The Historic Ballroom at Dubsdread Real Wedding: Mackenzie and Ben
August 11, 2023
The Historic Dubsdread Ballroom Real Wedding – Mackenzie Hawkins and Ben Willsey
At Dubsdread Catering we love being dedicated members of the team that makes your big day your best day. While we are masters at the planning and executing the behind-the-scenes work, we know our clients have their own unique perspective on their event. We thank recent couple Renee LaPlante and Sam Muniz for graciously sharing their experience to benefit others.
BRIDE AND GROOM: Mackenzie Hawkins and Ben Willsey
WEDDING DATE: May 13, 2023
VENUE: The Historic Ballroom at Dubsdread
EVENT COORDINATOR: David Osmola, Senior Wedding and Event Coordinator
VENDORS:
Photographer: Angela June Photography
Florist: Teller Florals – Deb Ruin
DJ: Revolution Productions
Dessert: Kelly's Homemade Ice Cream Truck and Publix
Hair/ Makeup: Kristy's Artistry
Engagement Photographer: Savanna Kaye
ONE YEAR OUT:
How/where did you get engaged?
Ben got me really good with a surprise engagement! He had planned a nice date for a Friday night and through several hints and little comments, had me thoroughly convinced it was going to happen that night. When it didn’t, I was pretty bummed but figured it would be forthcoming soon. The next day, I already had plans to go to the beach, pick up a pizza on the drive into New Smyrna, and take it onto the beach for dinner with my best friend Catherine. This is a fun, little tradition we do so often, that zero percent of me was thinking anything was out of the ordinary. When we got to the beach and set our stuff down, Catherine handed me a letter and told me to go read it out by the water. Once I opened the letter, I pretty quickly understood something was going on, but my letter instructed me NOT to turn around until I had read it in its entirety. So, I followed the instructions and took my time reading the whole thing, all 24-pages Ben had written. Yes, he handwrote 12 pages front and back, retelling and reflecting on our story. Fifteen minutes later when I finally finished reading the letter I turned around and Ben was standing there and asked me to marry him!
What are you most excited about for your wedding day?
When we think about our wedding day, we are most excited to be able to share the day with all of our friends and family. We are so thankful for the community we have surrounding us and know that our marriage is one that will not be lived alone. So, getting to share in all the joy, celebration, and FUN with all of our closest people is super exciting.
What aspect are you excited to plan the most? (Ceremony, food & beverages, photographer, DJ)
With all the different aspects of our day, we are most excited to plan our ceremony. We are getting married in the church that has played a large role in our individual lives and in bringing us together. Our officiant is a pastor who is near and dear to both of our hearts. We are hopeful that our ceremony will serve as a gospel picture and that all the details ultimately point back to Jesus and his love.
A FEW MONTHS OUT / PLANNING PROCESS:
How do you feel the planning is going?
Planning has been going well so far. I feel like once we got the big things set in place, all of the smaller details seemed to follow seamlessly. I am finishing up nursing school as we plan our wedding, and I’ve been surprised that I have not been as stressed as I thought I may be.
What have you found to be more difficult than you expected?
Coming up with our guest list been the most difficult part so far! We both have so many friends and family that we love and want to celebrate with, so it was more difficult than we expected to come up with a reasonable and affordable guest list.
What has been more fun about the process than you expected?
I have had more fun with the little details than I expected. I am getting to work with close friends who are starting small businesses for both my flowers and my invitations, so it has been so fun and sweet to dream up ideas with them and see their talents come to life!
WEDDING DAY:
What was the best, most memorable part of your big day?
Our whole day felt so special, but our ceremony was the most memorable part. Walking down the aisle and seeing all of our family and friends there to witness our joining in marriage was amazing. At our reception, the most memorable part was probably when the Kelly's Homemade Ice Cream truck showed up for dessert and seeing how long the line grew for it so quickly. Our guests had a lot of fun enjoying their ice cream treats and dancing the night away!
If you could change one or two things about your event, what would they be?
There is really very little I would change about our day. The only thing that I would do differently is to take more time to enjoy and eat our reception food. Dubsdread Catering's food is so good, and we barely got to eat because of how soon we got up to start greeting all our guests.
Is there any advice you would give other couples planning their event that you wish some-one had told you?
At the end of the day, don't sweat the little things. Yes, the details matter and reflect what you want your day to be about, but if at the end of the night, you are married, then it was a success! And honestly, if little things do go wrong, you are so over the moon on your wedding day you won't even notice.
Photos courtesy of the bride, groom, Savanna Kaye Photography, and Angela June Photography.
When you book a wedding with Dubsdread Catering at one of our exclusive venues, we provide wedding coordination at no additional charge. Our coordinators become dedicated members of your team bringing experience and expertise to help you execute your vision. Contact them today via our Contact Us page to make our team your team in making your dreams come true.
Additional Real Weddings at The Historic Ballroom at Dubsdread:
https://www.dubsdreadcatering.com/blog/dubsdread-real-wedding-laplante-muniz
https://www.dubsdreadcatering.com/blog/dubsdread-real-wedding-watkins-mccarthy
https://www.dubsdreadcatering.com/blog/dubsdread-real-wedding-wagner-trinh
https://www.dubsdreadcatering.com/blog/dubsdread-real-wedding-boos-grant
https://www.dubsdreadcatering.com/blog/dubsdread-real-wedding-kestenbaum-graham
