A Miami Wedding Planner Plans Her Own Dream Wedding: #realchicbride Carlota In Spire by Ines Di Santo

Tell us your love story! How did you meet and how did you get to a proposal? 

Kevin and I met in 2019 at a friend’s birthday BBQ. I had been invited by a friend of mine who is married to one of Kevin’s friends. It was one of those relaxed, birthday gatherings where you go expecting a chill evening and end up meeting the love of your life. lol

Not long after, we started talking and went on our first date at Amara in Miami. We started at the bar, talking for hours, and completely losing track of time. Eventually, we sat down for dinner, and later that night, we went out dancing, it was a great first date night.

From that day on, we’ve been together. From the very beginning, we were honest and clear about what we were looking for and somehow, everything just aligned. We were on the same page about life, love, and the future.

What started as a simple invitation to a BBQ turned into the beginning of our forever., 

Our proposal was simple, sweet, and completely us. We were having dinner, just the two of us and Kevin asked. It took me by surprise, even though we had talked about it many times.

When you started planning your wedding what did you envision? How close did the actual wedding get to that vision? 
As a certified wedding and event planner working in the industry since graduating college in 2015, I’ve been part of countless weddings and events over the years. So naturally, when it came time to plan my own wedding, the pressure was very real! I had seen so much and wanted everything to be perfect, which honestly made it a bit difficult at first to even set a date. And because of that, it took me a little while to fully commit to the planning process.

But once I did, I knew exactly what I wanted. My meetings with vendors were quick and to the point because I came in knowing both what I absolutely loved and what I wanted to avoid. Some of them told me that I was a decisive bride! I was clear, confident, and made firm decisions quickly.

From day one even before setting up the date I had my vision very clear, we locked in our date, hotel, ceremony, and venue and from there, everything really started falling into place. We started planning a little over a year in advance, and the vision I had from the beginning came to life beautifully. It truly felt like the perfect reflection of us, and everything I had imagined.

What were a few things that were important to you as a couple to include (or not include) in the wedding? 

It was important to us that the wedding felt special not just for us, but for every single guest. I focused on incorporating personalized touches and thoughtful details throughout the day, from the décor to the props, to create a unique and meaningful experience. We truly believe it’s those little things that make a big difference, and we wanted our guests to feel the love and care that went into every part of the celebration.

Even though we had about 150 guests, it was a very intimate crowd made up entirely of family and our closest friends, both of our families are big, so keeping it meaningful was key. Everyone there had a special place in our lives, and the energy in the room reflected that. You could really feel the love from start to finish.

Another top priority for us was amazing food and a great party atmosphere, and we delivered on both! We’ve had so many guests tell us how much they enjoyed the meal and how fun the celebration was, which meant everything to us.

How did you decide on the location? 

When it came to choosing the location, I knew from the start that I wanted an indoor venue. As beautiful as outdoor weddings can be, especially in South Florida, the weather is just too unpredictable and I didn’t want to take that risk.

Since it would be indoors, it was important to me to still capture that iconic Miami vibe, especially because many of our guests were coming in from out of town. I wanted them to experience the Miami vibe.

Having worked weddings at The Rusty Pelican before, I was already familiar with their amazing service and consistency. They offer great food, are extremely accommodating, and truly have the best view of the Miami skyline. It checked all the boxes for us and ended up being the perfect place to celebrate our big day.

Let's talk about dress! Give us all the deets! 

Even before we set a wedding date, I already had a clear idea of what I wanted in a dress. Working in the industry, I’ve come across so many incredible bridal designers and had dreamed about certain brands for years, but I was also realistic about my budget.

Chic Parisien was my first choice. I knew the designers they carried and felt confident I had a great chance of finding the dress there. I had other bridal appointments lined up, but I made Chic Parisien my first stop and it ended up being my only stop.

I walked in knowing the style, tone, and silhouette I was looking for. My amazing and sweet salesperson, Lady, pulled around nine options, and as soon as she brought out one gown, I said, “I like that one.” It was the last dress I tried on, and the moment I saw myself in it, I knew it was my dress. It checked every single box and felt completely perfect.

I originally tried it on in a nude/off-white bone color, but I ended up ordering it in white-on-white, and it was even more beautiful than I imagined. I truly felt like a princess. The entire experience from finding the dress to saying “yes” was very special, and we celebrated the moment with a glass of champagne. A memory for life!!

How did your family, friends, etc play into your wedding planning and wedding day?  

Both of our families were incredibly supportive throughout the entire process. Everyone came together with one goal in mind: to help us and make sure we felt loved and supported. Whether it was joining us on errands, checking in, or simply offering a helping hand, their presence meant so much, as beautiful as this journey is it is very stressful too.

What we appreciated most was that they truly let us plan the wedding the way we wanted. They respected our vision, never judged, and gave us the space to make it about us, exactly what a wedding should be. That kind of support, where your loved ones are there for you without taking over, is truly the greatest gift!!!!

What's one specific memory you have from your wedding day that you don't think you'll ever forget. 

There are so many moments from that day that I’ll carry with me forever, from getting ready with special women in my life, to our first look, the ceremony, and the reception. But one that truly touched our hearts the most was feeling the love and energy from everyone around us.

Having people we love, some who traveled from far away and others who are part of our everyday lives, along with our favorite vendors by our side made the day unforgettable. We could genuinely feel the joy, warmth, and support surrounding us, and it meant the world.

The next day, I remember saying, If I could do it all over again, just to feel that love and happiness one more time, I would in a heartbeat.

To any future couples: live every single moment of it. It’s such a beautiful era in your life, from planning to the big day itself. Seize every minute because it goes by fast, but the memories last forever.

How did you decide on your hair and makeup look? 

When it came to my hair and makeup, I knew I wanted something elegant, simple, and timeless. It was important to me that when I look back at our wedding photos, whether it's 10, 15, 20 years from now, or any time in the future, I wouldn’t feel like I was following a passing trend. I wanted a look that would truly stand the test of time.

Since my dress was the true statement piece and a big one! I chose a classic beauty look that complemented it rather than competed with it. The hair, makeup, and jewelry all came together in a way that felt harmonious, refined, and graceful.

In the end, I was so pleased with how everything turned out, it felt like the perfect reflection of my style and the overall vision for the day.

Was there one vendor you used that you wish everyone knew about? 
Me as the planner lol, @ohmy_charlotte I exceeded my vision, but honestly, all of my vendors were incredibly special and EXCELLENT, and I chose each of them because I had worked with them before and truly love what they do. Having that trust and familiarity made all the difference in making our day perfect.

From our amazing day of coordinator, @Proplanner, who flawlessly managed every detail I had planned, to the décor team at Cortez Event Agency, whose stunning work brought the vision to life. The music was handled by @Pabaila & @djwilliamsandoval who had the big responsibility of keeping the dance floor alive despite the blend of four very different cultures at our wedding. They did an incredible job making sure everyone felt included and entertained, my dance floor was packed all night!

And, of course, the photographer, @photowedding_edward. He made me feel very comfortable throughout the entire process, which was so important since modeling isn’t really my forte. His ability to capture the spirit and joy of our wedding means the world to me.

I was my Wedding Planner : @carlotamud @ohmy_charlotte

Coordinator that day: @proplanner

Decor / Flowers/ design: @cortezeventagency

Photo/video: @photowedding_edward

Car: @aralimos

Dress: @chicparisien & Ines Di Santo

Make up: @macasotom

Hair: @patybradley

My ceremony was in Church of The Little Flower and reception at The Rusty Pelican

My getting ready at The Biltmore

Music / light/ production: @pabaila / @djwilliamsandoval @discplay

Photobooth: @dippphotobooth

Entertainment: @horalocaentertainmentinc @miamicigarentertainment @thedrunkguest

Invitations: @mdepapier

jewelry: @ivylanegems