These Brides Brought Their Romantic, Secret Garden-Themed Wedding to Life at an Art Museum

Jackie and Corinne met on a dating app in April 2020, just as COVID-19 restrictions began. They spent the next few weeks texting and FaceTiming to get to know each other, and after a two-week quarantine, they had their first date at Depot Park in Gainesville, Fla. Both Jackie and Corinne called friends and family that night letting them know they had likely just gone on their last first date.

The couple planned to get engaged after at least a year of dating, so Corinne was able to pull off a surprise proposal at the same park on March 7, 2021. The couple celebrated with their parents, two dear friends, Corinne's sister, and their French bulldog, Murphy. When it came time to plan their nuptials, the pair had a secret garden-inspired ceremony in mind and wanted a reception space that could be transformed to feel like it was outdoors. They hired planner John Campbell Weddings right away, and after touring a few venues, they decided on the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg.

"The walled ceremony garden was the ideal balance of an outdoor space with lots of privacy, and the large, open perception space allowed us to create an outdoor feel inside," John says. "The icing on the cake was that the venue sits in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg, which gave the brides an exciting destination for their wedding weekend." Jackie and Corinne invited 102 guests to their March 6, 2022 wedding with a color palette of pure white, fresh stucco, new leaf green, woodland green, and dark cobalt blue.

An Elegant Suite

The couple kept their Minted watercolor suite simple with an invitation and RSVP card, and directed guests to their wedding website for more information about the weekend. Touches from the suite were also incorporated into their event: The envelopes were made of handmade paper and matched the table numbers seen at the reception. A vellum wrap with a vine pattern mimicked the reception tablecloths, and a wax thread and seal completed the suite.

Dressed to Impress

Jackie and Corinne shopped for their wedding day attire on the same day at different shops down the street from each other. "Our wedding planner, John, was going back and forth between us to make sure our outfit would be cohesive since we didn't want to see each other," Jackie says.

Jackie had her mom, dad, and aunt with her as she tried on dresses with beading, sparkle, and lace. When she tried on an off-the-shoulder Essense of Australia satin ballgown, the simplicity sealed the deal. Then, John came into the shop to tell Jackie that Corinne had found her outfit, and Jackie burst into tears. "I just wanted my best friend to feel beautiful on her wedding day," she says.

Delicate Blooms

To complete her look, Jackie donned a simple veil with beading around the edges, Bella Belle flats, and Olive + Piper earrings. Corinne gifted Jackie a bracelet on the wedding day that was engraved with "Love & Kisses'' in the handwriting of her late grandparents. "We were extremely close, so wearing something that honored them was incredibly special," she says. Jackie also wore a diamond necklace made from her great aunt's engagement ring, along with a ring from her great grandmother. "I love that I got to wear pieces from previous generations and previous love stories," the bride says. Jackie held an all-white asymmetrical bouquet with a variety of textures and blooms including spray and garden roses, ranunculus, and mums for her walk down the aisle.

Sleek and Suited

When Corinne tried on her original wedding outfit after it had been tailored, she realized she didn't quite feel like herself, and she wanted to feel more confident on the wedding day. "Jackie and I were originally planning to keep our outfits secret from each other, but I called her from the dressing room and told her I wanted her help to pick something out," she says. "Within a day she found the perfect outfit for me!" She wore a white tux with satin detailing and a matching vest from Little Black Tux. Corinne skipped the shirt underneath altogether for a more modern look, and added a large pin corsage that complemented Jackie's bouquet.

The Oxford Shoes

Corinne accessorized her look with diamond earrings that were a wedding day gift from Jackie. She wore oxford shoes from Tod's, which added to her collection. Later at the reception, Corinne and Jackie both changed into white glitter Vans sneakers.

All Smiles

Members of the brides' wedding party wore dresses from David's Bridal and suits from The Suit Shop in matching cobalt blue.

Flower Power

Corinne's cousins, Romy and Davis, were the couple's flower girls. They wore matching white dresses with full skirts from David's Bridal.

The First Touch

Jackie and Corinne spent the morning together with their wedding party, and only separated for a few hours to get ready. Instead of a first look, they decided to do a "first touch" in the Vinoy gardens on the property. They stood back to back and held hands, then gave each other a handwritten note and a present. "It was very calming to hear each other's voices before separating before the ceremony and to still be able to maintain the surprise of the reveal walking down the aisle," Jackie says.

In the Garden

The couple's outdoor ceremony took place in an outdoor courtyard, where the decor was meant to enhance the couple's secret garden vision. The columns were embellished with greenery garlands, and white hydrangea arrangements in seagrass baskets framed the aisle entrance.

Lush Altar

"If you weren't familiar with the venue, you might not even notice anything was changed," says John, the couple's planner, of the ceremony space. "Primarily, we added a good amount of foliage to the space to give it a more organic and overgrown feel."

An Emotional Ceremony

Both Corinne and Jackie were accompanied by their fathers as they made their way to the altar; Corinne went first. Corinne walked down the aisle to violinists playing "Turning Page," while Jackie selected "Canon in D." When the doors opened and Jackie walked out, Corinne immediately began crying. By the time Jackie got to the end of the aisle, she was crying, too.

The Unity Puzzle

The duo had a custom puzzle made to include the values they plan to build their family around; they assembled the pieces during the ceremony's unity ritual. "We both love to do puzzles together, and both of our families do, as well. In fact, our moms exchange puzzles all the time!" the couple says.

The Newlyweds

Although their ceremony wasn't overly religious, they worked with an officiant who included religious language in their civil ceremony and their moms each read a piece of scripture before they exchanged vows.

Specialty Sips

The couple's guests were mostly light drinkers, so they opted to serve beer, wine, and two signature cocktails during the cocktail hour. Jackie chose a Mai Tai, while Corinne opted for a Sidecar. The signature drink sign featured a French bulldog to represent the couple's pup, Murphy. The pair also served passed appetizers including bruschetta, pot stickers, spanakopita, stuffed mushrooms, and bulgogi sliders. Loved ones were entertained by a live violinist and also had the opportunity to tour the museum galleries.

Right This Way

Guests found their table numbers on an oversized printed seating chart with a simple floral design. The piece's cobalt blue hue was seen throughout the wedding-day décor.

Intimate Appeal

The couple and their planner wanted to create an intimate reception space, so the museum's high ceilings were draped with market lighting and macrame lampshades for cozy ambience. Round tables were dressed in printed linens and paired with crossback chairs.

Perfect Place Settings

Place settings featured seagrass chargers, bone handle flatware, and navy napkins with a beaded napkin ring. Hand-painted table numbers made of handmade paper matched the couple's invitation suite.

The First Twirl

Jackie and Corinne shared their first dance to "Is That Alright?" by Lady Gaga from the movie A Star is Born. "It was one of the first movies we saw together, and it's been one of our songs ever since then," the couple says. They took dance lessons leading up to the wedding as a recurring date night, and their first dance was loosely choreographed with a few spins, twirls, and a dramatic dip at the end.

Sweet Treat

The brides told their planner, John, that they wanted to schedule some time in the middle of the reception to spend together. "We kind of joked about going to get gelato, and he took it and ran with it, which was so cool," the couple says. The couple, their planner, and their photographer, left the reception, crossed the street, and grabbed some local gelato.

Sources

Photography, Lauren Galloway Photography
Venue, Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
Wedding Planning and Event Design, John Campbell Weddings
Videography, Voila Cinematic
Flowers, Monarch Events and Design
Invitations and Paper Products, Minted; John Campbell Weddings
Officiant, Unique & Handcrafted Ceremonies
Jackie's Attire, Essense of Australia; CC's Bridal Boutique; Olive + Piper
Jackie's Shoes, Bella Belle
Corinne's Attire, Little Black Tux
Corinne's Shoes, Tod's
Hair & Makeup, Femme Akoi
Spray Tan, SPRAY Mobile Tanning
Bridesmaids' Dresses, David's Bridal; SuitShop
Music, Grant Hemond, DJ James King; Chris Barbosa
Catering, Olympia Catering
Cake, The Artistic Whisk
Rentals, Kate Ryan Event Rentals; Treasury Rentals; Nuage Designs
Transportation, Olympus Limo
Lighting, A Linen Valley
Bar Service, Catering by Lundy's