Ashley and Anthony
“Our wedding vision was elegant with a touch of winter. Because our wedding was in December, we wanted a warm touch of winter without making it a Christmas wedding. We chose shades of black, white, and emerald. We wanted an elegant winter feel to get into the holiday spirit.” -The Bride
FEATURING
Ashley and Anthony’s elegant St. Petersburg wedding combined a classic palette of black and white accented with rich emerald green for a sophisticated nod to the winter season. The Palm Harbor bride and groom exchanged vows in a secluded outdoor Florida garden ceremony before hosting their 189 guests for a formal reception in a historic venue setting.
“The morning was so special for both of us. Getting ready with my best friends, mom, and mother-in-law was unforgettable, especially the moment alone with my Mom helping me get the dress and veil ready. Anthony had a great time spending quality time with all of the dads and the groomsmen,” the bride reminisced. “We prioritized the guest experience and our ceremony. Our goal was to make everyone feel the love in the room. We wanted everyone to have at least half as much fun as we had, enjoy some food and dancing, and to feel welcomed and loved. I have so many fond memories of the day, including the first look with my dad, stepdad, and father-in-law, plus my private vows and first look with Anthony. From the ceremony, to the first dance, to the speeches, it was so special seeing everyone together.”
The Bridal Beauty
Adore Bridal Hair & Makeup
“The inspiration was full glam with neutrals for my makeup and half up, half down for hair. I was referred to Adore Bridal by a friend, and their work is beautiful! From day one, I was impressed. The owner, Kelcey Yaeger, is amazing, and I loved the girls who did my hair and makeup. They did a fantastic job.”
The Proposal
“It was a beautiful summer day in Woodstock, IL. We were visiting my mom and stepdad, and Anthony had planned the proposal at Bull Valley Golf Club. I was told that it was my family friend’s confirmation party, but I quickly found out that it was going to be the best day of my life. I walked outside with my wine, and there were stone steps that led a pathway down to a gazebo next to a pond. The pond had water lilies and two swans that made an appearance, but on that pathway, there were pink rose petals and pink roses all around. Anthony was standing there, dressed in a blue suit jacket and gray pants, holding a single rose. As I approached him, he grabbed my hand and walked me to the center of the gazebo, and the rest is history!”
The Bach Party & Honeymoon
“I had my bachelorette party in Nashville! I’ve never been, and I’ve always wanted to go. The weather is beautiful in the fall, and there is so much to do over there. From cocktail-making classes to line-dancing, it was so much fun and great girl time.
We chose MSC Cruises out of Port Canaveral for our honeymoon. It is seven nights and goes to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. We loved it because there was an endless number of activities to do/places to see.
The Venue
NOVA 535
“We chose St. Pete because it felt like a destination wedding but was not too far to require any crazy traveling. We also love the downtown St. Pete area; there is so much to do and many great places to stay. We were looking for a venue that would fit around 200 guests, had a day of coordinator, and had a beautiful outdoor area for the ceremony, plus a reception area that is different from the typical ballroom.
We heard of NOVA 535 because Anthony attended a wedding there a few years ago and loved it. It was the first and only venue we looked at, and we chose it immediately! From day one, they have provided exceptional service and responsiveness. Something that made me excited leading up to the wedding was that every time I mentioned where we were getting married, so many people said how much fun the venue is. I would recommend NOVA to anyone. The outdoor ceremony was stunning, with perfect lighting before sunset. Our day-of coordinator, April Sherwin, was incredible and responsive, and she ran a tight ship to ensure our day went smoothly. We are so thankful for her!”
The Photography
L:imelight Photography
“We were looking for someone who had positive energy and took great photos with outside and inside lighting. I sent a vision board to the photographer and content creator, and they flourished!
My mom found Limelight Photography online and saw raving reviews. Once we looked at their portfolios and connected with the owner, who was so sweet, we were sold! Natalia did an amazing job, and her positive energy was contagious.”
From The Photographer
“The emotion throughout the entire day was one of our favorite things. Between an emotional first look, where Anthony shed tears over how beautiful his bride, Ashley, looked, to even more happy tears throughout the days—vows, dancing, all of the moments. Ashley and Anthony wanted their friends and family to feel loving, welcomed, have fun, and experience the elegance of their wedding day, and we can truly say that all of those things stood true on the day of. Their joy and emotion were contagious and had our entire team tearing up as we captured their wedding day! It was truly a perfect day.”
-Tara Zimmerman, Limelight Photography
The Inspiration
“We prioritized the guest experience and our ceremony. Our goal was to make everyone feel the love in the room. We wanted everyone to have at least half as much fun as we had, enjoy some food and dancing, and to feel welcomed and loved.
Our wedding vision was elegant with a touch of winter. Because our wedding was in December, we wanted a warm touch of winter without making it a Christmas wedding. We chose shades of black, white, and emerald. We wanted an elegant winter feel to get into the holiday spirit.”
The DJ
Events Done Right
“Devon Garnett is a friend of Anthony’s, and he works for Events Done Right. Something that we looked for in a DJ is that he would play the songs that we requested and that he could command a crowd.
Devon was super helpful, realistic with our timeline, and he mentioned that his goal was to get everyone on the dance floor at least once. He did an amazing job getting the crowd going and getting everyone on the dance floor. We highly recommend him and Events Done Right!”
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
NOVA 535 of course! Delectables was incredible. They specifically had a person who served just Anthony and me the whole night. We never had an empty drink, and she always made sure we were fed. She even gave us some extra of our favorite appetizers to enjoy.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Do the first look. It saves so much time on the wedding day, and it is so nice to have that special moment together before everything starts. It also helps to get the majority of the pictures out of the way.
Do the hair and makeup trial. That way you will know exactly what you want/what to expect when you’re getting glam.
Take a moment during your ceremony (guided by the officiant) to turn out to the crowd and take it all in. It’s such a special moment, and you get to look at all of your loved ones.
After the ceremony, take a private 15-minutes with the groom to eat hors d’oeuvres and have a drink. There is so much going on during that day, and it gives you a moment to actually eat, but also enjoy private time with your husband before going out into the crowd.
Get the content creator. You get content within 24 hours, and it is SO worth it.
Do a photo challenge before dinner is served. Have the DJ play a song or two, and when he calls up each table number, they have to run to the bride and the groom to take a photo. This helped us get photos with everyone. (Also playing some 80s songs during this made it so fun).
Enjoy every moment, including the planning process.
