Rustic Outdoor Sarasota Wedding | Rafter J Ranch Barn Wedding
Karrie and Nate's outdoor rustic Sarasota barn wedding featured a country chic theme with a mint, navy blue, silver and ivory color palette. Their wedding had a special twist to it, as the entire wedding was donated to the couple by area Sarasota wedding vendors.
“Call me crazy, but I wanted to donate a wedding. Not just my services, but an entire wedding to a deserving couple who without assistance, could not have gotten married.” Sarasota wedding planner Jennifer Matteo of Jennifer Matteo Event Planning shared. “The proposal happened on stage at a charity concert, as a surprise to the bride – who had no idea how much her life was about to change! He popped the question, she said ‘Yes' and I walked onto the stage (very nervous to be in front of thousands) and announced that not only was her engagement ring a gift from Diamond Vault Jewelers, but her entire wedding was being gifted to her as a ‘Thank You' for her military service and service to the community. Tears followed, and so did many planning meetings!”
“The services provided by Jennifer Matteo Event Planning was the absolute best thing I have ever experienced,” the bride gushed. “She handled everything and made us really feel like we had nothing to worry about and that was evident in our amazing day! I would recommend her and have been recommending her to everyone I know!”
With the Sarasota couple's vision of an elegant country wedding, the planning commenced. Generous vendors donated $40,000 of goods and services.
“I was in awe of the generosity of our community in Sarasota. Everyone was happy to be a part of the wedding and bring their creativity and services,” Jennifer shared. “As a homage to the bride's military service, Karrie adorned dog tags in remembrance on her bridal bouquet, a detail that touched the heart of all the guests. The groom’s wedding band was a custom made piece by Diamond Vault and was forged out of metal from his fathers wedding band, in memory of loved ones. It is not every day that I get to ‘give' someone a wedding; the feeling of giving two amazingly sweet people the gift of a life together is something that I will always cherish. Without the unwavering support of the local wedding community this simply would not have been possible. Sarasota is a small town, but with the biggest heart!”
Looking back, the entire wedding was incredible, but the couple's most cherished moments occurred during the wedding reception dances.
“Our most memorable moments were the father/daughter dance and the mother/son dance because both Nathan and I picked songs that would really stand out for our parents. The song for Nathan and his mom was also for his father, who left this earth a couple of years ago. It was He Gets that From Me by Reba McEntire. The song for me and my father was My Little Girl by Tim McGraw. I picked this song because while I was in the military and having a hard time being homesick, my father sent the song to me in a text and made my bad days so much better,” the bride reminisced.
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
The service provided by Jennifer Matteo Event Planning was the absolute best thing I have ever experienced. She handled everything and made us really feel like we had nothing to worry about and that was evident in our amazing day! They already had all of our vendors picked out for us. It made our wedding to stress-free. I would recommend her and have been recommending her to everyone I know!
The Proposal:
Nathan proposed in front of roughly 2,000 people at the Young Guns of Country Concert in Sarasota. I was there for work purposes and had no idea that multiple people were in on the surprise engagement, including Jennifer Matteo Event Planning and the Diamond Vault of Sarasota.
How would you describe your theme?
County chic, because both Nathan and I are country folks, but have a classy side to us. We like the finer things in life.
What were your colors?
Mint, navy blue, silver and ivory. We just loved the way the colors looked together. We did pick navy because it is my favorite color due to being in the U.S. Navy.
What advice would you give to other Sarasota couples?
Get a wedding planner! Get Jennifer Matteo Event Planning if you can! It makes everything so much easier and peaceful.
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Rafter J Ranch Barn
Photographer: Katelyn Prisco Photography
Planner: Jennifer Matteo Event Planning
Florist: Oh Darling Events – Victoria Blooms
Caterer: Morton's Market
Rentals: US Tents
Lighting & Draping: Palacios Events
Furniture & Decor: So Staged
Cake: Cakes by Ron, Wonder Cakes
Favors: Just a Basket Case
DJ: The Wright DJ
Ceremony Music: Marc Mannino
Officiant: A Wedding with Grace
Invitations: Write on Sarasota
Jewelry: Diamond Vault
Dress Shop: Something Blue Bridal Boutique
Bridesmaid Dress Shop: David's Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Something Blue Hair and Makeup
Beverages: Gold Coast Eagle Distributing
Paper Artist: CC’s Paper Florals
Garter: Mandaleno's tickle YOUR fancy
