Hannah and William’s Wedding
April 2016
Hannah chose the beautiful Grand Hotel in Point Clear, AL as the venue
for the bridal party to get dressed for their special day.
The bride and groom exchanged handwritten letters to each other prior to their wedding ceremony.
There is something special about a Daddy and his little girl.
No matter how old we get nor where life may take us, we will always hold a special place in our Dad’s heart. This was one of Hannah’s favorite moments as she experienced the pure joy and happiness of her father’s face as he saw his little girl on her wedding day.
William wrote a special note to Hannah’s parents for them to read on the day of the wedding. Hannah said she was being “nosy” as she wanted to see what all William would write. 🙂
Hannah: Our first dance song was a surprise from William. I am a terrible dancer but when I heard “Whenever I See Your Smiling Face” by James Taylor, I knew I could just follow William’s lead and have fun. I had a little suspicion that this would be the song of choice as it was to this song that he first said “I Love You!” while we were at a James Taylor concert.
William: My mother and I have a special bond. From a young age, I always remember her singing the song “You’ll be in my heart” to me and just knowing that I would dance with her to that song one day at my wedding. She had no idea, but as the music started when it was time for us to dance, I could see a look, which I interpreted as “How special that you chose this song.” She never said that, but as we danced and sang the song to one another, it was clear that the moment struck us both.
William had a few surprises up his sleeve for this fairytale day. The firework show was one of many surprises he had planned and was able to have executed without Hannah ever knowing until the sky began to light up bringing a true Fairytale ending to their special day. He also had a special surprise for Hannah waiting at the reception when she arrived. Hannah was unable to have her bridal portraits taken on the scheduled date, so it was the Wednesday before the wedding when she had these images captured. William arranged for their wedding planner to pick out an image and then FaceTime him from the frame shop so he could pick out a frame for the portrait. He had the portrait waiting for Hannah to see at the guest table.
Our Fairytale Continues With Our Happily Ever After
Moments Which Stood Out The Most
William: The setting of our wedding afforded me the opportunity to just kind of “hang out” in front of the church on beautiful Mobile Bay prior to the wedding. My groomsmen and I took pictures with the photographer. The wedding coordinator and caterer had the tent perfectly set for the reception, and guests could see our vision for our day brought to life while getting a sneak peek to the reception prior to entering the church. I was able to chat with family and friends as they arrived, hang out with groomsmen, and just enjoy the last hour with family and friends. The reason we chose Sacred Heart Chapel is because of the beautiful setting on Mobile Bay. The moment the chapel doors opened, and I saw the silhouette of my beautiful bride with brilliant sunlight pouring in around her was when it really began to sink in. As the chapel doors closed, I was able to see her clearly… truly a beautiful moment I will never forget. The band welcomed us on to the stage as the party really got started. As we turned back and looked out on the reception, it was amazing to be able to take a moment to appreciate just how lucky we were to have so many of our friends and family gather from distances near and far to witness our wedding day. People from all different parts of our lives who had never met one another seemed to be a cohesive unit, all celebrating our special day. And man did they celebrate! I looked out at one point from the front of the dance floor and realized, “This is the best party I’ve ever been to.” I took a moment and looked at people’s faces. I know I am biased, but I am pretty certain they were thinking the exact same thing. It was truly a perfect day!
Hannah: The first look with my dad was one of my favorites because he was so genuinely happy. I like the first look pictures people take, but I didn’t want to see William before the wedding (for me, I think it would’ve taken away from the excitement of walking down the aisle), so I knew my dad would enjoy being involved. I also think people forget that some dads are probably just as excited to see the bride as the groom is. Mine obviously was haha! And it made for really special pictures with something for just me and my dad that day. The moments of anticipation right before walking down the aisle were unforgettable. I was able to spend a few last couple minutes with my dad, and I was so excited to see Williams face! The weather was another favorite stand out part (75 degrees and not a cloud in the sky). I’d been so worried about it during planning, but I knew it would be worth it if it turned out great; which thankfully it did! I honestly didn’t notice many details of the wedding (no time, and the setting as a whole just brought it all together so well), but the stand out was that all of our favorite people were in one place for a whole weekend and we got to share such an exciting time with all of them. Also- William’s surprises were really cool and definitely special.
Advice to Future Brides and Grooms:
My advice would be to (at a minimum) get a day of coordinator. It was so nice to be able to just relax, get ready with my friends and mom, and not have to worry about a thing that day, or remembering to cut the cake, throw the bouquet/garter etc. Our wedding planner, Katie Leavins with Noble Events, was amazing. She made it all so much fun and I couldn’t have made this journey without her help. Also remember to compromise with your partner when wedding planning. It’s a fast lesson in learning what this means for sure! And don’t take it too seriously. No one remembers the little details you’re worried about, including yourself!
Dr. and Mrs. William Perez
Photography Provided By: Wendy Wilson Photography
Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Katie Leavins with Noble Events
Venue Location: Sacred Heart Chapel, Point Clear, AL
Caterer: Tyner’s Catering, Mobile, AL
Florist: Belle Bouquet Florist and Gifts, Saraland, AL
Baker: Cakes By Vickie
Rentals: Soho Events and Rentals, Fairhope, AL
Mobile Popcorn, Mobile, AL
Band: Black Jacket, Tallahassee, FL
Bridal Hair and Makeup: Hair and Makeup By Chaney Smith
Bridal Attire: Buckhead Bridals by Guffeys in Atlanta, GA
Transportation (Trolley): Gulf Coast Tours