Vintage, Ybor City Italian Club & Columbia Restaurant Wedding
Stacey and Alex's Ybor City wedding uniquely combined their love for Cuban food and quirky collectibles to create a “vintage eccentric” theme.
“We wanted our wedding to feel like a library of curiosities. We collect skulls, old books and other oddities and thought it would be a great time to display them,” the bride explained.
The couple paired soft muted colors to accent their ornate Ybor City wedding venues, with a ceremony at the historic Italian Club of Tampa and reception at the famed Columbia Restaurant.
“I loved the natural light present in the space where we had our ceremony. It was inexpensive, a short walk from our reception venue, a historic building and gave us the feel we were looking for,” Stacey shared about Italian Club.
“We loved the feel of the Columbia. The food at our tasting was incredible, and we thought it would work perfectly for our “vintage library vibe,” the bride added.
Looking back, one of Stacey's most memorable moments was also one of the funnest of the night.
“Our grandparents boogying hard on the dance floor was hilarious. It was so much fun to dance with them!” the bride reminisced.
What were the deciding factors for the ceremony venue you chose?
The planner was fantastic and I loved the natural light present in the space where we had our ceremony. It was inexpensive, a short walk from our reception venue, a historic building and gave us the feel we were looking for.
What were your colors?
We didn't have specific colors, just a theme of soft, muted and vintage. I chose purple for the bridesmaid dresses since it is one of my favorite colors, and it looks great on everyone.
The Proposal:
My husband and I attended vet school together at the University of Florida, and we fell in love at the dog park where we used to take our dogs to play after class.
While he was at his internship in Tucson, Arizona, I visited him several times as I was finishing vet school. On one of my visits out to see him, he took me for a hike up onto Mt. Lemmon in the snow. We had a picnic and watched the sunset and the stars come out. It was the last day of the Mayan calendar, and we started talking about what we would regret not doing if the world ended. He ended the discussion by saying that he would regret not asking the girl of his dreams to spend the rest of his life with him and pulled out a ring.
I was overjoyed although not entirely surprised, because he had been acting funny about my visit and that hike for weeks! The ring is an antique that he found in a store in Tucson. It is 100 years old and he told me he knew it was the one because he cried when he saw it. It is perfect.
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
I wanted someone who would be understanding of our eccentric personalities and who would take excellent photos.
The best part about Marissa [of Marissa Moss Photography] is that I didn't even understand until the day of, was her excellent ability to direct specific photos and corral our large and wacky families without feeling like she was being bossy. I was really impressed.
What were the deciding factors for the reception venue you chose?
We love Cuban food (Alex is half Cuban) and loved the feel of the Columbia. The food at our tasting was incredible, and I liked the idea of not really having to bring in food that tasted like rubber, so it made sense to have our reception at a restaurant.
We thought it would work perfectly for our “vintage library vibe.” The staff there was incredibly accommodating and the prices were very reasonable for what we got, so it seemed like a no brainer.
How would you describe your theme?
Our theme was vintage eccentric. We wanted it to feel like a library of curiosities. We collect skulls, old books and other oddities and thought it would be a great time to display them.
How did you incorporate you and your husband's personalities into the wedding?
We did everything on our terms. We love our skull collection and I love candlelight, so we centered the reception around both of these principles. We wanted people to be comfortable, relaxed and experience something new and I think we definitely accomplished these goals.
Which did you look for in a wedding DJ?
Our DJ from Music on the Move was exactly what we wanted. He was unobtrusive, played great dance music and kept everyone laughing and dancing without being obnoxious. He also let us customize our music list and the activities we wanted and had great suggestions so that guests of all ages would have a great time.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay Brides?
Focus on the two to three things that are most important to you and your fiancee. Spend the time to make those things perfect and let all the other small details go. You will be much more relaxed on the big day if you aren't trying to make sure EVERYTHING is perfect. It won't be, but you and all your guests will still have a great time.
Ceremony Venue: The Italian Club of Tampa
Reception Venue: The Columbia Restaurant
Photographer: Marissa Moss Photography
Caterer: The Columbia Restaurant
Rentals: The Columbia Restaurant
Cake: Friend of the Bride
DJ: Music on the Move
Officiant: Friend of the Bride
String Quartet: Alafia String Quartet
Dress: Olga’s Bridal Boutique – Maggie Sottero
Bridesmaid Dress: Elegant Bridal – Michele
Hair: Elegant Bridal
Makeup: Friend of the Bride
