A Modern, Tropical Wedding at the Confidante in Miami Beach, Florida

Jay Yagoda (31 and a lawyer) and Wes Pearce (27 and a marketing consultant and a real estate agent) created a retro-modern wedding for 130 at the Confidante in Miami Beach, Florida. “We loved the midcentury aesthetic of this property,” Wes says. “We also fell in love with the various event spaces we were able to use, the privacy they offered and the amazing ocean views.” A crisp black-and-white palette was accented with warm yellows throughout the indoor ceremony and reception. “The interior of the hotel is a throwback to the heyday of Miami Beach, in the 1940s and '50s, and we wanted our wedding to complement that aesthetic,” Jay says. “Since we are two men, we wanted the style to be masculine, clean and classic.” After a ceremony on the hotel’s covered ocean-view patio, guests sipped refreshing cucumber and vodka cocktails at the on-site reception, the decor for which was inspired by retro-modern Miami. "We wanted it to look like a 1950s Miami Beach wedding reception," Wes says. "The design was sleek and modern yet with a vintage vibe.” Calla lilies sprung up again as centerpieces, adding the perfect amount of simple, elegant beauty. “Get started early, and do things your way,” Jay and Wes say. “Don’t let others’ opinions sway you.” —Carolyn Meers