Melissa and Jared’s downtown St. Pete wedding opted for a neutral, classic theme that elegantly mixed muted tones with gorgeous pops of colors. Matching their relaxed personalities, the bride and groom focused on subtle, but sweet details to showcase their eternal love for one another.
“We wanted a very neutral, classic look that would stand the test of time. We opted for muted colors that gave the understated florals with the bridal bouquet a few pops of color and simple décor to accent the beauty of the reception venue. We decorated the reception hall with lots of greenery with accents of gold that beautifully complemented the muted colors we loved,” the bride gushed. “Given we didn’t necessarily have a color palette, we decided to keep the bridal party in dusty rose dresses and the groomsmen in traditional navy suits.”
The St. Pete natives relied on Marry Me Tampa Bay throughout their planning process to discover wedding inspiration and gain advice.
“I absolutely used Marry Me Tampa Bay throughout my planning process. Not being originally from the Tampa Bay area, I looked for guidance on vendors, along with using their bride-to-be Facebook group to ask questions to brides currently planning our recently married,” Melissa shared. “I also looked at photos of real weddings they had posted to get inspiration on some décor.”
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Complementing her simplistic decor, the bride didn’t want to go over the top with her beauty look for the big day. Luckily, thanks to Marry Me Tampa Bay, she found the perfect match.
“For my wedding hair and makeup, I knew I didn’t want to go over the top.I wanted to look like myself in photos; I’m a pretty simple girl. I chose to accent my hair with a baby’s breath floral crown for a little classic but fun accessory,” the bride beamed. I found Femme Akoi from Marry Me Tampa Bay and chose them after hearing and reading multiple rave reviews of their services. I used them for my engagement photos and loved the look so I decided to book them for my wedding day. They were great to work with from the initial email to the day of the wedding. They kept us ahead of schedule, were fun to get ready with and the whole wedding party, including were so happy with the work they did.”
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Even though the couple had endless beautiful memories from their big day, key moments from the ceremony stick out the most.
“When the double doors opened into the church and I saw Jared for the first time at the end of the aisle instantly took all of the weight of wedding planning off my shoulders, as we opted out of doing a first look. I knew the day was going to be perfect no matter what,” the bride reminisced. “Seeing all of our friends and family standing and looking at us as my dad and I walked down the aisle was truly touching.”
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We wanted a very neutral, classic look that would stand the test of time. We chose muted colors and understated florals. The bridal bouquet had a few pops of color and simple décor to accent the beauty of the reception venue.
What were your colors?
We didn’t necessarily have a color palette so we wanted a neutral classic look. We decided to keep the bridal party in dusty rose dresses and the groomsmen in traditional navy suits. We decorated the reception hall with lots of greenery with accents of gold that beautifully complemented the muted colors we loved.
The Proposal:
We went to New York City at Christmas time for a fun weekend away. We saw all the sites, a Broadway show, and the big, giant Christmas tree. Jared knew I wouldn’t want all the eyes on me when he popped the question, so he waited until we were back at our hotel, and with a bottle of champagne asked me to be his wife. We spent the rest of the weekend celebrating in one of our favorite cities.
What were your wedding hair and makeup inspiration?
For my wedding hair and makeup, I knew I didn’t want to go over the top. As in my everyday life, I’m a pretty simple girl. I wanted to look like myself in photos so I wanted to wear my hair down with big curls for a styled look. For my makeup, I wanted heavier than day-to-day wear but nothing too dramatic so I still felt like myself on my wedding day. I chose to accent my hair with a baby’s breath floral crown for a little classic but fun accessory.
I want to learn more about hair & makeup from Femme Akoi.
I found Femme Akoi from Marry Me Tampa Bay and chose them after hearing and reading multiple rave reviews of their services. I used Femme Akoi for my engagement photos and loved the look so decided to book them for my wedding day. They were great to work with from the initial email to the day of getting ready. They kept us ahead of schedule, were fun to get ready with and my bridesmaids along with the mothers and myself were so happy with the work they did.
How did you incorporate you and your spouse’s personalities into the wedding?
We both have very laid-back personalities and a simple approach to life, so we knew when planning this wedding we weren’t focusing on any over-the-top details, décor, etc. We both love BBQ food. The delicious Southern food was just our style and a hit among our guests.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Wedding planning process can be very stressful and drawn out, but enjoy the experience. Don’t stress long-term over small details because the wedding day goes by quick and you might not even notice something that you agonized over for weeks. I highly recommend a day of coordinator. They take the stress out of the day. You don’t want to have someone from your family or a close friend running the show and not enjoying their time. On your wedding day, be sure to take a step back and let it all sink in because it’s such a beautiful sight to see all of your friends and family in one room together, and it all goes by so quickly.
Ceremony Venue: St. Paul’s Catholic Church
Reception Venue: The Morean Center for Clay
Photographer: Kirstin Shontere Photography
Videographer: Messersmith Films
Planner, Florist & Rentals: Lemon Drops Weddings & Events
Caterer: Holy Hog BBQ
Cake: Publix
DJ: Kolumbo Entertainment & Events
Officiant: Jonathan Stephanz
Invitations: Minted.com
Transportation: Jolley Trolley
Dress Shop and Designer: Willowby by Watters
Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: Azazie.com
Hair & Makeup: Femme Akoi *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Getting Ready Location: Hampton Inn & Suites St. Petersburg
