Photography by Jennifer Sampson
“That’s Trevor Deggeller. You should go for him!” Gabriella (Carbo) Deggeller can still remember her sister Faith’s words when she first saw the tall, blue-eyed stranger walking past Cold Stone Creamery in Stuart. Although they had never met, Gabriella knew of Trevor’s family, who supply rides and other attractions to the Martin County Fair and service carnivals and fairs all over the country.
Two years later, in 2017, their paths crossed again. Trevor was throwing a going-away party at his father’s home in Palm City before departing with the family’s eponymous carnival company for the summer, and Gabriella attended with a mutual friend. As the hours ticked by, they swapped glances but never spoke. When the evening wrapped, Trevor approached Gabriella and teased her, saying something she would never forget. “He said I was a really mean person for not saying hello to him at his own party,” she recalls.
In the weeks that followed, Gabriella’s thoughts kept going back to Trevor. While he was traveling, she floated him a quick “Hi” on Snapchat. A series of brief texts quickly transitioned into marathon phone conversations, and, by the time Trevor returned home a few months later, the young couple was very much in love.
On the day he got back home, the twosome attended Gabriella’s sister’s thirteenth birthday at their parent’s home in Palm City. As soon as introductions had been made, Gabriella’s father asked her to wait outside. “I hadn’t been with Trevor for 20 minutes, and my dad was already giving him ‘the talk,’” she says. Soon Trevor took Gabriella out on their first dinner date, to Chipotle, before bringing her to meet his father and close friends. From then on, the pair was inseparable.
In August 2019, Trevor, who supervises ride maintenance and safety for Deggeller Attractions, asked Gabriella’s father for his blessing, then planned a Christmas Day proposal at his intended’s grandparents’ home in Melbourne. “Before we all sat down for dinner, Trevor asked me to come outside so he could give me my [Christmas] present, which he said was in his truck,” says Gabriella. “When we got to the front yard, he got down on one knee and proposed in front of a big picture window, where my grandmother and our families were watching. I couldn’t see anyone because the windows were tinted, but I could hear them all cheering. It was a great moment.”
The newly engaged couple wasted no time planning their big day. Their goal was to tie the knot during the holiday season the following year, and they wanted to finish the majority of the planning before carnival season started in June. Marrying in a church was a must, and they both wanted to wed near Cobblestone, a gated golf community in Palm City where Gabriella grew up and her family still resides. Not having to travel too far between the ceremony and the reception was another necessity.
Their engagement/wedding photographer, Stuart-based Jennifer Sampson of Sampson Photography, recommended several vendors including Carra Crehan, a wedding planner and catering manager at Chef’s Table in Stuart. “One of the many things we liked about Carra was her kindness and confidence,” says Gabriella. “When Trevor said he wanted there to be a carnival ride at the wedding reception, Carra was like, ‘Absolutely!’”
Gabriella and Trevor suddenly found themselves facing a pandemic that threatened to derail their “I dos.” With their wedding day still months away, they opted to take a wait-and-see approach. As Florida’s COVID numbers started to decline, and no vendors had canceled, they were ecstatic the gamble paid off.
Surrounded by nearly 200 close friends and family, the couple tied the knot at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Port St. Lucie on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. As she walked down the aisle, Gabriella dazzled in an intricately beaded, off-the-shoulder gown by Madeline Gardner and a Paisley Designs crystal hairpiece. Her bouquet was composed of Vandella roses, Star of Bethlehem, white ranunculus, rosemary, and evergreen boughs and trussed with her grandmother’s blue Our Lady of Guadalupe rosary. Trevor looked dashing in a black tux and bowtie and, being a fan of The Mandalorian, added a touch of whimsy with Baby Yoda socks.
During the ceremony, Sydney, Gabriella’s older sister and an accomplished singer who had flown in from Kentucky, sang tear-tugging melodies like “The Prayer” and Schubert’s setting of “Ave Maria,” which she performed with Grammy Award–winning cellist Jackie Robbins.
After the couple exchanged vows, guests blew bubbles toward the newly- weds before everyone headed to The Fox Club, a serene, 300-acre golf property hallmarked by nature preserves and glistening lakes, where an après-wedding celebration awaited.
For the reception, Gabriella imagined a winter-inspired setting reminiscent of Breckenridge or Jackson Hole, where her family vacations every year during the Christmas holidays. As guests entered, they were greeted by a 15-foot Christmas tree, which Sarah Schnitzius of Sarandipity Floral had sumptuously attired with lush magnolia blooms, white poinsettias, and gold bows. Schnitzius also transformed the event space into a romantic, hyperborean escape with white, cream, and evergreen hues as well as candles, fairy lights, fresh garland, and wreaths flecked with faux snowflakes.
The event included some special treats as a nod to the groom’s renowned family carnival business. During cocktail hour, partygoers enjoyed hors d’oeuvres from Chef’s Table and ventured outside with bespoke drinks to take a slow spin on the Deggellers’ 40-foot Ferris wheel before heading back inside for the remainder of the reception. Guests found their seats by way of an oversized golden frame with hand-calligraphed table assignments.
Before the new Mr. and Mrs. were summoned into the room, the wedding party entered and performed individual dance sets (one couple successfully re-created the iconic lift scene from Dirty Dancing). More dancing followed, including the couple’s first dance, a choreographed routine they had perfected with private lessons at Fred Astaire Dance Studios.
Dinner commenced after a round of touching toasts, including one given by Gabriella’s father that left everyone’s eyes moist. The DJ played vintage tunes by Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley as attendees dined on filet mignon, pan-seared Atlantic tripletail, and chicken under a brick. In homage to Deggeller Attractions (Gabriella joined the company in 2020 and now co-owns Deggeller Entertainment with her husband), Sydney performed “Never Enough” from The Greatest Show on Earth, which earned her a standing ovation.
Once dinner ended and everyone had sampled the four-tier cake infused with flavors like white chocolate, Godiva liqueur, and raspberries, some guests hit the dance floor while others started a conga line. After hours of revelry, the amorous lovebirds capped off the night by slow-dancing to Josh Turner’s swoon-worthy “Would You Go With Me.”
Three weeks later, they flew to the Grand Lodge on Peak 7 in Breckenridge and spent their eight-day honeymoon skiing, ice-skating, snow-tubing, and exploring the mountain town’s stellar dining scene.
Looking back, the Palm City Farms residents say they are extremely thankful their wedding plans weren’t impacted by COVID. “Nothing had to be rescheduled,” says Gabriella. “Not the church, not even the venue. We were lucky and very blessed.”
Sourcebook:
Ceremony: St. Bernadette Catholic Church, Port St. Lucie; 772.336.9956
Reception: The Fox Club, Palm City; 772.597.4222
Wedding Planning and catering: Chef’s Table, Stuart; 772.287.5599
Flowers: Sarandipity Floral, Port St. Lucie; 772.342.2648
Cake: Sandra’s Cakes, Port St. Lucie; 772.528.3159
Photographer: Sampson Photography, Stuart; 561.723.9314
Bridal gown and hairpiece: Bridal Couture of the Palm Beaches, Royal Palm Beach; 561.793.4633
Bridesmaid dresses: La Casa Hermosa, Wellington; 561.301.5523
Groom/groomsmen tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse, Stuart; 772.692.4403
Bridal/bridesmaid hair: Salt Beauty Bar, Fort Pierce; 772.801.5541
Rings: Joseph’s Jewelry, Stuart; 772.221.1779
Dance floor, draping, linens, tableware: Island Party Rentals, Palm City; 772.287.9455
DJ: Best Day Ever Event Group, Port St. Lucie; 772.318.8523
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