Brunch wedding at 5Eleven in Pensacola, FL
Who doesn’t love a brunch wedding, right?! That’s exactly what Sarah and Brandon wanted for their wedding day. When I asked them why they chose a wedding in the morning, their answer was simply, “We love breakfast food.” How perfect, right?! Their wedding at 5Eleven could not have been more beautiful. The venue, the vibe, the social reception atmosphere, the food… it was such a fun day.
Sarah about her dress: “My dress is from BHLDN, I really didn’t try on very many dresses before choosing it. I wanted something simple and timeless. It was important to me that it didn’t look like “the dress was wearing me”. The veil was the real show stopper. I got it from Azazie. That veil was my chance to be a little “extra”. I dress very simply most of the time and wanted to make sure I had something extra special for the wedding. Although it was a bit out of my comfort zone to wear something like that, I’m so happy I did!! My earrings and necklace were Kendra Scott. The hair clip was a gift from my parents. They left it in the hotel room for me the night before the wedding. I had told my mom about wanting a clip months ago but had never found one I loved. My mom always seems to know what I want/like before I know. It was such a sweet gift and the perfect thing to complete my look. My shoes were from David’s bridal – I liked the Cinderella look of them being see through.”
What is the vision you had for your wedding day?
“I like simplicity. My vision was white flowers and lots of greenery. The light grey and navy seemed to compliment that well. For me it was about using the look of the space to our advantage! I also felt it was important that the “color” came from people. In the photos what you see are the smiling face. It’s not distracted by bright colorful things :)”
Why did you choose this venue for your wedding?
“I have loved 5Eleven since I was 16. I toured it when looking for prom venues in high school and knew then I would try my best to use it for my wedding one day. It’s beautiful and historic and has so much character in the walls. It didn’t need extravagant decorations to feel complete.”
“I wanted our ceremony to be personal and to feel intimate. My uncle was the officiant and he helped us so much to make sure it was perfect. We wanted the ceremony to be quick and to the point, but to have some memorable moments. (We definitely got one for sure with the rings falling!! Haha). One of my favorite things was walking down the isle and seeing every single face in the room – I felt so much love and don’t think that would have been possible in a larger space or with more people.” ~ Sarah
What were some of your sweetest memories from your wedding day?
“Brandon getting emotional during the ceremony was such a surprise for me and I will never forget seeing his face for the first time as my dad and I walked down the isle.” ~ Sarah
“These girls are the ones who have impacted me the most in my life. Some I have known for 17 years others only 3, but they are all amazing women who have made a big difference in my life. I couldn’t imagine the day without them there!” ~ Sarah
“My best man & my “groomswoman” were my best friends growing up & still are my best friends now. One of the other groomsmen was Sarah’s brother, and the other was someone I developed a close relationship with while working in research & applying to grad school at UCF! We wore a blue suit with a grey tie/pocket square. I chose blue because I feel it’s a happy medium between formal & fun.”
Advice for future brides:
Don’t wait until the last minute for the little things! I made sure our programs, seating chart, place cards, bar menu, and favors like the week of the wedding and I wish I had not procrastinated that stuff.
Advice for future grooms:
Let your bride take the lead in planning the wedding but step up and handle the things that make her stressed. Typically, your bride will have very specific ideas of what her wedding will look like while you care more about the generalities – this doesn’t mean you should ignore the specifics, just be there for when she needs help.
“Our first dance was “I’m with you” by Vance Joy. We had such a hard time finding the perfect song for our first dance. We finally decided on this one because it really felt like the lyrics summed up our relationship from the early days to now. It’s a beautiful song and will always be a sweet reminder of our wedding day.”
What were some of your favorite memories from your wedding day?
Sarah: All of our family and friends were so happy and supportive and we really felt their love throughout the entire wedding. For me, just looking around the room to everyone who was there just for Brandon – it was so amazing and humbling and made me so thankful to have these people in our lives.
Brandon: My favorite memory was the Maid of Honor’s & Best Man’s toasts! That and seeing everyone there to support us as Sarah said. The bottomless champagne was pretty good too.
“One of my fave moments was Sarah almost stabbing me in the eye as she tried to smear cake on my face.” ~ Brandon
What were some of the funniest memories from your wedding day?
Sarah: Brandon dropping the wedding rings was the comedic relief we all needed during the ceremony. It couldn’t have been planned and was just so perfect to me.
Brandon: Sarah’s dad cracking a joke as I was removing Sarah’s garter.
The Wedding Pros:
Florals – Supposey // Donuts and Cake – The Donut Hole and Jay’s Bakery // Hair – Le Vogue Salon // Makeup – Gulf Coast Glam House // Catering – Great Southern Events // Officiant – Bride’s Family // Rentals – Supposey // Gown – BHLDN // Bridesmaid Dresses – Azazie
