Laura & Rick || Protea Weddings & Events || 02.04.2023

Laura and Rick’s wedding story begins the night of their engagement. Following meeting on match.com and a beautiful courtship, Rick organized an intimate and relaxed proposal to solidify their future life together.

With the help of friends, Rick coordinated an impromptu get together at their house. Everyone enjoyed some food and drink before heading out to the patio by the pool and firepit. As the sun was setting in the distance, Rick got down on one knee and asked Laura to be his wife. The whole thing was captured on video by their friends and will be a memory to cherish for a lifetime! Everyone celebrated down by the lake with some champagne!

Such a romantic evening that set the tone for their future and as you can imagine, their wedding day had no shortage of romance or elegance. We join them at Protea Weddings & Events in Ocala, Florida to see just what made this special day so magical.

The Venue

When it came time to choose the venue for their big day, Laura and Rick knew they wanted something outdoors with land and a rustic feel to it. After visiting only one other venue, they found exactly what they were looking for at Protea Weddings & Events in Ocala, Florida.

This beautiful outdoor venue provided them with all the elements they needed to create a romantic and intimate atmosphere for their special day. From the stunning barn-style architecture to the lush green lawns and gardens, this venue was perfect for Laura and Rick’s rustic-elegant vision of wedded bliss!

Vendor Partners

Initially the couple saw and fell in love with a wedding video on Protea's website produced by Bow Tie Photo & Video, our sister company. When their date was unfortunately unavailable, they were eager to book with Southern Palms Studio!

When sourcing their other vendors, what really stood out was great communication, the feeling of personal connections, and feeling understood for their style and vision. You can see more of their vendor list below!

The couple shared that "Yes, it is possible for even the planning process to be enjoyable. You only get to do this once, so enjoy every moment of it. When things start to feel stressed, take a deep breath and remind yourself it's going to be an amazing day!" And it was!!

Thank you!

Laura and Rick created an amazing vision for their wedding day; one that truly reflected both of them as individuals as well as who they are together! With Protea Weddings & Events providing them with an amazing backdrop, along with our team here at Southern Palms Studio capturing every moment on film—their love story will be remembered forever!

If you are searching for an outdoor venue that offers rustic elegance like no other, then we highly recommend Protea Weddings & Events--and don't forget about us here at Southern Palms Studio when it comes time to capture your most cherished memories on film!

Congratulations again Laura & Rick! Your love story has been truly inspiring - thank you for choosing us and enjoy your honeymoon in Europe this summer!