The group of students organized and orchestrated a Student Wedding as part of the school’s Career and Technical Education program.  

The student-led event was held at Julie Cook’s River Front Estate and acted as a buildup to their fourth-quarter final exam. In the program, year one students start with Intro to Hospitality, then head into Intro to Technology. Year three and four students venture into marketing and internships. 

Fifteen students in the marketing class learn the process behind putting together events, hence the mock-style grand wedding, said Family Consumer Science Teacher Laura Kirk. 

The hands-on learning concept is a yearly tradition at the school and was first brought to life in 2018.  

“It slowly built each year. Liz is my event coordinator [and] event planner. So, she gets to use the stuff that we’ve done in the past, but from start to finish, she plans the wedding. 

“I help facilitate it. I share with them; this is what they’ve done in the past. Here’s the invitation, here’s the save the date, here’s all of the pieces.” 

The process was loaded but rewarding for year four student Elizabeth (Liz) Mestas, who started planning back in September, from picking the bride and groom, to finalizing the wardrobe, food, location and invitations. 

“It was nice seeing…the whole school come together in one event that we planned,” she said. 

A total of 60 people attended the big day. Special guests included families, administrators, Clay County District Schools personnel and classmates.  

The event is something that each student can add to their resume. Student photographers provided a photo gallery, the drama club lent a scripted-officiant and the school’s chorus and band provided the music 

“They all get to build their resume,” Kirk said. 

The food was catered by Olive Garden, the Parlor provided glam, Men’s Wearhouse gave tailored suits and Covenant Confections made the wedding cake. Various students helped setup, serve and clean up, Kirk said.  

Shane Sigman and Gabby Hewitt were this year’s bride and groom. For Sigman, who is a junior, it was the first wedding he had ever been to. 

“I love working with other people and just being able to cooperate with them,” he said.  

In her white gown and bright flower bouquet, Hewitt, a year four student, was escorted down the aisle by FIHS Principal Thomas Pittman. For her, the behind-the-scenes hustle and bustle were the highlights of the experience. 

“It was very interesting getting to see the background behind what you have to do. What all goes into planning an entire wedding and just all the little details that go into it. Like, the decorations and everything that you don’t think about,” she said. 

The wedding also included a mix of student bridesmaids and groomsmen, including year four student Bryleigh Barlow. 

With Fleming Island High being the only school to have a Hospitality program, Kirk said its importance is emphasized by the need for hands on learning.  

“Hospitality is usually their first job. It’s customer service, it’s restaurants, it’s hotels,” she said. 

“We live in Florida, and hospitality is huge here…this is more hands on,” she added. “How do you build a resume? How do you look at a business? How do you market?” 

Although Mestas plans to major in marine biology, she said the overall concept of the course allowed her to learn how to plan, organize and lead. Barlow, who plans to study marketing, agreed. 

“I’ve just learned so much from this class that actually applies to the real world. Not to say, other classes don’t. But I would say this one probably does the most because everything I’ve learned, I use every single day,” Barlow said.