A Garden-Inspired Wedding at Isleworth Country Club in Windermere, Florida

“If my dog, Luna, didn’t like him, then that would be that – and I even told him that on the phone before we first met,” says Julie Bickerton, describing her earliest encounter with Robert Garrett Wattles. “However, I knew he was the one when he handed me a dog gift bag full of treats and toys at the end of our first date. The friend who set up us did a wonderful job; not only did we hit it off, but yes, Luna is obsessed with him!”

“When I first met Garrett I instantly felt safe around him,” she continues. “He was soft-spoken, kind, calming, and intelligent. On top of it all, he was incredibly handsome! Garrett was simply in awe when we first met. Never having been on a blind date before, he was quite nervous. But he says my beautiful eyes, welcoming smile, and overwhelming comfort made his awkward smile bloom. He thought I was out of his league but could tell I thought he was different than others. He was right – I was intrigued!”

When it came time to propose, Garrett had carefully planned out a beautifully crafted engagement with Julie’s family. When the engagement ring arrived, however, he was too excited to wait and ended up popping the question sooner than expected. One evening, the couple went to dinner in Winter Park, Florida, where they walked the streets lit up with white string lights. Julie thought they were just enjoying a lovely evening for dinner until they came upon music, flowers, and a photographer waiting on the sidewalk. It was a perfect moment when she stopped and realized that Garrett was on his knee, proposing.

“Throughout our wedding planning process, we had the honor of working with Michele Butler Events,” Julie states. “Planning a wedding has so many ups and downs, and she was our rock through it all. It was so much fun to work with her, and she kept us on track while we were able to stay calm and worry-free.”

Much to their surprise, both the bride and groom felt a sense of calm when their wedding day arrived – a feeling they took as reassurance that they had made the right decision. Of course, no wedding is complete without an unplanned moment. Right before walking down the aisle, the groom’s ring was nowhere to be found; so, Julie’s father quickly took his off and let them borrow it for the time being. Fortunately, the ring was found afterwards. 

“We truly feel we had a wedding dream team and Fairbanks Florist was one of the members,” the bride reflects. “We chose blush pink, creams and white, with a touch of greenery for our decor. Our vision was perfectly put together with roses and hydrangeas drenching the ceremony and reception. Our wedding was truly the moment of our lives, and we are now on to our next adventure – planning our honeymoon on the coast of Italy!”