It’s not every day one of our vendor family members gets married, but when it does happen, you can guarantee wedding magic is bound to happen. Maria Daidone’s father has owned and operated The Estate at Florentine Gardens for over 30 years, so after growing up running through the gardens as a kid to eventually working and growing into the business, there was no question Maria would have her wedding at the facility she’s proud to call home. “I knew my team would go above and beyond to produce an amazing wedding day for Jay and me,” Maria shared. “The Florentine Gardens is a place where Maria has made so many couple’s perfect day come true, and she deserved a perfect day herself. I knew the Florentine was going to make that happen,” Jason added. Drawing inspiration from the start of the spring season, shades of white, cream, blush, and gold created the perfect color palette for a sophisticated and timeless wedding. This wedding is filled to the brim with so many incredible wedding details and you can see more in the latest edition of Contemporary Weddings Magazine. Take a peek at the gallery captured through the lens of Milton Gil Photographers below!
From the bride…Jay and I met in high school and dated our Junior and Senior year – we also attended prom together! I don’t remember where or when we first met – it honestly feels like we have known each other forever! I can’t remember life without Jay. We went our separate ways in college but always remained friends (we had a great group of mutual friends). Our friends would always tell us that we would get married one day! It wasn’t until our best friends wedding in June of 2014 that rekindled our relationship. We were stuck in traffic for 5 hours from NJ to Rhode Island on our way to their rehearsal dinner, where we sat next to each other and many people asked us if we were together. We weren’t, but we haven’t been apart since. Our rehearsal dinner took place 4 years later on that exact date.
Maria’s Galia Lahav wedding gown had a romantic feel to it featuring floral lace and sequin embellishments, a light blush underlay, and an open illusion back. “The dress I purchased was the 1st dress I tried on. We really attended the truck show for fun, I knew her dresses were incredibly beautiful but I didn’t except to actually find my dress! I had the honor of meeting Galia Lahav herself and she even did my fitting and we customized some details of the dress together. It was an unbelievable experience and one I will never forget!” Maria paired her gown with a cathedral-length veil, classic Christian Louboutin shoes, and a bouquet made of all white, fragrant peonies.
The Florentine Gardens are known for their immaculate grounds, but Maria and Jason wanted to enhance the beauty of the gardens for their ceremony. White orchid floral leis hung from the full trees wrapped in lights to create a romantic feel, while white rose petals lined the aisle, and a lush white floral “O” arch filled with roses, hydrangea, peonies, and orchids made for a show-stopping backdrop.
Maria and Jason agreed that seeing each other for the first time during their first look was their favorite memory from the wedding. “I will never forget Jay’s face when he saw me in my [Galia Lahav] wedding dress. It was something I imagined many times and it was an incredibly special moment between the two of us,” Maria reminisced.
Maria and Jason chose various tablescape arrangements throughout the ballroom for a visually appealing look. The round tables had a mix of high floral arrangements and crystal candelabra’s with low lush floral arrangements, while the long Tuscan-style tables had an amazing floral arch with a row of candles and low lush centerpieces. The couple even repurposed their ceremony arch and used it as a backdrop for their sweetheart table, but the show stopper of the night was the custom wrap dance floor, which was hand drawn and designed by Durante New York and brought to life by Bombshell Graphics.
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Ceremony & Reception Location: The Estate at Florentine Gardens / Officiant: Rev. Richard Nelson / Wedding Planner: CBC Events / Photographer: Milton Gil Photographers / Cinematographer: Soloffilms / Entertainment: Sal Travis Entertainment / Dance Floor Wrap: Bombshell Graphics / Floral Designer: Adam Leffel Productions / Linens: Nuage Designs / Cake Designer: Palermo’s Custom Cakes / Donuts: Glaze Donuts / Wedding Gown Designer & Veil: Galia Lahav / Headpiece: Hot Jewelry Box / Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Formal Attire: Biltmore Tuxedos / Bridesmaid Dresses: Jovani and Amsale / Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist: AMA Artist Makeup Academy / Invitations: Durante New York / Table Numbers: Ceci New York / Favors: Lidia’s Italian Imports / Food Trucks: Eat My Balls NJ and The Eddie’s Pizza Truck NY / Cigar Bar: La Casa Grande / Honeymoon Location: Greece
