Summer in Saint Augustine

Megan and I are beginning the slower season of the wedding seasons...May was a blast and we had phenomenal weddings, but very busy!! With Megan out of town for her own sister's wedding and relaxing from doing such a great job, I am going to post some pictures of weddings that we have had recently. Sit back, and enjoy and more to come soon! If you are a past Bride, we would love to see your pictures, if you would like to share, just send them via email or have your photographer send them over.

The pictures above were shot by Ave One Studios, Qiana and Aaron were married out underneath the Sultan's Pavilion! Congratulations!!!!

The above pictures are from Andrew and Tiki's Wedding, shot by wonderful, local photographer Alison Miller! Their ceremony was in the Courtyard of the Lightner Museum and then their fabulous reception was in the Flagler Ballroom! Congratulations Andrew and Tiki!

engage!08 with PRESTON BAILEY

Erin with PRESTON BAILEY

MARCY BLUM and PRESTON BAILEY

PRESTON BAILEY & SIMON T. BAILEY

Happy Friday! It is a gorgeous summer day here in St. Augustine, I recently attended engage!08 hosted by Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Arce from Engaging Concepts, at our sister hotel, Celebration Hotel in Celebration, FL! Wow! Is first what I need to express. What an amazing chance to get together with other professionals in the industry and share, discuss, network and learn.

Loaded with amazing speakers as Rebecca Grinnals, "Release Your Brilliance" author, Simon T. Bailey, Susan Moynihan, Harmony Walton, Liene Stevens and Christine Boulton. It was a such a great chance to get to know others and learn about different oppotunities and trends to be able to serve our Bride and Grooms better! Simon T. Bailey , an AMAZING motivational speaker pumped us up about "releasing our brilliance!"

To add to the packed list of great speaker, Rebecca and Kathryn lined up the amazing and talented wedding/event planner, MARCY BLUM and wedding/event designer to the stars, PRESTON BAILEY to come in and speak candidly and honestly in a question and answer session with all of us! I have to say it was an exciting time! We were also given fabulous gift bags, made by Tulla Belles, that included Simon T. Bailey's book, "Release Your Brilliance," and Preston Bailey's book, "Inspirations." Check out the pictures above that I captured with my camera, so exciting!!!


A big thank you for Rebecca and Kathyrn for hosting such a wonderful event! Thank you and we can't wait to hear abour the next one!!!

Spring Weddings

...And the wedding season is in full swing, Congratulations to our couples who got married this past weekend. We had a large wedding in our Casa Monica Ballroom in which the Bride and Groom chose to have an 80's Glam Rock/Hair Band perform for their wedding. What a blast! Papercutt really got the crowd going dressed in full 80's get-up with pink boas, big blonde wigs and florescent color schemes! One of the best parts of being in the wedding business is watching a Bride and Groom's personality come out in their own wedding. Whether it be formal, casual, romantic, and subdued or a party crowd, all of the weddings are so special in their own ways! Every wedding is different! We look forward to hosting your personalized, special and unique wedding soon!

Best of....2008 the knot

We are thrilled to announce that the Casa Monica Hotel was voted by local Brides in The Knot's 2008 Best of Weddings Pick for Reception Locations! this is such an honor as we have received this award for the 2nd year in a row.

As we are jumping into the wedding season we are also continuing to stay ahead with the hot trends of 2008 and will be attending engage!08 which is a wedding symposium hosted by Engaging Concepts, in which we will hear from top professionals in the industry such as Rebecca Grinnals, Preston Bailey, and Marcy Blum. We are looking forward to heading down to our sister property in June, the Celebration Hotel who will be hosting this symposium! Much more information to come!

An Easter Weekend Wedding

On Easter Sunday, Melissa and Slava exchanged vows and had their reception in the Flagler Ballroom. Their flowers were beautiful and done by 57 Treasury with a unique cake done by Sweet Weddings. Jennifer Brum photographed this happy couple who danced the night away to the wonderful music played by Carlton McGee. Check out these beautiful pictures below:

Weddings in St. Augustine and Staying at Casa Monica!

We are loving the warm weather and beautiful, clear skies here in St. Augustine. It is a quieter weekend here with one wedding ceremony on Saturday with a small reception and then another smaller wedding on Sunday as well! Landon and I have decided and booked here at Casa Monica for our wedding reception in February 2009 out on the Pool Deck and Sultan's Pavilion! We are very excited. We are going to have our Ceremony at 2:30pm at the Cathedral Basilica followed by a reception from 5p-10pm. In between we are going to have the Old Town Trolley Company take our guests around on a tour of St. Augustine! We are working diligently to book everything else, but it is a relief to have our ceremony and reception booked.

My sister's wedding was the last weekend of February and was a blast!! She had her rehearsal dinner at 95 Cordova, here in the Casa Monica. There were approximately 26 people and it was a beautiful setting in the Sultan's Room. If you are interesed in booking a Rehearsal Dinner, Bridal Luncheon/Shower or Wedding Brunch in the restaurant, please contact Allison Wilson, Inspired Events Manager at allison.wilson@casamonica.com or 904-819-6164. Enjoy some of the pictures below:

These pictures are of Shannon and George on their way to the Rehearsal, Shannon and I just waking up in the St. Francis Suite (we slept soo well, the beds are amazing!) the morning of their wedding, Shannon getting her hair and makeup done by Megan at Small Indulgences Day Spa, kissing and becoming Mr. and Mrs. DeLeon, small Bridal Party shot on Flagler College campus, Shan and George on the carriage that took us around for pictures, my sister and I, Landon and I, their cake by Irma Kay Strickland, and George who was surprised by the NY Yankees garter I got Shannon, his favorite team! (All of these pictures were taken from my personal camera by Landon, my father or myself.)

Black, White and Silver with a Splash of Color

Mary and James Holden got married this weekend out on the Sultan's Pavilion and Pool Deck with a beautiful reception held in the Casa Monica Ballroom. With 100 of their closest friends and family watching, Mary was ecorted down the aisle by her brother who also sang Mary and James' first dance song! It was so special. Mary and James decided on renting black chivari chairs which looked gorgeous against their black tablecloths with silver Simple Elegance overlays and black chargers. They had a designated children's table with a full candy centerpiece, it looked great and kept the younger ones busy and excited! We are looking forward to a busy weekend ahead as Megan will be blogging next week, I will be enjoying my own sister's wedding on Satuday! I am so excited!

Sunny, Warm and Back from Atlanta!

Wow, the weather the past few days here has been AMAZING! With temperatures in the mid 70's and the clear blue skies it is hard to believe that it is only the beginning of February! We hope the wedding planning is going well for all. Megan and I recently got back from The Special Event Show 2008 in Atlanta (where it SNOWED) and we took courses in the Wedding Track so we came back with great themes, ideas, and trends! Organic weddings are big, his and hers stations during cocktail hour, the late-night snack, such as mini-cheeseburgers or pigs in a blanket passed towards the end of the night or tray-passed sweets. So much information! It is certainly making the wedding planning on my end a lot of fun!! Landon and I have set the date for next February and are looking forward to the planning process, (Landon has much more of an opinion, even on colors that I thought--:) I am thrilled he wants to be involved)!

Big Weddings at the Casa Monica!

This weekend we have a wedding for 320 people here at the Casa Monica. Michelle and Richard are beginning their special journey with their ceremony at the Cathedral Basilica followed a trolley bringing their guests to the hotel. They will start their celebration with a cocktail hour of signature drinks, (Sangria and Mojitos), and butler passed hors d'oeuvres in the Flagler Ballroom. Following cocktail hour they will have their Queen Sophia sit down dinner on the Sultan's Pavilion and Pool Deck, and then dance the night away in the Casa Monica Ballroom! Following their reception, their guests will wish them well on the front steps of the hotel and see them off on a horse-drawn carriage. How beautiful!

Exciting News from the Casa Monica Wedding Team

It truly has been a tremendous holiday season around St. Augustine and the Casa Monica Hotel! We have some exciting news to announce, I was proposed to by my boyfriend on Sunday night the 23rd. I am very excited to start the wedding planning and it is great to really know how a current bride feels. We will be getting married in St. Augustine and I can't wait!

A Beautiful Wedding Weekend

To go along with the wonderful 75 degree weather, perfect clear blue skies and the stars shining above, the Casa Monica hosted three weddings this weekend, two of which were outdoor. On Saturday night, Ashley and Matthew, along with their 215 guests danced the night away with Diggin' in Dreamland on the Sultan's Pavilion. Their menu included a raw oyster bar, butler passed hors d'douveres of lump crab cakes and mojito marinated shrimp cocktail with plantains, a delicious cheese display and the Queen Sophia Sit Down Dinner. While their guests enjoyed the music from a harpist and violinist during the cocktail hour, Ashley and Matthew enjoyed cheeseburgers, french fries and champagne in their suite before being introduced to their excited guests. Ashley is one of four girls in her family and her sister is getting married here as well in May. We're looking forward to hosting another Altenburger Wedding soon!

Latest Wedding Trends Spotted at the Casa Monica Hotel!

One of the most fun aspects of hosting weddings each weekend at the hotel is seeing how different couples interpret the unique setting of the Casa Monica for their event. No two weddings are ever the same - with a variety of different color schemes, food and beverage choices, themes, entertainment and so much more!

Recently we have seen some of the hottest trends in weddings hit our ballrooms - including cupcake wedding cakes, long 'family style' tables instead of traditional rounds, vibrant color palettes, whimsical wedding cakes, horse & carriage entrances and exits and dining under the moon and stars on our amazing pool deck! We will share more so be sure to check back often!

Two Amazing REAL Weddings!

Be sure to check out two amazing REAL Casa Monica Hotel weddings that have recently been profiled on the special Weddings Section of our website!

The profiles share the stories of the unique weddings of Christy and Michael of New Orleans and their fun-filled destination celebration and Kristin and Ben from New York City and their spectacular and vibrant event!

Thank you to these wonderful couples for sharing the images and details of their personal St. Augustine wedding celebrations and to their photographers for capturing each and every moment!

[Photo Credits: Christy + Michael: Agnes Lopez; Kristin + Ben: Darice Michelle]

Casa Monica Wedding Locations: Sultan's Pavilion and Pool Deck

We are often asked about the various locations available at the Casa Monica for weddings. One of the most popular and certainly most unique venues for weddings in St. Augustine is the Sultan's Pavilion and Pool Deck.

Accomodating up to 175 for a sit-down dinner on the pool deck and under the permanently tented pavilion, this outdoor venue is flexible for wedding ceremonies, cocktail receptions and dinner followed by dancing [although county noise ordinances do require live music to be completed no later than 10:00pm].

Be sure to inquire about this one-of-a-kind location for your St. Augustine wedding!

[photos top to bottom courtesy of: Damon Tucci, Damon Tucci, Agnes Lopez, Agnes Lopez and Kris Graham]

In The News!

Casa Monica Hotel weddings are often featured in bridal publications and leading wedding websites - Here are links to our weddings featured on TheKnot:

Jennifer and Adam

Anna and Hector

Crystal and Chad

Karen and David

Enjoy!!!!

Real Wedding: Kris Graham Photography

Kris Graham Photography recently shot this gorgeous outdoor wedding at Casa Monica. The entire event took place under clear blue skies on our pool deck and under the opulent tent of our Sultan's Pavilion. We just loved the bright gold and lime green orchid color palette selected by this stylish bride and groom. The guests danced under a starry night sky as hundreds of votive candles flickered around them...magic!

Real Wedding: Jessica + Jason

Jessica and Jason took full advantage of the many unique indoor and outdoor locations at Casa Monica for their wedding pictures. The fabulous Meg Baisden captured it all! Check out her Blog for even more details of their special day!

Fun Transportation for Your Guests!

A really fun and unique transportation option for your guests to get around St. Augustine is by a chartered open air Trolley! There are a few different options in the city and we are happy to recommend one for you - a great way to get guests to and from the wedding ceremony location!

Casa Monica Wedding on TV!

Be sure to check local listings and set your TIVO's to see the Casa Monica Hotel featured on the top-rated show "Whose Wedding is it Anyway?" airing on the STYLE Network - episode 411!

Casa Monica Rehearsal Dinners: 95 Cordova Restaurant

While we focus a great deal of time on the blog talking about and showcasing St. Augustine weddings at the Casa Monica Hotel - we should let you know that a really wonderful option that many couples choose is to host their rehearsal dinner with us.

We will soon be sharing some exciting new Rehearsal Dinner experiences that will be available beginning in '08, so be sure to check back for more details!

A few of the locations at the hotel that are ideal for a memorable rehearsal dinner are in the award-winning 95 Cordova Restaurant. There are 3 private rooms to choose from depending on the size of your group - from 10 guests to 50 guests: The Gold Room, The Wine Room and The Sultan's Room. A masterful blend of American, Asian, Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Moroccan influences, 95 Cordova's award-winning New World Eclectic Cuisine is redefining innovative fine dining and introducing patrons to a new world of flavors.

We would be delighted to create a customized rehearsal dinner for you and your guests!