Ashley & Gus

Rooted in love, carried by water

It is a joy to invite you to celebrate with us at our wedding on April 23, 2027 at Silver Springs, Florida

RSVP by Jan 15

Our Dearest loved ones,

Hi 😊 Thank you so much for checking out our website, and considering being with us on our most special day.

Gus and I have grown together for 3,430 days and counting, and we’re so excited to start this next chapter with you.

For out-of-towners, we recognize a trip to Florida requires a considerable amount of planning, time and money – and we’re eternally grateful for the sacrifices each of you are making in order to join in our celebration.

Below we have gathered a few tips and recommendations we compiled that may help as you plan your travel, accommodations and activities. We remain a resource for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

We love you,

Ash & Gus

Click on a link to jump 🐸

April 23, 2027

Silver springs, FL

Look, babe, it’s us

One of the continent’s largest freshwater springs, Florida’s oldest attraction, and home of the world’s first glass bottom boats: Silver Springs is a crystal-blue wondrous treasure. Silver Springs has a rich cultural history. In 1834, Seminole leader, Osceola made a key strategic move at a council held at Silver Springs that led to the Great Seminole War. Silver Springs was also a cinematic landmark— it was chosen as a backdrop for Hollywood film Seven Swans in 1916, and was the set of multiple Tarzan films in the ‘30’s and ‘50’s. Rhesus monkeys are still seen along the river as they escaped from an attempted Jungle Cruise attraction around this time 🙈
Silver Springs is in the city of Ocala, colloquially called the ‘Horse Capital of the World’ due to being the home of the World Equestrian Center and having the highest concentration of horses and ponies in the United States. Ocala is very central, within reasonable driving distance to Florida’s popular attractions and beaches.
Aside from Silver Springs and the surrounding area’s breathtaking nature, here are some suggestions on activities to explore before or after the wedding. Listed driving distances are to the wedding venue, Silver Springs State Park.
- Appleton Museum of Art - 5 minutes
- Ocala Historic Downtown -15 minutes
- Paradise Springs Cave Diving - 20 minutes
- Sholom Park and Botanical Garden - 30 minutes
- Juniper Prairie Wilderness in Ocala National Forest - 40 minutes
- Rainbow River - 45 minutes
- Natural History Museum Butterfly Rainforest - 60 minutes
- Orlando Shopping District - 70 minutes
- Walt Disney World - 90 minutes
- Universal Studios - 90 minutes
- Fort Island Beach - 90 minutes

Directions

lodging

Q: Where should you stay?

A: Depends on your preferred convenience to Silver, and how you’d like to spend your time outside festivities.

Silver is in the heart of many of Florida’s natural wonders— itself included. April is a beautiful time of year (knock-on-wood), so if you stay close in Ocala, you could dawn your bathing suit or hiking shoes and head out into the Florida wilderness! Ocala National Forest is nearby. There are cabins at Silver Springs, too. But, if you’re considering camping, book ASAP because it’s high-season.

If theme parks and shopping are your thing, then you may desire accommodations further south and commute to/from the wedding. Silver Springs is 90 minutes away from Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. Wildwood is halfway between Orlando and Ocala. Perhaps you spend the weekend after Friday’s wedding exploring all the fun attractions Florida has to offer! Unfortunately, there are no trains operating between North and Central Florida, much to Ash’s dismay…

We have secured a room block at the Baymont by Wyndham Ocala Suite 5-minutes from the venue. The manager, Julieta (Jules) is a wonderful human. Baymont has graciously offered our guests a rate of $85 / night.

40 suites will be reserved for our guests on a first come, first serve basis during the month of February 2027 – including free breakfast, full-sized kitchens, and a living room.

If you’re interested in reserving with Baymont,

Submit your RSVP form on this page by January 15, 2027
We will send you an email confirmation with a Plamann-Bowers booking link by February 1, 2027
You will have until February 28, 2027 11:59pm to reserve and pay for your booking.

We will share on this page if we run out of rooms before the deadline. Other than the Baymont there are lots of hotels, AirBnBs, and VRBOs. Reach out with any questions.

schedule

Friday, April 23

Wedding Day

Reception

6:00pm

Dinner

6:45pm

Slay the Dancefloor

7:00pm - 10:00pm

9:00 – 10:00am [Gus and Ash’s AirBnB]*

*You must confirm attendance prior to joining as space is limited.

Optional Group Yoga

4:00pm

Silver Springs Ross Allen Amphitheater

Ceremony

5:00 - 6:00pm

Silver Springs Paradise Ballroom

Cocktail Hour

Saturday, April 24

Optional Fun Day

Timing TBD. Activities may include

Silver Springs glass bottom boat ride
River Paddle (BYOBoat or rent)
Eating, of course
Walking around Downtown Ocala

Questions

January 15, 2027
No we will not be providing transportation, but parking is free at Silver Springs. You may also choose to Uber or Lyft to be able to enjoy the bar safely.
At this time, only invited guests (as written on Save the Dates & invitations) are invited. Thank you for understanding.
Daytime cocktail. Think airy fabrics, spring colors, semi-formal wear.
Nope, sorry guys! Buuuuuut, everyone’s first drink will be on us! After that, you can enjoy Wine, Beer, and House Liquor as a cash bar. Do not bring alcohol into the venue. Do not get drunk. Breaking Silver Springs’ rules about alcohol will result in our wedding being shut down.
Is it really a party if there’s no food?! Of course we will have food. Food is our love language. After the cocktail hour’s charcuterie board, we will have a buffet with different options. In your RSVP submission please include any dietary restrictions. Our catering chef is extremely accommodating.
Short answer, yes. Long answer, we love kids and we’re so happy so many of our friends are welcoming children into the world. We are hoping to secure a couple non-guest babysitters during the reception to help parents relax. However, the morning yoga will be a space reserved for adults. During the ceremony, please be mindful of fussy babes – we’d like to keep these moments peaceful and quiet, which some kids are not equipped for.
Our venue is completely covered. There are optional outdoor areas to enjoy, but the ceremony is under a pavilion and the reception is indoors. The week leading to the wedding we will email everyone who confirmed their attendance with tips on what to pack according to the weather.

Our Story

It was 2016. Ash and Gus met in a pretty simple way, through mutual friends. Ash had texted Gus an accidental flirty winky face that was meant to be an innocent smiley face– but after meeting, Ash texted Gus, “actually, you can keep the winky face, hehe ;)”

After their first date, the pair spent hours connecting over their shared music taste, the way they saw the world, their passions and dreams, their fears, and favorite snacks. They went camping the first week they knew each other at Paynes Prairie.

Over their first year together, they discovered a shared love of nature and adventure. There was a cove off the banks of Lake Alice at U.F. with a pair of trees perfect for hammocking. Gus guided Ash in his pink tandem kayak and they fell in love — with each other, the water, and the land.

I didn’t really believe in love at first sight, but after meeting Gus, I couldn’t deny the instant spark.

Ash brought so much light and love into my life from day one, and it didn’t take me long to fall in love with her empathy, compassion, and beautiful perspective on life.

In 2018 they went on their first trip together to Nicaragua. Over the summer they were both accepted to the same graduate program at The University of Texas in Brownsville with assistantships in Environmental Science and Sustainability. Within a couple months of moving in together, they adopted their kitties Neil and Dezi, brothers of terror and adorableness.

They moved back to Gainesville in 2020 and bought their home shortly after. They created a beautiful life complete with a supportive community and flourishing homestead. They do yoga on the deck Gus built, fed by the crops Gus fostered, enjoying meals lovingly prepared by Ash.

Gus is a successful soil scientist for Tidal Grow and shares free resources on his blog, Regen Ag Resource. Ash runs Soularly LLC, a sustainability marketing and coordination consultancy for entrepreneurs and non-profits.

honeymoon fund

In lieu of a registry, we are opening a fund to contribute to our honeymoon.

We recognize this economy is putting a lot of pressure on everyone. We mean it when we say your presence at the wedding is the greatest gift we could ask for.

If you wish to give an offering, we’re looking to have a modest, relaxing, nature-filled honeymoon in Costa Rica.

Thank you, we love you.