I am getting ready to launch my blog and I did not have access to post my blogs. I will start again tomorrow with the Vintage Circus Wedding!  Thank you for understand….

The Bride & Groom

I decided to break up my next blog into 4 days. Please enjoy!

I have been doing weddings for a while now and I still feel honored when someone asks for me to be apart of their big day.   Each wedding that I take on I do because I know that I can create a day that will be unique, just like the couple.  I love having the opportunity to create weddings for couples that they will remember forever.    Weddings today are not only about saying their I do’s. It’s an opportunity for couples to share with their closest friends and family who they are as individuals and as a couple. Weddings today are not just filled with a Pastor saying, “Repeat after me” and dancing. Each couple has the opportunity to live on the wild side for one day. You can pretty much bring any detail into a wedding and make it work.

Darren & Jessica are very dear to my heart. However, when I started the company I made a decision not to plan or design close friends or families weddings.  Because a wedding planners role in the process is create structure and less stress for the couple.  Now, I am only speaking for myself, but it’s hard to create structure with a couple that you are close to.  Planning a wedding can be very stressful at times and I didn’t want the stress to come between our relationships.  When Darren asked Jessica to marry him Darren just assumed that I would be the planner, no questions asked.  In the past, I have planned and been apart of the Horan Family Events and it would only be natural that I would plan his wedding. The strange thing is when they asked, I didn’t have any hesitation to say yes!

SOOOO, I said “yes, to the wedding”!

Instead of going into this as the “friend of the bride and groom” I went into it as the “wedding planner” and it worked! It was a perfect wedding!

Jessica and I have been friends since 9^th grade. So unlike other brides, I knew her style.  However, like every other bride she had no clue what she really wanted. In fact, she wanted everything, which is very common.  At the beginning of the planning process I have all my brides collect images that sparked their interest. Then when it comes to making decisions on the wedding details and design, we have a platform of things they like and we can create the wedding of their dreams. My team and I worked around the clock for weeks but the end results were totally worth it.

Our main inspiration came from the movie, “Water for Elephants”. Our theme was Vintage Circus with ruby red, blues, gold, champagne, and black.

Below are just a few pieces of the inspiration board that we did for Jessica and Darren.

I am looking for where Jessica found this picture to give credit

Inspiration for the Cake

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I am starting off the New Year with a plan to blog more!

2011 was filled with so many gorgeous weddings and I can’t wait to show them off!   Please don’t forget to write comments and feel free to share with friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Just make sure to tag Kate Bentley Events~

The first blog post of the 2012 is a wedding that I cannot wait for you to see!  I decided to break it up into 4 days.

Beautified by Audra and Olivia Goodie from The Visible Difference Hair and Nail Salon

i do’s took place at the Key West Lighthouse

Hosted by Hemingway House

Captured by Marrero Studio

Dinner served by Mangoes Catering

Distribution of Alcohol beverages by  Conch Town of Key West & The Margarita Man

Directed by Kate Bentley Events FAN US

Embellish executed by Kate Bentley Events

Day One:

The Wedding Story and where we found inspiration.  I will be including inspiration boards that Jessica and I put together during the planning process.

Day Two:

Pre-ceremony and Ceremony Photos

Day Three:

Photos captured at the Reception

Day Four:

The Video  &  Kate’s favorite details of the wedding and why?

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Nicole and Brian got married in October at Fort Zachary Taylor in Key West Florida.

Nicole started her day with the Emily and Jessica from Southernmost Glam.  It was such a beautiful day for a wedding. Brian and their guests arrived to Fort Zachary Taylor by the Key West Trolley.  All of the guests enjoyed one of the most beautiful places in Key West while waiting for the beautiful bride, Nicole.  When she arrived, Din Allen played “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” while Studio Julie Photography captured each moment & detail with perfection.

Steve Torrence performed the ceremony under a gorgeous blue canopy draped with pink and yellow flowers. The canopy was designed by Kate Bentley Events decor team, which was an amazing detail to the wedding ceremony and reflected perfectly the natural backdrop of the ocean.

After the sunset, the guests  arrived to the Hemingway House in the trolley once again and they were greeted by Dave, the Director of weddings for the Hemingway House. All of the guests enjoyed cocktails and had the opportunity to enjoy a part of  history.  I really love being able to share history and a wedding, all in the same evening.

Oh yeah, Square One created a customized menu for Nicole & Brian that the guests will never forget!!! Thanks Michael, I love this restaurant and Michael too!  So if you are visiting Key West.make sure to stop by and have dinner there or at least breakfast!

There is something really unique in being able to say you were married where Hemingway wrote many of his books.  Even though I have done many weddings at the Hemingway House, I still get so excited when I have the opportunity to create weddings at this venue. If you would like to see more weddings at the Hemingway House, visit my blog again soon! I still have a few more blogs to write, with weddings I have planned and designed at the Hemingway House, so stand by!

In the meantime, please enjoy the photos below from Studio Julie. Her work is amazing and I love working with her.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Love, Kate Bentley

Fort Zachary Taylor (R2)

Fort Zachary Taylor Key West (R2)

Wedding Program with a Custom Map Attached

Fan Program

Key West Wedding Trolley

Din Allen is a amazing guitar player in Key West

The Bride and Groom left the Hemingway House in a path of lite sparklers!

Congratulation to Dominique and Patrick Trevino!  This couple had style. I was able to create a day that reflected who they are as individuals and now as a couple. We used bright floral for the ceremony with a white sheer draped bamboo canopy to give a clean but chic wedding ceremony.  This day was amazing and I remember that the sunset left behind clouds full of pinks and oranges. Before we headed over to the reception to meet all the guest, we took the bride and groom around to Key West, to capture a few of many, great locations that Key West has to offer.

The wedding ceremony took place at a Key West local beach which was followed by a dinner and dancing at the amazing, amazing restaurant located in Key West right on Duval Street called  Nine One Five !!!

At the reception we carried over the same bright floral but added  a touch of  serenity by using river rocks has runners down all the tables and bamboo fence to hold the customized postcards to help the guest find their seats.DJ Cooper owner of Soundwave Key West mixed everything from Salsa , Hip hop and a bit of Frank!  Dominique, Partick and there 100 guest danced the night away and ended the evening with sparklers for the last dance!

What I love about this venue is that it’s right on Duval. If you are looking for a great food, amazing staff and a chill and relaxing wedding reception. NINE one FIVE is your place. They always take really good care of my bride, groom’s & all their guest. This place differently has class!

Photographer: Nick Doll Photography

Planning, Floral and Design: Kate Bentley Events

Entertainment: Soundwave Key West

Cupcakes: Cakes by Karol

Ceremony Music: Harp, Steve Allerton

“Wedding traditions around the world”

Kate Bentley Events was quoted in Jan/Feb issue of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons regarding  ”Wedding traditions around the world” . On newsstands yesterday! Pick your copy today and send us a picture of you reading it!

(Click here for the PDF format) Destination Weddings & Honeymoons I am quoted on page 69! 

This small but very lovely wedding took place at a local Key West Beach. Kelly and Elliot married at Sunset on a beautiful day in Key West. I loved loved her flowers.  She went on the bright pinks and greens, which is a great combo!

Just check out the photos by Nick Doll Photography and video by Marcela Morgan

Kelly & Elliot Wedding

Terry and Einar Myklebust were wed on October 2, 2011 at Old Town Manor with the reception dinner following at A&B Lobster House. Friends and Family gathered in Key West from all over the United States and Norway.

The beautiful bride and I

Terry and Einar's Candy Bar for their guests

Center piece for reception table

Have a glass!

Dancing Shoes!

Venue: Old Town Manor

Photography: Solaris Photography ( The photos provided in this blog do not below to Solaris Photography, more photos to come)

Wedding Planner: Kate Bentley Events

Dinner Reception: A & B Lobster House

Florist: Love in Bloom