How many years has your venue been established? 
10 years this August. We opens August 2009.

What types of events can you accommodate? 
Weddings, baby showers, bridal showers, meetings, seminars, any event really. ​

What are your ceremony options? 
Most people get married in park around our  venue

What is your capacity for any event? 
25 for pioneer room, 100 for trabue room.​

What is your deposit amount to reserve the room & date? 
25 % deposit

What is the food & beverage price range?
$20 - $30 per person.

Do you have a cake cutting fee? 
No​

What are some complimentary rental items you include? 
Tables and chairs, glassware, utensils

Perks and benefits of booking with your venue? 
No clean up fee!

When & where did you get married?
May 5th, 2018 at the Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club in Port Charlotte Florida 

Is there any significance to the date or location?
My older sister got married at the same location 3 years earlier

Tell us about your gown?
My gown was by Essense of Australia with a beaded top and in the fit and flare style. I chose to go with a "blush color" to show my unique style instead of the traditional white.

Describe your man?
Andrew is hilarious but serious all at the same time. He is always making me feel loved and special and always knows the right thing to say. When it came to wedding planning he was pretty hands off but wanted to stick with a traditional style which I loved. 

What traditions did you incorporate into your wedding day?
We made sure the first time we saw each other that day was when I walked down the aisle, the anticipation was so high and made for such a special moment. 

Favorite wedding moment?
Our first dance was my favorite moment. It was really the only time all night we were able to be just the two of us, even though everyone was gathered around. I wish I could relive that moment over and over. 

Detail your flowers for us?
We both wanted very simple, hence the single flowers in the centerpieces, I absolutely love garden roses so we made sure to incorporate them in my bouquet which with very neutral in color which complemented my dress. My bridesmaids carried hydrangeas with complemented the location and spring time feel we were going for. Also, the orchids hanging in the tree for our ceremony were absolutely my favorite part of our decorations. They were so delicate and beautiful and our guests could not stop talking about how much they loved them. They created the perfect backdrop for the moment we said I do. 

Describe your day in one sentence?
Our wedding day was the most magical day of my life that I wish I could do over and over again. 

How did you get started as a photographer?
I needed to find an outlet while earning my bachelor's degree in Psychology, so I took up Photography as a hobby when I didn't need to write papers or take exams. That was seven years ago, just having fun with a Canon Rebel T2i with the kit lens.

Throwing the Bridal Bouquet and the Bride's Garter
On the bridal night in olden days guests would invade the bridal chamber, seize stockings and throw them backwards over their heads toward the bride and groom. The first female guest to hit the groom would be the next one to marry within a year, and the same applied for the first male to score with the bride's stocking. In retrospect, tossing the bouquet and the garter certainly seems a much more civilized idea!

​With this Ring...
Rings have been with us since time began, but how they became so intimately linked to engagement and marriage is another facet of man's social history. Before the minting of coins as currency, gold rings were circulated for that purpose. When a man gave his bride a gold ring, it signified that he trusted her with his property. During Elizabethan times, the gimmal, a set of interlocking rings, was quite popular. One ring of the set would be worn by the intended bride, another by the groom-to-be, and a third by a witness. All three rings would be united on the bride's finger at the marriage ceremony. Today the diamond solitaire, symbolic of wealth and undying love, is the popular choice for American engagements.
 
The Bride Wears Something Blue
Part of the old litany, "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue," which prescribes the talismans a bride should wear on her wedding day, was quite specific about the color blue. Wearing a snippet of blue ribbon, or some other bit of blue about her gown, denotes purity, fidelity and love. It was also the color associated with the Virgin Mary.
 
Rice and Other Fertility Symbols
Showering rice upon the departing, newly married couple is a tradition that seems to have begun in Victorian times. Flowers were sometimes thrown, as well as shoes (satin slippers) in an older custom, but the throwing of rice -- long held as a symbol of fertility -- made its appearance about 1870. Confetti, little paper cutouts of horseshoes, hearts, and other motifs, also became popular to toss at the new couple. Both the rice and the confetti, however, presented some concerns. Though eaten by birds, rice wasn't a healthful item for them, and confetti presented difficulties in cleanup. Birdseed became the accepted substitution for rice, and fresh flower petals are often used. Blowing bubbles, instead of tossing tiny missiles, has become the modern send off for the bridal couple.
 
The Groom Must Not See His Bride
Tradition holds that the groom must not lay eyes on the bride the day of the ceremony until they meet at the altar. The superstition is that this can bring the couple bad luck, since they have glimpsed the future before it has happened. Reaching even further back into tradition, because most marriages were arranged by family members, the newlyweds were very rarely allowed to see each other. Family members that exchanged a dowry (property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their wedding day) feared that if the groom was not attracted to the bride, he may refuse to marry her. This is also why brides were "given away" by their father to the groom at the actual ceremony. Most all grooms saw their brides for the first time upon lifting her veil just prior to the ceremony.

Carrying the Bride Over the Threshold
When the groom carries the bride over the threshold, he is reenacting a very old tradition derived from many cultures, and one which can be traced to Roman times. This ritual was carried out to protect the bride from worrisome demons which might be lurking about the new home. If she were to trip entering the doorway, it would bring bad luck to the couple. This unhappy chance was avoided by carrying her through the doorway and over the threshold.

How did you first meet?
My dad actually introduced Samir + I (unintentionally). My father + Samir's father have been friends for about 25 years. It was Samir's birthday weekend + his father was hosting a pig roast to celebrate. We hit it off pretty much immediately. We were both amazed that in the 25+ years our fathers have known each other, we had never met. 

What is the most attractive qualities about your fiance? 
Samir is the utmost respectful man. He always holds the door for strangers, and without question - if you needed the shirt off his back, he would give it to you. He is also such a hard working, dedicated man. He works 60+ hours a week still finds time to love & spoil me. His mama definitely raised him right! 

What is your fondest dating memory?
Our first weekend in Savannah. I took a road trip to see him about 3 weeks after we'd met. He was living in Georgia, near Savannah for work. That weekend was amazing! We explored the city together, ate amazing food, and honestly I knew I was going to spend the rest of my life with him. That was the weekend I fell in love with him. 

What day did you get engaged?
June 21st, 2018

Where & how did he ask?
He proposed at home. He asked me to spend the rest of my life with him, and without a doubt I said YES! 

Wedding Date & Location ​
November 2019 - Port Charlotte, FL

How many years has your venue been established?  
We’ve been doing weddings for over 5 years now. 
​
What types of events can you accommodate?
Mainly weddings.  But we can do other events as well. 

Looking for the perfect venue in Punta Gorda to host your next wedding, party or other special event?  Look no further- here is the 10 Best Punta Gorda Venues.

2) Cypress M. Ranch-  If your looking for an authentic ranch wedding Cypress M. Ranch is the place to book!   With it's private bridal cabin and cowboy quarters, a newly remodeled catering kitchen and on site restrooms.  This property is perfect for your country chic wedding.   Located at 43650 Bermont Road Punta Gorda, Florida 33982.

Cypress M Ranch is the perfect setting for your dream western wedding or any special events.  We are nestled in the midst of old Florida beauty with cypress trees & flowing creek yet centrally located to Punta Gorda, Sarasota, Ft Myers & Naples.  Source: http://www.cypressmranch.com/

 6)  The Bayfront Event Center is a perfect blank slate for all kinds of special events.  Not only do they include full use of all the tables and chairs the affordability of this venue is a major perk.   Located at 750 W Retta Esplanade Punta Gorda, Florida 33950.

The Bayfront YMCA Event Center is located on Charlotte Harbor in the heart of downtown Punta Gorda. Our event room can hold up to 200 people with over 3,000 square feet of space for your next event. Bayfront is a beautiful location for weddings, anniversary, birthday, graduation or engagement parties, baby shower, staff get together or conferences.  Rental of the Bayfront includes tables, chairs and use of kitchen which has an oven, microwave, refrigerator, freezer and ice machine available.  Source: https://www.swflymca.org/locations/bayfront-center/bayfront-center/

7) Punta Gorda Woman's Club has a large, open floor plan and the rental price includes full use of the stage and outdoor gardens.  What a little gem!   Located at 118 Sullivan Street Punta Gorda, Florida 33950. 

10) Four Points by Sheraton has the perfect lawn overlooking the beautiful Charlotte Harbor.  Perfect spot to host an outdoor event under the stars or a tent.  Located at 33 Tamiami Trail Punta Gorda, Florida 33950.

I sat down to interview owner, Lynn Rhein to get her thoughts on all things cake.  So here is a little Q & A for your Monday! 
 
How many years in business:
Since 2006... so over 12 years!

Is there any significance to your date/venue?
We chose the 7th, which was a Thursday because the number 7 is my favorite number... we chose the location for the beautiful exposed beam, wood floors, and chandeliers in the Louise DuPont House.  We had originally planned to have the ceremony outside under the beautiful Banyan trees on Banyan street, but Florida's unpredictable summer weather brought us indoors.

Tell us about your gown:
My gown was actually a floor sample from Jeannine's a Fort Myers Bridal Boutique.  We got married with only 5 months of planning, so it makes your options for a gown limited.  Thankfully, I only had to try on 3 dresses to find mine.  I wanted a simple and elegant feel and I wanted champagne or ivory as opposed to white.  I found it all!

What traditions did you incorporate into your wedding day?
I don't know if we incorporated any traditions into our wedding, but we each had children from a previous relationship and we made them a part of our wedding.  They had their own "vows" that involved a commitment to us as a family.  I did have all the elements of the "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" however with all the stress of the day, I may have forgotten to put on the old and borrowed portions.

Favorite moment of your day?
My favorite wedding moment.  Honestly, the whole day was amazing.  When people say it goes too fast, it really is true.  I think I had two favorite moments though; the first being, I was overall so excited about marrying the man of my dreams, that I did not even look in a mirror before I was about to walk down the isle.  I realized I had no idea what I looked like and my bridesmaids had to search the place for a full length mirror.  Knowing that I cared more about the commitment I was about to make than my appearance was actually a pretty comforting experience.  For me though, THE moment of the day,  was listening to my husband recite the vows that he had written for me.  That feeling, was indescribable.

Describe your flowers for us:
My flowers were a show stopper!  Marie of Port Charlotte Florist is so talented.  I explained my vision of simplicity and romantic elegance and she made it happen!  We had tons of pale pink and cream roses, lilies, hydrangeas and beautiful greenery.  She created a breathtaking spray for the mantle that we stood in front of as we said our vows.  My girls and I carried hand tied bouquets.  The tables were arranged with mercury glass, candles, and bud vase style stems.  I could not have asked for anything better.

Describe your day in one sentence?
In one sentence, my day was perfectly intimate, filled with family and love where I was able to make a life long commitment to my best friend.

Best advice for a bride to be?
At the end of the day, you will be married; joined with God to the person that is to be yours forever.  If you focus on that, everything else falls into perspective.

This highly demanded rustic ranch has been the premier spot for barn weddings in Charlotte County.  Nested among the oak trees out Bermont Road in Punta Gorda, Florida is this week’s Vendor of the Week- Cypress M. Ranch.   I sat down with the owner, Lisa MacArthur, who is currently booking weddings for 2019 to learn a little more about her gem of a property.