Maryam and Sahil
The James Museum & Museum of Fine Arts
“Our sangeet featured bright colors and earthy tones, with accents that complemented our venue for a subtle disco cowboy theme.
Our reception embraced a dark green palette with a touch of tropical flair, tied together with classic white and gold accents.” -The Groom
FEATURING
Maryam and Sahil’s vibrant downtown St. Petersburg wedding was filled with meaningful cultural traditions, colorful flora, and elegant decor, creating a memorable experience for their treasured guests. The local Tampa bride and groom honored their South Asian heritage and current hometown while hosting their closest friends and family for a weekend-long destination celebration amidst the settings of renowned Florida museums.
“We curated the music ourselves and included performances from people we love, which helped weave our personalities and our story into the entire weekend. Music mattered a great deal to me. We wanted a distinct playlist for each night, and our DJ made that happen. Our guests gave us incredible feedback, and it ended up being a genuine highlight of the weekend for us,” the groom revealed. “Above all, we wanted to spend as much time as possible celebrating with our loved ones, so we made sure to leave plenty of time both nights for dancing.”
The Photography
Dewitt for Love Photography
“We wanted someone who made us feel comfortable, since this was our most important vendor decision, and we spoke with dozens of photographers before deciding. From our very first conversation with Shannon Dewitt at Dewitt for Love Photography, she was warm, welcoming, and clearly had a beautiful portfolio. She and Brandon Dewitt worked together seamlessly, and knowing we’d have two true professionals behind the camera made them a non-negotiable for us.
We were drawn to Brandon and Shannon’s distinctive editorial photography style and the way they captured genuine, authentic emotion. Their previous work with other South Asian weddings also gave us confidence they’d understand and honor our traditions.”
From The Photographer
“An art and St. Pete-forward wedding!? As St. Pete natives, this is our Super Bowl! Not one, not two, but three wonderful downtown St. Pete venues clocked in for the most amazing two days of celebration. Maryam and Sahil truly had the wedding weekend that art lovers (and lovers of St. Pete like us) could only dream of! And so fitting that the event kicked off on Valentine’s Day!
Beginning with their marriage ceremony in downtown St. Pete at Savant on Second, the couple took off in a stunning red Ferrari until it was time to meet again for their sangeet at the James Museum. Guests were treated to plenty of time to enjoy and view all of the exhibits, while Maryam and Sahil took portraits and practiced their dancing in the ballroom. The guests’ colorful outfits and the beautiful architecture and art really were a perfect pairing. The dances literally took our breath away, and the night ended with everyone…and I mean everyone on the dance floor, complete with live drumming in the middle of the party!
The next day featured another amazing St. Pete staple, and another of our favorite venues, the Museum of Fine Arts. From going on field trips here as local kids to capturing the most incredible celebrations, it is always so much fun to capture so many different weddings here. We started the day with portraits around the museum (where they also had their engagement session with us!), and ended the day with dancing, dinner, and amazing speeches. Both museums provided the perfect backdrop for the most wonderful couple on the most fun 48 hours!”
-Shannon Dewitt, Dewitt for Love Photography
The Experience
“We live in Tampa, but we chose St. Pete for our wedding because we loved how walkable it was and how much it offered our guests to explore. Since we had multiple days of celebrations, we wanted the whole weekend to feel like a vacation for them, not just a wedding.
Our venues were truly unique. We toured a number of hotels and event spaces around Tampa before falling in love with both the James Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, and we knew hosting our events across both would give our guests an unforgettable experience.”
The Inspiration
“We pulled inspiration from a number of weddings we’d loved, and our decor team wove those pieces together into something cohesive. We leaned heavily on our venues themselves, since choosing spaces that were already beautiful meant our decor could serve as a subtle accent rather than compete for attention.
Our sangeet featured bright colors and earthy tones, with accents that complemented our venue, the James Museum, for a subtle disco cowboy theme. Our reception embraced a dark green palette with a touch of tropical flair, tied together with classic white and gold accents.”
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Every one of our vendors did a fantastic job. Our photo and video teams worked seamlessly together and immediately put us, our families, and our bridal party at ease. Our DJ maintained a distinct musical theme each night, drawing from the extensive music spreadsheet we’d put together for him. Our decor team traveled in from New Jersey a week before the wedding and brought our vision to life beautifully. And our planner handled everything, big and small, so we could simply enjoy our wedding while she kept everything running on schedule.
What was/were the most memorable moments?
Our first look and practicing our first dance alone during the reception cocktail hour both stand out. They were two quiet moments just for the two of us, where we could truly appreciate each other and everything that had gone into making the wedding possible.
