Hampton Inn & Suites Gainesville-Downtown

Welcome Reception

Depot Park

Family Fun Day

Granville Plantation

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Winter

Our Wedding

We met while we both were attending Florida State University through a mutual friend. The relationship was mostly just running into each other at random gatherings with some scattered damsel in distress moments of missing keys or needing help in accounting class. Then we started to work together at Florida State athletics, Stuart in marketing and Erica in Facilities and operations. We started to hang out more and in 2012 found out that we were going to have a son, Brayden.We did not take a typical path and decided to be friends and co-parents while raising Brayden and it took 10 years for us to finally decide to be a couple. We consider those 10 years a blessing as we were able to take the time to discover who we are and who we want to be as well as getting to be parents to the coolest kid in the world. Even when we weren't together, care and respect remained at the center of our relationship. In that 10 years there were many trips and events together, as well as times we had to rely on each other for help (like running out of gas or a place to stay). We experienced lots of changes and bumps in the road but one thing that remained was commitment to give Brayden the best we could which meant rooting for each other!In 2021, after a worldwide pandemic and housing boom, Stuart needed a place to stay for a little while and as they say the rest is history. We discovered that care, respect, and commitment made a great foundation for love and we decided to finally give this thing a try. Fast forward through a whirlwind of life and here we are, ready to take the next big step in this journey!

Our Story

Photos

Wedding Party

Q + A

The welcome reception will be held on Friday night at this hotel. The wedding venue is 15.1 miles from the hotel.

This hotel is a block from the welcome reception at the Hampton Inn Downtown and is 15.2 miles from the wedding venue. It includes the valet parking.

Hyatt Place Gainesville Downtown

Airports

Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV): 4.5 miles from hotelJacksonville International Airport (JAX): 80.1 miles from hotelOrlando Interational Airport (MCO): 121.5 miles from hotelTampa International Airport (TPA): 130.9 miles from hotel

Travel

Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention

The Butterfly Rainforest at the museum is amazing!!!!!!

Florida Museum of Natural History-Exhibits

We will be having a Saturday Family Day and lunch here! Amazing for the kids but very busy! Lots of walking trails too!

Swamp Head Brewery

Bo Diddley Plaza

A bit farther Away!

Best place in the area to see Alligators!

La Chua Trailhead

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens

The water is the same temperature all year!

Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park

O'Leno State Park

Floating down the river is fun too but not when the air is cold! You can get some kayaks though! The water is the same temperature in the river since it is spring fed!

Ichetucknee Springs State Park

They will shuttle you back to the launch point!

Santa Fe Canoe Outpost Park

Our personal recommendations for places to eat

Loosey's Downtown Gainesville

Great substitutes for vegetarians!

The Top

Amazing BBQ and like a million whiskeys available!

Mojo Hogtown Bar-B-Que

One of our favorites! The best fried cheesecake ever! But you may need a reservation

Dragonfly Sushi & Sake Company

Local Cuban chain and it is amazing! We have friends from out of town who will drive out of their way to stop here on a trip!

Mi Apá Latin Café of Gainesville

Really fun local funky place with awesome pizza! Sit in the old van for service if its available! The plane playground is in the back.

Erica & Stuart

Erica & Stuart

E&S

Wedding Day

10:30 AM–11:00 AM

Ceremony

11:00 AM–1:00 PM

Reception