WEDDING IDEAS

The maid of honor wore a different cut of the seersucker dress Kelsey picked out for the bridesmaids. She loved that each dress had pockets! Jamie sported a linen J.Crew suit while his groomsmen donned the same style in navy. Each groomsman’s boutonniere coordinated with the bouquet of the bridesmaid he walked down the aisle with -- or in Jamie’s case, the bride’s bouquet!

The bride wore bold red shoes to go with her favorite "Angel Red" lipstick by Clinique. The bridesmaids loved the vintage look so much, they borrowed the lipstick to coordinate with their bouquets.

Paper fans printed with a carnival design included instructions for guests to stop by the snow-cone stand before heading to the reception.

"Fireworks" made of streamers topped the Fourth of July-themed fondant cake decorated with stars and stripes. A champagne “gelee” (think something along the lines of a Jello shot) accompanied each slice.

Tin tubs filled with drink cozies and bottle openers waited for guests by the door next to bottles of soda and beer. Before the wedding, guests from out of town received a carnival-themed basket with snacks, maps of the area and a list of fun things to do.

Kelsey & Jamie in Pensacola, FL

Photos By: Cook Images, Pensacola, FL

Event Planning: Bliss Event Group, Pensacola, FL
Location: Old Christ Church, Pensacola, FL

On their first date, Kelsey wasn't sure Jamie was outgoing enough for her -- until he made her laugh. After that, Kelsey and Jamie couldn't get enough of each other and their relationship quickly grew more serious.

The Bride Kelsey Meeks, 25, law student
The Groom Jamie Duncan, 23, elementary school teacher and basketball coach
The Date July 5

After just a few months together, Jamie started to jokingly ask Kelsey to marry him at random moments. Kelsey always played along, but after seven months of dating, she decided to test the limits of Jamie's humor by taking him up on his offer. "Let's do it!" she said, and they started planning right then and there on the living room couch -- no bended knee or ring required. The couple kept their engagement a secret for a week before telling Kelsey's family at her parents' Fourth of July barbeque in Key West. The happy occasion inspired the couple's red, white and blue wedding colors. The bride's other inspiration: The vintage carnival scene in the movie The Notebook.

-- Caitlin Moscatello