Kate and Michael
Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort
“I love Bridgerton, so I wanted garden party wedding vibes. One thing we love about Florida is how lush, green, and vibrant it is. We love the way the Spanish moss hangs off of the trees. So I leaned into that and went with a pistachio green color, muted beige, white, and pops of maroon.”
-The Bride
FEATURING
Kate and Michael’s Bridgerton-inspired Palm Harbor wedding was a March garden party in pistachio green, beige, and white, with pops of maroon as a tribute to the bride’s father. The New York bride and groom welcomed 113 guests to a golf resort for a three-day destination celebration that included a poolside welcome party, a ceremony interrupted by a golfer’s eagle, and a champagne tower in place of a cake.
“We live in Upstate New York, but Mike went to college at the University of Tampa and his parents live in The Villages, so we visit very often. We absolutely love Florida and hope to move there in the next few years. Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort was a great fit, specifically because we love golf, and it was an absolutely gorgeous venue,” the bride beamed. “We wanted as much time with our guests as possible, and we wanted them to feel like they were on a vacation with us. We had family and friends travel from California, Illinois, South Carolina, and New York, so it was important to us that everyone felt included, entertained, and that it was worth it.”
The Proposal
“Mike took me to Lake Placid, NY, for a romantic little weekend getaway. We had driven a little over three hours to get there, and we decided to get a late dinner at an Italian restaurant after we checked in. After dinner, he came back from the bathroom and just did it. It caught me completely off guard — I had no idea he even had a ring. He was so nervous; it was adorable. Apparently, he gave himself a pep talk in the bathroom mirror before coming out. That alone made it perfect to me.”
Researching Wedding Vendors
“We found the majority of our vendors through recommendations from Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort; however, we found our DJ through Marry Me Tampa Bay! We definitely used it for reference as we explored venues in Tampa. There were a few we looked at before we landed on Innisbrook, and it was helpful when it came to seeing what’s available and getting inspo for our own wedding.”
The Most Memorable Moments
“I’m from California and Mike is from New York, so being able to see both of our worlds collide and see the people we love the most all in one place having fun meant the world to us. The resort also went above and beyond to make us feel special and like VIPs.
One highlight of the ceremony was an interruption from a nearby golfer. There was a foursome of guys golfing right next to the ceremony, and during our prayer, one of them got an eagle and screamed out in excitement. It was totally Mike-coded and made everyone laugh. It was perfect.”
The Venue
Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort
“We wanted something all-inclusive. We wanted to be able to enjoy our wedding day, and the last thing we wanted was to communicate with and juggle multiple vendors. Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort handled the venue, food, drinks, welcome party, and rehearsal dinner, and they connected us with our day-of coordinator and venue rentals.
We chose Innisbrook because my husband is very into golf, and they had an available date the week before the Valspar tournament. He lit up when we learned that, and that, plus the fact that they were an all-inclusive wedding venue, made it our top contender. They made it so easy on us!”
The Bach Party & Honeymoon
“My bachelorette party was in Tulum, Mexico. Being from California, my friends and I love Mexico, so it just made the most sense and was so much fun! Mike’s bachelor party was in Fort Lauderdale.
We waited a few months to go on our honeymoon and spent two weeks in Italy! We compromised. I wanted Europe, and he wanted the Caribbean, so we did Sicily, which gives you a little bit of European and tropical vibes combined! It was incredible. I came down with a ‘stomach bug,’ which, upon returning home, we discovered was actually our baby girl due in January!”
The Inspiration
“I love Bridgerton, so I wanted garden party wedding vibes. One thing we love about Florida is how lush, green, and vibrant it is. We love the way the Spanish moss hangs off of the trees. So I leaned into that and went with a pistachio green color, muted beige, white, and pops of maroon — a tribute to my dad.
I made a lot of the floral arrangements myself and used silver and vintage planters for those. We included baskets with parasols for the garden party vibes, lots of linen signage, and signs and menus in vintage gold frames. The groomsmen wore beige suits, and the bridesmaids wore all different shades of green.”
The Experience
“Mike and I like to have fun and party, and we knew we wanted a lighthearted wedding that kept our guests engaged and entertained. On Friday night, we hosted a welcome party at the pool with pizza and an open bar. We had ‘Betting on the Wedding,’ where people could place bets on aspects of the wedding, and we had tables set up for champagne pong and flip cup because we love to play games. We also played the shoe game, which was very funny.
For our rehearsal dinner, we had an outdoor dinner with our bridal party, their significant others, and our close family and friends. We wanted as many people involved as possible. On the wedding day, Mike golfed in the morning, and I got ready with my girls. We said our own vows during the ceremony and had our officiant, Mike’s uncle, do a ‘Blessing of the Hands,’ where all of the couples there joined hands in solidarity with us as he blessed our marriage. It was beautiful.
For our reception, we extended our DJ to throw an after-party for our guests so we could party all night long. I had an outfit change, which is very me, where I came out in an adorable little white dress with a second entrance to Where’s My Husband by Raye, which went immediately into a bouquet toss. We also opted for a champagne tower instead of a cake because it felt more fun to us!
We had a very guest-focused wedding. Yes, the day was technically about us, but the guest experience meant a lot to us, and we did our best to make it enjoyable and for everyone to feel included in every moment. It was a three-day event! How many people get to say that? It rained all three days, and the biggest lesson from that was to embrace the rain. We had some cute dancing-in-the-rain moments, and the rain wasn’t the end of the world!”
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Our DJ, 5 Star Entertainment, was phenomenal. He understood our vision and brought it to life. He literally didn’t miss a beat and kept the party going until 2 a.m.!
What advice would you give to other Palm Harbor couples?
Your wedding day doesn’t have to fit a specific structure or mold. Make it your own, do what you want to do, and don’t let people’s outside perspectives dictate how you plan your day.
We stayed true to ourselves and what we wanted, and it was absolutely perfect. The people who love us showed up for us and had a blast!
