Sonya and Tyler’s destination Clearwater Beach wedding embraced the tropical vibe of the surrounding atmosphere, with shades of palm green, sandy gold, and nautical navy. The bride and groom exchanged vows amidst sweeping rooftop views before dining and dancing with their closes friends and family in an elegant ballroom reception.

“Our wedding theme was very beachy and tropical. We embraced the palm leaves, the pink of the venue and ocean views,” the bride beamed. “We picked colors to highlight the natural beauty, like green, gold and navy.”

The Phoenix couple had often visited the Sunshine State during their courtship, and knew it would be an ideal location for their 85-guest destination celebration.

“The gulf coast of Florida is very special to us. We got engaged in here and decided to have our wedding here. We wanted a dramatic natural backdrop, room for all wedding events to be in one place, and accommodations for every price point within walking distance. Between the sugar sand beaches, beautiful gulf waters and the dramatic views from the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach‘s terrace, our decision for selecting a wedding location was easy,” the bride gushed. “We chose the Hyatt for the Sky Terrace and all their different ballroom spaces we used throughout the weekend. The staff was so accommodating and responsive. Lindsey, Lizzie, Cassie and Grace all did an exceptional job helping to give us our dream wedding weekend!”

Sonya knew the value of working with an experienced planner while coordinating their April wedding from a distance, and she was beyond impressed with the attentive service and care she received from Special Moments Event Planning. Even when Florida’s storm season thwarted their original plans, Tammy Waterman and her team stepped in and seamlessly handled everything with grace, gifting Sonya and Tyler a beautiful and stress-free wedding day.

“We did not really know what to look for in a wedding planner initially, and I am so glad we hired Tammy Waterman with Special Moments Event Planning. If you look up wedding planner in the dictionary, you will see Tammy’s name! She does everything, has a plan for everything, and has everything you could need for your wedding. Tammy, Jennifer, and Melissa were our saving grace during our wedding weekend!” the bride raved. “We chose Tammy with Special Moments because she knew all the vendors we had already selected and also does weddings at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach very often. There are not enough good things to say about Tammy and her team! Our wedding was postponed due to the hurricanes. Tammy guided us through the entire thing, and we had a new plan within 15 minutes! She is the reason we were able to have our wedding weekend and special day! If you are in the market for a wedding planner, do yourselves a favor and hire Tammy!”

Sonya opted for a natural look that enhanced her existing features courtesy of Adore Bridal, including a sideswept hairstyle with loose curls, pinned back by a striking veil that created the most romantic photos in the ocean breeze. The form-fitting pleats of her satin bodice were adorned with a chic bow that drew the eye to a high side-slit, while the off-the-shoulder sleeves framed her decolletage.

Save The Date Florida handcrafted stunning floral arrangements and bouquets featuring exotic orchids paired with white roses, fragrant lilies, and palm fronds. Greenery-focused floral arrangements featuring classic white blooms and tropical greenery graced the ceremony aisle and flanked the couple during their vows, before being repurposed on towering centerpiece stands on the dinner tables at the reception. Green silk napkins echoed the color palette, while clear Chiavari chairs mirrored the delicate glass bubble chandeliers above for a cohesive look throughout the space.

The pair incorporated personal touches throughout the details to reflect their love story and give a nod to their wanderlust and their fur baby back home.

“Our wedding was very personalized. That was something really important to us during the entire process,” Sonya detailed. “We love U.S. national parks so chose park names instead of table numbers and included a photo of us from each park. We love to travel so we gifted luggage tags as escort cards which doubled as wedding favors. We also had signature drinks for each of us and our sweet dog who couldn’t make the trip.”

The seasoned team at Lifelong Photography Studio captured all of the details in timeless style. From their friendly and calming demeanor to their thorough communication, the couple knew they picked the perfect photography team, and were instantly at ease in front of the lens.

“We wanted a wedding photographer who knew the venue well and had previous work shooting weddings at the Hyatt. We loved Lifelong Photography Studio from the moment we reached out,” the bride beamed. “Gabrielle and Buffy were so helpful and made us feel so comfortable. Tina was also so organized and accommodating with the change in dates. For our engagement photos and on our wedding day, both Buffy and Gabrielle made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera.”

It was the intimate, private moments between the couple that stood out as favorite memories from the evening, along with the whimsical effects on the dance floor courtesy of Grant Hemond & Associates that left a lasting impression.

“We had a private first dance and a room reveal, which was very special and gave us some one-on-one time after the ceremony was over, before the reception began,” Sonya reminisced. “We also opted for low-lying fog for a ‘dancing on a cloud’ effect, along with with cold sparklers, for our public first dance during the reception, and the result was magical.”

What was your wedding day beauty inspiration?
I wanted soft glam and to look like myself on my wedding day. I hired Adore Bridal because their work is stunning.

The entire Adore team I worked with was great; shoutout to Julia, Kaylin, Terry and Kelcey! All of my bridesmaids loved their hair and makeup as well! Kelcey was also so flexible and understanding about postponing the initial wedding date.

The Proposal: 
Tyler proposed on New Years Eve on Madeira Beach, Florida. He had a hidden photographer, and it was raining that day so we had the beach to ourselves. It was magical and perfect!

What did you look for in a wedding venue?
The gulf coast of Florida is very special to us. We got engaged in here and decided to have our wedding here. We wanted a dramatic natural backdrop, room for all wedding events to be in one place, and accommodations for every price point within walking distance. Between the sugar sand beaches, beautiful gulf waters and the dramatic views from the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach‘s terrace, our decision for selecting a wedding location was easy.

We chose the Hyatt for the Sky Terrace and all their different ballroom spaces we used throughout the weekend. The staff was so accommodating and responsive. Lindsey, Lizzie, Cassie and Grace all did an exceptional job helping to give us our dream wedding weekend!

What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
We wanted a wedding photographer who knew the venue well and had previous work shooting weddings at the Hyatt. We loved Lifelong Photography Studio from the moment we reached out. Gabrielle and Buffy were so helpful and made us feel so comfortable. Tina was also so organized and accommodating with the change in dates. For our engagement photos and on our wedding day, both Buffy and Gabrielle made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera.

How would you describe your theme?
Our wedding theme was very beachy and tropical. We embraced the palm leaves, the pink of the venue and ocean views. We picked colors to highlight the natural beauty, like green, gold and navy.

What did you look for in a wedding florist?
We wanted a florist who knew the venue and could accomplish our tropical palm leaves design.

Danielle with Save the Date Florida more than exceeded our expectations, and the flowers were stunning! She helped take our vision and make it come to life! She also came by at the end of the night and donated the leftover flowers to charity. Nothing went to waste, which made us super happy. Danielle was also so flexible with postponing the initial wedding date.

What did you look for in a wedding planner?
We did not really know what to look for in a wedding planner initially, and I am so glad we hired Tammy Waterman with Special Moments Event Planning. If you look up wedding planner in the dictionary, you will see Tammy’s name! She does everything, has a plan for everything, and has everything you could need for your wedding. Tammy, Jennifer, and Melissa were our saving grace during our wedding weekend!

We chose Tammy with Special Moments because she knew all the vendors we had already selected and also does weddings at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach very often. There are not enough good things to say about Tammy and her team! Our wedding was postponed due to the hurricanes. Tammy guided us through the entire thing, and we had a new plan within 15 minutes! She is the reason we were able to have our wedding weekend and special day! If you are in the market for a wedding planner, do yourselves a favor and hire Tammy!

What did you look for in a wedding DJ?  
We wanted a DJ who had great reviews, knew the venue, and could do dancing on a cloud with cold sparklers. Adam and Trey from Grant Hemond & Associates were absolutely amazing! Adam kept the dance floor full all night and played music for every age group. Our guests are still talking about the music. Trey did our dancing on the cloud and cold sparklers, and they were perfect! It was such a surprise for our guest, and photographed beautifully!