Sachell and Francisco's downtown St. Pete wedding immersed their friends and family in an exotic space fit for the tropics, filled with vibrant red and coral blooms, greenery, and even fresh papayas, mangos, and citrus.
“I would describe our wedding as moody tropical. We chose it because it was a great fit with the venue. I did not want it to be the typical tropical theme,” the bride revealed. “The colors were burgundy, crème, peach, and dark green.”
The local St. Petersburg couple recognized the importance of working with a seasoned wedding planner to bring their vision to life and turned to Karen Cerboni at EventFull Weddings to guide them through the planning process and to create a tropical paradise for their 117 guests.
“The characteristics we were looking for in a wedding planner included someone who was organized but did not make me feel stressed. I wanted someone who had experience in the area and did weddings that fit my aesthetic vision. Karen from EventFull Weddings made it happen! She was amazing and really tried to make every detail happen while having fun planning the whole thing,” the bride raved. “I liked how available Karen made herself, and I felt comfortable trusting aesthetic decisions on her based on her work and reviews. We were completely over the moon with her work. I still have guests tell me how our wedding was so organized and well put together.”
The bride and groom wanted their May celebration to be a personal reflection of themselves and leaned into those priorities while making decisions during the planning process.
“We incorporated our personalities by having a fun and laid-back timeline. We had many personal touches to make it us: having our friend officiate, incorporating our dog into the ceremony, and sharing our own written vows,” Sachell detailed. “Marry Me Tampa Bay was a great source for seeing the work of some of the vendor suggestions that our planner Karen would send us.”
The entire space was transformed into a tropical oasis through the creative floral team at Save The Date Florida. From the tropical plants and flowers to the fresh fruit accents, the pair brought the outdoors in and set the tone for the moody tropical vibe that the couple envisioned.
“I wanted a florist who worked well with my planner. I also wanted someone who wasn’t afraid to get creative, and Danielle Zechmann of Save the Date Florida killed it! I chose Save the Date Florida because tropical is Danielle’s niche, and her work speaks for itself. Just gorgeous!” the bride gushed. “I believe that the result is only as good as the entire team. Karen and Danielle work well together and can make an aesthetic vision a reality.”
Kate Ryan Event Rentals provided warm wood cross-back chairs and charger plates to add texture to the space, along with amber glassware and gold flatware to elevate the place settings, while bright, exotic blooms graced the layers of the chic two-tier confection from Tampa Bay Cake Company.
“We wanted the cake to be simple and to have natural flowers, and Tampa Bay Cake Company did just that! The result was so pretty and delicious!” Sanchell gushed.
Looking back, some of the bride's favorite memories occurred during intimate moments with the groom.
“The ceremony and shared vows were the most meaningful and important element to us,” Sachell recalled. “The most memorable moments of our wedding were our first looks and sharing our vows.”
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Tulum, Mexico. It was chosen by popular demand of the people going.
The Proposal:
Our proposal was very special on Thanksgiving, surrounded by our family members. Francisco asked me to marry him right before dinner. It was special because we were able to have both of our families to share the moment.
What did you look for in a wedding florist?
I wanted a florist who worked well with my planner. I also wanted someone who wasn’t afraid to get creative, and Danielle Zechmann of Save The Date Florida killed it! I chose Save the Date Florida because tropical is Danielle’s niche, and her work speaks for itself. Just gorgeous.
I believe that the result is only as good as the entire team. Karen and Danielle work well together and can make an aesthetic vision a reality.
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
The characteristics we were looking for in a wedding planner included someone who was organized but did not make me feel stressed. I wanted someone who had experience in the area and did weddings that fit my aesthetic vision. Karen from EventFull Weddings made it happen! She was amazing and really tried to make every detail happen while having fun planning the whole thing.
We hired Eventfull Weddings because I enjoyed my initial conversation with Karen. I liked how available Karen made herself, and I felt comfortable trusting her aesthetic decisions based on her work and reviews. We were completely over the moon with her work. I still have guests tell me how our wedding was so organized and well put together.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We went to Venice and Croatia for our honeymoon; we wanted somewhere romantic and unique.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
I would describe our wedding as moody tropical. We chose it because it was a great fit with the venue. I did not want it to be the typical tropical theme.
What were your colors?
Burgundy, crème, peach, and dark green.
How did your event rentals enhance the look of your wedding?
I looked for a wedding rental company that was reliable and had the items that we needed for a reasonable price. We hired Kate Ryan Event Rentals because they had a wide selection of items, many of which went together well. All items were high quality and unique.
What was your wedding cake inspiration?
We wanted the cake to be simple and to have natural flowers, and Tampa Bay Cake Company did just that!
We used natural flowers, and the result was so pretty and delicious!
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Save The Date Florida and EventFull Weddings really exceeded my expectations because I was really worried about the way the ballroom would look, but they transformed it!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Enjoy the process and the day! It’s the only way the money is worth it.
