A Timeless Coastal Wedding With a Clear-Top Tent That Felt Like Dancing in the Sky

[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]

Alexis and Porter’s wedding colors were blue and white, with green accents complimenting the flowers.

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[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]

Alexis and Porter wanted the overall vibe to be clean and timeless. Alexis drew inspiration for the design from the apartment she and Porter lived in while they were engaged in Nashville, before moving to Vero Beach. Their high-rise apartment had floor-to-ceiling windows that offered stunning views of the rolling hills, and Alexis loved how open and airy it felt–almost like being outdoors, basking in the sun, even though they were 23 floors up! When it came time to plan the wedding, she wanted the tent at John’s Island Beach Club to capture that same light, open, and airy vibe, while complementing the breathtaking ocean views and the resort-style pool area. She envisioned a space that felt like dancing under the stars all night long. It was a no-brainer to use a clear top tent to bring that vision to life.

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[field title=”Proposal Story”]Porter planned an entire weekend getaway in Napa Valley for him and Alexis, with the perfect setting for his proposal at Stags’ Leap Winery. Their shared love of wine and travel made it an ideal location for such a meaningful moment. Though Porter wasn’t the best at keeping secrets, so Alexis knew months in advance that the proposal was coming that day, he still went above and beyond to make sure the moment was extra special.[/field]
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[board_carousel title=”First Look”]

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[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”]

Alexis had a clear vision of what she wanted for her wedding dress: a satin-like fabric, a classic and simple silhouette with structure, and little to no embellishments. Her dress journey started with a fun and memorable trip to New York City in September. She and her best friend Dani, both newly engaged, reunited with their former NYC roommates for a weekend of dress shopping. The experience helped her narrow down her preferences in a way she hadn’t expected–she discovered she loved an A-line shape and was surprised by how much she liked the off-the-shoulder style! In November of 2024, Alexis visited Vivienne Atelier in her hometown of Houston for the next round of shopping. It was such a special experience for her to have her mother, aunt, niece, and two of her sisters there to share in the moment. The very first dress she tried on – “Nancy” by Iveary – was an instant favorite. It was clear to everyone in the room that this was the one. Alexis quickly canceled her next appointment and went to celebrate finding the one! As her second dress, Alexis wanted to be able to dance the night away, so she chose a short, silky white dress from Galvan London that tied around the neck to change into after the reception formalities took place.

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[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]Alexis made her bridesmaids her “something blue” for the wedding by giving them a few simple guidelines and letting them choose their own blue dresses – a mix of solids and patterns in different hues. The only non-negotiable was that they be comfortable enough to dance the night away! With a small bridal party consisting of family and one of her best friends, just five people in total, Alexis also had a “house party.” A few of her closest girlfriends, dressed in blue, arrived early to take photos and enjoy the moment together before the ceremony. Alexis mentioned that it was incredibly special to capture those portraits and share such a meaningful time with them before the big day officially began.
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[field title=”Groomsman Attire”][/field]
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[board_carousel title=”Wedding Party”]

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[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]

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[board_carousel title=”Cocktail Hour”]

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[section title=”The Details”]
[field title=”Food & Drink”]

For Alexis and Porter, the bar menu was a fun way to call back to their history and important moments they’ve shared. For the reception dinner wine, they handpicked a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon from Stags’ leap Winery, where they got engaged. For one of the Signature Cocktails, we had the Rubber Ducky, a cocktail from Elm City Social, the bar in New Haven, CT where they went on their first date.

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[field title=”Florals & Decor”]While studying in Austin, TX, Alexis worked for a wedding planner, and the first wedding she assisted with left a lasting impression. The event featured stunning all-white centerpieces and florals, which Alexis found to be timeless and elegant. From that moment on, she knew she wanted a similar look for her own wedding. Hutchinson’s Floral Artistry helped turn her vision into reality, designing a beautiful floral chandelier above the dance floor, along with arrangements across the reception stage and around the ceremony by the ocean. At the last minute, Alexis decided to elevate the design by having the dance floor wrapped in a custom pattern from Lewes Lettering Co, coordinated with the wedding stationery. It added a bold, visually impactful element to the tent that truly stood out.

Instead of a traditional guest book, Alexis and Porter had guests sign an empty 9L bottle of wine, which they drank at a more intimate rehearsal dinner two days before the wedding. They plan to send back the bottle to Sonoma to get refilled and age the wine for years, display it in their home and enjoy it on a future anniversary!

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[field title=”Wedding Cake”]

Alexis and Porter served a John’s Island classic — Carrot cake with raisins and walnuts — for their wedding cake with alternating tiers of smooth and waved frosting.

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[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]Two close friends of Alexis and Porter, who also happen to be the couple that introduced them, gave special readings during the ceremony. One read the timeless passage from 1 Corinthians 13:4, while the other shared an excerpt from Les Misérables, a meaningful choice as the couple lives in Paris and the reading held special significance for them all.

As a shared hobby, Alexis and Porter started taking dance lessons at Arthur Murray after they got engaged, which became a big part of their lives – so much so, that they decided to do not one, but two choreographed dances – a surprise to all of their guests! Their first dance was a foxtrot to Frank Sinatra’s The Way You Look Tonight, and their second dance was a swing number to Stevie Wonder’s Signed Sealed Delivered. At the after party, guests even asked for an encore of their first dance, and everyone joined in and danced with them at the end!

Later in the evening, the dance floor lit up with a nod to Alexis’s Texas roots. She grew up line dancing and knew many of her friends had too, so she asked the band to play Footloose. The crowd went wild watching Alexis and Porter show off their impressively in-sync moves — it was a definite highlight of the evening![/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″]

After Alexis’ father passed away in 2021, her mother had his wedding band transformed into a necklace pendant, featuring an infinity symbol in the center, crafted by jewelry artist Lindsey Scoggins. To honor his memory, they incorporated the pendant into Alexis’ wedding bouquet, so he could be there with both Alexis and her mom as they walked down the aisle. Alexis shared, “I knew he was with us, of course, but holding his wedding ring in my hand as I walked down the aisle was so important to me.”

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[field title=”Special Detail #2″]Alexis and Porter chose to read their own vows — something that was actually Porter’s idea, much to Alexis’s surprise! Alexis has always loved the vows and speeches at weddings because they offer a glimpse into the more personal sides of a relationship – things that often don’t come up in everyday conversation. She said she loved getting to share their own vows with everyone, giving a deeper look into their story and the reasons they had all gathered to celebrate that day. Although they didn’t read each other’s vows beforehand, their words ended up mirroring each other in many sweet and unexpected ways, even mentioning the same memories. Needless to say, there wasn’t a dry eye in sight!

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[field title=”Special Detail #3″]Porter’s family surprised the couple with a live painter, Russ Kramer at the reception. He made the most beautiful painting of their first dance, which was so special to them because they worked so hard on the choreography! It was a hit with all the guests, they loved seeing the painting come together through the reception, and now Alexis and Porter plan to hang it in their home for years to come!
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[board_carousel title=”Reception”]

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