Darrah, Ziegler Wedding

Their journey seemed to be predestined in the stars for this Astrophysics and Coast Guard Lieutenant. The two first met at the Coast Guard Academy and became close friends. However, it was years later before fate would once again bring them together. While Michelle was in Hawaii for college, Adam was stationed six months of the year in Antarctica on a Coast Guard Polar icebreaker. During a retreat back to Seattle, he decided to vacation for a week in Hawaii and asked his long time friend to give him a tour of the island. Michelle was thrilled with the opportunity to spend some time with Adam, and by the end of the week the two were in love.

From the warm sandy beaches of Hawaii, to the very cold dreary January day in Florida, their relationship was about to take an exciting new leap. It was a few days after Michelle’s birthday and Adam had been hard at work as a flight student. She was at home when surprisingly there was a knock at the door. When she opened it, she was greeted with flowers and a card that read “Your belated birthday surprise could only be found at the end of a treasure hunt.” She was told to bring a camera and photograph her steps along the way. The first clue was inside the apartment behind a photo of the week they spent together in Hawaii. The treasure hunt would carry her across memory lane as she collected clues at all of their special places. As she got to the end of the hunt she found Adam waiting for her in the middle of Seville Square holding a bottle of her favorite perfume. Next, he carried Michelle to Jaime’s restaurant where they dinned on escargot and champagne. After dinner the two took a stroll out to the then of Pensacola Beach for some stargazing. While lying on the beach cuddled up in a blanket, Michelle gave him a tour through space pointing out the constellations, planets and nebulae. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day...almost. Just when the cold had become too much to bear, Adam dropped a knee and asked the love of his life to marry him.

Before starting a new adventure as husband and wife, first comes the wedding. Michelle chose her childhood baby-sitter and now wedding planner Rachelle Youd to organize and create her dream wedding. Being that Michelle is from Panama City, and seeing that their relationship started at the beach, it seemed almost inevitable that they would have a beach side wedding, but where? A summer wedding is beautiful but very hot, so Michelle and Adam agreed on a spring wedding; however, a wedding in the spring in Panama City during spring break would almost be impossible. After much research, they came across the Marriott. Not only would it provide the guest a beautiful place to stay, they also offered a private beach for the ceremony. The Marriott has a covered deck for the guest to dance and an amazing ballroom as a back up venue if the weather was an issue, all for an extremely affordable cost. It was perfect!

Michelle looked sensational in her Casablanca, 1892 style, off the shoulder neckline, ivory dress from the Glass Slipper in Panama City. For her veil, she wore an ivory single layer, angel cut, fingertip length, pencil edged veil from the Glass Slipper, and a lovely faux orchid flower from Lauren Lee Designs that added a touch of elegance to her hair. Her earrings and wedding rings were from her favorite jewelry store, Susan Campbell Jewelry in Pensacola. Her something borrowed was a bracelet from her mother along with a necklace from Danusia. For her own personal trademark, Michelle made her own shoes.

The bridesmaids wore dresses from the Dessy Group in two tropical colors of ocean blue and three in turquoise. While three of the groomsmen wore tan suits from Men’s Warehouse and two Coast Guard Lieutenants wore their dress white uniforms. Michelle made all her bridesmaids shoes, necklaces, and earrings and the groomsmen wore Reef Fanning Sandals.
   
As Michelle descended down the isle to Adam, who looked dashing in his military dress white uniform, she carried a bouquet with an assortment of tropical flowers designed and made by her sister-in-law, and floral designer from Hawaii, Angela Darrah. The “tropical elegance” theme continued throughout with an array of cymbidium orchids, dendrobium orchids, antherium, amaranthus, bird of paradise, callas, pin cushion protea, multiple colored roses and fresh bamboo with curly willow that was put together with the help of florist Tom Williams and Jeffrey Highers of Tennessee. They worked closely with both Michelle and Angela to achieve the unique and breathtaking assortment.

Capturing each magical moment was the highly recommended Rae and Wes Leytham of Rae Leytham Photography of Pensacola. The 165 guests watched as Father Steve Bates of Holy Nativity Episcopal Church joined Michelle Renee Darrah and Adam Monroe Ziegler in holy matrimony. He also shared with the happy couple the secret to a successful marriage was…”banana pancakes.” He shared with them that every so often it’s good to ignore the world outside and make banana pancakes. Instead of the traditional lighting of the unity candles, Michelle and Adam choose to add their own twist by mixing waters from the Gulf of Mexico and Susquehanna River with Hawaii and Antarctica that was later poured over the rings (a Coast Guard Academy tradition).

Following the ceremony the guest retreated to the Grand Lagoon Terrace of the Bay Point Marriott who catered the buffet style reception with Kahlua pork, baked grouper, Polynesian sweet and yellow potatoes with pineapple and coconut streusel, and soy glazed vegetables. The 20 guest tables were covered in alternating fabrics of aqua pin-tuck silk and darker teal crinkled silk taffeta. Each table was set with a silver charger and the tables were labeled by framed photos of beaches the couple had visited. The guest were assigned by beach name and postcards were left for guest to write well wishes to the newlyweds that would be later mailed to them periodically throughout the couple’s first year of marriage. Dimly lit chandeliers with paper lanterns added an intimate lighting over the tables and spotlights were used over the buffet for extra lighting. The entrance way was adorned with an eight foot tree branch covered in crystals, and spray orchids that were spotlighted from above. High top tables were placed around the dance floor covered in aqua cloths and topped with silver sparkled sheer cloths with marvelous centerpieces of tall cylinder vases with twisted aqua wire holding five cymbidium orchids in water that were lit from the base. Rachelle’s creative designs truly transformed the Marriott into a tropical paradise.

After dinner and desert everyone danced late into the night to music provided by DJ Jim Lawson and even a rendition of “Mustang Sally” was sung by the priest. It was an amazing celebration. The couple left by running through sparkles and petals; however, the party didn’t stop there. After Michelle changed into her mother’s cocktail style wedding dress the party continued in the Marriott’s hospitality suite. A few hours later the newlyweds made their way back to their room where they were greeted by chocolate covered strawberries and champagne.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Ziegler took their honeymoon in California hiking through Joshua Tree National Park and staying at the popular B&B, Sacred Sands. It offered everything the couple wanted and was perfectly secluded with hiking, climbing, hot tub and yes, banana pancakes for breakfast. The happy couple now reside in Marina Del Rey, California on the Shores of Los Angeles. •