of our favorite parts because of the lifelong memories being captured on camera. It was just fun seeing everyone having a good time and seeing our vision come to life despite a deadly pandemic.
Most special wedding day moment…
The most special moment was the first time we saw each other as Nichi walked down the aisle. We didn’t do a first look, so seeing each other on our wedding day for the first time is a moment we won’t ever forget.
Advice for other engaged couples…
Hire a wedding planner like Platinum Key Weddings (shout out to Brenda Nazaire-Coulanges) to help you see your vision come to life. Lean on others. Don’t overdo it on DIY to stress yourself out.
Looking for more country club wedding inspiration?
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Vendors:
- Dress Store: Laura Jacobs Bridal
- Musicians: The CieL Expierence
- Makeup Artist: MoodysMakeup
- Floral Designer: Neira Flowers
- Hair Stylist: Big Hair By Vanessa
- Cake Designer: Lydie Delight Cake, LLC
- DJ: DJ Dirimix
- Reception Venue: The Plantation Golf & Country Club
- Event Planner: Platinum Key Weddings
- Photographer: Air Studios, Inc
- Submitted via Two Bright Lights
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