Samantha & Andrew | Fort Lauderdale, FL
Samantha wanted her wedding to feel like a backyard party that you never want to end. She didn’t want a lot of fuss, she just wanted her favorite people in one place, good food, on a balmy Florida evening, and a promise of forever to the love of her life. Samantha, Andrew, and their families feel like a big hug. They all love each other with certainty and want to pull you into their party. It’s the best feeling.
A Backyard Dinner Party, Reimagined
As their wedding planner and floral designer, my role was to create an experience that felt elevated without losing the warmth and ease they were after. The result was a celebration that balanced modern design with an atmosphere that invited guests to relax, connect, and stay long after dinner was over.
One of my favorite custom elements from the day was the ceremony backdrop. Rather than sourcing a traditional arch, I built a custom wooden structure specifically for their ceremony. We dressed it in live bougainvillea, carefully trimming and shaping each vine on site to create an organic, sculptural installation that looked as though it had naturally grown into place. It became the perfect focal point while still allowing the Las Olas riverside landscape to shine.
For the reception, Samantha's vision was refreshingly restrained. She gravitated toward the clean, architectural beauty of calla lilies and wanted the long reception tables to feel intimate and romantic. We designed minimalist floral arrangements that allowed the elegant lines of the blooms to take center stage, layering them with an abundance of candlelight to create a warm, inviting atmosphere as the sun set.
And then there were the disco balls!
Samantha and Andrew loved the idea of incorporating them into the celebration but wanted them to feel intentional rather than kitschy. Instead of making them the focal point, we used them as unexpected design accents that reflected candlelight throughout the space and added just the right amount of personality. The result felt playful, modern, and completely true to the couple. Proof that even playful design elements can feel sophisticated when they're thoughtfully integrated.
One of the things I loved most about working with Samantha and Andrew was how clearly they understood what mattered to them. They weren't designing a wedding around trends, they were designing an experience for the people they love most. Every decision, from the ceremony backdrop to the reception tablescape to the music and flow of the evening, reflected that priority.
Sweet words from the couple
Simply amazing! Jenny made the entire process so great. Not only is Jenny so sweet and laid back, but she fully handles ALL things floral, decor, and coordinating. I have never heard of a florist who also does month of coordination, but she was invested and involved in multiple phone calls and design meetings that included emails with pdf explanation of exact planning ideas, and whatever needed to be changed was easily dealt with. I was able to see visuals of everything we had envisioned mapped out, and for someone who is extremely visual I found it so helpful! She ensured everything would be taken care of. When it came to the day of the wedding, she coordinated with all my vendors and I didn’t need to lift a finger. She set up a massive arch , that she made(!), with beautiful flowers and fully decorated a station for scrapbooking as well as made my Pinterest vision of a romantic, candle-lit dinner vibe come to fruition! Lastly, by the end of the night when all I wanted to do was hang with my guests, she collected every single belonging and decor item packed them up and we just got to relax! Truly, I cried with her by the end of the night because it was that good of an experience. I consider Jenny a friend now, and I would highly HIGHLY recommend her!
The Vendor Team
Planning and Floral Design | Port & Palm Co.
Photography | Daniela Davis
Venue | House on the River, Fort Lauderdale
DJ | Jones Drew