1. Real Weddings

A Classic, Romantic Wedding at The River House in St. Augustine, Florida

Shaina Aviles, 27, works in the office of the commissioner for the PGA Tour and Jeff Franco, 30, product manager at Interline Brands, exchanged vows a

Shaina Aviles, 27, works in the office of the commissioner for the PGA Tour and Jeff Franco, 30, product manager at Interline Brands, exchanged vows at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine with a classic reception at The River House. The couple had a romantic celebration full of timeless details worthy of America’s oldest city.

Jeff wore classic black suspenders with his initials monogrammed into the strap.
The groom wore a gray Vera Wang tuxedo from Men's Wearhouse completed with a classic black bow tie.
Shaina added some sparkle with silver metallic Jimmy Choo peep-toe shoes.
The invitation suite was custom made on Etsy with gray, pink and gold accents on ivory pocket cards.
Custom Cushion Square-Cut Engagement Ring
“I loved how the floral arrangements were consistent with the classic and romantic aesthetic,” Shaina says. The bride carried a full ivory rose bouquet from Wilson's Limited.
The bride wore the Ginny gown–an ivory tulle ball gown with a lace bodice and sweetheart neckline adorned with Swarovski crystals and pearls­–designed by Modern Trousseau. Nicole Morrison at Pink Underground custom designed Shaina’s ivory cascading cathedral-length veil. “I loved the dramatic length of the veil as I walked down the aisle of the Cathedral Basilica,” she says. “And how the veil seamlessly blended into my gown.”
“My look was very classic and timeless with defined eyes, a pop of color on my cheeks and soft rosy lips,” Shaina says. “For my hair, I knew I wanted a soft, romantic and timeless updo that fit with the rest of my look. I chose an updo with my hair parted down the middle and soft curls pinned back.”
Two large pedestals of flowers sat by the alter stairs filled with hydrangeas, roses and other greenery.
“The Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine–America’s first parish–has so much history and beauty as is,” Shaina says. “We didn’t want to take away from that.” Two large pedestals of flowers by the stairs of the alter and petite white floral arrangements tied to the first set of pews were the only ceremony decor.
The bridesmaids wore Joanna August floor-length chiffon wrap dresses in a blush color called Tiny Dancer. “This romantic wrap dress was only beautiful and effortless, it is also was incredibly comfortable and flattering on everyone in my bridal party,” Shaina says.
The groomsmen wore gray Vera Wang tuxedos from Men's Wearhouse and accented the look with silver paisley ties.
As a gift to the groomsmen, Jeff gave his friends yellow and gray argyle socks and Steve Madden wingtip shoes.
The bridal party created a soft, romantic feel with the Joanna August floor-length blush dresses and Vera Wang gray tuxedos.
As guests entered The River House, they were greeted with oval floral wreaths hanging outside of the venue's doors.
Simple, classic table numbers matched the stationery and sat in stands on each table.
The centerpieces were large mercury glass vases of dusty miller, brunia berries, hydrangea and roses in pink, ivory and yellow.
Surrounding the floral centerpieces were a mix of pillar and floating candles.
The couple's towering wedding cake was lemon flavored with fresh strawberry and raspberry jam filled and Swiss buttercream frosting. It was finished with a hand-piped scroll design, brushed embroidery flowers and fresh blooms. “It exceeded my expectations, both in flavor and design,” Shaina says.
The reception was in the grand ballroom at The River House. The tables were decorated with crinkled taffeta table clothes, chiavari chairs and three variations of table arrangements.
There were three centerpiece variations at Shaina and Jeff's reception, which included high and low versions of dusty miller, brunia berries, hydrangea and roses in pink, ivory and yellow.
The couple had a family picture table set up in The River House's library, which had wedding photos from both their parents and grandparents.
Shaina and Jeff worked with one of their graphic designer friends to create a custom logo out of their names, which was displayed on everything from the stationery to the cornhole boards at cocktail hour.
The couple created a hashtag (#FrancoPartyof2) for their social-media savvy wedding.
Shaina and Jeff met at a mutual friend’s wedding when they were seated at the same reception table. “During our conversation, Jeff realized I looked familiar because we were in the same business class together that semester,” Shaina says. “The class had more than 200 people in it, so, of course, I was flattered.”