Reflecting on 10 Years of Northwest Florida Weddings Magazine

With the arrival of our 2024 issue comes the celebration of 10 years of Northwest Florida Weddings Magazine. A lot can happen in 10 years, and indeed, a lot has occurred for this regional magazine that continues to reach the hands of happy couples throughout the United States.

We are immensely grateful for our readers who have used this magazine as a guide to plan their own Northwest Florida weddings. Those couples have been able to plan their dream weddings thanks to the generous vendors and venues who select to appear within our pages.

Northwest Florida Weddings Magazine began in 2014 as a guide containing ads and advertorial content. The first issue was 84 pages. In 2015, under the editorial direction of Chay Baxley, editorial stories and the magazine’s first styled editorial shoot were integrated.

The Northwest Florida Weddings Magazine brand continued to prosper in 2016 with a page count increased to 92 pages and the launch of the Northwest Florida Weddings website. Until this point, the publication did not have a digital presence. For the first time, we were able to share the magazine digitally, spotlight our vendors and launch a blog with relevant wedding-related content.

The magazine saw continued growth in 2017, reaching a 100-page count. That year, Baxley departed the company, handing the editor torch on to Rebecca Padgett Frett, who has remained editor to this day.

The increase of page counts and advertiser interest allowed, in 2018, the space to share editorial content through the magazine’s platform. That year also saw the launch of our now-annual Top Trends page.

In 2019, lead publication designer Sarah Burger brought a redesign to the magazine’s showcase pages, creating a modern look loved by readers and advertisers across the Panhandle and beyond.

While the 2020 arrival of COVID-19 brought unexpected challenges to the wedding industry, after some publication delays, we were able to produce a 92-page magazine as a result of reader and advertiser dedication.

By 2022, our magazine was back in full force and reenergized alongside the wedding industry. The showcase pages saw another refresh, we had our first illustrated editorial story and the first cover-couple feature story was published.

In 2023 we were able to do something we had long dreamed to do with Northwest Florida Weddings Magazine — a styled cover shoot. Our first-ever styled cover shoot featured bride Maia Mae at Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa with seven preferred vendors including Jennifer G Photography, McCaskill & Company, Margaret Ellen Bridal, SunQuest Beach Weddings florals, Serenity by the sea Spa and JA 30A Salon. 

The styled cover shoot was such a success, we were able to do a second styled shoot for 2024, featuring engaged couple Ann Delaney and Casey Woods at Hotel Effie Sandestin. The preferred vendors included Jennifer G Photography, McCaskill & Company, Margaret Ellen Bridal, SunQuest Beach Weddings florals, Destin Mobile Makeup, Amazing Lash, Nic’s Toggery, Narcissus and JA 30A Salon. 

The continued success of Northwest Florida Weddings Magazine is made possible by those who read, enjoy and invest in our publication. Thank you to everyone who has supported and shared this magazine over the past 10 years. We look forward to many more years of being your trusted source for wedding planning.

2024 cover photo courtesy of  Jennifer G Photography