Courtney Wears a Silk Slip Wedding Dress to her Casa Feliz Wedding
Courtney Wears a Silk Slip Wedding Dress to her Casa Feliz Wedding
Courtney & Maika
September 27, 2020
Casa Feliz, Winter Park, Florida
Bridal Style: Silk Slip Wedding Dress by Ines Di Santo
Vendors & Their Instagram Handles :
Photographers: 28 North Photography - @28northphotography
Wedding Cake: Baker's Cottage Cakes - @mybakerscottagecakes
Flowers: Jason at Orlando Flower Market - @orlandoflowermarket
DJ: Asher Grier, A List DJ - @alistdj
Catering: Arthur's Catering (Through Casa Feliz) - @arthurscatering
Videographer: Giulia Galvao - @dustndglory
Wedding Planner: Kristy Rapp - @kristyrappevents
Hair & Makeup: Kristy's Artistry - @kristysartistrydesignteam
How did you & your partner meet?:
Maika and I met at church. He had just returned to his faith, and he met with a pastor at my church to learn more about God. The pastor realized that Maika and I would connect on a very deep level, so he wanted to set us up. He invited Maika and I to a church event, and we connected. We've been inseparable ever since.
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Where was your first date? :
Seasons 52
How did your partner propose?:
Knowing I thrive in intimate, quiet environments, Maika planned the perfect proposal for me. He invited me to his house, and I followed a trail of rose petals to where he was standing. He had musicians playing the loveliest music in the background, with candles everywhere. He got down on one knee and told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. I cried so much and he just held me for so long. Finally, I said yes.
What was your wedding dress shopping experience like in Orlando? :
My wedding dress shopping experience was more perfect than I could have ever imagined. Tali and Roberta were an irreplaceable part of my experience, but I must share the amazing, divine story of my wedding dress.
A year before I was engaged, I went to The Bridal Finery for my first time, accompanying my mother as she went to pick up my sister-in-law's wedding dress. While there, Roberta asked if I wanted to look around, just to get a taste of what dresses I would like for when the time comes. She picked out a dress that she thought I would love. In a heartbeat, I knew that was my wedding dress.
Days and weeks went by, and I admitted to my mom that some crazy part of me wished I had purchased that dress we saw when I had the chance, even though I wasn't engaged, knowing that the Bridal Finery only gets off-the-rack dresses that are one-of-a-kind. I decided to live with the fact that I would not see the dress again.
A year goes by, and a week after my proposal, my mom and I return to the Bridal Finery. After a few texts back and forth between Tali and I, Tali had picked out three dresses that she thought fit my style. The first two were beautiful, but the third... My heart melted when Tali pulled out the very wedding dress I had seen the previous year.
"But how?" I wondered. A miracle. The Bridal Finery had received a second of the dress I had fallen in love with, which rarely happens at the store.
"That's the one." And it was. I'm thankful God saw it fitting.
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What bridal accessory was your favorite?:
I loved my Maria Elena headpiece from The Bridal Finery. It was simple, whimsical, and elegant, adding a touch of wild wonder to my wedding look.
What do you love most about your wedding venue? :
I love the intimacy of Casa Feliz. There is a holy elegance within it, and every corner is filled with history and purpose.
What is one thing you wish you knew before you started wedding planning?:
Although I knew this, I did not let it sink in. I wish I had known more deeply that God pulls everything together perfectly, and nothing is worth stressing over. We had planned a big Disney wedding at the Grand Floridian, but due to the state of the world in 2020, we had to downsize and change venues. But it was more perfect than if our original plans held. God was in control, and He had the most beautiful dream for our special day. I'm so glad He changed our plans.
How would you describe the overall feel of your event? :
Our event was truly divine. Intimate, holy, reverent. Filled with elegance and grace. It carried a gorgeous, warm and woodsy aesthetic with lush greens and effortless white and blush roses.
What wedding planning advice do you have for other brides? :
I would encourage other brides to focus on the beauty and wonder of the love they share with their future husband and the miracle of love. Don't get caught up in the intricacies of the wedding. Simple is better, and beauty encompasses a bride who carries the peace of knowing the marriage has a far, far greater value than the big day itself.
Where will your honeymoon be?:
We spent the first three days of our honeymoon at the Grand Floridian, then spent a week in the Blue Ridge Mountains, in a cabin. It was calm, quiet, and restful. Much needed.
What are you enjoying most about newlywed life? :
I am most enjoying the adventure of growing in trust. Maika often knows me better than I know myself, and I am finding that trusting him with my faith, my heart, and my emotions brings me further into the security of God's love. He is my rock, my safe haven, and my solid ground. Trusting him with my forever has been an immense gift of which I have yet to even see the deepest of riches.