Michelle and Jared’s romantic South Tampa wedding combined geometric decor with subtle bumblebee details to showcase how their sweet love story unfolded in real life.

“With our theme and décor, we really wanted to pay homage to how we met on Bumble,” the bride shared. “From our color palette of black, white, gold, and wood to our bumblebee themed cake, we really tried to tie everything together somehow.”

MORE: BLACK WEDDING INSPIRATION

The hometown bride and groom were in agreement that quality and convenience were the most important factors when choosing their venue, they selected boutique South Tampa wedding venue the Epicurean Hotel.

“The Epicurean is three blocks away from the street I grew up on and is by far one of the best hotels in the state. From their amazing food to their always excellent customer service, just about everything about them is out of this world,” the bride gushed. “I absolutely loved the fact that my wedding guests who choose to stay at Epicurean were greeted at their car with a glass of wine and checked in on the way up to their room with an iPad! I also can’t stress enough the fact that the food at Epicurean is not your normal wedding food. The beef comes from Bern’s Steakhouse, and you could really tell that the chefs take their craft very seriously. Everything about our stations was lush and the food was mouthwatering. You could definitely say none of our guests went home hungry!”

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The couple wanted a South Tampa wedding photographer who not only had a great reputation but also a personality that would make them feel comfortable in front of the camera.

“Five family friends recommended Andi Diamond Photography. Andi’s ability to capture you in your very best light was flawless from start to finish. She is very personable and makes everyone around her feel comfortable. She’s also incredibly good at scheduling your day and keeping everyone on time and on track,” Michelle beamed. “We truly feel like we’ve found a lifetime photographer in Andi because when you put that special moment of life in her hands to capture, she’s always going to do everything in her power to go above and beyond for you and your family. You know what you’re going to get with Andi, and it’s nothing less than perfection!”

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Envisioning the perfect wedding cake to capture their fun Bumble-theme, Michelle and Jared were more than thrilled to work with St. Pete bakery The Artistic Whisk.

“Our cake turned out fantastic! We had a semi-naked cake with honeycombs, honey drizzle and a cake topper that had bumblebees on it,” the bride explained. “The Artistic Whisk’s service is outstanding, first and foremost, because all of their ingredients are so natural and fresh. They have an extensive list of unique flavors and we really loved our choices of blueberry key lime, and chocolate strawberry.”

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Reminiscing of their beautiful rooftop celebration, the bride will never forget her groom’s reaction to a fun surprise she had up her sleeve.

“Surprising Jared with the saxophonist was something I’ll never forget. We both share a special love for New Orleans and doing something to highlight this was really fun for everyone,” Michelle reminisced.

What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
Fun personality and reputation.

Five family friends recommended Andi Diamond Photography. Andi’s ability to capture you in your very best light was flawless from start to finish. She is very personable and makes everyone around her feel comfortable. She’s also incredibly good at scheduling your day and keeping everyone on time and on track. We truly feel like we’ve found a lifetime photographer in Andi because when you put that special moment of life in her hands to capture, she’s always going to do everything in her power to go above and beyond for you and your family. You know what you’re going to get with Andi, and it’s nothing less than perfection!

The Proposal:
We got engaged in our bedroom closet. Jared was hiding the ring in a ski coat and couldn’t wait until his planned proposal in New Orleans two weeks later!

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our theme was bumble bee because we met on the dating app Bumble!

What were your colors?
Black, white, gold, and wood to our bumblebee themed cake, we really tried to tie everything together somehow.

What did you look for in a wedding venue?
Convenience. In the planning process, we were going for quality, not quantity.

The Epicurean Hotel is three blocks away from the street I grew up on and is by far one of the best hotels in the state. From their amazing food to their always excellent customer service, just about everything about them is out of this world. I absolutely loved the fact that my wedding guests who choose to stay at Epicurean were greeted at their car with a glass of wine and checked in on the way up to their room with an iPad! I also can’t stress enough the fact that the food at Epicurean is not your normal wedding food. The beef comes from Bern’s Steakhouse, and you could really tell that the chefs take their craft very seriously. Everything about our stations was lush and the food was mouthwatering. You could definitely say none of our guests went home hungry. Honestly, I don’t know what went on behind the scenes, but I think it was perfect for a bride on her wedding day.

What was your wedding cake inspiration?
Our Bumble-themed wedding. We had a semi-naked cake with honeycombs, honey drizzle and a cake topper that had bumblebees on it.

The Artistic Whisk‘s service is outstanding, first and foremost, because all of their ingredients are so natural and fresh. They have an extensive list of unique flavors and we really loved our choices of blueberry key lime, and chocolate strawberry.

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Let your guard down and step out of your comfort zone, the one is waiting on the other side.

Ceremony, Reception, and Caterer: Epicurean Hotel *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Venue
Photographer: Andi Diamond Photography *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Planner: Event Lab 1
Florist: FH Weddings and Events
Cake: The Artistic Whisk *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
DJ: DJ Coro
Saxophonist: Mrolomusic
Officiant: David Mobley
Hair & Makeup: Sugared Salon