The following day, guests hit the beach at Ms. V’s and enjoyed painkillers, local beer, and fish sandwiches. “It was so fun to be hanging on the beach, sunning and swimming with all of our people in a more casual setting before the wedding events kicked off,” shares the bride. That night, the welcome party at Coral Sands Hotel’s Beach Bar was a “full-on shell explosion.” Custom coasters, aprons, menus, and mosaics all featured shell motifs. “We wanted to be super playful to go with the loud and punchy decor of the hotel,” Bella says.
The bride and groom spurred tradition and saw each other the morning of the wedding for a sunrise swim in the ocean. “It was the highlight of the weekend for me,” shares Bella. “Break the rules! See each other before the wedding!” As the ceremony approached, windy weather led to some last-minute changes. “I started with my hair styled down and 10 minutes before walking down the aisle, Alejandra threw it up into a bun,” says the bride. “We also ended up flipping the ceremony seating so guests were facing away from the ocean to avoid wind feedback on the mic. You can only plan for so much!”
The couple legally tied the knot in their hometown in Florida five months earlier, which helped shed some of the nerves around the ceremony. “I think we both felt more excited than nervous,” says the bride. “Cameron’s uncle Davis officiated, and we recited our own personal vows, which were very teary. How can you put a 15-year-long journey into two minutes?!” The newlyweds recessed to “Oh La La” by Faces and felt like they were in a movie. “We had a sweet moment to ourselves and cheersed with a spritz before joining the guests at cocktails on the lawn,” remembers Bella.
The cocktail and reception spaces were filled with native plants and overgrown florals. “The Other Side has a very weathered and wild vibe to it, and Sophia and I kept coming back to this idea of a deserted island,” says Bella. “But, of course, [we had] a really chic dressed-up dinner with silk taffeta table linens for a bit of unexpected fancy. It was black tie after all.”
Before dinner, the couple shared their first dance to “Cruisin’” by Smokey Robinson. “My mom raised my sisters and I on soul and Motown, and I’ve always loved this song. But now it holds a bigger meaning for us,” says the bride. Cameron danced to “In My Life” by The Beatles with his mother, and Bella’s father gave a speech with a Phil Collins-inspired intro. “It was nothing short of iconic, and got the crowd on their feet,” she shares.
The bride changed into a TWP strapless dress and shell necklace as the dancing really kicked off. The band played a curated setlist that kept the dance floor packed all night. Cameron notes, “It was electric!” The night transitioned to the after-party complete with a DJ and live saxophone player. “The groomsmen had my dad on their shoulders at one point, and even my 11-year-old sister stayed ‘til the early morning hours,” says Bella. “We never wanted it to end!”
Reflecting on the weekend, the bride says, “We’re just so happy, and everything felt so authentically us: the design, place, the music, our people, all of it.” Adds the groom, “I wouldn’t change a thing! I wish we could do it all again.”
