Rachel and Thomas' outdoor Clearwater wedding featured a blissful celebration centered around faith, fellowship, and fun. With an emphasis on their shared religious values, the bride and groom curated the design and planning decisions around the most meaningful elements in their lives.
“We wanted our wedding and our marriage to be worshipful, peaceful, and fun! These three words became our focus and our filter for our wedding. As we thought about colors, design, sequence of events, and every big and little decision, we asked ourselves if it would be ‘worshipful, peaceful, and fun,' and if it was a yes, then YES! If it was a no, then we'll wait for another answer,” the bride revealed. “We chose a pale blush for florals and bridesmaid dresses. It gave the airy, romantic feel that went along with our vision of a peaceful day.”
While the Orlando couple prepared for their March country club wedding, they trusted Marry Me Tampa Bay's expert advice articles and real wedding features as resources in their planning process.
“When you’re planning a wedding, you don’t know what you don’t know! Websites like Marry Me Tampa Bay are so helpful because they let you know what you plan for and how to be purposeful in planning your wedding. There’s a sense of community on the website because you realize we are all doing this together,” the bride shared. “Our videographer and our florist were from Marry Me Tampa Bay.”
Envisioning idyllic styling that would set the tone for the theme and decor, Rachel searched for a Clearwater wedding florist who she could trust to bring her vision to life. Brides N' Blooms Wholesale Designs designed soft and subtle floral arrangements with pops of pink amongst the whimsical white flowers and the sage silver-dollar eucalyptus leaves. The stunning statement florals filled the ceremony and reception with a light and cheerful tone that matched the couple's priorities.
“We looked for someone who would take an image and make it our own. Not a florist myself, it was helpful to tell Brides N' Blooms Wholesale Designs that we wanted something peaceful, worshipful, and fun. We sent them a few pictures, and they made it happen!” Rachel beamed. “They were so accommodating and genuinely happy to serve us! They responded with detailed phone calls and emails, ensuring they understood our vision.”
One of Rachel's wedding highlights was having her friend dedicate a song to them during the wedding, and with the help of the wedding DJ they were able to effortlessly coordinate the special requests.
“The first event we had in our wedding ceremony was singing one of our favorite hymns. One of Tom’s groomsmen, Ethan, sang and played the guitar. Our guests had lyrics on their programs and we were able to worship God together with our family and friends. It set the tone of our wedding to not be about us, but about the one that our marriage points to,” the bride shared. “Grant Hemond & Associates has grown over the years, yet still maintain such a personal experience for each wedding. They were so helpful. They spoke with us over the phone before our day to make sure they set the tone for our wedding well. They walked us through songs for all the minor parts of the wedding and even coordinated A/V with a friend who sang at our wedding. It was very personalized, and they were very easy to work with!”
By selecting Tampa Bay for their wedding weekend, the couple enjoyed additional time with their 60 guests. Looking back, it was the unplanned moments that created some of the most joyous memories.
“While we live in Orlando now, our families live in Tampa, and it’s home in our hearts. We got married on a Sunday, so we were able to spend Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with our families and friends. It was so special to just relax and rest and celebrate with our loved ones. People told us to cherish every moment, and because of our planning, we were really able to enjoy every single moment of the entire weekend,” Rachel reminisced. “We remember being on the beach Saturday before the wedding laughing with cousins, doing the worm, and getting free cake-pops from Starbucks to celebrate. Some of the best moments were unplanned and unhurried.”
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
We stayed in St. Pete with two of my best friends and bridesmaid. During COVID, we didn’t want to have a big group gathering. My sweet sister hosted the best bachelorette party. All of my friends joined on Zoom, and I joined with my two friends in person. We played Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, where I answered questions and even had the opportunity to phone a friend! They made a sweet video encouraging me and affirming me, and we even did a little scavenger hunt!
When our photographer asked us if we wanted to do a first look, we had to ask our friends. One of our friends said that the first look didn’t take away any moments, but it added another to the wedding day. And it was so true. We chose to do a first look and then follow with communion together. We were able to admire one another as we saw one another and then partake in communion together to turn our attention to adoring our Creator and Sustainer. It was beautiful and a moment we will cherish forever.
What did you look for in a wedding florist?
We looked for someone who would take an image and make it our own.
Not a florist myself, it was helpful to tell Brides N' Blooms Wholesale Designs that we wanted something peaceful, worshipful, and fun. We sent them a few pictures, and they made it happen! They were so accommodating and genuinely happy to serve us! They responded with detailed phone calls and emails, ensuring they understood our vision.
The Proposal:
We love the finer things in life. We love being outside. We love cheese. We love ice cream. Tom took me to Pass-a-Grille (my favorite beach) for a fancy dinner. When we decided we didn’t want the fancy dinner, we went to Publix and filled a cart with wine, cheese, and a beach towel.
Tom somehow called his friend that plans changed, because he needed to get to the new spot for a photo op. We went to the beach, enjoyed the sunset, and he asked me to marry him. Joyfully, I replied yes. We then stayed on the beach as a storm rolled in and celebrated with ice cream.
The next day, we had a small get-together of who would be our bridal party and enjoyed celebrating with them.
“When you’re planning a wedding, you don’t know what you don’t know! Websites like Marry Me Tampa Bay are so helpful because they let you know what you plan for and how to be purposeful in planning your wedding. There’s a sense of community on the website because you realize we are all doing this together.”
-The Bride
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We spent two nights at The Don CeSar! It’s local, and we didn’t want to think about anything besides enjoying one another on our wedding night. We drove there after the reception, and it was relaxing knowing we didn’t need to worry about packing bags or missing a flight the next day.
We spent a day relaxing in the room, on the beach, and in local restaurants. The next day we got our first couples massage and then drove down to Key West. We spent a week in the Keys.
“It was helpful to tell Brides N' Blooms Wholesale Designs that we wanted something peaceful, worshipful, and fun. We sent them a few pictures, and they made it happen! They were so accommodating and genuinely happy to serve us! They responded with detailed phone calls and emails, ensuring they understood our vision.”
-The Bride
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Three words came to mind. We wanted our wedding and our marriage to be worshipful, peaceful, and fun! These three words became our focus and our filter for our wedding.
As we thought about colors, design, sequence of events, and every big and little decision, we asked ourselves if it would be “worshipful, peaceful, and fun,” and if it was a “yes,” then YES! If it was a “no,” then we'll wait for another answer!
What were your colors?
Pale blush for florals and bridesmaid dresses. It gave the airy, romantic feel that went along with our vision of a peaceful day.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
Grant Hemond & Associates has grown over the years, yet still maintains such a personal experience for each wedding. They were so helpful. They spoke with us over the phone before our day to make sure they set the tone for our wedding well. They walked us through songs for all the minor parts of the wedding and even coordinated A/V with a friend who sang at our wedding. It was very personalized, and they were very easy to work with! We played our music during the reception and had so much fun with our family and friends.
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Our photographer helped plan and create a timeline and vision. They also gave us a complimentary engagement shoot to teach us poses for the wedding day; they were more of a wedding planner than a photographer. We went to dinner with them after, and it felt like we were eating dinner with our best friends!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Enjoy one another during your engagement and wedding planning stage. You have the rest of your life to work and play together. Make routines and rhythms that show you want to enjoy work and enjoy playing with one another.
