A Southern Wedding at The Ribault Club in Fort George Island, Florida

Angie Heidinger (37 and a science teacher) and Ross Kindler (40 and a math teacher) met while teaching at local middle schools and were engaged in just six months! Thanks to a shared love of Legos and Star Wars, Ross proposed on National Star Wars Day with a poem he had placed inside of a Star Wars-themed trinket. “The very last line read ‘Will you marry me?’ I looked up and saw him holding an open ring box,” says Angie. The next year was spent planning their southern wedding. The couple’s color scheme came from a the University of Florida. “I was inspired by my alma mater and chose shades of orange and blue for the colors of the wedding,” says Angie. Her and Ross’s venue, however, helped determined their wedding’s style. They chose The Ribault Club for it’s history and grand oak tree. “I have an affinity for trees, making my husband stop during road trips to allow me to take a picture of random trees,” says Angie. The live oak tree was incorporated into the couple’s painted lovebird and oak guest book and became the focal point of their ceremony. Angie and Ross accented this outdoor portion of their wedding with simple white folding chairs and hanging mason jars filled with white hydrangeas, leaving the natural setting as their main decor. Similar arrangements were used in the reception as blue, burlap wrapped and clear mason jars were filled with white hydrangeas, coral roses and light blue delphinium orchids. Once again, nature sparkled in the couple’s wedding as each colorful centerpiece was complemented with white striped linens and brown chiavari chairs. Angie and Ross also included a fun surprise in their reception. “We incorporated a ‘flash mob’ that interrupted the traditional father-daughter dance,” says Angie. The couple’s friends and family members left the celebration on yellow school bus with a jar of orange and blueberry jam. "The best piece of advice I could give to future couples is to remember that this is your day to celebrate your love and new life together," says Angie. "Be true to what you want for your wedding and don't let others pressure you into doing something you may not want."