This session was shot by GMP founder and Principal Photographer Elizabeth Millar
AJ and Jada got married at the Lake Mary Events Center a year after I photographed their secret courthouse elopement.
A year before this wedding, I photographed AJ and Jada’s courthouse elopement. They kept it entirely to themselves. Their families believed the real date was still twelve months away, and the two of them quietly held onto that secret while everyone else planned around the wrong calendar.
Then they asked me back for the day everyone else got to see. That’s one of my favorite things that happens in this job, and it happens more often than you might think. Couples who had me for their courthouse wedding calling a year or two later for the big one feels like the best possible endorsement.
October is a special month to them. Their first and second dates happened in October, so the month carries weight beyond the wedding itself. This one had warmth all the way through.
About the Lake Mary Events Center Wedding Venue
The Lake Mary Events Center sits on the shore of West Crystal Lake, about half an hour north of downtown Orlando. The venue describes itself as quintessential old Florida and that’s accurate. Live oaks, Spanish moss, water views, and a building that highlights the landscape it’s sitting within. One thing I love about this venue is the light. Floor to ceiling windows run through the building, and the grounds outside hold up at every hour of the day.
I’d worked here before on another micro wedding, but this wedding gave me a much better sense of what the whole property can do. Whether you’re planning something intimate or a traditional full wedding, this venue can fit any size celebration perfectly.
Ceremony in the Rotunda
AJ and Jada had their ceremony in the Rotunda, which is the glass-enclosed indoor ceremony space. Walls of windows surround you on every side, and they had white draping, a circular greenery arch, and flower petals scattered down the aisle. On an overcast or rainy day this room would still deliver, which is worth knowing if you’re planning a Florida wedding during a month that could go either way.
Outdoor Spaces: The Fountain, Event Lawn & White Trellis
The outdoor space at Lake Mary Events Center has a tiered stone fountain, an open event lawn that runs toward the water, and a long white trellis that made for some of my favorite portraits of the day. We used all of it. The fountain especially photographs beautifully in late afternoon light, and the covered trellis gives you a clean architectural line to work against without needing anything else in the frame.
This lawn is also the Lakeside Ceremony Site if you’d rather be married outdoors, and it seats up to 240 with a water view.
Earthy Neutral Color Palette Across the Whole Wedding Party
The color palette for this celebration was excellent. The wedding party and a good portion of the guests wore earthy neutrals in every shade of brown available, from pale tan through copper and rust to deep chocolate. AJ wore chocolate brown. The groomsmen were in cream and tan. The bridesmaids ran through terracotta and copper. Jada’s bouquet picked up the same tones with dusty rose and cream roses against eucalyptus.
When a group commits to a range like that, the photos come out looking stunningly cohesive. Every group shot from this wedding works.
Why I Started With the Ceremony Instead of Getting Ready
I was booked for two hours of coverage on this wedding, which is common for my micro wedding couples and is one of the more effective ways to keep photography costs down without losing the parts of the day that matter most.
Remembering the People Who Couldn’t Be There
There were several separate places throughout the day set aside for people who had passed. A memorial table with framed photographs and an “In Loving Memory” sign. A reserved chair for those who had already passed on. A white Bible for guests to sign instead of a traditional guest book.
FAQ: Planning a Wedding at the Lake Mary Events Center in Florida
The Lake Mary Events Center is located at 260 N Country Club Road in Lake Mary, Florida, on the shore of West Crystal Lake. It’s roughly thirty minutes north of downtown Orlando and easy to reach from most of Seminole County.
There are two distinct ceremony locations at Lake Mary Events Center. The Rotunda is the glass-enclosed indoor space with panoramic views and seating for up to 160. The Lakeside Ceremony Site is outdoors and includes the event lawn, the trellis areas, and the fountain patio, all with a lakeside view. The larger trellis area seats 240 and the smaller trellis area seats 130.
The venue accommodates up to 240 wedding guests overall across its indoor and outdoor spaces (see their capacity page for more details). The Grand Ballroom holds seated banquet dinners for up to 240 guests and can be divided into two smaller ballrooms. The Rotunda, where AJ and Jada had their ceremony, seats 160 guests for ceremonies and 80 for reception banquet seating.
Weekend weddings require a full building rental, which includes the Grand Ballroom, Meeting Room, Rotunda, the Lakeside Ceremony Site, and the changing rooms for $4,000-$5,000 for an 8-hour block. A Thursday evening rental is $2,000. Holiday rentals are $5,000 for an eight hour block. Check the pricing page for current rates, since these change.
No. Center staff manage the building but do not provide wedding coordination, so plan to hire your own day-of coordinator.
Lake Mary Events Center has a list of preferred caterers that you must choose from. All alcoholic beverages must be served via your select caterer, and no cash bars are allowed.
Full Building rental covers the Grand Ballroom, Meeting Room, Rotunda, Lakeside Ceremony Site, and changing rooms for both parties. The Conference Room is not included. Up to 160 white resin chairs are available, and you can upgrade to Mahogany Chiavari Chairs for an extra fee. A one hour rehearsal is included with your rental.
At the Lakeside Ceremony Site, only bubbles or butterfly releases are permitted. Flower petals, birdseed, confetti, and rice are not allowed outdoors. No candles are permitted anywhere inside the building. Inside the Rotunda, real or silk petals are permitted but must be cleaned up by your party immediately after the ceremony. Sparklers are only permitted outside of the building and a bucket of sand or water must be provided by the rental party to extinguish the sparklers.
Yes, guided tours of the building and grounds can be arranged. Reach out through their website to schedule one.
Looking for a Photographer for Your Lake Mary Events Center Wedding?
Congratulations, AJ and Jada, and thank you for having me (twice)! Getting to photograph the quiet version and then the celebration a year later was a real privilege.
If you’re planning a wedding at the Lake Mary Events Center or anywhere else in Central Florida, whether it’s a two hour micro wedding or a full day with everyone you know, get in touch and let’s talk about it.
