Surrounded by a lush botanical paradise, Dani and Jared, along with their beloved guests, celebrated their union at their enchanting Caribbean-inspired wedding in Lutz, Florida!
Dani and Jared first met on Bumble. After chatting online and eventually meeting in real life, they knew their connection was meant to last a lifetime.
Jared originally had planned to propose on Christmas Eve at the restaurant where they went for their first date, however after a full day of spending time with family, they both wanted to have a cozy evening at home. Luckily, Jared is a talented cook and this didn’t shake up his plans one bit. He cooked a special dinner and set a romantic scene, complete with candles, in the warmth of their home as Dani rested on the couch.
Before he sat down he came over to me, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. We immediately embraced as I told him yes. It was perfect. The next day we spent the day with loved ones, saying Merry Christmas, and we’re engaged!
– Dani
Dani and Jared’s enchanting Caribbean-inspired wedding at the SB Soire Estate in Lutz Florida featured elegant shades of Dani’s favorite color green, tropical foliage, elegant white florals, and edible centerpieces, such as pineapples!
Guests were encouraged to wear various shades of bright green, elegantly bringing together all of the details. String lights glowed throughout the ancient trees, adding another layer of romance to the fairytale-like atmosphere.
The bright colors, the use of palms, the monstera leaves, pineapples, coconuts and limes was the perfect way to celebrate Caribbean culture… We thought the plant ceremony was a perfect way to symbolize the beginning of establishing roots together and growing.
– Dani
See the enchanting details of their Caribbean-inspired wedding below!
- Couple: Dani & Jared
- Occupations: Marketing Campaign Manager | Marine Painter
- Wedding Date: February 4, 2024
- Wedding Location: SB Soire Estate, Lutz, Florida
Quick Facts:
- Gifts for each other: I gave Jared a bracelet and he gave me fashion jewelry.
- Ceremony entrance song: “Everyone Falls in Love” by Jahcure
- First dance song: “I Get You” by Daniel Caesar, featuring Kali Uchis
How did you meet?
We met on Bumble.
The day started with a storm, but luckily it quickly passed, and we were left with the perfect sunny weather and a gentle breeze. The venue itself was a stunning botanical paradise, surrounded by ancient oaks, a serene lake, and breathtaking string lights.
– Ashlee Creighton (Ashlee Hamon Photography)
Tell us about the proposal.
It was 2023 Christmas Eve, and just the two of us were at home. We’d spent the day with my nephews and sister-in-law exchanging Christmas gifts and eating brunch. Later that evening, the plan was to have dinner at the restaurant where we had our first date, but we were both tired and decided to stay home. Jared is a wonderful cook, so he prepared a wonderful meal while I lazily watched TV.
Jared announced that dinner was ready and as I came to the table, I noticed candles were lit, and I thought, how romantic of him. Before he sat down he came over to me, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. We immediately embraced as I told him yes. It was perfect. The next day we spent the day with loved ones, saying Merry Christmas, and we’re engaged!
Describe your wedding attire.
Jared is Caribbean and we wanted to have a chic island vibe. So we chose the wedding colors, ivory gold with a pop of chartreuse green, and we asked the guests to wear bold colors. We opted not to have a wedding party. However, we asked special members of our family and my bridal squad to wear chartreuse green, emerald green, and gold. We felt those colors would bode well with the venue’s outdoor ceremony space.
For my dress, I just wanted to feel sexy. So I went with a custom-made dress from Matopeda Atelier based in Lagos, Nigeria.
The dress fit like a glove, with a built-in corset, side ruching, which complemented my figure nicely, and a flirty leg split. The top of the dress was adorned with copious amounts of pearls and rhinestones. And to top it off, it had a detachable matching over-skirt train that was cathedral-length and full of drama. It was truly exquisite. The dress arrived from Nigeria, three weeks before the wedding, and only required minimal alterations from my local Seamstress.
Jared‘s tux was a classic black velvet jacket with a satin vest, a white shirt, and a satin and velvet butterfly bowtie, all paired with black satin striped pants.
He wanted to add some flare to his classic look, so he worked with a local florist to create a luxury flower lapel- a perfect upgrade from the traditional flower, boutonniere. When I saw him at first, I could not get over how handsome he looked, and I truly loved the flower lapel. It was the perfect touch to such a classic look.
When I asked Jared what he thought about my dress, he said “Daaaamn!” He said he was blown away and loved the way I moved in the dress. He says he especially loved the dramatic train. It took his breath away – side note, I did not wear the train during our first look, and so his first time seeing the train was as I was walking down the aisle.
Dani truly embraced the captivating greenery of the venue, which is also my favorite color! Many of the VIP guests wore different shades of green, from emerald to lime. It was a sight to behold, and I couldn’t help but feel in awe!
Ashlee Creighton (Ashlee Hamon Photography)
What was the wedding shopping experience like for you?
The wedding shopping experience for Jared seemed rather easy, but for me not so much. As a size 20 plus size woman. I found it difficult to find sexy dresses for my size. I shopped in at least five wedding boutiques and many of the dresses that I really liked and wanted to try on, were not available in store in large enough sizes for me to try on. Finally, I settled on a beautiful dress at a store that had more plus-size options.
However, months later after picking it up, I had a change of heart and no longer loved the dress. I had longed for a custom dress from Matopeda Atelier, but I was really nervous as I knew ordering a dress from another country, site unseen would be a huge risk and costly. I prayed about it and submitted an inquiry and started the process. From beginning to end, it was fairly seamless. Sending in my measurements and one video call with the Dress Maker sealed the deal. When my dress arrived three weeks before the wedding, I was very nervous but once I put the dress on my body and saw how stunning I looked in it, it was all worth it!
It wasn’t just the greenery that made this wedding spectacular. Dani radiated romance and glamour, from her stunning gown adorned with intricate pearl and gem beading to her epic removable train that stole the show.
Ashlee Creighton (Ashlee Hamon Photography)
Did you incorporate any culture into your wedding?
The bright colors, the use of palms, the monstera leaves, pineapples, coconuts and limes was the perfect way to celebrate Caribbean culture. Our wedding cake was coconut with a piña colada flavoring. Since we didn’t have sand, we opted to do a plant ceremony. Jared and I both had a childhood where our parents grew vegetables, fruits and herbs and we have quite the plant collection including two pineapple plants that we’ve been growing since our early dating stage. We thought the plant ceremony was a perfect way to symbolize the beginning of establishing roots together and growing.
The emotions ran high as they stood at the altar, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. The ceremony itself was like something out of a fairy tale. The aisle was set up runway-style, and Dani made a majestic entrance, gliding down with her magnificent train… It was truly a sight to behold!
– Ashlee Creighton (Ashlee Hamon Photography)
What is the best memory from your wedding?
The best memory was seeing each other for the first look. The anticipation of seeing each other all dressed up and ready was palpable. We felt like little kids on Christmas morning! When I tapped him on his shoulder, I felt this rush of excitement bursting out of me. When he turned around, he had the biggest smile on his face. I’ve never seen him smile so big. All we could do was hug each other and laugh. We both had a child-like joy in that moment.
Jared says his favorite moment was seeing me walk down the aisle. He kept his eyes fixed on me, and I on him. It was as if no one else existed at that moment. We did not break our gaze not once. As I walked down the aisle, I saw no one but him staring deeply back at me. We will never forget it.
Many couples debate over whether to do a first look, thinking that they will ruin the moment of surprise down the aisle. However, it was the exact opposite for Jared and me. Getting the first look deepened our experience down the aisle. Excitement and surprise were still at an all-time high walking down the aisle, even though we got a chance to see each other before the ceremony. It also allows for more photos.
What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?
- If it’s in the budget, hire a wedding planner you trust. Having a wedding planner took a lot of stress off of Jared and me. Our planner not only executed the event design and decorations, but he was the day of coordinator as well. He ensured all of our vendors were in place when they needed to be and that the wedding ran smoothly and on time. Jared and I did not have to worry about a single thing.
- Decide that there will be absolutely nothing that can upset you on that special day no matter what happens as long as your partner meets you at the altar. That is the most important thing. Everything else can fall by the wayside. Jared and I set those intentions early and I believe it manifested beautifully.
- Have your caterer or planner package up an extra plate of food in a container to take with you after the wedding. You will be hungry that night and you’ll wish you had a bite of the food. Jared and I barely got a chance to eat our food because people wanted pictures and to talk to us. I wish we could’ve eaten it later on that night. We were very hungry and thought about the money we spent on food that we barely got to eat.
- Release the pressures of having to do your wedding a certain way. Create your own new traditions. Jared and I opted not to have bridesmaids or groomsmen because it worked out better for us, and in the end, it allowed us to have more quality pictures together. We did not do a flower toss or a garter toss which allowed for more time on the dance floor partying with the guests. Nobody even missed it!
- If budget is an issue, find small ways to trim the excess. Jared and I used a website for RSVPs and included the QR code on the back of our save the dates which allowed us to skip sending fancy invitations. We then sent a wedding details card to those that RSVPd. Doing our ceremony on a Sunday as opposed to a Saturday saved us thousands with the Venue. While we would’ve loved to have it on a Saturday, we liked the idea of saving money that could be applied to something else in the budget and so Sunday was perfect.
- Finally, hire an amazing photographer and videographer to capture the day. Keep in mind you get what you pay for so choose wisely and make the necessary cuts in your budget to put more money towards this line item. Many people will say a wedding is just one day, but it’s one day that lives on in your mind forever. You will likely think about your wedding every day, weeks, and months after! It’s not just one day! You will want to look back on the images and relive the entire moment over and over. You want great pictures to commemorate all the things that happened that day. The day does go quickly, but looking back through the images you can relive it as many times as you want. The pictures live on forever, remember that.
The reception was filled with love and joy, followed by a night of dancing. And of course, it all ended with a magical sparkler exit. This wedding was truly unique and special, just like Dani and Jared. I feel so fortunate to have been their photographer, capturing their vibrant emotions and creating beautiful, true-to-color memories.
– Ashlee Creighton (Ashlee Hamon Photography)
Looking for more chic wedding inspiration?
Click here!
Vendors
- Photographer: Ashlee Hamon Photography, Inc.
- Gown: Matopeda Atelier
- Venue: Soire Estate
- Planning: SB Event Planning
- Design, Florals, & Coordination: Essential Elegance by Eddie
- Catering: Saltblock Hospitality
- Cake: Sweet Love Confections
- DJ: Eddie Suarez
- MUA: Denise Wedderburn
- Hair: Khloe Rose
- Nails: Nails by Ari
Leave a Reply