Category: Cypress Grove Real Weddings & Events

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Wedding Photo Locations: The Photogenic 5

Wedding photographer, Meche Ausina, is a lover of all things unique, and has captured plenty of beautiful moments at Cypress Grove. She’s scoured the grounds for her 5 favorite photo-worthy locations, and she’s here to share them with you!

Okay so, The OBVIOUS locations are the ceremony space, lakeside and front entrance of the house… DUH! Everyone knows that those are the creme of the creme… However, I’d love to highlight other spaces I think are so cute and special!

 

 

 

Here we Gooo!!

1 . The Bridal Suite

It’s bright, airy and spacious. It is one of the best lit spaces inside of the property which is so helpful especially on a rainy day in which we need to find creative spots to photograph our couples by themselves or with their loved ones.

2. The Sidewalk Next to the Entrance Door

There is something about the way the sun sits that makes this spot have the yummiest light and the direction in which the sidewalk goes creates a “continuum” in the eye of the person looking at the photos.

3. Amongst the Mossy Trees

This is the best way to make everyone believe you’re hanging out in an enchanted forest with your love! SO DREAMY!

4. In Front of the Oak Trees

My favorite time to shoot in this spot is RIGHT AFTER the Sun Sets… The atmosphere fills with this gorgeous “cotton candy” hue that is just so romantic for the couple and gives off a lovely warmth to the complexion of our couple! Plus, these trees create such a cool “linear” effect that is just truly pleasing to the eye!

5. The DANCEFLOOR

Ahhhhh can you say STUNNING!?! Just look at this LIGHTING… It’s warm, it’s hazy (in the best possible way), and the market lights are just the cherry on top!

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Sunset at Cypress Grove Estate

The couple saying their vows under the ceremony gazebo at Cypress Grove Estate. The gazebo is draped in floral garland and is set against a sunset on the lake.

There is something so magical about sunsets. They instantly create the perfect backdrop for a lakefront ceremony and amp up the romance for an already romantic occasion. Cypress Grove Estate, a gorgeous historic venue built in 1925, offers some of the prettiest sunsets we’ve seen in Central Florida. With Cypress tree lined streets and Spanish Moss, this venue provides the perfect setting for your sunset wedding in the heart of Orlando.

The couple saying their vows under the ceremony gazebo at Cypress Grove Estate. The gazebo is draped in floral garland and is set against a sunset on the lake.
The bride posing for a portrait with coral colored bridal bouquet.
Images: 33 and A Third Photography | The Heims

Sunset weddings offer your photographer the opportunity to take advantage of “golden hour”.  Golden Hour is when the sun is low in the sky and produces a soft golden glow which makes for FABULOUS photos. The red-yellow hue of the sun’s position makes the skin look warmer rather than neutral or cold; HELLO instant tan! When does the magic happen? 45 minutes before and the 15 minutes after sunset! Fun fact: it’s the opposite for sunrise so brunch weddings can still take advantage of this time 😉. If you want to know how to take advantage of golden hour for your special day, Cypress Grove Estate makes it easy. We always try to time your ceremony so you’ll get the perfect lighting for photos as the sun dips down over Lake Jessamine. Saying your vows as the sun sets is a no-brainer!

The bride and groom posing for a photo in front of a vintage car.
The bride and groom's table in the Cypress Grove Estate amphitheater at sunset.
Images: The Lemons Photography | Miranda Grey Weddings
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Sunset Wedding | Cypress Grove Estate House

What’s more romantic than a sunset wedding? A lakeside, sunset wedding at Cypress Grove, of course! Everything about Nicole + Sean’s soiree was just so dreamy!

Flowers by Lesley decked the gazebo out in a stunning floral garland and the couple had a very special moment during their lakeside ceremony – Florida native butterflies were released in memory of loved ones 😭

The biggest hurdle for their sunset wedding was definitely the chance of rain. The couple opted to have a tent set up, just in case, and boy was it a lifesaver! While it did rain the morning of, thankfully the weather cleared and the ceremony + reception took place as planned. We never let a tent go to waste, though; guests mingled and nibbled on a delectable charcuterie display under the tent during cocktail hour {our foodie hearts are swooning}!

Featured: Gwen Bookshelf, Captain’s Tables, and Gold Chiavari Chairs

Guests were treated to a glass of champagne upon entering the reception space, and then feasted on a delicious plated meal! A late-night bite of pizza + burgers made an appearance, giving guests the chance to refuel after dancing the night away! Oh, and don’t forget about that cake – definitely non-traditional, but oh-so-delicious!

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Jewel Tones // Spring Inspiration

One of the things our couples love most about Cypress Grove is the Old Florida feel which is so hard to find anymore, especially in Orlando! Once surrounded by orange groves, we wanted to play into that old Florida citrus plantation feel and use the Estate’s surroundings to complement that aesthetic.

With the sunlight reflecting off gorgeous Lake Jessamine, golden rays project stunning shades of pinks and oranges which we wanted to capture in the showcased floral. The house itself stands beautifully in a crisp white with emerald green shutters to accent so the same palette was used for our linens and candy buffet. We wanted to show our couples the very landscapes they fell in love with could be implemented into their wedding day details.

We focused on rentals that our couples love to see – a unique dessert display, wood elements, and rustic chairs to complement. Our emerald buffet was the perfect accent piece to Florida Candy Buffet’s colorful display. Our Wesley farm tables and matching French Country Chairs added the southern elegance our couples love and paired wonderfully with our linen covered Captain’s tables! Incorporating two table styles adds such a fun design element 😉

Xoxo,
Alecia

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Lakeside Garden Wedding // Real Talk with Jessica + Trent

We’ve hosted hundreds of weddings between Luxmore Grande Estate and Cypress Grove, but something we’ve never done is a real talk series with our couples. We’ll be sharing insights into the wedding planning process, what couples are looking for, and more! First up, Jessica + Trent and their lakeside garden wedding ?

How did you meet?

Trent and I met working at the Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios during the summer of 2016. When we met I really only wanted to be his friend but one night he asked me to go to Taco Bell with him after work and the rest was history… 🙂 We got engaged on Panama City Beach in December 2017 and I knew I didn’t want to wait long to get married. September 22nd was our date and even a 10 month engagement felt like the longest!

Were there any traditions you wanted to incorporate?
It was very important to me to find little ways to honor my parents and grandparents. I wore my mom’s earrings she wore on her wedding day, my grandmother’s bracelet she bought when she was visiting my mom when she was in college, and then in my shoe was a “six-pence” that my grandma wore on her wedding day, my mom wore on hers, and now I’ve worn on mine. I’ve always had the best examples of love in my life and honoring them was important to me. We also had Trent’s dad marry us, a dream we had had since we first started dating.

What made you choose Cypress Grove as your venue?
I had been researching venues way before we got engaged and found pictures of Cypress Grove on Pinterest. I was over the moon when I found out it was in Orlando. I always wanted an outdoor wedding and the amphitheater was absolutely dreamy. The first day we visited, I never wanted to leave. Trent always commented on how romantic it felt and when you were there you totally stepped away from the busy Orlando life.

Were there any challenges you faced in the planning process?
The biggest challenge we faced was whether or not to rent a tent. I was digging my heels so far into the ground on renting one. I fell in love with Cypress because of the outdoor amenities. Renting a tent and potentially have the wedding under the tent crushed me. We ended up renting a tent because this is Florida, rain is inevitable and I trusted the team to make it look just as beautiful underneath if it needed to be. My wedding was during hurricane season and it didn’t rain a drop on the day!

Photos :: The Hendricks

Any tips you’d like to share with engaged couples?
Do everything together!! Trent was with me for every single meeting. First visit to the venue all the way to our final meeting for floral. We talked everything through and he helped me find so much peace throughout the process. Also, we made a super last minute addition to have a photo booth and it turned out to be one of the best activities for our guests. It was a great way for us to look back at the night through our guest’s eyes.

Last tip ? if you’re wondering if you should have a wedding planner you ABSOLUTELY should. Wedding planners have different packages to meet your needs but I wouldn’t have been able to have the wedding of my dreams without our planner, Bonny. She took every little dream I had and made it a reality. Wedding planners know the industry and think of things that you probably haven’t even thought of.

We absolutely loved working with Cypress Grove Estate House. The staff was so friendly and truly made our day more beautiful than we could’ve ever imagined.

Xoxo,
Kim

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Navy and White Wedding

Seeing our couples featured in magazines and wedding blogs will never get old. It’s so fun seeing their excitement about sharing their wedding planning journey with other couples! Our Cypress Grove bride + groom, Liesl & Richie, were featured on Orange Blossom Bride last week and we’re thrilled to share their classic navy and white wedding with you! A little snippet from their post:

“Liesl was a hostess. Richie was a busboy. They met working together during college, and their restaurant romance blossomed when they hit it off at a party. For their fifth dating anniversary, Richie took Liesl to Savannah, GA and filled the trip with surprises – not the least of which was a ring! Liesl wanted to marry at an old estate house or mansion, and Richie wanted to tie the knot by a lake. With it’s southern charm and waterfront view, Cypress Grove Estate House was the perfect venue for them!”

See the full feature here!

Xoxo,
Kim

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Real Wedding // Melissa + Jen

We’ll admit it – blogging our events is something we need to get better with. Why not start with a few of our favorite events over the past couple of years! First up, Melissa + Jen’s hip wedding reception.

These ladies were some of the coolest we’ve worked with in a long time. Between their taste in fashion, floral, music and food – I felt a personal invite to the wedding would have been acceptable since we were long lost friends 🙂

Random: Can you believe this image below was taken at Cypress Grove Estate House? We love when photographers capture the property’s uniqueness. I’m sure you’re wondering where this is located –  it’s to the left of the gazebo, along the path, past the trees… (sounds like fairy tale directions, huh ;))

Getting Ready/The First Look

Back to their wedding  – Let’s start by breaking all the traditions! Not only did they see each other prior to the ceremony, they got ready together at Grand Bohemian Hotel. Watching Melissa and Jen, through the lens of Gian Carlo Photography, help each other with hair, makeup, polish and everything in between was so heart warming and exciting. The love these ladies have for each other is a pure joy to witness.

The Wedding Party

It was inevitable that their wedding party would be just as cool as them – these ladies and gents exude a cool and confident demeanor. Their personalities were reflective, not only in the dresses and ties they wore, but the floral bouquets and boutonnieres too. Oh, and did you notice the bride’s bouquets and how uniquely different they are.

Floral provided by Flowers by Lesley

Decor + Floral

Ain’t no party like a Cypress Grove party, cause a Cypress Grove party don’t stop (until 10pm, that is – silly noise ordinance). Not only was the music a priority, the decor was at the top of the list too. They layout included a couple of vintage social lounges (complete with cigars), family style seating, and so many little details.

Vintage rentals + decor provided by RW Style

This wedding was planned and designed by RW Events and we approve this content!

Xoxo,

RW Gals

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Merlot + Copper

Nicole and Michael held their outdoor wedding at Cypress Grove Estate House! Featuring  one of my most favorite colors – merlot! This rich hue made an appearance in their stationery suite and throughout the floral. It was even in their specialty rentals from our inventory.

   

Pro tip :: incorporating your color palette or a particular design into your invites gives guests a taste of what to expect at your wedding.
Our floral bestie,  Lesley with Flowers by Lesley, dreamed up a simple but oh, so romantic ceremony-scape. It was complete with flowy white draping and gorgeous gazebo arrangements. Not to mention, the lovely lush garland to drape the back row of seating. And can we talk about how gorgeous these bridesmaids bouquets are? Above all, the hanging amaranthus is the perfect touch! The vintage rentals selected was a mix of rented sofas + chairs from our Chicago and Santa Rosa collections. They also rented farmhouse tables, crossback chairs, and  copper chargers to add a pop of color.  In addition to, great texture in the reception space.
Pro tip :: feature a mix of traditional rounds with rustic farm tables for a unique reception look.
Photos: Ais Portraits
Xoxo, Kim