Event Spotlight: An Award-Winning Wedding in South Florida

Event Planner: Keith Willard Events, together with MMB Event Productions

Photographer: Michael Murphy Photography

The Event

David and Nanin wanted their Delray Beach, Fla., wedding to reflect their Christian and Buddhist backgrounds, with an earthy, colorful aesthetic and a warm, welcoming atmosphere for the 100 guests. The challenge for Keith Willard of Keith Willard Events? Bringing that vision to life on a firm budget.

The result was “A Room Reimagined,” winner of the 2026 NACE ONE Award for Wedding of the Year—Less Than $50,000.

“High impact does not have to mean high cost,” explains Willard of his process, which transformed everyday church spaces into a memorable, romantic celebration.

Decor Details

The wedding took place at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where David serves as musical director. The church generously donated the venue, allowing the couple to make use of three distinct spaces for their celebration.

A brick courtyard, typically a children’s play area, became an inviting cocktail space after toys and other clutter were removed. Its magnificent tree served as a natural focal point, complemented by Buddhist-inspired flags, gold elephants and bright flowers.

Forgoing the traditional sanctuary, the interfaith couple opted for a covered area at the entrance to the church grounds for their ceremony. “The existing metal structure was rusted and the covering was stained, so rather than fight against it, we transformed it,” says Willard. Soft light-blue organza concealed the weathered covering, while hanging florals, a flower-adorned wooden arch and candlelight created a romantic setting.

Willard also saw the potential in a general-purpose room for the reception, even though it didn’t offer much at first glance. “When I’m designing an event, I don’t just look straight ahead; I look at the entire room from top to bottom,” he says. “And when I looked up, I saw these amazing wood beams. Then I looked down and saw a beautiful wood floor.” Those architectural features became the foundation of the reception design.

The team highlighted the beams with hundreds of candles, drawing the eye upward and creating warmth throughout the room. Moss-colored linens and wood chairs connected the ceiling to the floor and reinforced the earthy, organic feeling the couple wanted.

“Throughout the wedding, we used browns, greens and natural wood tones as our foundation and then layered in color and symbolism,” says Willard. “Rather than trying to make the Christian and Buddhist elements compete with one another, the goal was to allow them to coexist within one cohesive visual story—much like the couple themselves.”

Menu Highlights

The menu by Palate Cuisine & Production featured a Fogon Grilled Carving Station, with offerings including churrasco with chimichurri sauce, pork tenderloin with papaya-mango chutney, Spanish beef and pork chorizo, garlic-roasted potatoes and assorted grilled seasonal vegetables. Other main course options included an Asian station and seafood paella.

Wooden stands that looked like tree trunks displayed the food, complementing the celebration’s earthy aesthetic. The dessert station featured just a few varieties, but the creative arrangement gave the impression of a much larger selection.

Takeaway Tips for Planners

For Willard, memorable wedding design begins with two questions: How should the wedding feel, and what should guests remember?

The answers help guide decisions about everything from decor to meaningful personal touches.

Willard encourages wedding professionals to incorporate details that reflect a couple’s personalities and interests, which become conversation-starters and make guests feel more connected to the couple. At one wedding, for example, he included each guest’s daily horoscope on the back of their place card because the bride was passionate about astrology.

Personal touches don’t have to be expensive, adds Willard. Handwritten notes to guests, for example, cost little but time.

Willard believes that good event design isn’t necessarily about having the biggest budget. “It’s about looking at what you already have, finding the beauty in it, and then using design intentionally to tell a story,” he says. “Creativity costs nothing.”

He also encourages planners to recognize the value of their work by entering industry award competitions, including those offered by NACE. Beyond professional recognition, winning can generate valuable publicity.

Ultimately, Willard believes successful event design comes down to creating an emotional connection.

“In a year, most people will not remember what the florals looked like, or what the color of the napkin was,” he says. “What they will remember is how they felt.”

Additional Vendors

Florist: Tyler Black/Cache Events Inc
DJ/Entertainment: Noir Sounds
Transportation: Black Pearl Limousine
Rental Furniture: Caesar Events Miami