Jess and Patrick celebrated their celestial wedding at The Howey Mansion. With breathtaking grounds, lush gardens, and antique décor, The Howey Mansion is a highly sought-after wedding venue in Central Florida.
When Koontz Photography reached out to us with these stellar photos and the story behind Jess and Patrick’s wedding we knew we had to share their theme and inspiration with our readers! Jess, the bride, fills us in on all the out-of-this-world details.
Tell us the story and inspiration behind your celestial wedding at The Howey Mansion.
My theme was kind of confusing if you ask anyone in my family before they actually saw it all laid out: my wedding planner did SUCH a good job! It was a celestial theme with a vintage twist that still felt uniquely us.
I DIYed my veil as well as all the personal flowers for my bouquet, the bridesmaid bouquets, and the groomsmen boutonnieres. I also did the save the dates, invitations, and rehearsal dinner place cards myself.
Photos by Koontz Photography
What was your reason for choosing the ceremony and reception venue?
There was so much about The Howey Mansion to love, but honestly, the part that most appealed to us was its history, and the fact that it had once laid abandoned for nearly 20 years before being restored to its original glory.
It has a secret passageway into a hidden speakeasy, and has so many interesting elements to its design and so much cool and unique history within its walls that we couldn’t pass it up. Not to mention how *gorgeous* it is; those doors, that staircase, I mean come on!
Do you have helpful tips and advice for other engaged couples?
Don’t wait until the last minute to do everything! Especially when it comes to those DIY projects. Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need so you can actually enjoy the week before your wedding instead of panicking about all the stuff you haven’t finished. I also recommend finding vendors who you vibe with, who you feel connected to, and who you can be a little silly with!
You’ll know the difference when you’re meeting with them, and you’ll be grateful for it on the day of your wedding. You won’t be stressed at all because your team is cracking jokes and making you feel comfortable while taking care of everything without making you worry for a second.
I’m an extremely anxious person who had the best, least-anxious day of my life for an event that everyone says is supposed to be an extremely stressful experience. I fully and completely believe it was because of our vendors who made it all so easy.
More than anything else I used Pinterest to get inspiration and tips and tricks, although I definitely visited Offbeat Wed too to see some nontraditional types of weddings which helped me widen my scope of ideas. I had a very specific image in mind, but there was so much about weddings I just didn’t know, which the internet helped me figure out for sure.
Photos by Koontz Photography
What was the most important lesson you learned while planning your wedding?
Meeting deadlines! Patrick and I are really, really bad when it comes to procrastinating, and a lot of stuff we should have gotten done in advance we let wait until the last minute. I only had *one* mental breakdown while finishing up the bouquets a few days before the wedding, which I consider a real win.
Thankfully though, despite all our procrastinating, our wedding planner had our backs and got so much done for us and made sure everything we wanted, we got. My bridesmaids helped me with the DIY projects I insisted upon (including my nerve-wracking need to make a veil 1 hour before leaving for our venue).
Our wedding would not have been what it was without our wedding planner, our wedding party, and all the vendors who teamed up to make it truly perfect.
What were the personal details of the wedding that are a reflection of you as a couple?
We went a little nontraditional with our ceremony. We borrowed bits and pieces from a humanist ceremony as well as crafted our own bits for our officiant to read. We incorporated our unique version of a handfasting ceremony into it, and provided a reading from Neil Gaiman called “What I Know About Marriage”. We also quoted our favorite podcast host, Griffin McElroy, as our final blessing “You’re going to be Amazing”.
What memories, moments, and stories about the day would you like to share?
My favorite part was marrying my best friend and the love of my life, and seeing him get emotional during our ceremony. Patrick also said the same, and then I poked him to specify something else and he jokingly said, “The food”.
Honestly, just seeing EVERYTHING we’ve been planning come together so perfectly was the best. working with all our fabulous vendors who all went above and beyond… I couldn’t ask for a more perfect wedding.
Wedding Venue Map Tip: If your venue doesn’t allow sparklers and you want a similar look, LED ribbon wands or fiber optic wands make great alternatives!
Wedding Venue Map Tip: Live musicians and performers are unparalleled. Think of it as an extra layer of emotion and atmosphere that will captivate you and your guests. With the right music, it won’t just be a wedding, but an unforgettable experience!
Wedding Venue Map Tip: Add a special touch to your wedding day with a custom-made wedding cake! Take the opportunity to show your style and personality. Let your cake designer help you bring your unique vision to life. Turn heads at your wedding and make sure that every detail fits with your theme!
Photos by Koontz Photography
Wedding Venue Map Tip: Your wedding is a once-in-a lifetime occasion and every moment should be documented! That’s why we are encouraging all grooms out there not to forget the small details of getting ready for their special day. Achieve the perfect look, no matter the theme or style, by taking great getting ready photos.
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