Our 2nd Wedding Anniversary
July 7th is such an important day to me. For one thing, it’s my beloved grandma’s birthday. We were so close when she was with us and today would have been her 97th. She was my friend, my confidante, and that’s why I was so happy to honor her by getting married on her day. Even though she never met David, I know that she would have simply adored him! On the topic of boys, she always wanted me to find a good Irish man and you can’t get more Irish than Kennedy. With no big plans for this anniversary, I wanted to take the day to share some of my favorite moments from two years ago and give credit to those who made it possible.
Getting Ready
The big started with my mom and my four bridesmaids getting ready at the historic Vinoy Hotel in St. Pete. Since many fun nights were spent on their front porch, I wanted it to be a part of my day in some way. After all, it’s a St. Pete icon! As we gussied up, we grazed on healthy bites, sipped endless mimosas, and lounged in matching J. Crew nightshirts. They are such a classic style, but adding monograms made for a lovely personally touch.
The Details
Some of my favorite pictures from our photographer, Cathy Durig, were probably the little details. She did such an amazing job capturing them! Our invitation set came from Minted, but the watercolor design makes it look hand-painted. My Mrs. Box was a gift from my parents, and snuggly held my engagement ring and grandma’s signet ring. She wore it for years and I was so happy for it to be passed down to me. It’s something I will cherish forever.
Our First Look
Loving to keep up with tradition, I never really was keen on the idea of having a first look. Part of planning a wedding day, though, is staying flexible. It was a jam-packed day and having a first look just seemed to make more sense. I have to admit, it really took away the nerves of the day and I loved having a private moment with David before the ceremony began. Didn’t David look dashing in his suit from Generation Tux?
The Ceremony
David and I are both Catholic. While we had discussed an outdoor wedding, we quickly agreed that a ceremony at our church would best for us. We had been attending St. Raphael’s in St. Pete for a few years and it couldn’t have been more perfect for the day. We had about 100 guests in attendance, letting it also serve as a final get-together with our loved ones before we moved to New York.
The Reception
After our ceremony, we took our hired street car to the Museum of Fine Arts in downtown St. Pete. It was my top pick for a reception space because of it’s great location. Sandwiched right between Tampa Bay and buzzing Beach Drive, I knew it was the place when we heard What a Wonderful World playing during our tour. It’s my number one favorite song and what we played during our first dance. I believe in signs and this seemed like a big one.
Two years day and countless more to go. I’m so thankful to have found the perfect partner, husband, and friend in David. We’re each others biggest fans. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the two of us.
Love from Florida,
Katie
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