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Venue Spotlight: Curtiss Mansion

Photography by Csanchez photography

Photography by Csanchez photography

There’s no shortage of amazing venues in Miami. But one of the The Bride Candy’s favorite venues to work in is one that doesn’t look all that Miami from the outside, but has a whole lot of Miami history on the inside. Today, we’re talking about the Curtiss Mansion in Miami Springs. It’s a venue that I love so much it’s where I chose to get engaged!

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It’s Got Style

Curtiss Mansion was the home of Glenn Curtiss, aviation pioneer and developer of Miami communities like Opa Locka, Hialeah, and Miami Springs. It’s built in the Pueblo Rival style, so when you drive up to it you can immediately tell that this is a truly unique venue that looks like it would be just at home in Santa Fe as it is in Miami Springs. Some of the standout features of the venue are the porte cochere (the covered entrance at the front), the front lawn, the interior courtyard, the back arbor, the bridge to nowhere, and the lake. All make a great backdrop for photos, and you can bet that there’s a lot of styled shoots and engagement photos that happen at the mansion. 

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It’s Comfortable

What makes the Curtiss Mansion an amazing venue is its versatility. It’s got a lot of space! With the addition of a newly paved exterior courtyard, it can now accommodate weddings of over three hundred. But no matter if you have a huge wedding or an intimate one, Curtiss is a comfortable spot to host your celebration. One thing the venue really excels at is everything pre-wedding. Many brides choose to get ready at the mansion since they have a dedicated bridal suite. That makes getting to the first look and pre-wedding photos a snap. It’s a great idea to get those out of the way early so you can enjoy your cocktail hour. 

Many couples choose to do the ceremony in the expansive front lawn. Shaded by trees, it’s the perfect spot to exchange vows. Consider adding bistro lighting for extra ambiance. Wondering where to put the dancefloor? The interior courtyard is the perfect place to dance the night away and it looks great with uplighting and DJ lights. There’s also a fair amount of interior space in case of rain, making the Curtiss Mansion a smart venue choice. 

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It Comes With Great People

My favorite part about this venue is working with the Curtiss Mansion family. It’s run by Sherry and Javi, two of the most dedicated people in the industry. “We do what we do because we believe in true love ,” said Sherry. “It’s important to us that every couple has an amazing experience here.” Many venues simply provide the space and a set of rules and walk away. But the Curtiss Mansion give you that personal touch. They are happy to give advice on what works well and they have a list of outstanding vendors who can help you bring your wedding dreams to life. Sherry is also a BIG supporter of same-love weddings and actively looks to promote the venue to couples from all walks of life. 

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If you’re looking for an affordable Miami venue with exceptional customer service, The Bride candy is happy to recommend the Curtiss Mansion as an option for you. Tell them I sent you!

Coronavirus update: How can I save my wedding?

There’s a lot that goes into planning a wedding, but one thing no one counted on was that a global pandemic would mean that many weddings over the next two months won’t happen. It’s a really stressful time! You’re worried about your health and the health of your loved ones. The last thing you want to do is to put your wedding guests at risk. You’re thinking about cancelling or postponing your wedding. But you’ve paid your deposits and signed contracts. What can you do to save your special day?

Stay calm

Right now your focus should be on making sure that you and your partner are safe. Maybe you’re under self-quarantine already or preparing for it. Give yourself time to process everything that’s happening and be kind to your yourself for the emotions that you’re feeling. Nothing about this is easy.

One thing to remember is that everyone in the wedding industry is in the same boat right now. There are many concerned people who have weddings in the next two months. You can expect that your guests, vendors, and venue will be understanding as you start your conversations with them. We are all focused on health right now, and we will understand why you might want to postpone your wedding.

Talk to your venue

If your wedding is around the corner, it’s very likely that your venue may have already reached out to you. It’s unlikely that venues will proceed with events over the next eight weeks now that the CDC had issued its latest recommendations. Talk to your venue about your options. Most will offer to apply your deposit to a new wedding date. Be sure to have one in mind – many other couples are doing the same thing right now and future dates are filling up fast.

Talk to your vendors

Once you’ve talked to your venue, it’s time to touch base with your vendors. Make sure to reach out to everyone – your caterer, florist, rentals, officiant, and entertainment. If you have a new wedding date, now is the time to share it. You can do this all in one email to all your vendors to quickly see if they are available on the new date.  Make sure to ask them if their services will be affected by the new date (maybe the showcase flower on your wedding bouquet won’t be in season anymore, for example).

Check your orders

Right now it’s hard to get anything from overseas. If you’ve placed and order for a dress or ring and expect it to be shipped to the United States, you should get in contact with your seller right away. Ask your seller what you can expect and what options they can give to you to make sure you get your items.

Tell your guests

Your guests are probably expecting to hear from you about your wedding especially if they’re traveling to it. Right now most people are unwilling (or unable) to fly. Reassure them that you still intend to have a wedding but that you’ve postponed the date for everyone’s safety. You’ll need to get confirmations again from your guests since the new date might affect your guest count. That’s okay – as long as the most important people are there it will all be worth it in the end.

Feeling overwhelmed? Tell me what’s on your mind and I’ll do my best to give you advice to make the process a bit easier. Everyone in the wedding industry loves love and wants you to celebrate your special day. We are here to support you!

4 Gorgeous Wedding Dresses And The Dreamer Who Created Them

Photography: @findinglightphotography  Dress @dorasasu  Florals @thebridecandy  Planner @ohmyoccasions  Hair/makeup @tashymariemakeup  Model @camicuesta_  Stationary @tintaypulso  Venue @penthouserw

Photography: @findinglightphotography
Dress @dorasasu
Florals @thebridecandy
Planner @ohmyoccasions
Hair/makeup @tashymariemakeup
Model @camicuesta_
Stationary @tintaypulso
Venue @penthouserw

Dora Sasu is a wedding dress designer born and raised in Romania and now residing in Miami Florida. Dora’s soul is as beautiful as the wedding dresses she designs. Her story is written in her dresses which she has named after the people she loves. This is a story about 4 dresses and a childhood dream turned reality. Let’s get to know her and the dresses she creates.

Styling and planning @socoalicea Photo: @ericamelissa_ Floral design: @rodristudio Venue: @thetemplehouse Makeup & Hair: @katytc Headpiece: @roxlynch Model: @camicuesta_ Dress: @dorasasu

Styling and planning @socoalicea
Photo: @ericamelissa_
Floral design: @rodristudio
Venue: @thetemplehouse
Makeup & Hair: @katytc
Headpiece: @roxlynch
Model: @camicuesta_
Dress: @dorasasu

The Lilian

Dora has been sewing by hand since she was seven years old. She would sneak into her mothers closet and take old clothes so she could sew dresses for her dolls. The Lilian dress was named after Dora‘s mother. Dora’s design style is sexy and elegant. So to reflect her mothers graceful reserved persona this dress is the most modest of her collection. The beading of the dress has no sparkle but adds beauty and texture to the entire dress. Lace is in homage to how delicate her mother was. This dress defines elegance with a subtle approach – her rendition of her mother as a dress.

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The Isabella

Dora received her first sewing machine at 14 years old. In high school she wore her clothes and people would ask her where she got them. This is the age where she started to get paid to make clothes for other people as a side gig. Growing up in Romania there wasn’t many options for clothing so it was interesting for her to see who had a different style of clothing from other parts of the world. The Isabella was named after her cousin she admired for her style which she described as sexy and Italian. 

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The Michelle 

Throughout her life, Dora has never stopped sewing. Even in college or when she was waitressing she would sew on her breaks. She later moved to the United States where she eventually started working for a production company that produced weddings and other events. This is where she was inspired to create wedding dresses. The Michelle was named after a friend of hers she cared for very much. Michelle felt very lonely and Dora understood the feeling as they both left their homes in Romania to build a new life in the United States. Even though Michele is an introvert, Dora made the Michele dress sparkle so that it could bring light in to her life and make the sadness go away. Almost like the night sky even in its darkness the stars still sparkle.

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The Viorela 

Designer wedding dresses are mostly hand beaded and sewn. This was a talent Dora honed over years of sewing. So she started doing photo shoots for her dresses. The more she created, the better she got and the more innovative her dresses became. The Viorela was named after her father Viore. Dora met her father later on in life and discovered that he liked to sew as well. In fact he loves unique styles and patterns like she does. He would often get his clothes made and designed for himself. She took this into consideration when creating this dress/pantsuit and made it interchangeable. This is her favorite of the collection and is three outfits in one. The pant suit comes with a train and a skirt that turns it in to a dress. 

Photography: @findinglightphotography  Dress @dorasasu  Florals @thebridecandy  Planner @ohmyoccasions  Hair/makeup @tashymariemakeup  Model @camicuesta_  Stationary @tintaypulso  Venue @penthouserw

Photography: @findinglightphotography
Dress @dorasasu
Florals @thebridecandy
Planner @ohmyoccasions
Hair/makeup @tashymariemakeup
Model @camicuesta_
Stationary @tintaypulso
Venue @penthouserw

Dara started designing dresses full-time a year ago. I think what I love most about Dora’s collection is learning about her story. I think it’s amazing when a dreamer makes their childhood dream a reality. Dora’s devotion for sewing her whole life has manifested beautiful dresses created with love for brides to be. When you wear one, it’s as if you’re wearing love itself. Not only has she made beautiful dresses but touched the hearts of all the women who wear them.

The Millennial Bride

Members of Generation Y (millennials) were born between 1980 and 2000. This generation usually prefers to combine personalized and traditional wedding elements to create a unique wedding. For example some brides choose a unique way to display the tradition “something blue”. I’ve seen brides wear blue shoes , blue jewelry, even blue dresses making the tradition of something blue become a statement. The millennial bride knows that traditional never goes out of style but making it your own tailors it to you. 


Millennial Bride Fashion 

The Millennial bride goes beyond just her wedding dress for her bridal fashion. Of course she has to look fly for all of her occasions (all for the gram ). From bridal bathing suits, bride bags, and wifey jean jackets, the millennial bride knows life is a fashion show. Her wedding dress tends to be romantic and timeless in style. This bride breaks all the rules that need to be broken while keeping things classic and chic. 

Millennial Music

The Millennial bride’s music choices may include anything from country to rock to techno music. The 90’s music culture made this bride one of the cool kids. She will definitely ditch the 90’s fashion (or maybe not) but the millennial bride wants to have fun and relive childhood memories with her friends and family. This bride digs the oldies but holds her dress up so she can definitely twerk too. Often times this bride will chose live music and a DJ too.

Insta Bride 

The millennial bride will likely find her wedding vendors through Instagram and if she doesn’t, she will definitely check their vendor’s insta handles for sure. The millennial bride is #BrideAF. She will make sure to #hashtag everything and have fun doing it too. What’s more fun than getting your #bridessquad matching shirts with a hashtag? This bride is tech savvy and will document everything via iPhone. She’ll also change her relationship status on her wedding night . 


This Millennial bride is more than just a generation. She is the one who will carry the torch to the daughter after her. She will teach them to be themselves but value their traditions. Often we hear the word Millennial thrown around in a negative way and I hope this has helped bring a positive view to this generation. I wonder what the next generation of bride will be like. For now, I am enjoying hearing Backstreet Boys with these Millennial brides.  

The Mermaid Bride

The Mermaid Bride

IG: @Mermaid_julesPhotography @thestory

IG: @Mermaid_jules

Photography @thestory

Many of us have seen Little Mermaid. As a child I would flip my hair just the way she did in the movie in my bath tub splashing water all over my bathroom (poor mom). So you could only imagine what I felt when I discovered a bride of mine was a professional mermaid! I became one of her biggest fans and would stalk her instagram on the regular.

IG mermaid_jules

IG mermaid_jules

I remember the first time I spoke to mermaid Jules. She was everything you would expect a mermaid to be like. She was bubbly , sweet , and very pretty. She has a pink mermaid tail , her hair was long , and she wore crowns made out of seashells. Anthony her fiancé definitely resembles a prince. Anthony was a tall, dashing, dark haired gentleman. The both looked like they came straight out of a fairytale.

Head table floral arrangement for beach wedding in Miami Beach Florida

What does a mermaid Choose for her wedding? A seaside wedding of course! Starfish were placed on every table, pearls were added to her bouquet and a mini starfish in Anthony’s boutonniere . Her colors were blush pinks, pearly whites and light shades of greens.

Beach inspired boutonniere for Miami Beach wedding groom
Simple wedding cake florals for Miami Beach wedding

On the day of the wedding I wore my Little Mermaid shirt. I must say it was a hit, especially for my bride who noticed it immediately. What does a mermaid wear on her wedding day? A dress with a seashell top, pearl necklace , and a smile that made the entire ocean sparkle with her. When she walked down the aisle her dress flowed as her bare feet hit the sand. Hair blowing in the wind she married her prince in front of all of their her loved ones. It was a happily ever after straight from a fairytale.

Whimsical wedding arch with lush flowers and greenery on the beach at Miami Beach
#MermaidSquad

#MermaidSquad

Look closely at the petals in her bouquet!Fun Fact : Mermaid Jules made her dress!

Look closely at the petals in her bouquet!

Fun Fact : Mermaid Jules made her dress!