Scene Together: Couples on Their Wedding Day

By Wendy Lyons Sunshine
January 2021

Julie Friend + Dan Adler
Married November 14, 2020

Glistening greenery in Myakka State Park provided a bucolic backdrop for Julie Friend and Daniel Adler’s wedding.

Julie, who works in the Office of Admissions at Ringling College of Art and Design, is a Sarasota native. Dan, owner of DK Moto in Port Charlotte, is a native of Ruth, Michigan. 

When the pair first met in 2007, they both lived in Sarasota, and each were dating other people. Over the years their paths crossed occasionally and in 2017, they reconnected while single and began dating. With Dan living in Hendersonville, NC, and Julie in Sarasota, the long-distance couple met in the middle in St. Augustine, Florida.

Dan proposed on a bench at a secluded park overlooking the water around sunset. Because of safety concerns during the pandemic, the pair opted for a small, intimate outdoor ceremony with just a few friends and family. A larger reception has been postponed for the future. 

Dan’s parents, Jerry and Kathy Adler, drove in from out of state and took the necessary precautions to attend and be a part of the special day. Chelsea Lee, the matron of honor, did the outdoor decorating with help from her husband, Joey Lee. Mothers Tammy and Kathy prepared the food. 

Tammy Friend, Julie’s mother and a notary, officiated the ceremony. Because Julie’s father, Mike Friend, had passed away in 2009, her younger brother, Will, walked her down the aisle. Best man, Loren Jewell, stood up for the groom. The bride’s wedding ring was crafted at Friend’s Jewelers on Main Street in Sarasota by Julie’s uncle Tom and cousin Angie, using one of Julie’s father’s designs.

Of the memorable event, she says, “A storm had just passed through, so all the plants were green and dewy, making for a beautiful background. It was so nice being tucked away with nature for our wedding day!”

When COVID-19 subsides and travel is easier again, the couple plan a return to St. Augustine for a longer getaway.

VENDORS | Venue: Myakka State Park • Ring: Friend’s Jewelers, Sarasota