Thank You!



On this Memorial Day, as we spend time with our family and friends at BBQ's, the beach, catching up on our DVR or working.



Take a moment to remember our soldiers that fight daily for our freedoms and the soldiers that fought for the freedoms we have today.



Thank you to everyone of you!!!



Photography taken By

Wedding Bouquets



Tropically Delicious and exotic! I love how the flowers to me scream tropical, but the setting is so vintage, and it all comes together, elegantly perfect.

Entertaining Tips: Guests

New Rule




Girls Night, In! In this economy everyone is strapped, so have everyone bring one bottle of wine, put in a movie (or not) and chat.... just gossip, that's what you'd wind up doing at that expensive Tapa's place anyway, right?

Wedding Bouquets



This bouquet is adorned with lace from the bride's mommy's dress and family heirlooms. So beauiful and sweet, and sensitive.



Photography By: Verve Studio

Wedding Bouquets



I love how these amazing flowers are just hanging out on the fence. So beauitmous!



Photography By: Rae Leytham

Wedding Bouquet





I've been recently quite obsessive about bouquets. I love how different they all are and how photographers capture the beauty of them so uniquely.





Photography By: Ariel Yve

Paper Party!

There are just a few more available spots for the Paper & Sweets party tomorrow night at our studio! Please join us for Dragonfly Sushi, Ms. Debbie's sweet confections, and gorgeous florals by Dan Hathcock at Unforgettable Events and Photography by Verve Studo! And don't forget the music stylin's of Jarad from Gyn-s Entertainment!


And of course some amazing invitation designs, place cards designs, save the dates, logo and monogram designs. By the incredibly talented Leslie Vega!

Entertaining Tip: Fun

New Rule


Do you stress out when having a couple of neighbors over for dinner? Well order out! Open a bottle of champagne, make one thing to start off with, maybe cheese and crackers?



Open a couple of bottles of chamgane with your take out sushi! You'll look like you care, because you opened something special you'll have more time to spend with your friends. And there's very little clean up.



Remember it's all about the fun! Turn the music on!

Beach Wedding Beauty!





How beautiful are these details from a beach wedding that Jean Moree photographed! I am in love!

Cambodian American Wedding - Part 2

Part II of Lisa and Edgar's American Wedding Ceremony.



Remember to look at their amazing Cambodian Ceremony posted previously! Here are some of the gorgeous details at Golden Ocala. I LOVED the incredible pink cloth Dan Hathcock (Unforgettable Events) hung outside for their cocktail hour! preview_035 preview_036 Inside Golden Ocala: preview_037 preview_038 preview_039 preview_040 preview_041 preview_042 preview_043 As we move into the images of Lisa and Edgar dancing with their mothers, I wanted to tell some about what both of them as well as their families have overcome in their lives. After getting to know them throughout the last year and a half, I was so moved by everything they have victoriously lived and thrived through. I just love the human spirit and the absolute joy and love I get to see in my couples and their families. Because her father has passed away, Lisa chose to dance with her mother and first gave a very moving speech about what a wonderful support her mother has been. When I first did their engagement session so long ago Lisa told me about her family history and I was embarrassed I knew very little about the Cambodian Genocide where nearly a third of the Cambodian people were killed in a horrible human tragedy. Lisa’s parents escaped the Khmer Rouge and the genocide and came to the US where they were married in 1982 with no property. Lisa’s father, Heng Lim, had to abandon the medical school he started in Cambodia and worked as an electrician. Lisa’s mother was also stripped of her Cambodian education and had to work in warehouses and as a waitress. While on vacation visiting family in Philadelphia, Lisa’s father was the victim of a hate crime in the middle of the night and killed on Father’s day in 1990. I’m tearing up just writing about this. Lisa’s mother, Mala, moved to Orlando because it was where she and Heng had wanted to move to before he died. She raised Lisa on her own, having difficulties being the first generation in America with fear of losing her daughter and learning the culture. Lisa told me a story of her first day of kindergarten knowing not a single word of English and being terrified of the policeman at the school. Obviously they were strong and successful together because Lisa now has a doctorate in pharmacology from UF and is a pharmacy manager. I have such an immense amount of respect for everything these ladies overcame to have a successful life in America, and because of the amazing person Lisa has become. She has such a genuine care for people that is amazing to watch.

preview_044
Edgar then had his dance with his mother and also gave a beautiful speech about what she has done for her family. His mother and father, Lourdes and Eduardo, were married in the Philippines and moved to America where Eduardo became a cook in the Navy. They raised 3 boys, Edwin, Edwardo, and Edgar (he was the miracle baby because Lourdes was not supposed to be able to have any more children and 7 years after her second child, she had Edgar in Naples, Italy). When Edgar was 16, his dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. He was struggling through chemotherapy because he wanted to see Edgar graduate high school. He did not make it; as everyone thought he was getting better, he passed away. Edgar told of how his mother made a commitment to get all her children through college without debt and was able to achieve that goal as a single mother and how much respect he has for what she has accomplished. Both Lisa and Edgar’s mothers never want to remarry.

preview_046
preview_047
preview_048

preview_049
preview_050
preview_051
So one of the Cambodian traditions is to go around to each table to hand out favors and collect the cards... and apparently some guests believe in making you reach for it. Wasn't sure what was going on, but was VERY amused! :)
preview_052
preview_054
preview_055
preview_056
preview_057
preview_058
preview_059
American Wedding Coordinator | Melissa DiStefano from Masterpiece Weddings

Photography| Lindsey Tropf from Pure by Lindsey

Venue | Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club

Videographer | CollabCreation Films by Eric Torres

Flowers/Décor | Unforgettable Events by Dan Hathcock

Hair | Manou Retting from New U Salon & Spa in Jacksonville, FL

Ceremony Music | Bella Strings with Stephanie Bower

Cake | Chef Albert Barrett from Stella’s Modern Pantry

Cambodian Master of Ceremony | Lanh Srey from the Jacksonville Cambodian Temple

Cambodian American Wedding

If you haven't seen Lisa and Edgar's Cambodian Wedding Ceremony, first be sure to check out the links below!

Because of their Cambodian heritage with their American roots as well, Lisa and Edgar chose to have both wedding ceremonies on the same day. After the Cambodian Ceremony, we headed over to Golden Ocala for their equally gorgeous American ceremony.


And remember, there are MANY more pictures of this amazing event on Lindsey's blog, so if you love this wedding as much as we do, please check out her blog!
preview_001
preview_002
preview_003
preview_004
preview_005
preview_007
preview_008
preview_009
preview_011
preview_013
preview_014
You may recall the knot tying Ceremony from the Cambodian Ceremony ~ the couple leaves the knots on until they fall off naturally. I loved the reminder of the previous Ceremony throughout the American one!
preview_015
preview_018
preview_019
preview_020
preview_021
preview_022
preview_023
This was my first time doing this, but culturally Lisa and Ed were expected to do images with each guest in their receiving line after their Ceremony and with the perfect light and joyous guests it was actually quite enjoyable. Here is just one of the images:
preview_025
One of my favorites with bridesmaids ever! :)
preview_026
preview_028
preview_029
preview_030
preview_031
FAVORITE! (down there)
preview_032
preview_033
preview_034