Professional racecar driver (and CEO of Patrón Tequila) Ed Brown did something very uncharacteristic when he met Ashley Vickers at a racetrack —he slowed down.
“I said to myself, ‘What a beautiful and amazing person,’” Ed says of first meeting Ashley. “A couple years later we were both single and mutual friends set us up. I was madly in love instantly.”
“THERE’S NO ONE IN THE WORLD I COULD IMAGINE SPENDING IT WITH BUT YOU.”
Instantly is right—within three months of dating, Ed took Ashley to dinner in a private wine room at The Setai in South Beach and asked her to marry him. “It was perfect,” Ashley says. “Ed is hands down the most romantic person I’ve ever met, and of course the proposal reflected that. I recall him telling me, ‘We only get one shot at this life, and there’s no one in the world I could imagine spending it with but you.’”
The couple knew they wanted to wed in South Florida, and Miami’s Vizcaya Museum and Gardens—with its stately Renaissance architecture and stunning gardens—was not only a beautiful choice, but a sentimental one as well. Ed had received a prestigious “Man of the Year” award there and Ashley had been photographed as a bride at Vizcaya during her modeling career.
Vizcaya’s magical setting was made even more elegant by the hundreds of candles and thousands of white roses that decorated the property’s waterfront terrace. For the cocktail hour, set in the property’s fountain garden, friends and family enjoyed specialty Patrón cocktails and incredible culinary creations by Starr Catering Group. When guests sat down for the reception, they were treated to a highlight video of the day’s events.
“We were all blown away,” Ashley says. “Our guests were thrilled at the surprise to instantly see themselves in our wedding video and realize they were a part of memories that would last us a lifetime.”
After dinner, Ed, Ashley and their guests danced to classic Frank Sinatra songs performed by Bob Anderson, who flew in from his show in Las Vegas to sing at the reception. Everyone feasted on a seven-layered, seven-flavored cake creation and went home with engraved crystal Patrón Platinum bottles of tequila.
For Ashley, sharing such a special day with her family has become even more important as she’s lost two close family members since the wedding —her father and grandmother. “I’m so thankful to have so many beautiful memories and photos to hold on to,” she says. “Most importantly, I’m forever grateful that my daddy walked me down the aisle.”
In lieu of gifts, the couple accepted donations to their newly launched charity, the Selfless Love Foundation, which benefits children overlooked in the foster care system. The on-the-go couple hasn’t had a chance to take an official honeymoon yet. Just two days after the wedding they were on the road again, continuing the racing circuit in Bahrain.
“Our whirlwind of love and adventure—and the quest for a honeymoon—continues!” Ashley says.
WEDDING TALENT
Location: Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, Miami, FL; Planner: Lourdes Milian Productions, Miami, FL Photography: KT Merry, Miami, FL; Ceremony Dress and Veil: Galia Lahav; Bridal Salon: Bridal Reflections, New York, NY
