Lauren and Luke’s intimate, Sarasota wedding couldn’t let a hurricane put a halt to their big day. Instead, the bride and groom rallied together to pull off a flawless celebration that delivered knockout food, amazing music, and stunning wedding portraits.
“Apart from having to reschedule our wedding at the last minute due to the hurricane, we just really stayed true to ourselves and the things we love: family, friends, great food and incredible music,” the bride gleamed. “We just wanted the wedding to be very intimate and romantic!”
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The St. Louis couple searched for a wedding photographer who would ease the stress of the big day, and they hit the jackpot when with Cat of Cat Pennenga Photography.
“We wanted to vibe well with whomever we chose and most importantly just wanted to feel relaxed (as much as possible) on the day of the wedding. We also didn’t want anything to look too posed,” Lauren said. “We knew Cat was the one when we met her! She was so nice, welcoming and made us feel comfortable about the whole process right away. She and her team were great the day of the wedding!”
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Even though some last minute changes made things a little chaotic, Lauren and Luke still managed to pull off the wedding of their dreams.
“The whole day was so memorable given what led to it with the stress of the hurricane and moving everything around. We were just happy to see it all finally come together. Seeing my dad for the first time before we walked down the aisle was pretty emotional!” the bride reminisced.
The Proposal:
Luke and I have been together since high school, so we’d been dating 12 years before he proposed. We took a bike ride to Forest Park and went to our favorite place on Art Hill where he surprised me by getting down on one knee. Our friends and my sister were watching from the Art Museum and surprised me after I said, “Yes!” It was the perfect day!
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
We wanted to vibe well with whomever we chose and most importantly just wanted to feel relaxed (as much as possible) on the day of the wedding. We also didn’t want anything to look too posed!
I want to learn more about Cat Pennenga Photography
We knew Cat of Cat Pennenga Photography was the one when we met her! She was so nice, welcoming and made us feel comfortable about the whole process right away. She was even nice enough to give us a lot of helpful restaurant and salon recommendations since we weren’t super familiar with the area. She and her team were great the day of the wedding!
How would you describe your theme?
We just wanted the wedding to be very intimate and romantic!
What were your colors?
Our bridesmaids wore white and the groomsmen all wore blue. We wanted lots of greenery with most of the color really coming from the pops of pink in the bouquets and floral arrangements. We just wanted to keep things simple and clean!
How did you incorporate you and your spouse’s personalities into the wedding?
We just stayed true to our style. I love to take Polaroid pictures and am usually lugging my camera around on our trips to get fun pictures, so it was cool to get a Polaroid picture of everyone to sign for our guest book. It’s something we’ll cherish forever!
What advice would you give to other Sarasota couples?
Make sure you have a plan B (and C) in case weather becomes an issue and take advantage of the gorgeous settings around you!
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Powel Crosley Estate
Photographer: Cat Pennenga Photography *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Planner/Coordinator: Sarasota Wedding Gallery
Florist: Victoria Blooms
Caterer/Rentals: Milan Catering
DJ: ID Events
Invitations: Minted
Transportation: Spark Limo
Dress Shop and Designer: Ultimate Bride (St. Louis), Mikaella
Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: Ultimate Bride (St. Louis), Alfred Sung
Pianist: Richard Kittelstad
Photo Booth: The Fancy Booth *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
