If you’ve been following along here for a while, you know I’ve spent over a decade photographing weddings all over South Florida. I’ve stood in some of the most stunning venues this city has to offer, watched hundreds of couples exchange vows in the most beautiful settings, and thought to myself more times than I can count, I want to elope in the mountains one day… but I’m Hispanic, and an only child, so there was no other option than to walk down the aisle with 50 of our closest family members and friends to witness it.
I wanted it to feel romantic, intimate, yet outside. And I absolutely did not want to spend the better part of a year stressed out coordinating a dozen different vendors for a day that would be over before I could blink.
Oh, and one more thing. We had five months to make it happen.
We got engaged in September and knew almost immediately that we wanted to get married in February. No long engagement, no two year countdown. Just us, ready, and excited to figure it out quickly. That timeline ruled out a lot of traditional wedding planning paths and honestly pushed us toward something better. What I found was The Cooper Estate, and it gave us every single one of those things.
Falling in Love With The Cooper Estate
I had loved The Cooper Estate for years before our wedding was ever a thought. There is something about that property that feels unlike anywhere else in Miami. It’s lush and garden-like, with a romantic quality that feels almost European, tucked away in a city that can feel anything but quiet.
But the detail that completely sold me? The doors leading to the grotto.
The moment I saw them I knew. There is something so dramatic and beautiful about those doors, the way they frame the entrance, the way they make you feel like you’re stepping into something sacred. For a ceremony, they’re everything. They added exactly the kind of theatrical, romantic moment I had always envisioned without needing any additional décor or setup to make them feel special.
That’s the thing about The Cooper Estate. The venue does the work for you.
Why We Went With the Intimate Elopement Package (And Customized It)
When I started looking into The Cooper Estate more seriously, I came across their intimate elopement packages and immediately loved the concept. Smaller. More personal. Less of everything that tends to make wedding planning feel overwhelming.
There was just one thing. I have a big family, and there was no version of our wedding day that didn’t include them.
So I reached out and asked if we could customize the package for 50 guests. And they said yes.
That conversation changed everything. Instead of building a wedding from scratch and hunting down vendors one by one, we worked with The Cooper Estate to create something that felt completely our own within a structure that was already thoughtfully designed. For a photographer who has watched couples exhaust themselves trying to coordinate every moving piece, this was a gift.
The total venue package for 50 people came in at a little over $10,000. For a Miami wedding with reception, that number in 2026 is almost unheard of. And it included far more than most couples expect.
Why We Did a Brunch Wedding (And Why You Should Consider It Too)
This was the decision that made our wedding feel the most like us.
Jordan and I are breakfast people. Like, genuinely, breakfast-before-anything-else or even for dinner type of people. So when we started thinking about what a reception that actually felt like our relationship would look like, the answer was obvious.
Brunch.
The Cooper Estate worked with us to create a custom spread that was honestly one of the best meals I’ve ever had at a wedding, and I say that without any bias whatsoever. We had a full charcuterie spread, a mimosa bar, fresh fruit, French toast casserole, egg casserole, sausages, and bacon. Our guests were obsessed. Half of them told us afterward it was the most unique wedding reception they had ever been to.
The ceremony started at 11:00 am and flowed right into brunch as the clock moved toward noon, all of it outside on a cold February morning with the kind of light that South Florida does better than anywhere. Tables set up in the garden, mimosas in hand, it was exactly what we dreamed of.
How We Kept It Stress Free
Here is the part I want every couple reading this to really hear.
Our DJ was included in the venue package.
Our photography was gifted to us by my incredible and talented friend, Jessica Vilchez, who had Claudia Amalia photograph it, and Jessica edited them.
Videography was done by our friend Juan Rojas Weddings.
Our flowers were done by a close friend and her mom, and they were exactly what we envisioned.
Our pastor was our dear friend Greg Burgess.
The night before, I stayed at The Walton Hurst with some of my closest women and got ready there the morning of. If you’ve read my blog before, you already know how much I love that space and the light it offers.
I’m sharing all of this because our wedding wasn’t free, but we never once felt like we were scrambling to find people we could trust. We knew every single vendor walking through the door that day. We trusted every single one of them. And that trust made the whole experience feel lighter and more joyful than I ever expected.
We added one extra hour to the venue, kept our ceremony to 30 minutes, and let brunch fill the rest of the morning. We got married on a Friday, and because so many of our guests have kids, we planned the whole day around a 2:00 pm end time. Anyone who needed to do school pickup walked straight from our wedding to their car and still made it on time. It was a small decision that took about five minutes to make and meant everything to the people we love. By early afternoon we were married, full of good food, surrounded by 50 of our favorite people, and completely at peace.
What I Would Tell Any Couple Considering The Cooper Estate
If you love the idea of an outdoor Miami wedding that feels romantic and garden-like without the formality of a traditional ballroom, this venue should absolutely be on your list.
If you have a smaller guest count or you’re open to customizing an intimate package the way we did, reach out to them directly. Idalia and Regina were so wonderful to work with and genuinely wanted to help us create something that felt personal.
And if you’re even slightly on the fence about a brunch wedding, I’m telling you from experience, it is memorable in the best possible way. Your guests will talk about it for years.
And if you got engaged recently and everyone around you is telling you that you need at least a year to plan a wedding, I’m here to tell you that is not always true. We had five months, a clear vision, the right venue, and people we trusted around us. That was enough.
Vendor Credits
Venue and Catering: The Cooper Estate, Miami Photography: Claudia Amalia and Jessica Vilchez Photography Videography: Juan Rojas Films Flowers: A dear friend and her mom Getting Ready: The Walton Hurst, Homestead FL Makeup and Hair: Beauty x Corin Wedding Dress: La Vie en Blanc Tux: The Black Tux
Are you planning a wedding in South Florida and looking for a photographer who genuinely loves what she does? I would love to hear about your day. Let’s connect.
