I wanted the emphasis to be more on the Coastal Italian theme.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
I am a handcrafted leather goods designer and host of The Repurposed Podcast (@therepurposedpodcast). I love meeting people and hearing about how they faced trials and hardships and came out victorious! My husband is an incredible trainer and owns his own boutique gym, Fell Fitness (@scottedwardfellfitness). He works with men and women of all ages, backgrounds, and body types to help them achieve confidence, strength, and healthy living.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
Scott and I met when he walked into my leather goods and vintage shop, Hide & Hunter (@hideandhunter) in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. He stayed, and we talked for hours. When he left, he saved me in his phone with his last name because he said he fell in love with me that day. I thought he had an incredible heart and personality, and I wanted to get to know him immediately. He didn’t ask me on a date that day, but did the following morning when I took him a shirt that he left in the fitting room. I was so excited!
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
We both realised it within a week of meeting and got engaged 3 months later!
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes etc.).
I’ve always loved the old world Italian aesthetic. A little royal, a little romantic, a little patina… My dad’s side of the family came from a little hamlet outside of Rome, so I guess that’s where my love for the culture comes from. Before we moved the wedding location to Pensacola, we actually had planned to get married in Italy. Once we decided to change the location, we just maintained the same Coastal Italian theme of citrus, olive trees, herbs, along with butter yellows, terracotta and blue chinoiserie. We chose Pensacola, Florida, because it is my childhood hometown. I wanted the wedding to be more of an experience than an event, so it was important for me to host the wedding at venues that represented my childhood and the historical beauty of the town. The historic church was on one corner of Seville Square Par,k and the Barkley House (reception site) was a block down from the opposite side of the park overlooking the bay. We had a vintage trolley carrying guests to and from the wedding sites.
What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).
When we decided to host the wedding in my hometown, I wanted the emphasis to be more on the Coastal Italian theme. We decorated our venues with ethereal bouquets of florals and greenery set on top of delicate white and chinoiserie tablecloths. We had a cocktail hour served at our reception site prior to the festivities and dinner. Cocktail hour offered champagne, wine, and mixed cocktails, along with a seafood station filled with raw oysters, on-site grilled oysters, cocktail shrimp, and an assortment of passed Hors d’oeuvres. We kept the ceremony site open and breezy on the grounds of a historic home positioned on Pensacola Bay. We had beautiful music playing by a four-piece band and a beautiful tan and white dance floor for our guests to enjoy.
What did you enjoy most about the planning process and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?
I enjoyed being able to capture the loving and laid back feel of not only Scott and my relationship, but also of our families and my beautiful hometown. My advice is to be hands-on with your wedding planning, but also know when and how to delegate responsibility so you can enjoy the days leading up to your event. Second, think of your wedding as an experience, not just an event. Add in little touches that provide you and your guests with sweet moments that reflect you and your husband, the setting of your wedding weekend, and opportunities to make special memories that everyone can take home with them. From start to finish, our wedding represented our love of community and our favourite things in life – being outside in a very special place, with good food and wine, fun music, and our closest loved ones.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?
I’ve always loved the old world Italian aesthetic. A little royal, a little romantic, a little patina… My dad’s side of the family came from a little hamlet outside of Rome, so I guess that’s where my love for the culture comes from. I chose a sheer beaded pearl mesh dress with ivory slip, completed with a silk detachable ballgown overskirt. I felt that the combo provided a look that fit well with the breezy bay wedding while adding a little old-world formality to it. I finished off the look with a custom pair of gold and diamond cross earrings and a brass and pearl crown under my cathedral and blusher combination veil. My husband donned a classic, romantic white peak lapel tux jacket with black tuxedo pants. Because Scott has an edgy style, he chose the trademark spiked Louboutin loafers in black for his shoes. He finished the look with a custom Rolex he had given his late father, and wore a pair of gold cross earrings I gave him for our wedding day.
What was one, or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).
We have an incredible community of family and friends that surrounds us, so the most important element for us and our parents was to provide a memorable event for our loved ones. We wanted to really spoil them with amazing food, drinks, music, and memories. The goal we had for our wedding was to not only be a testament of mine and Scott’s love for one another, but also our love for each of them. We put a little more focus on our food, drinks, and photography!
BRIDE Hannah, @hannahcchristine GROOM Scott, @scottedwardfellfitness CEREMONY LOCATION Old Christ Church, Pensacola, FL, USA RECEPTION LOCATION The Barkley House, Pensacola, FL, USA, @historicpensacola PHOTOGRAPHER Hannah Pennington, @hannahpennington VIDEOGRAPHER Omari Hood, @marimediafilms STYLIST By the bride PLANNER By the bride and mother of the bride FLORIST Celebrations Florist, @celebrationstheflorist OFFICIANT Terrence McCarthy, @terrywmccarthy ENTERTAINMENT Ceremony Pianist – John Ripley, @johnripleymusic; Reception – Four piece band – The New Orleans Ramblers; Late night DJ – Prime Time Entertainment HIRE Furniture – Sexton’s Event Company, @sextonseventtents CATERING Classic City Catering, @classic_city_catering CAKE Betty Weber Cakes, @betty_weber_cakes STATIONERY Artesana Imports, @artesanapensacola RINGS Vintage Diamond Tennis Bracelet given by the groom; Sapphire Cocktail Ring – Bere Jewelers, @berejewelers BRIDE’S DRESS Custom Made BRIDE’S SHOES Steve Madden, @stevemadden BRIDE’S ACCESSORIES Custom gold and diamond cross earrings – Made by the bride’s friend Laura – Shalla Wista, @shallawistastudio; Brass and Pearl Headpiece – Epona Valley, @eponavalley MAKEUP Carson Jane Beauty, @carsonjanebeauty HAIR Mark Hyde of Forecast Salon, @forecastsalon TUXEDO Custom White peak lapel jacket with black tuxedo slacks – Shaia’s of Homewood, @shaias_1922 GROOM’S SHOES Christian Louboutin, @christianlouboutin GROOM’S ACCESSORIES Gold Cross Earrings – Shalla Wista, @shallawistastudio; Custom Watch – Rolex, @rolex; Antique pave diamond wedding band set GROOM’S HAIR Mark of Forecast Salon, @forecastsalon GIFT REGISTRY The Knot, @theknot
