Inside Three Couples’ Vero Beach Weddings

The month of June has long been associated with weddings. It is thought that this tradition may date back to the auspicious influence of the Roman goddess Juno, after whom the month is named, as she was linked with all things related to women and marriage. June is also a month that brings longer days and, in much of the world, mild weather and vacation time. Whatever the reasons, June turns our minds to marriage, and so we introduce you to three couples who have said “I do” in Vero Beach over the past year or so.

High School Sweethearts

Our first couple, Connell Paddison Osteen and Hanson Hardee Peirce, met during their senior year at Vero Beach High School. Not only is Connell a seventh-generation Floridian, Hanson’s family has been in Vero Beach more than a century! In fact, both sets of parents live here: Terry and Allen Osteen and Robbi and Mark Peirce.

These two diehard Floridians were both destined to be Gators, so they headed up to Gainesville together for college. Connell obtained a B.S. degree in sociology, while Hanson took one in business administration. Their relationship flourished during their college years.

Connell and Hanson’s big day took place at John’s Island Golf Club on May 18, 2024. Their wedding weekend was full of fun events, including a pickleball welcome party, a cruise down the Indian River Lagoon, a putt-putt tournament, and a whiskey tasting.

At the reception, ballerinas escorted the 200 guests to seats and then gave a short performance as dinner was served. A 13-piece band provided entertainment, and a watercolorist was on hand to paint guests for keepsake artworks.

Because Hanson had just started his new job at the time of the wedding and also has state exams to study for, honeymoon plans are on hold until later in the year. However, the newlyweds were able to slip away to The Cloister at Sea Island in Georgia for a minimoon.

The Peirces have settled in their hometown and recently purchased their first home, in the Vero Beach Country Club area. Connell is employed as an events coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee Counties, and Hanson is a client service associate and analyst with Morgan Stanley.

Building on Love

ur next wedding saw a fourth-generation Vero Beach resident marry a young man from across the state. Chloe Faye Schlitt, daughter of Karen and Frank Schlitt of Vero Beach, wed Christopher Scott Douglas, son of Alison and Scott Douglas of Naples, at Sea Oaks Beach & Tennis Club on July 13, 2024.

As a little girl, Chloe fell in love with the beautiful pink Sea Oaks clubhouse on the beach and dreamed of having her wedding there.

In keeping with Vero’s heritage, the festivities had a citrus theme. Also, in honor of Chris’ love for fishing in the Keys, the reception included mini pies from the Key Lime Pie Lady in Islamorada.

Despite the rigors of medical school, Chloe planned the wedding herself, applying a personal touch by making the signs, drink menus, and other small decor touches.

The couple’s Hawaiian honeymoon included lots of hiking, surfing, and sightseeing on the islands of Kaui, Maui, and Oahu.

Chris, who holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Florida, is currently employed as a project manager with the Naples-based Build construction company. Chloe attended UF’s College of Public Health and Health Professions, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in health science and a master’s in health administration. She is a third-year medical student at Florida State University’s College of Medicine.

The Douglases plan to make their home in Vero Beach after Chloe finishes medical school; she looks forward to taking care of us as a family physician.

John’s Island Tradition

John’s Island looms large in the November 16, 2024 marriage of Mackenzie Pogue Williams and Michael Charles Ionescu.

Both sets of Mackenzie’s grandparents—Evelyn and John Hoben Sr. and Constance and Richard Williams—settled in John’s Island in the early 1970s. After years of being family friends, her parents, Jennifer Hoben and Henry P. Williams, married at John’s Island in 1990.

Mackenzie brought Michael to Vero Beach early in their relationship, and it quickly became a special place to the couple. Michael is the son of Louise Fontaine of Vermont and Mike and Rossana Ionescu of New York, New York. “Some of our favorite traditions are rooted in Vero’s charm,” says Mackenzie.

Both the bride and groom attended High Point University in North Carolina, where Mackenzie earned a B.A. degree in communication: electronic media production, with a minor in photography, and Michael obtained both a B.A. and an M.A. in strategic communication.

In a ceremony officiated by the bride’s best friend, the pair exchanged vows before 175 guests on the terrace outside the Ocean Room at John’s Island Beach Club. “It felt like the perfect way to honor the legacy of love and connection that Vero Beach represents for my family,” says Mackenzie, “and to begin our next chapter surrounded by the beauty and history of a place that means so much to us. It was always my dream to get married here and carry on the family tradition!”

The reception was held in a Sperry tent on the club’s lawn overlooking the beach. The father-daughter dance was to “Wind Beneath My Wings,” the same song her mother and grandfather danced to over 30 years ago, almost to the day.

For their honeymoon, the newlyweds boarded the Ritz-Carlton yacht Evrima for a seven-night cruise around the Caribbean.

The couple reside in Manhattan, where Mackenzie is employed as a senior visuals editor for The Bump at The Knot Worldwide and Michael as a content strategy associate with J.P. Morgan.