Real Weddings: Amanda O’Neill

We love sharing weddings with you that include Dogwood Hill paper, and this bright and beautiful Palm Beach wedding is no exception! Amanda and Dan O’Neill tied the knot last September in a vibrant outdoor ceremony held at the luxuriously coastal chic Colony Hotel. Amanda has shared their wedding story below as well as some advice for future brides. Continue scrolling for all the fabulous florals and details featured on this couple’s special day.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story.

We both moved to the South Florida area to be near our families. Dan moved from San Francisco and I moved from St. Petersburg, Florida. We matched on Hinge in October 2022, met in early November and started dating and became official in January 2023. We had so much in common, from our paths nearly crossing when we both lived in San Francisco at different times, to our love of the beach, the Hamptons, our families and most importantly, Dan fell in love with my – now our – Golden Retriever, Wrigley. 

It was very clear early on that what we had was unique, and we were on the same page about all the important things … and it was easy! We were both in our mid 30s and dated enough to know when we finally met, “the one.” We were engaged Labor Day weekend of 2023. 

What made you select your particular ceremony and reception venues?

We wanted to have our wedding close to home, where many of our loved ones were within driving distance but could also feel like they were on vacation for the weekend. Palm Beach was the perfect spot, and The Colony Hotel was at the top of our list for its quaint, unique, historically iconic, and gorgeous grounds. We loved that we could spend part of our wedding outside under the beautiful late summer twilight sun, having our ceremony in the garden and cocktail hour by the pool before moving inside for an intimate reception. Pink and green happen to be my favorite colors so we couldn’t have found a more fitting venue!

What was the feel that you wanted to accomplish for your wedding and how did your Dogwood Hill paper coordinate with that?

I wanted a colorful wedding and flowers were a major investment along with my tablescapes. I wanted our wedding to be unique, memorable and have a true Palm Beach vibe. The paper details were very important to me as they would set the tone for the upcoming events, and I found the perfect items to coordinate with my vision. They were elegant, classic and timeless with a touch of color & personality. I also wanted something that looked & felt custom, and the options on Dogwood Hill’s website gave me that aesthetic.  From the invitation set to welcome party invites & matching welcome signs, to menus, place cards, table numbers and my absolute favorite – our seating chart – everything was perfect! 

Can you tell us about finding your wedding dress?

My mom and I went on a wedding dress shopping trip to NYC, a lifelong dream fulfilled. We went to Kleinfeld, Mark Ingram, Amsale, and had an appointment at Reem Acra which is where I ultimately found my dress. I had tried on many dresses at this point and knew long sleeves was something I wanted but had a hard time finding until we went there. The dress is called “Beautiful,” and it really is my most favorite dress I’ve ever owned! We had an amazing experience at our appointment, Reem herself came out and helped fit me, which was a huge surprise and amazing memory! 

Did you and your husband do a “first look” or did you wait for the first look to take place during your ceremony?

No, we didn’t. The first look felt a little forced to me and we wanted the tradition of our first look being when I walked down the aisle. The thought of him having already seen me before the ceremony felt strange so we opted not to do a first look. Although I am glad, we did it, I am torn because doing a first look would have given me more time for photos with extended family & friends which I still have guilt over. 

What is your favorite element or detail from your wedding day?

Our flowers, they were insane, take your breath away, kind of amazing and totally exceeded my expectations. People still talk about them and how beautiful they were.

Do you have any advice for a bride currently planning her wedding?

Don’t shop for your outfits too early (you will change your mind 20 times before and end up with things you can’t return or don’t fit the vibe by the big day). Pay to keep your hair & makeup artist on for the entire day! I kept my makeup artist but not hair and that is a huge regret as I needed touch ups & would have liked a second hair look with my party dress. I also wish I had stayed in my wedding dress all night and had more pictures in it, but I was honestly so hot dancing around, sadly I had to switch.

Vendors:

Wedding Venue: The Colony Hotel, Palm Beach 

Wedding Planner – Golden Pineapple Event Company

Photographer – Brooke Nash Photography

Paper – Dogwood Hill’s Protea Wedding Suite

Social Media Content Creators: Pineapple Films

Custom watercolor save the dates and custom cocktail sign – Madison Quirion

Spray Tan – Shiane @Innerglow_Airbrushtanning

Hair – Cassie Tichenor – @Ivyandlacefl

Makeup – Roxana with Daniel Gozlan

Hybrid Band/DJ/Entertainment – Curate Entertainment

Florist & hand painted candles – Ellie’s Garden

Rentals (ceremony & reception chairs, rattan charger & charger plates, green glass & flatware, reception napkins & cocktail hour table cloths) – High Performance Designs

Wedding Cake – Sweet Tiers



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