An Elegant, Traditional Wedding at Harry S. Truman's Little White House in Key West, Florida

Renee Hogan (25 and a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the United States Coast Guard) and Casey Desiderio (24 and a 2nd Mate in the Merchant Marines) met during their first year of college at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. “I had never actually spoken to Casey until the end of our freshman year when one of his fellow teammates approached me and asked if I wanted to hang-out with Casey and a few other soccer players,” says Renee. “I was shocked Casey even knew who I was, since I was pretty focused on school and cross country.” Not long after their first night out, the couple started dating — the rest is history. After a year stationed in Michigan, Renee was relocated to Key West, FL. During a short stop in Virginia to see Renee’s parents, Casey managed to sneak in a private conversation with Renee’s parents to ask for their permission to marry her. “My mom then drove him to my local bank to get my grandmother’s engagement ring that was passed on to me after she passed away,” says Renee. “Casey knew I wanted to use that for my engagement ring one day.” Only one week after they’d arrived in Key West, Casey had to return to his shop for work. “Still dressed in pajamas, I drove him to the Key West Airport where he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him, in front of the 2 couples in the car drop off line behind us, I said Yes!”To share their new home with their closest family and friends, the couple opted for a romantic, traditional wedding in Key West. A waterfront location with sprawling lawns, shade trees and stunning views seemed like the perfect place to give guests a taste of the area, while the property’s rich military history could not have been more fitting. “We had both the ceremony and reception at Harry S. Truman's Little White House in Key West, FL. I fell in love with the location after being invited to a wedding being held there from the venue's coordinator,” says Renee. “I liked that the venue sits back off the craziness of downtown Key West, yet is so close we could all parade to Duval Street after!” To allow the beauty of the natural setting shine through, the couple opted for a soft color palette of ivory, champagne, silver, blush and pale orange. They relied on lush, full floral arrangements in stately silver cases to add an elegant touch to the outdoor decor, while lanterns and bistro lights were key in creating a warm, inviting ambiance. A classical guitarist, Rusty Lemon, played upbeat island favorites to keep the mood light and the local band Junkanoo swooped in after the evening’s last dance to escort the newlyweds and their guests to the after party on Duval Street.