OLIMB PHOTOGRAPHY
OLIMB PHOTOGRAPHY
Cover Story
ASHLEY SHIPLEY AND BILLY RUFFIER
Though a Valentine’s Day meeting in college didn’t bring love at first sight, it was the first step of many that would eventually draw Ashley Shipley and Billy Ruffier together as a couple — and even distance couldn’t keep their hearts apart. After a year and a half of long-distance dating after graduation from the University of Florida, Ashley joined Billy where he was living in Hawaii. Then, it was only a matter of time before the two knew that they wanted to spend their lives together. “I’d just gotten back from catching the bouquet at one of my best friends’ weddings in St. Augustine, Florida, and my birthday was coming up a few days later. I kept telling Billy that I wanted him to plan something special for my first Hawaiian birthday, and, boy, was it special.” Ashley recalls of the day in May of 2018. “We set off for a walk on the beach before a nice dinner, and as we were walking, we ran into a Hawaiian monk seal. Billy told me to keep looking at the seal and not turn around until he said. When
I did, he had written ‘Marry Me?’ in the sand and was down on one knee!” Nearly two years later on Feb. 1, 2020, Kimberly wore a sheath-style crepe gown with lace detailing as she walked down the aisle at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort to meet Billy at the altar. “My parents have been living in the Destin area since 2011, and I’d travel there often when I lived in Gainesville. With most of our guests being from out of town, we loved the idea of Sandestin being a destination that they wouldn’t necessarily need a car for different events — it was all right there. Once Billy saw The Grand with the surrounding trees and the tall columns, it felt like old Florida, and we knew it was the right place,” says Ashley, who now lives in Missouri with her new husband. “Our coordinator, Jennifer, was very quick to respond to my endless questions via email or text; and the team worked well with my planner, Kristi at Kiss the Bride, which made things so much easier. When there was a problem, they fixed it quickly behind the scenes.”
Extraordinary Wedding Experiences Coming Soon to Hotel Effie OPENING FEB. 1, 2021, Hotel Effie will feature its own elegant ceremony and reception venues, not to mention wedding packages that are limited only by your imagination. From award-winning chef Hugh Acheson writing your wedding menu to luxurious spa packages, from cocktail hour at the rooftop lounge to exchanging vows in the extraordinary Juniper Ballroom, Hotel Effie weddings will be your most unforgettable experience. For more information, call (850) 267-6736.
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FALL/WINTER 2020
SANDESTIN LIVING