Sunday, April 8, 2018

They Saw Stars on their Wedding Day

Jessica and Ryan at the Gulport Casino


The sky was the limit for Jessica and Ryan's epic wedding day along the shores of Boca Ciega Bay. Jessica and Ryan had a romantic journey that reflected many things above the heavens.



"We met during law school," said Jessica. "He was at Ole Miss, I was at the Catholic University of America in DC, and we were competitors in a space law moot court competition. Our mutual love of all things space and adventure started a friendship. Friendship grew to love . . . "



The NASA Maria capsule launched on Nov. 6, 2015, and it was not the only thing that got off the ground that day. Ryan, who worked for Spaceport America in New Mexico, at the time, got down on one knee after this launch and described the journeys and adventures they had been on together.




 

He closed with, “Right now your ring is on a journey of its own. It was on the rocket you just watched launch, and is now in space among the stars. When it returns I will get down on one knee again and will have a question to ask you.”



Jessica said she didn't think he anticipated waiting almost 3 hours while a helicopter retrieved it from the desert. "But all was well. The ring was intact and I said yes," she recalled.



Travel was definitely a major part of Jessica and Ryan's wedding.


They were one of our many, many clients that resided out of town. This meant that ideas and conversations were mostly done via phone and email. Jessica's mom, who lived in Tampa, was a huge help in reflecting the couple's vision for their day.

On one of her visits, Jessica, worked out all the rest of the design features which revolved around a Space Age Voyagers theme. She arranged star gobo lighting and worked with us in creating a brilliant combination of deep purple, silver, and various shades of blue in her centerpieces, napkins, and accent linens.


 

The ceremony was held in the beach area of the Casino property. The family decorated the Chuppah with flowing fabrics and silk florals sturdy enough to withstand the strong wind that came in from the west. 



The wind did not affect the dynamic ariel photos capture by CCS Photography's drone camera including a heart-shaped group photo in the sand.


The indoor social hour was held in the front foyer of the casino with hand-passed hors d'oeuvres and open bar. Guests found their tables via a "flight departure" board where each table was named after a star constellation or planet. The table designation actually listed both the name and the "number."





Inside the main ballroom, Jessica chose a sleek, chic look with all white linens and spandex chair covers that complimented the billowing white ceiling swags provided by A Linen Valley. The decorating firm also installed a white drapery wall to separate the social hour from the main room.



We adored the casino's in-house video screen. Being a "Trekkie" in my past life, I suggested that the couple project celestial images on an overhead screen behind the sweetheart and cake tables.


Mixed with blue and purple uplighting (and gobo stars) from DeLite Entertainment, the atmosphere was sensationally "stellar."

Here are more pictures from Jessica and Ryan's celebration:


















Footprints in the . . . . ?

Vendor Team Members:

Planning, Design, Coordination and Catering:

Photography: CCS Photography

DJ, Lighting: DeLite Entertainment

Ceiling and Wall Drapery, Lighting: A Linen Valley

Wedding Cake: Chantilly Cakes




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