Florida Spanish Monastery Wedding

The ethereal and intimate wedding of Paiton and Christopher took place in North Miami Beach, Florida. The couple wanted the perfect mix of modern & vintage vibes, but overall romantic aesthetics. They accomplished more than that with their wedding accommodations and first look at the brand new Four Seasons Surfside and their wedding venue at the oldest building in the western hemisphere, the Ancient Spanish Monastery.

Spring Spanish Monastery Wedding

Designed and planned by the bride herself, every detail was extremely thought out. Vellum, velvet, & acrylic were a majority of the elements with ivory, blush, gold, & lots of greenery for the color palette. Ghost chairs and dark textured wooden farmhouse tables were the focal point of the reception in the ancient cloisters covered in flower garland cascading over the edges with multi-height candles in votives. Lit with dim champagne up-lights and string lights, it was stunning. Literally.

Total guest count was 75 people, which included the bride and groom's closest family and friends. Guests traveled from 16 different states across the country to join in and celebrate the marriage of Paiton and C.J. The couple opted out of a bridal party other than the bride's 16-month-old twin nephew (ring bearer) and niece (flower girl), which was the most adorable duo.

The couple hired a string trio for the ceremony, which consisted of a harp, cello, and violin. To elevate the ceremony to the next level, they hired an Italian opera singer to perform the bride's favorite song live, accompanied by the string trio, for the bridal processional, "Gira Con Me" - we're pretty positive everyone had a tear in their eye! The singer also sang their first dance live, "Can't Help Falling in Love", which the couple had choreographed and taken ballroom dance lessons in preparation. A live cover band performed for the reception, which certainly brought the energy and had the guests on the dance floor all night!

The couple wanted to incorporate their favorite foods as a couple for the menu. Cocktail hour consisted of a grazing table with 4 passed hors d'oeuvres: grilled cheese & tomato soup shots, fried mac & cheese balls, gourmet mini pizzas, and soft pretzels & nacho cheese. There also was a chamboard champagne cocktail wall with acrylic escort drink stirrers to show guests their seating assignments. Salad was skipped and the entree options were chicken & waffles, penne alla vodka, or burger & fries - YUM! To amplify the dining experience, there was also a station-style dessert room with a barista & coffee cart, donut wall with cookies & milk cart, build-your-own crêpe station, and chocolate fountain in addition to their 6-tiered funfetti with buttercream wedding cake. Drinks were poured all night featuring an open bar with extensive menu including 6 wine selections (2 reds, 2 pinks, & 2 whites). Cheers!