Downtown St. Pete New Year’s Eve Wedding | Vinoy Renaissance Wedding
When the bride and groom loves hosting parties and decides to have a downtown St. Pete New Year’s Eve wedding, you know it’s going to be a fabulous celebration. St. Petersburg couple Kristina and Jeff held two events for their December 31st wedding, an intimate, formal evening, followed by a New Year’s Eve bash.
“As much as we love to party, we also wanted to be respectful of the marriage and not lose sight of the reason we were celebrating. Ultimately, we decided to have two events. The first event was just for family and close friends. It was a short and sweet romantic ceremony in the Vinoy Renaissance‘s Tea Garden, followed by a fantastic cocktail hour and buffet dinner reception in the front half of the ballroom,” Kristina explained. “The second event was the ‘party,’ where we utilized the back half of the ballroom with the dance floor, photo ‘op’ area with a black leather chaise, projector screen for Instagram photos and an array of late night snacks for guests who were invited to the second half of our celebration.”
The pair chose a wedding location close to home to showcase their love for St. Pete.
“We chose to have the wedding in the area because it was the perfect location for everyone to gather, while also being a bit of a ‘destination’ for our northern families. We enjoy our hometown so much; it was the perfect way to have everyone enjoy the area we call home,” the bride gushed.
The couple searched for an iconic St. Petersburg wedding venue that would leave an impression on their guests, while also offer a variety of activities for visitors.
“We specifically looked for a venue that represented St. Petersburg’s history and elegance and that was also comfortable and affordable. We especially wanted a venue that we could return to year after year to celebrate our anniversary,” Kristina shared. “As residents of St. Petersburg, we had firsthand knowledge of the Vinoy Renaissance‘s reputation of excellent service and comfortable atmosphere. We chose the hotel for its history and scenic location on the bay. We wanted an elegant feel that was also welcoming and fun.”
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On the recommendation of work colleagues, Kristina and Jeff hired St. Petersburg wedding photographer Carrie Wildes Photography.
“[We looked for a wedding photographer who was] classic with a modern eye; we did not want anyone that relied heavily on Photoshop to make the shots look ‘cool’ or too contrived,” the bride explained. “Seeing Carrie’s work was all that I needed to make the decision. She allowed us to express our opinions and never made us feel as though we were asking too much. Carrie made us feel like she was a friend rather than a hired wedding photographer, which translated into a comfort level that allowed us to work together.”
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Looking back, one on the bride’s most cherished memories was seeing her months of hard work fall into place.
“The most memorable moment was walking into the reception room and seeing the flowers and cake and how beautiful the room looked. After months and months of planning and trying to envision how everything would come together, it was right there in front of us,” Kristina reminisced. “I wanted to take it all in and make memories that we would never forget.”
The Proposal:
After 14 months of dating, Jeff proposed while on vacation in Seattle. We took a day trip to Olympic National Park where Jeff found the perfect location to propose, Lake Crescent. He took advantage of a picturesque opportunity to get down on one knee on a dock jetting out into the beautiful blue water of the lake.
What did you look for in a wedding venue and how did it add to your atmosphere?
We specifically looked for a venue that represented St. Petersburg’s history and elegance and that was also comfortable and affordable. We wanted a location that would be memorable for our day but also allowed our guests a variety of activities while visiting the area. We especially wanted a venue that we could return to year after year to celebrate our anniversary.
As residents of St. Petersburg, we had firsthand knowledge of the Vinoy Renaissance‘s reputation of excellent service and comfortable atmosphere. We chose the hotel for its history and scenic location on the bay. We wanted an elegant feel that was also welcoming and fun.
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
Classic with a modern eye; we did not want anyone that relied heavily on Photoshop to make the shots look “cool” or too contrived.
Carrie Wildes Photography was highly recommended by mutual friends at work and seeing her work was all that I needed to make the decision. She allowed us to express our opinions and never made us feel as though we were asking too much. Carrie made us feel like she was a friend rather than a hired wedding photographer, which translated into a comfort level that allowed us to work together.
How would you describe your theme?
The theme of our wedding, Black, Blush and Bling, was dictated by the date, New Year’s Eve! We enjoy entertaining and having parties for any possible occasion, so having our wedding on New Year’s Eve made perfect sense. As much as we love to party, we also wanted to be respectful of the marriage and not lose sight of the reason we were celebrating. Ultimately, we decided to have two events. The first event was just for family and close friends. It was a short and sweet romantic ceremony in the Vinoy‘s Tea Garden, followed by a fantastic cocktail hour and buffet dinner reception in the front half of the ballroom. The second event was the “party,” where we utilized the back half of the ballroom with the dance floor, photo “op” area with a black leather chaise, projector screen for Instagram photos and an array of late night snacks for guests who were invited to the second half of our celebration.
What were your colors?
Our colors were black, blush, and bling due to the New Year’s celebration theme.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
It was important to me that the DJ came highly recommended because they have a lot of control of how the night unfolds.
After talking with [our wedding vendors], we specifically requested Cory Barron at Grant Hemond & Associates based on their recommendations. This company came highly recommended and their service was exceptional. We had a thorough interview on paper and over the phone, which gave Cory a feel for our personalities and the tone we wanted to set for the night. He went above and beyond, even assisting the florist with setup of the space and lighting, everything turned out perfectly!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay brides?
Talk to other married friends and already booked vendors for recommendations. Bridal shows are great, but nothing can compete with word of mouth recommendations. Do your research and be sure your vendors know you and what you want. Trying to find a bargain for vendors can be to your detriment because their experience and expertise can really make or break your day. I had minimal stress on my wedding day because the vendors knew us and what we wanted, and I trusted their decision-making without feeling like I had to be in control of everything.
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Vinoy Renaissance Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Venue
Photographer: Carrie Wildes Photography *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Florist: Events in Bloom
Caterer: Vinoy Renaissance
Rentals: Events in Bloom
Cake: Vinoy Renaissance
*Ceremony Musician (harpist): Rebecca Cosas
DJ: Grant Hemond & Associates *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Officiant: Dennis Saladino
Invitations: Etsy – The Lazy Man’s Daughter
Dress Shop and Designer: Kleinfeld Bridal (New York) – Madison James
Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: CC’s Boutique – Bill Levkoff
Hair: Noelle Pittenger
Make Up: Tina Honeycutt
