This is a wedding I will never forget. Jessica and Jon planned the most beautiful, detail inspired wedding at 5 Eleven in Pensacola. They had gorgeous table details, local favors for their guests, the talented Roman Street Band playing Spanish style acoustic music and the most beautiful wedding invitation suite.

I asked Jessica: “Did you have a theme for your wedding?” And she said: “I was hoping for a timeless and classic wedding reception. I love everything Italy, California and Spain so I wanted to try and blend all those elements to create a beautiful atmosphere to treat all of our family and friends.”

And I think she accomplished just that. 5 Eleven has never looked more beautiful.

“I chose an Eddy K gown from the Bridal Loft. When I stepped out the dressing room and saw myself in the mirror I knew Jonathan would love this dress. I as well loved the dress and I just knew it was the dress. My mother was immediately emotional which confirmed what I already knew, that this was the dress I was going to marry Jonathan in. It was a very special moment picking out my dress with my mom.”

“Exchanging vows prior to the ceremony without seeing each other was something I am so glad we decided to do. It calmed all my nerves and made me so excited to see Jonathan.”

“We were married at Saint Paul’s which is a beautiful church, we loved the stain glass and wood beamed ceilings. It was incredibly special they played the organ while we exited as my grandmother plays the organ and it reminded me of her. When my mom gave me away to Jonathan at the church she whispered to us to be happy and it was a very special moment.”

“Jonathan and I wanted to be able to write and share our own vows without seeing each other before our ceremony. The vows were incredibly special as they were shared right before the ceremony. It made me incredibly emotional and excited to see Jonathan. We were married in the Catholic Church and were able to combine really special Latin American traditions my family holds dear. One of my favorite parts was listening to a reading in Spanish by my Mother followed by the translation in English by Jonathan’s Mother. We wanted the ceremony to be all about blending two families and unity. It was everything we hoped for and more. We were very happy and grateful to our priest Father Jaks who made the ceremony and homily very welcoming and including to guests unfamiliar with Catholic traditions.”

“Our first song dance was Lady Gaga Always Remember Us this Way. We always sing it to each other in the car and it’s the one that came to both of our minds when we were picking one. It was just the right one!”

Jessica’s advice for future brides:

We took half the day on Friday to take a boat out with close friends. It was incredibly relaxing and fun. I would encourage carving out time to spend with your friends and family in a casual fun setting.

Jonathan’s advice for future grooms:

Plan ahead as much as possible to keep the days before the wedding as stress free as you can. Remember why you’re here and try to support and do small special things for your future wife during the time before and around the wedding.

The wedding pros behind the scenes:

Photography: Erika Dame
Venue: 5 Eleven
Florals: Chrissy H
Reception Music: Roman Street
Videography: Wild Soul Films
Cake: Betty Weber Cakes
Hair: Chelsey Domschke
Catering: Classic City Catering
Invitation Suite: Papery of Philly
Favors: Bodacious Olive
Dress Designer: Eddy K
Dress Shop: The Bridal Loft