“Best Of” 2023: Wedding Ceremonies

Luxurious White and Gold Downtown St. Pete Ballroom Wedding | Vinoy Renaissance

“I love a romantic and sleek feel, so we went with a lot of white, green, and gold. We wanted something elegant and clean feeling,” the bride shared. “The ceremony trees stood out and gave off a majestic vibe because it was like walking into a beautiful dream. The room truly looked amazing and very elegant, which was more than I could have ever dreamed of!”

“Jessica was the most informative, knowledgeable, and hard-working planner I spoke to, and I knew she was the one I wanted,” the bride beamed. “I have nothing but amazing things to say about Jessica and her team at Parties A' La Carte. They make you feel included, which I loved, and we were even able to be hands-on by sealing all our invitations to the guests. Her team members came to our home and helped show us the ropes. Each person had their job to do, so the process moved smoothly.”

Ceremony and Reception Venue, Caterer, and Rehearsal Dinner: The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club | Photographer: Photography by Avery | Design & Decor: MMD Events | Rentals: Nuage Designs, Inc. | Table Top Rentals: The Treasury Rentals | Dance floor: Letz Dance On It | Stage: Mobile Wind | Linens: Over The Top Rental Linens | Draping: Got You Covered Events | Cake: Hands on Sweets | Ceremony Sound: Total Entertainment by Matt Winter | Ceremony Entertainment: Dolce Bella Musica | Cocktail Hour & Reception Entertainment: Miami Beats | Officiant: Bride's Uncle | Invitations: URBANcoast | Dress Shop: The Dressing Room – St Pete | Dress Designer: Lillian West | Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: Athena's Bridal Boutique | Hair & Makeup: Lasting Luxe Hair and Makeup Artistry | Live Painter: Nancy Spielman Gallery | Sparklers: Spark Wedding Events / Nature Coast Entertainment | Rings: Gold & Diamond Source

Vibrant, Modern, Yellow Wedding Inspiration | Hyatt Clearwater Beach

“I would describe the theme as velvety fun! I tend to love more moody colors, so I decided on jewel tones but added pops of bright yellow to add a touch of fun,” Karen Cerboni, wedding planner and owner of EventFull Weddings, detailed.

“Karen and I really wanted to do a shoot that was colorful and unique. We wanted to show a new style with color! We chose mustard, raspberry, and navy with gold and geometric shapes,” Danielle  Zechmann, owner of Save the Date Florida, shared. “We used geometric shapes as accents to the centerpieces and aisle décor, and we used beautiful gold candelabras as aisle décor and then repurposed them to the centerpieces. It's a great way to utilize the ceremony décor at the reception.”

Rentals: Gabro Event Services

Tropical Downtown St. Pete Wedding | Dali Museum

“The theme was tropical and Spanish, with a nod to gin and tonics. This brought together where we live, our love of Spain and Hawaii, and our favorite drink,” the bride shared. “One day, we were having a gin and tonic and saw a cut pink/red grapefruit next to the green bottle of Tanqueray 10. I teased Rick and said those would make great wedding colors. We took a picture and used it as our inspiration, along with my favorite color, fuchsia. The bridesmaids were in grapefruit, and the maid of honor in fuchsia. These colors and green were throughout the design.”

“I wanted someone who could take my thoughts and make them into reality. I could tell from Staci’s background and pictures from other weddings that UNIQUE Weddings & Events could do this. In our phone consultation, she asked really good questions and gave ideas that made sense from that. It only got better once we officially started the process,” Dawn detailed. “I also liked that she had done a wedding at the Dali Museum before. Staci is an excellent designer. She kept us on track throughout the year of planning and kept everything flowing the month of and, most importantly, the day of. I couldn’t be happier with the services.”

Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Dalí Museum | Photographer: Ashley Izquierdo | Florist: Events in Bloom Tampa | Caterer: Good Food Events + Catering | Linens: Over The Top Rental Linens| Additional Linens: Linens By The Sea | DJ: Tampa Bay DJ Company | Officiant: Lynn Principe of Dearly Beloved | Invitations: Virginia Brown | Transportation: Star Trolley – Arrive In Style | Dress Shop: Ivory & Lace | Dress Designer: Morilee by Madeline Gardner | Shoe Designer: Angela Nuran Shoes | Bridesmaid Dress Shop: Bella Bridesmaids | Bridesmaid Dress Designer: LulaKate | Rehearsal Dinner Caterer: Aloha To Go – Beach | Rehearsal Dinner Flowers: Always Anthuriums (Mountain View Hawaii)

Timeless White and Black South Tampa Wedding | Oxford Exchange

“Our wedding theme was timeless, with the colors being black, white, and gold, with a pop of green with Pat’s custom green suit. I was drawn to black and gold because I was trying to avoid the Pinterest effect, meaning I didn’t want our wedding to look like an outdated Pinterest board in five years,” the bride explained. “An open bar, great music, and even better food were the most important elements to us. We were not going to ask our closest friends and family to travel cross country to pay for their own drinks, have a bad meal, and listen to boring music.”

“The most memorable moment for me was when I cried walking down the aisle. I would have bet the house that Pat would have been the one to cry when I walked down the aisle, but it turns out it was me who sobbed like a baby,” the bride recalled. “For Pat, his favorite moment was when we did our first look because we were able to have a few moments of uninterrupted time together.”

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Oxford Exchange | Photographer: Jason Angelini Photography | Videographer: Media Tree Studios | Florist: Apple Blossoms Floral Designs | Cake: Hands on Sweets | Live Music: Sunset Strings | Invitations: Zola | Transportation: Skyline Limousine Tampa | Dress Shop: Kelly's Closet Atlanta | Dress Designer: Alexandra Grecco | Bridal Wings: Harper and Ivory Cleveland | Rehearsal Dinner: Steelbach at Armature Works | Late night snacks: McDonald's

Romantic Green and White Ybor City Wedding | Hotel Haya

“Our wedding was planned to focus on our personalities and relationship. It showcases our love for one another and the fun we have brought into each other's lives. The theme was romantic and the party of a lifetime,” the bride beamed. “Our colors were bold and romantic: hunter green, gold, and white.”

“The wedding venue was very important to us, and we wanted a place that would be memorable for our guests and also incorporate the love of Tampa and Cuban culture,” Heather explained. “Hotel Haya speaks for itself when we were looking at venues. Its unique design and boutique feel outweighed any other venue we toured. The staff was very responsive, which was extremely important during the planning process.”

Photographer: Calista Manfre Photography | Videographer: Eclectic Productions | Florist: Westover Weddings Event Decor & Set Up | DJ: Events Done Right | Officiant: Ryan Reed | Invitations: Minted | Dress Shop and Designer: Isabel O'Neil Bridal Collection | Shoe Designer: JIMMY CHOO | Hair & Makeup: City Lights Beauty Agency – Tampa – Chicago | Rehearsal Dinner: Spain Restaurant & Toma Bar | Cigars: Mmf.Cigars | Flower Wall: adelevents_ | Photobooth: Lifetime Photo Booth

Vibrant Tropical Clearwater Beach Wedding | Opal Sands

“We were going for an elegant tropical vibe. We wanted something minimalistic décor-wise with a pop of tropical colors as we knew we would have the Gulf of Mexico as our backdrop throughout the entire day,” the bride explained. “I chose vibrant, tropical colors with a main focus on salmon. Little pops of tropical flowers and pineapples made appearances throughout, like lining the ceremony rows, as well as small details such as the groom and groomsmen wearing tiny pineapples as boutonnieres and large pineapples and flowers on each table.”

“We decided to forgo a first look and instead do an intimate back-to-back moment and took a shot to calm our nerves. The photos of this turned out so beautiful, and it was nice to hold hands and tell each other how much we love each other before walking down the aisle. We did personal vows but decided to read them in front of our guests, which made our ceremony so special to share the exact reasons why we were getting married to one another,” Emily reminisced. “We ended our night with just us two on the dance alone for one last dance to take it all in. It was such a special moment for us, and I’m so grateful we chose to do a last dance together.”

Ceremony and Reception Venue, Caterer, and Rehearsal Dinner: Opal Sands Resort | Photographer & Videographer: Rabecca Cruz Photography | Rentals: The Party Pond and Posy Exchange | Cake: Chantilly Cakes | Invitations: Etsy beyonddesign | Dress Shop: The Dressing Room – St Pete | Shoe Designer: Christian Louboutin | Additional Wedding Vendors: Calm your Cookies

Spring Garden-Inspired Wedding | Hilton Clearwater Beach

“The wedding vibe was ‘floral-garden.' We wanted to have lots of colors, lots of flowers, and lots of greenery,” the bride beamed. “With such a large bridal party, we felt it would be overpowering to have them all in the same color. We decided on a variety of colors to match our variety of florals: dusty blue, olive green, burnt orange, dusty rose, and maroon.”

“The first two criteria we looked for were size and location. We wanted to be in the central Florida area, and we needed a venue that was large enough to potentially accommodate 400+ people. That narrowed things down initially, and from there, we started comparing things like aesthetics, specific location, and cost,” Kaci explained. “The Hilton Clearwater Beach hit everything we were looking for a great location, specifically on the beach, multiple venue options (outdoor, ballroom, etc.), and full service for food and bar. Their service was exceptional, and our guests really noticed. The staff went above and beyond to make sure we felt taken care of.”

Photographer & Videographer: Eli Meyer Studio | Cake: Alessi Bakeries | Invitations: Truly Engaging | Dress Shop and Designer: Pronovias | Shoe Designer: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: ASOS | Hair & Makeup: Beauty Marked | Rehearsal Dinner: Bon Appetit Weddings | Henna: Henna Allure | Photobooth: Chubby's Photo Booth & Games | Floral Preservation: Mindful Tree Art

Black, White, and Gold Modern Gatsby Wedding Inspiration | NOVA 535

“The theme was Modern Gatsby. The aesthetics of NOVA 535 drove the theme of this shoot. NOVA 535 was the perfect venue to incorporate a big theme and gave it that modern flare, with the dim lighting, exposed brick, and their updated color palette of the ceremony space,” wedding planner Kelci Zicconi of Kelci Leigh Events shared. “Our colors were black, white, and gold. We had some shimmery touches with layering linens and stationery.”

“Since the theme was Modern Gatsby, we took a lot of inspiration from the over-the-top grand feel of a Gatsby party and combined it with the current trend of bloom-heavy yet whimsical florals. We didn't include a single stem of greenery in this whole shoot,” Floral Consultant and Designer Shelby Moody with Marigold Flower Co. explained. “Kelci, the amazing planner, wanted to do a fresh take on Gatsby with this black, white, and gold theme. We wanted our flowers to have the lush feel of a Gatsby theme while still being very approachable for a couple. We included Astilbe as a subtle nod to the feather accents of 1920s flappers and gold billy balls for a subtle pop!”

Marquee letters: Alpha-Lit Tampa St.Petersburg | Stationery: Kulgrå | Suit: Sacino's

Classic Modern Luxe Downtown Tampa Wedding | The EDITION

“We were going for a very classic and neutral luxe modern wedding. I wanted something both timeless and modern,” the bride shared. “I opted for a very neutral color palate of black, white, and green.”

“We are both very laid back and enjoy having fun with each other as well as our friends and family. We decided to have a smaller, family-only ceremony just prior to the reception because family is so important to us both. After that, it was party time!” Alexa beamed. “We wanted the whole night to be a fun celebration and decided to forego formalities such as seated dinner and cake cutting. Our priority was to spend the entire night on the dance floor with our people!”

Ceremony and Reception Venue and Caterer: The Tampa EDITION | Videographer: Resurgentfirefilms.com  | Florist: Iza's Flowers, Inc. | DJ: The Headliners Band | Transportation: Star Trolley – Arrive In Style | Dress Shop: Calvet Couture Bridal Sarasota | Dress Designer: Pronovias | Shoe Designer: Dolce Vita + Loeffler Randall | Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: Revelry | Hair & Makeup: D&Co. | Rehearsal Dinner: Columbia Restaurant

Pink, Outdoor Tented Downtown St. Pete Wedding | Sunken Gardens

“Our inspiration was simple, clean, and elegant, with a little pop of fun and color. We didn't want to detract from the beauty of the garden venue, “the bride shared. “We went pink bougainvillea-inspired to tie into the natural beauty of the venue.”

“Fun fact: the color palette was originally all neutrals and whites. After about a year of planning, Christa saw some inspiration with pink in it, and she joined the colorful side!” Delaney detailed. “We were really focused on adding in those pink tones but not going crazy with the color so that it was complementing the garden and not competing with it. In order to accomplish this, we kept the linens white, and the flowers had shades of pink, some softer and some brighter, so that it didn't get too pink. The hanging dance floor install was just breathtaking and was a dramatic piece that truly created a whimsical and magical look.”

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Sunken Gardens | Photographer: Stefanie Keeler Photography | Videographer: Lens Culture Photo and Film | Florist: Arms Of Persephone Floral Design | Caterer: Good Food Events + Catering | Rentals: US Tent Rental | Cake: Alessi Bakeries | Officiant: Lhegendary Weddings | Dress Shop: Anna bé bridal boutique colorado | Dress Designer: Alexandra Grecco | Shoe Designer: Badgley Mischka | Rehearsal Dinner: The Getaway

Coastal Blue Destination Wedding | Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach

“My theme was minimalist with a hint of ‘coastal grandma.' I wanted minimal décor because the beauty of the venue spoke for itself. I wanted the beautiful views of the Gulf of Mexico to be the main focus,” the bride shared. “Our colors were white, silver, navy, and steel blue. I chose these colors because we both love the color blue, but I also fell in love with the social media trend of ‘coastal grandma.' It reminded me so much of the beach and the colors of the gulf.”

“We wanted a beach wedding, so our main focus was finding a venue that was right on the Gulf of Mexico. We wanted to see the beautiful views of the water and beach. My mom and I came across the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach online, and we were blown away. When we saw the pictures of the breathtaking views of the Sky Terrace and the wall of glass windows in the Bellair Room, we had a gut feeling that this was the one,” the bride beamed. “What sealed the deal was when we had a conference call with the Senior Event Sales Manager, Lindsey Sikes; it felt like we had known her forever. She answered all of our questions and explained everything in great detail. Even though we never saw the venue or saw Lindsey and her team in person, we knew that the Hyatt Clearwater Beach was our venue. It checked all the boxes: unbelievable food and beverage package, breathtaking Gulf of Mexico views, room block for our guests, amazing amenities and facilities, and most importantly, an amazing team. We highly recommend the Hyatt, and we will be going back to visit for years to come!”

Videographer: Webster Media | Florist: Little Bird Flower Shop | Cake: Chantilly Cakes | Cookies: Crust – Bakery and Catering | Invitations: Truly Engaging | Dress Shop: Luxe Redux Bridal Pittsburgh | Dress Designer: Giovanna Alessandro | Overskirt Shop: I Do Wedding | Shoe Designer: Magosisters | Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: Show Me Your Mumu | Rehearsal Dinner: Clear Sky Beachside Cafe | Flower Preservation: Wild Coast Flower Preservation | Groom and Groomsmen Suits: Men's Wearhouse