The Location

At first, I actually wanted to elope, admits the bride with a laugh, but I'm glad T. R. never gave in. The goal was to keep the styling simple and the expenses minimal. You can have a spectacular wedding on a very small budget, says Cheri. No matter what your budget, though, an extraordinary location is key to establishing the tenor of your event. Everything inside was so ornate and beautiful, says the bride, on what it was like to step into the Club Continental, where the reception took place. The historic mansion overlooks the St. Johns River and features European landscaping, fountains, and fishponds. Even though the club's aesthetic is well suited to incredibly luxe affairs, it never forced this money-savvy couple to cut corners or compromise the parameters they'd established.