Shelby and Gordon’s downtown St. Pete wedding incorporated timeless elements with a rustic, bohemian flair with a combination of burgundy and dusty rose, accented by natural greenery and pops of gold.
“Our wedding was classy rustic, and our colors were classy and timeless,” the bride shared. “We used Marry Me Tampa Bay for pictures and suggested vendors for options to look into.”
The St. Pete couple searched for an inclusive wedding venue that offered many services under one roof to cut down on extra research that they would have to do otherwise. When describing The Birchwood, Shelby said it exceeded all of their expectations.
“The night went off without a hitch! The Birchwood met and exceeded our expectations for a wedding venue from their food to their wedding packages!” the bride beamed. “After a few meetings with their staff, you could really feel that the team understood my vision and had all the details mapped out with help from my day of coordinator to carry it all out flawlessly.”
Shelby filled her wedding day with personal sentiments by creating many of the details herself, including the seating chart, cake topper, and geometric coaster place cards as keepsakes for their guests. The couple also wanted to honor their late mothers into their special day.
“Our personal touches were very important to us. We created handmade guests favors and decor, and shared a ‘rose ceremony’ carried out by our officiant in tribute to each of our mothers who had passed away,” the bride explained.
When considering their entertainment options, the bride and groom sought a DJ who offered a balance of both professionalism and party. Gordon helped create a lot of their playlists, incorporating favorites from classic to pop to Latin trap music.
“We wanted a DJ who was fun, flexible, easy of adding a song to a ‘list’ and with a willingness to hear our ideas and formulate a plan/flow for the night,” Shelby explained. “We hired Graingertainment because of price and customer service, and they were readily available to answer any and all questions. Our DJ was personable and fun, and we shared a good vibe from our very first conversation.”
Memories of the guests’ camaraderie together have stuck with the couple since their big day.
“This was a unique time that we had both of our families together. Times like these don’t happen often, and we were so happy everyone could make the trip,” the bride reminisced.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Classy meets rustic.
What were your colors?
Burgundy and dusty rose and greenery. These colors are classy and timeless.
The Proposal:
It was a casual night turned to an unforgettable evening! It was an amazing Christmas Eve surprise!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We wanted an all-inclusive venue in order to cut down the work I had to do to search for vendors that met our standards.
The Birchwood met and exceeded our expectations for a wedding venue from their food to their wedding packages. From the food to the ballroom space and all of their wedding packages and options the entire service from the Birchwood was outstanding. The night went off without a hitch! After a few meetings with their staff, you could really feel that the team understood my vision and had all the details mapped out with help from my day of coordinator to carry it all out flawlessly.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We wanted someone fun and flexible, with the ease of adding songs to our playlists, along with a willingness to hear our ideas and formulate a plan/flow for the night. We also wanted someone who offered a great price and customer service, and who would be readily available to answer any and all questions.
Our Graingertainment DJ was personable and fun, and we shared a good vibe from our very first conversation.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Don’t settle on a first price/quote. An outstanding vendor will take your vision and your budget and make it work.
Ceremony and Reception Venue and Caterer: The Birchwood *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Venue
Photographer: Katie Hauburger Photography
Planner: April Sherwin
Florist: Leaf It To Us
Rentals: A Sherrie Affair
Cake: A Baker’s Flour
DJ: Graingertainment *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Officiant: Jen Denis-Hill
Invitations: Zazzle
Dress: Stella York
Bridesmaid Dress Shop: Azazie
Hair & Makeup: Reign Beauty Collective
