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A touch of history & a whole lot of garden magic bring this dreamy indie wedding at Florida’s Saxon Manor to life!  Built by one of the first settlers to Hernando County, FL in 1877, Saxon Manor has since been restored to its former glory now facilitating Floridian weddings with a garden edge & spot of rustic charm.  Surrounded by so much green beauty, Jessica Simoes & Charles Attard knew they had found the perfect location!  Married on the freshly cut front lawn, an old double door entry way draped with flowers & vines  was set as the ceremony backdrop to their outdoor garden wedding.  To celebrate, the party moved into Saxon’s greenhouse with touches like a suspended drift wood chandelier & gorgeous wildflower like blooms in a mix of hues like light coral & soft yellow.  With a touch of their indie flair, Jessica & Charles’s wedding, embraced by nature, is a sweet little slice of heaven.

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Novella of the Bride…

Wedding Buzzwords ~ Upbeat, Festive, Original, Indie

Charles and I met at the University of Central Florida’s Communication Disorders Clinic. He was working there as a office assistant and I was working towards completing my required clinical hours for my graduate degree.  We both are studying in the field of Speech-Language Pathology. After about six months, Charles finally gathered courage to ask me out for some coffee, and it didnt take long for us to become best friends.  We are both passionate about helping people communicate,  believe in God and the potential of people, love nature and animals, good stories, movies, local food, music, and different cultures.

We both wanted a laid back, fun wedding, so we went for simple decorations and cheerful colors. We found most of our decorations for some really great prices on Etsy, Amazon, and at Micheal’s. Our center pieces were mason jars filled with a assortment of yellow, peach, and white flowers, two  small candles on light wood crates, and two bottles of wine. We used lace table covers and burlap runners. I designed two display pieces for pictures using picture frames and wires. One of my favorite decorations was a series of branches that had white bird cages hanging from them which we hung over the bride’s/groom’s table.  I got the idea from Pinterest, and Saxon Manor’s wedding vendor, Dorthea Stephens, who helped set it up for us.  We used a white door as our backdrop at the ceremony site, and we hung flower vines over it and placed some flower filled mason jars spread out around it. It all came together better than I had planned.  Both my husband and I like eclectic vibes, so we weren’t tied down to specific ideas. We kind of just went with it and loved it!

I’ve always loved the outdoors. There’s just something about nature that grounds me and reminds me of how  big the universe is. We checked out different venues in our price range in Brooksville, FL, (Charles’ hometown) and I just fell in love with Saxon Manor. It had a small, but comfortable open space for the ceremony, and glass enclosed reception area with a gorgeous view of a forest.

A Little Help From Their Friends ~ We planned our entire wedding in three months while I was in Miami completing my externship for graduate school and Charles was working towards his degree in Orlando. Although I planned a lot of our wedding with Charles, we really could not have gotten married that summer without the help of our family and friends. My close friends planned and performed my bridal shower entirely, so I could focus my efforts on planning the wedding. Also, our bridal party was a huge help when it came to setting up. Our families helped out by putting together props, painting shepherd hooks, and putting together other decorations.

Favorite Moments: “We have so many great memories from that day. However, when I look back, my favorite moment was when I was walking down the aisle with my father to meet my future husband. Joy and awe overwelmed me as I quickly grew aware of the fact that I was getting married right then and there! I will  never forget how my father’s gentle hand kept my walk steady while he whispered “It’s ok honey…the moment is finally here”, or how perfectly happy/excited Charles looked as he met us down the aisle.”

Vendor Love

Venue: Saxon Manor  | Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal  | Bridesmaid Dresses: Macy’s  | Shoes: Bamboo  | Hair + Makeup: Aveda Salon of Spring Hill  | Groom’s Attire: Macy’s  | Music: Lance Hallmark  | Lighting: Saxon Manor   | Florist: Sherwood Florist  | Caterer: John Mason Catering | Cake: Dorthea Spences of Saxon Manor | Cupcakes: Bethany Seitz | Photographer: Horn Photography