24        VIPPensacola.com

Visiting Pensacola her entire life, and having a place 

to call home in East Hill and Portofino, Caroline had 
fallen in love with Old Christ Church in her youth, 
and knew it was where she wanted to be married.

On September 9, 2017, as Hurricane Irma bared 

down on the Gulf Coast, Caroline’s wish was granted. 
“I was so nervous, and there were several last-minute 
cancellations from guest’s due to the weather, but my 
mother and the team we had in place continued to 
reassure me that all would be fine,” said Caroline. 

With most of the wedding party and guests coming 

from out of town, Portofino was the perfect lodging 
choice. The bridesmaids lunched in Caroline’s parents’ 
condo where catering was provided by Portofino and 
Classic City Catering before returning to their own 
accommodations in the same tower to dress. The 
groomsmen enjoyed the Alabama football game in 
their condo located in a different tower. Two trollies 

whisked the bride and groom with their prospective 
bridal party members and families to Bartram Park, 
named after the famous naturalist William Bartram, 
where Caroline and Joiner had their first look. 

Family and friends gathered together to celebrate 

the couple’s marriage at Old Christ Church. The 
family’s former Point Washington United Methodist 
pastor, Tonya Elmore, drove from Enterprise, Alabama, 
to officiate, and Sean Dietrich, a friend from Brewton, 
Alabama, now living in South Walton and beloved for 
his storytelling as Sean of The South, played acoustic 
guitar making the ceremony even more sentimental. 

Also sentimental was the rehearsal dinner held 

at 511 Palafox, a Pensacola building rich in history. 
Guests enjoyed incredible food while John Ripley, a 
well-known local pianist played. The speeches were 
short but did not leave an eye dry, especially when 
Caroline’s step-father, Philip, flatpicked his acoustic 

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12/26/17   4:21 PM