A Modern, Tropical Wedding in Miami Beach

By the time Katia Herminio and Ntanzi Carrilho married on April 28, 2018, they had been engaged for 4 years and together for 10. The pair, who met as teenagers in Mozambique when Katia was on vacation there, got engaged on January 1, 2014—after a number of fake proposals on Ntanzi's part to keep Katia on her toes!—and even started planning their wedding before Katia found out she was pregnant. "We decided to postpone our wedding until after our son was born," says the bride. Their baby, Kyrie, was born prematurely and needed medical care, so Katia stayed in Miami with him while Ntanzi returned to Mozambique. "He has had a miraculous recovery, so our wedding wasn't just a celebration of our marriage but of his journey and our family's first chance to meet him," Katia describes.

Once Kyrie was healthy, the pair began planning their wedding in earnest, setting the date for April 28, 2018, and hiring Guerdy Abraira of Ocean Flowers & Events (the same planner who designed Arielle Charnas of Something Navy's 2014 wedding!) to bring their modern tropical wedding—inspired by a trip to Bali—to life. "Guerdy planned both of my sisters' weddings, so I've known her for over a decade," says Katia. "I already trusted her, and was amazed by how quickly she understood our vision even when I wasn't quite sure what it was!"

Katia and Ntanzi's wedding at The Miami Beach EDITION is full of palm leaves, clean lines, and lots of candlelight. Keep reading to see all the photos by Merari Photography!

Gold ink on steel blue paper set the tone for Ntanzi and Katia's contemporary celebration, while the palm illustrations added a nod to their beach locale.

Katia's bridesmaids were ready for the occasion, sipping champagne and getting their makeup done in matching palm print robes.

"I'd found my dress right after we got engaged in 2014, so all I had to do when we set a new date was have my fittings," says Katia. The bride thought she wanted a simple gown with clean lines, but her sister talked her into trying on this lace Inbal Dror design. Says Katia, "It was an unexpected choice for me, but I loved all of the detail!"

Ntanzi wore a classic tuxedo from Giorgio Armani, while his groomsmen all wore coordinating ensembles from Vera Wang. Each woman in Katia's entourage chose her own gold sequin Theia gown, ultimately donning a variety of silhouettes and designers. "I wanted my bridesmaids to be coordinated but to still feel that they could express their personal style," she says.

The couple's son, Kyrie, was the ring bearer and walked down the aisle with his cousins in navy blue three-piece suits. The flower girl wore a dress with a gold sequin top and white skirt to match the bridesmaids.

The ceremony set-up embraced the modern tropical wedding aesthetic. Monstera leaves and lush greenery were studded with white roses and tulips, draped over a circular backdrop and organically in a semicircle around the bride and groom.

After a four-year engagement, Ntanzi could barely contain his excitement when he saw Katia walking down the aisle. The bride was accompanied by both her mother and father, and carried a bouquet of white peonies for her big moment.

As Katia and Ntanzi shared their first kiss as husband and wife, guests tossed white rose petals into the air. "We were so grateful to have guests there from all over the world, making the trip to be with us on such a big day," says Katia.

To bring a touch of tropical indoors, escort cards were displayed on a sleek white table, set in front of a green wall of bamboo. Orchids draped down from above, while vases full of white tulips were scattered between elevated floating candles.

The reception design featured classic white tables surrounded by gold-edged chairs. The space was filled with floating candles in glass orbs, inverted white lilies, and elevated garlands of lush greenery. "The hotel is so clean and modern, and was the perfect size for our guest list," says Katia. "The aesthetic was the perfect backdrop for the tropical celebration we wanted to create."

At each place setting, a monstera leaf was topped with an acrylic box that was printed with the evening's dinner menu, a contemporary take on a traditional charger.

Ntanzi and Katia shared their first dance to "You & I" by John Legend. "We had a DJ mixed with a live band, which gave our reception a really fun vibe," says Katia. "We did our best to enjoy every single moment, especially with our young son. Time really does fly by!"