Sarasota Wedding | College Hall – Charles Ringling Mansion Wedding
Elyssa and Adam's Sarasota wedding featured an historic event venue, gold sequined linens and rhinestone dripped centerpieces.
“Our wedding was classic, elegant and glamorous. I wanted a wedding with a very a sophisticated, elegant feel,” the bride shared.
The Tampa couple traveled south for a change of scenery and to provide a mini-getaway for their wedding guests.
“We wanted to host our wedding in Sarasota as it is breathtakingly beautiful and would serve as a destination wedding for many of our guests!” Elyssa gushed.
It was important to the bride and groom that their friends and family played an important role on their big day.
“We made sure that our guests were included in the entire experience. Even though the day was about us, we wanted them to know how happy we were they took the time to join us,” the bride explained. “Our first dance was to John Legend's All of Me, remixed by my husband to start off slow and transition into the dance version. We did this to include our guests to join us for our first dance. While we did not think much about it at the time, we were surprised by their reaction. They expressed how thoughtful it was to make the party a celebration of our loved ones, which is totally us.”
Just as they wanted their guests to be a part of their wedding, Elyssa and Adam searched for a Sarasota wedding caterer who would be attentive to everyone's needs.
“We wanted a caterer with a lot of experience and with a variety of menu items. Of course, the taste of the food and pricing were important factors, but we wanted someone who was vested in our day as much as we were,” the bride explained. “We hired Olympia Catering after doing tastings with several Tampa caterers. They conducted personalized, individual tastings, whereas some other local companies offered a dinner service with other potential clients sitting around eating. While that may seem insignificant, Olympia recognized the importance of this day to both of us and truly became a partner throughout the process. Olympia’s team completed a full dinner service in record time which allowed us to enjoy the rest of the evening.”
MORE: OLYMPIA CATERING WEDDINGS
Looking back, one of Elyssa's most memorable moments included being surprised by a special guest at the wedding ceremony.
“Adam surprised me by having our precious dog, Chloe, as a part of the ceremony. I honestly had no idea, but it was super special as she is an extremely important part of our family,” the bride reminisced.
The Proposal:
Adam proposed during a trip to Miami that I thought was in celebration of my birthday. We went out on a gorgeous private boat and spent the morning exploring Stiltsville and other sights. He popped the question in the middle of Key Biscayne while we were anchored for a picnic! He saved the coordinates as our special place in the world.
How would you describe your theme?
Classic, elegant and glamorous. I wanted a wedding with a very a sophisticated, elegant feel.
What were your colors?
Blush, gold, mint, and ivory. They are all classically elegant, neutral, and played well off each other.
What did you look for in a wedding caterer?
We wanted a caterer with a lot of experience and with a variety of menu items. Of course, the taste of the food and pricing were important factors, but we wanted someone who was vested in our day as much as we were.
We hired Olympia Catering after doing tastings with several Tampa caterers. In fact, Olympia did two tastings with us since my husband was out of town for work during the first one. Both times the food was delicious, and the presentation was beautiful. They also conducted personalized, individual tastings, whereas some other local companies offered a dinner service with other potential clients sitting around eating. While that may seem insignificant, Olympia recognized the importance of this day to both of us and truly became a partner throughout the process. Olympia’s team completed a full dinner service in record time which allowed us to enjoy the rest of the evening.
What advice would you give to other Sarasota couples?
This is the only foreseeable time in your life that all of your closest family, friends, and loved ones will be in the same room at the same time. That exact group of people will never come together again (for various reasons). Soak that in; it is very special.
The day will fly by so be sure to literally, pause, look around and take in the moment. Do this multiple times.
Stay together throughout the night with your new husband. This can be hard during the reception, but for the purposes of your photos don’t wander apart.
Once the day comes, let go of all aspects of control. You have planned everything leading up to the day, and your only “job” now is to get married and have fun. The day really is all about you and your new husband.
Get a videographer. Ask yourself this: will you want to remember the day with a video (and literally be able to watch it again/relive your day) or save money in the near term? The answer is A.
Ceremony and Reception Venue: College Hall – Charles Ringling Mansion
Photographer: Jon Montis Photography
Videographer: The Portos
Planner: Hustle & Bustle
Florist & Rentals: Milly's Flowers
Caterer and Cake: Olympia Catering *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Band: C'nergy
Officiant: Jason Sowell
Dress: Allure Bridals
Bridesmaid Dresses: La Femme
Hair & Makeup: Destiny and Light Hair and Makeup Group
