Featured Links
Wedding Planner: Natasha Liebster – Celebrations
Venue: Nova
Officiant: Rev Rohan Forrester
Hair and Makeup Stylist: Jackie Soriano and Sally Scott-Hopkins
Bridal Gown: Jenny Yoo
Megan was born and raised in Central Florida. While she has lived in other areas of the country (and in other countries—like Cayman!), Orlando is home. Benjamin was born in New Bern, North Carolina. He lived in California before moving to Orlando in 2007.
THE DRESS
My friend, Danieli, helped me find the perfect dress. She knew I needed a dress that was just as special as the day, and my Jenny Yoo dress absolutely delivered!
HOW YOU MET
We met while working at a consulting firm. Although we didn’t spend much time together at work, Ben would always find ways to interrupt my workday to chat, and I would always bring treats into the office to do the same. When I left that firm to begin working elsewhere, Ben found my phone number in the staff directory and invited me out for drinks. The rest was history!
FIRST LOOK
We did a first look at our condo. I think we were both a little nervous after getting ready all day, but it was fun! Our daughters wanted in on the action, so they did a first look with their dad that was really cute!
HOW DID BEN POP THE QUESTION
We were married 10 years ago, just a few weeks before our first daughter, Ryan, was born. Ben asked me to marry him during the holidays, and we decided we should do it sooner than later so that we’d all have the same last name when Ryan joined us. So, one day after an ultrasound, we went to the Orange County Courthouse and were married by a clerk wearing a county hoodie. It was a scene we’ll never forget! My mom took us out for burgers afterward, and she brought us donut holes for a wedding cake. We always thought we would have a “real” wedding a couple of months later, but never got around to it as we found our way as new parents. When our 10th anniversary started coming around, we knew we wanted to do something special and the idea to take our friends and family to Cayman was born. Cayman is a place our family loves. Megan lived on island in 2014 and we’ve made it a family tradition to visit as a family at least once a year.
CELEBRATIONS
It was perfect. The ceremony was really polished and beautiful. It complemented the landscape perfectly. The reception was just stunning. Exactly everything I dreamed about! I didn’t want our guests to feel like we were just going out to dinner. It felt like it was created just for us and just looked so beautiful.
THE AISLE
How did you feel……So loved! Not only were we able to celebrate each other and our lives together, but we also got to celebrate the family and friends that enrich our lives. We enjoyed champagne with everyone before the ceremony, and our daughters walked us down the aisle. It felt like how our wedding was always meant to be!
UNIQUE MOMENTS
It was a super relaxed, fun vibe. We had champagne with our guests upon arrival, which really aligned with our casual style. We had just as many kids as adults, so there was a lot of playing in the sand, coconut “footballs” and barefoot antics. When I asked our wedding planner, Natasha, about something unique to end the evening, she recommended two fire dancers. That was epic! Their show was spectacular and made for the perfect end to the perfect day.
THE VENUE
NOVA West Bay was awesome! Natasha recommended it and I came to see it on a girls’ trip with some friends prior to booking. We knew the sunset would be spectacular, and I loved the relaxed atmosphere. The food was incredible! I’m still dreaming about the mango sorbet.
THE DECOR
We had the most beautiful flowers. I love flowers and I love bold, bright colors. We had both in abundance! They were absolutely gorgeous and created the perfect atmosphere. My bouquet was also a stunner! Giving back is also really important to us as a family, and it was nice that we were able to donate the floral arrangements to a local nursing home after the party. The other fun detail was definitely the fire dancers. They were unreal! 10/10 recommend.
THE PLANNER
Were you anxious… Not at all! Natasha was so amazing, we knew everything was taken care of, and all we had to do was have fun. As someone who owns a business and is frequently coordinating details for others, it felt amazing to not have to think about anything other than enjoying ourselves.
HOW WAS TAKING PHOTOS…
Rebecca made me feel so pretty! She also made us feel relaxed and made everyone in our celebration feel special. I loved taking photos with our kids and all our friends and family who came to celebrate with us. I always get nervous when I have my photo taken, but this time I just felt like I was having fun with a friend.
TRADITIONS
Overall, our vow renewal felt like a wedding, which was important to me. I wanted it to be more than an anniversary dinner. So, we had a traditional ceremony, reception dinner and dancing. But we also had just enough unconventional flare for the event to be uniquely us. There was no firm timeline, just a few words of gratitude from us (Ben had to say mine because I was too teary!) and a LOT of fun.
DJ
Shout out to DJ Craig who kept the music bopping between romance and tween hits! He was awesome. We just had the most perfect time. I wish we could do it all over again! It was a dream. Here’s to the next 10 years!
