Rachel and Eddie's magical downtown St. Pete wedding was a celebratory countdown to the New Year with a gorgeous rooftop ceremony under the stars. Filled with a mix of eclectic decor and gold geometric details, the Florida couple celebrated with family as the clock grew closer to midnight.
“Our theme was really New Year's Eve glitz and glam,” Rachel shared. “We wanted to include an array of natural elements mixed with greenery and succulents, but also find a way to work in metallics and fireworks. Overall, everything came together in a way that was tasteful and elegant!”
MORE: NEW YEAR'S EVE WEDDING INSPIRATION
Envisioning an evening rooftop ceremony, Rachel and Eddie scoped out the perfect location to ring in the New Year with 125 of their closest friends and family.
“We hired Station House because the space and location were everything we could have imagined and more! I loved the multiple floors, and the fact that your decor is built-in,” the bride beamed. “It also helped that the service was beyond excellent. My wedding coordinator, Emily, was absolutely amazing!”
LEARN MORE ABOUT STATION HOUSE | EMAIL
To say the dress was an important aspect of her big day would be an understatement. With over ten years of experience in fashion merchandising, Rachel knew that working with a wedding dress boutique that understood her vision was a top priority.
“The dress was obviously something I was very passionate about, but like most brides, what I thought I ‘wanted' looked awful on me! I went to probably four different dress shops and literally just tried on everything with no outside opinions. Every time, I left disappointed and frustrated. I had one more boutique left to try, and to my excitement, they carried a lot of designers who made more fashion-forward dresses. From the moment I met Liz at Isabel O’Neil Bridal Collection she just got me. She really listened to my needs and tried to figure out how to get exactly the right dress in the store. We talked about the possibility of hi-lo style, and I showed her a dress I had seen on the internet that was two seasons old from a designer they carry. She literally got on the phone and said let’s see if we can get it shipped here. A few days later she called me and told me they were sending the runway archive samples from the flagship store in Toronto! It’s the only one left in the world, and they said if it fits, its mine,” Rachel gushed. “Liz was literally there for me throughout the whole process, and I can’t say enough about amazing things about Isabel O’Neil.”
LEARN MORE ABOUT ISABEL O'NEIL BRIDAL | EMAIL
Looking back on their wedding day, the bride and groom will never forget their personalized wedding vows.
“A few things from our wedding stood out the most to me. One of them being our vows. It was so much more powerful and emotional writing and reciting our own vows in front of everyone we care about,” the bride reminisced. “We'll also never forget the countdown to midnight. It was hands down one of the most amazing moments of my life, filled with so much love and laughter! It definitely will be a hard New Year's Eve to top!”
What was your wedding dress inspiration?
So to preface, I have worked in fashion merchandising for ten years. The dress was obviously something I was very passionate about, but like most brides, what I thought I “wanted” looked awful on me! I went to probably four different dress shops and literally just tried on everything with no outside opinions. Every time, I left disappointed and frustrated. I felt like I was playing dress-up. Too much fabric. Too much lace. Literally nothing was right!
I had one more boutique left to try, and to my excitement, they carried a lot of designers who made more fashion-forward dresses. From the moment I met Liz at Isabel O’Neil Bridal she just got me. She really listened to my needs and tried to figure out how to get exactly the right dress in the store. We talked about the possibility of hi-lo style, and I showed her a dress I had seen on the internet that was two seasons old from a designer they carry. She literally got on the phone and said let’s see if we can get it shipped here. A few days later she called me and told me they were sending the runway archive samples from the flagship store in Toronto! It’s the only one left in the world and they said if it fits, its mine. Liz was literally there for me throughout the whole process and I can’t say enough about amazing things about Isabel O’Neil.
The Proposal:
My husband was offered a promotion at work that would ultimately relocate us to Jacksonville. At that point in our lives, we had already bought two houses together and been dating for about seven years. Clearly, with or without a ring I was committed to this man, and looking forward to the next chapter in a new city. To celebrate his accomplishments, I decided to throw him a party and invited both of our families and closest friends. During the party, my dad got up to make a toast to Eddie, which seemed super kind and normal knowing my dad. After my dad was finished, Eddie stood up to thank everyone for coming and turned to face me. He said, “the funny thing about tonight is, it’s actually about you.” At that point, he reached for his pocket and got down on one knee. Our entire house exploded in cheers of excitement, mixed with dogs barking and babies crying. It was truly such an incredible surprise and an unforgettable moment!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
The venue had to be eclectic. Not cheesy or contrived. We also were in love with the idea of a rooftop ceremony on New Year's Eve. Station House was perfect!
We hired Station House because the space and location were everything we could have imagined and more! I loved the multiple floors and the fact that your decor is built in so to speak. It also helped that the service was beyond excellent. My wedding coordinator, Emily, was absolutely amazing!
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our theme was really New Years' Eve glitz and glam. We wanted to include an array of natural elements mixed with greenery and succulents, but also find a way to work in metallics and fireworks.
What were your colors?
Whites and metallics. I wanted tasteful yet elegant.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Plan your wedding for you and your spouse. It’s easy to get caught up in trying to please everyone and listening to opinions of friends and family, but ultimately you want to look back on the event that honored and celebrated your love forever. There's absolutely zero shame in being selfish about that.
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Station House *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Venue
Photographer: Concept Photography
Videographer: Baby Blue Film
Florist: 2Birds Events
Cake and Caterer: Locale Market
DJ: DJ Fresh
Officiant: Edison Peres – Family Friend
Invitations: Minted
Dress Shop and Designer: Isabel O’Neil Bridal Collection, Ines DiSanto *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Hair & Makeup: Hendrickje Ewen and Lauren Welch
