Any day we get to gush over a Hayley Paige wedding dress is a good one, and this stunning gown with nautical stripes could not be more fitting for a preppy beach wedding (and boat getaway) photographed in a light and airy fashion by Trenholm Photo.

Amy’s gown pulled us in immediately, with its clean lines, understated details of a striped skirt, open back, and classy bow – we’re such fangirls of this Hayley Paige dress. And you know you’ve picked the suitable gown when all your girls are exclaiming, “It’s such an AMY dress!”

Planning a destination wedding in Florida, they were sure to treat their guests to extra soirees, lavish welcome bags, and a fun-filled beach wedding, but they were also sure to focus on themselves. Being avid sea goers, the bride & groom planned their getaway via boat with a custom crest and boat flag to carry on their way out – it’s so cute!

Our Love Story

We met in true 21st-century style: a dating app. Our first date lasted over three hours, and I immediately knew we had something special.

Every Christmas, one of the local museums holds a Festival of Lights, where they decorate their elaborate gardens in beautiful lights and holiday decor. Zach and I have gone every year since we’ve been dating, mostly because I love going, and he loves appeasing me.

The last night of the 2016 festival was cold and rainy, but Zach insisted we go anyway. When we got to the museum, Zach led the way down to the bottom of the property and into the pavilion, which gave you the best view of the gardens and popped the question. Because of the weather, we were the only people around. It made for the most perfect, private proposal. He also proposed in the same spot where my brother and sister-in-law were married, which made it all the more meaningful.

The Dress & Attire

We knew we both wanted to select attire that we wouldn’t regret in the later years. For the guys, we stuck with the traditional black tux. The ladies wore a beautiful shade of blueish green from Jenny Yoo, which we knew would perfectly contrast the green lawn and bright florals.

I went into the dress search, knowing I wanted something classic that could make a subtle statement. I brought my mom, sister-in-law, and a few close friends to help. When I tried the Hayley Paige Decklyn gown, everyone said, “That is such an Amy dress!” The stripe detail was the perfect statement and played well into the nautical preppy vibe of the weekend.

The Destination & Style

My family has been traveling to Naples, FL, for almost fifteen years. I always knew I wanted to marry at LaPlaya, and Zach instantly fell in love with it. We tried to keep the style accurate to us – bright, classic, and preppy, with a tropical twist. Elleson Events did such a terrific job executing our vision.

I knew we wanted bright florals with a tropical twist, but I left it up to Elleson Events to decide what would work best with the overall vision. She nailed it! Everyone is still talking about how beautiful the flowers and greenery were.

Favorite Moments

Being in the same place as our friends and family provided more memories and unique stories than I could imagine. But I think my favorite part of the day was our exit. We LOVE boating and make it our mission to cruise on some boat and body of water anytime we travel. Our reception venue happened to have a boat dock right outside, so it only seemed natural that our exit would be…on a boat. For the first time all weekend, we got to take in all the excitement. We got to look on as our guests watched and cheered from the balcony, and that was a moment we’ll never forget.

The Family Heirlooms

I wore my sister-in-law’s veil, and my niece wore her tiara. We also tied my late grandmother’s rings to my bouquet. I waited and shared that detail with my dad before we walked down the aisle. It was such a special moment; we could truly feel her presence there.

The Details

The most important aspect to us was accommodating our guests. We knew we were asking many friends and family to travel for our big day, and we wanted to go above and beyond to ensure the weekend was as memorable and unique for them as it was for us.

We went all out with the welcome bags, which contained custom cocktail kits equipped with signature drink mixes and monogrammed cups and koozies, a booklet with the weekend itinerary and our suggestions on what to do in Naples, Pittsburgh Popcorn from Pennsylvania to represent Zach’s home state, and Oklahoma shaped chocolate for mine. We also hosted a tropical soiree to kickstart the weekend and welcome everyone to Naples.

The Cake & Favors

We opted for a small wedding cake with a dessert bar instead. There were various treats, including cookies, brownies, key lime pie, and cheesecake.

We had flags made with our custom crest, which everyone waved as we exited the boat. We carried a larger version of the flag, which had our new range and “Just Married!”