Dress by Liancarlo, Beverly Hills
Flowers by Garden District of Naples
Ring design by Jane Cohen, made in London
Cake by The Ritz-Carlton, Naples
Photography by Heather Donlan Photography, Naples
Wedding planners Jane Cohen, Nicola Long

Beth Ann was shocked when she stepped into the ballroom at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, for the first time. The California resident only told her mother-in-law, Naples-based handbag designer Jane Cohen, that she wanted a white wedding, and she got just that: a white dance floor (brought in specially for her), white flowers floating above the white-covered tables, a white photo booth and white couches that blended seamlessly with the "wedding/party/lounge" she had envisioned. "My mother-in-law deserves all the credit," says Beth Ann, who works at People magazine. "I was across the country, but I never had to worry about her ability to put it all together. It was like I was a guest at my own wedding."

She was also pleasantly surprised at how calm she was on her wedding day. Instead, she says, it was the usually confident Kevin, a financial trader for Wedbush Morgan Securities, who showed his nerves. "You think about your wedding a lot, and you don’t know what it’s going to be like," she says. "But when I got up there, I could have stood up there all day. I think that’s what I’ll remember the most—being around all the people I love."

Dewey Sanders & John Bechdel
April 26, 2008 Fort Myers home of Greg & Robin Donovan

Dress by Max Chaol
Flowers by Erleene Sanders, mother of the bride
Ring by Mark Loren Designs
Cake by Ella’s Cakes, Naples
Photography by Picture This, Cape Coral
Wedding planners Erleene Sanders, Cynthia Daniels

When Dewey and John tied the knot, it was only fitting that the wedding be held at the historic riverfront home of the friend who’d tried for 10 years to get them together. The date, too, was a given—it was the birthday of Dewey’s father, the late Andy Sanders. "We wanted that day to be in honor of him so he could be there with us," she says. It was largely a family affair, as her uncle married the two, and her father’s best friend gave her away.

"Companionship is very important to us," Dewey says, so they created a casual, intimate environment for their 150 guests to move around and talk. Afterward, they enjoyed a "killer" fireworks display, and Dewey’s sister gave a toast that had the crowd in stitches. "Our friends came from everywhere to be there with us," she says. "It went by so quickly. I wish I could do it all over again."

Kori Ann Lipman & Bryan Howell
April 12, 2008 The Ritz-Carlton, Naples

Dress by Monique Lhuillier
Flowers by Festivities, Fort Lauderdale
Ring by Dunkin’s Diamonds
Cake by The Ritz-Carlton, Naples
Photography by Carlos Baez Photography, Miami
Wedding planner Sandie Cohen

Kori Ann had always loved outdoor weddings, but she wasn’t a fan of the uncertainty (or heat) of Southwest Florida weather. Instead, she and Bryan chose to bring the outdoors in, transforming The Ritz into a forest wonderland, complete with real trees. "And with the trees came the crickets," Kori Ann says with a laugh. The critters’ presence wasn’t planned—they came in on the plants—but their chirping did add an element of real-life nature to the ceremony.

A photo montage of the couple, who live in Fort Myers, growing up played during the wedding, and afterward, friends and family took advantage of photo booths to record memories of their own. The band, Vali, which came in from New York City and which Kori Ann touts as one of the best parts of the night, kept the party going until 2 a.m. And to curb the guests’ hunger from all the dancing, the couple served miniature hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries in the early morning hours.