Marry Me Tampa Bay
Weddings are an experience and food is one of the main centerpieces for any memorable event. While some couples opt for a traditional sit-down dinner, others are looking for a more laid-back approach and unique way to serve their guests. Food trucks have become a staple of festivals, community events, and weekends out, but you...
Now that weddings are coming back in full force, couples are experiencing a new set of planning hurdles: venue and vendor availability. If you’re getting married this fall or next spring, chances are most of those Saturday dates are booked, and you’re competing with double the number of couples for one date. Due to this...
As destinations are opening back up and travel restrictions are lifted, you’re probably excited to finally be able to travel again, but there are some things you should know before planning your destination wedding or honeymoon in a post-COVID world. COVID completely transformed the world, and two of the fields that have been most affected...
Your wedding day is one of the biggest events in your life and probably one of the most expensive (second to purchasing a home), but protecting your deposits and payments is often overlooked. Most of the couples we feature on Marry Me Tampa Bay spend at least $30,000 on their wedding day. While most occur...
Typically Tampa Bay wedding venues and vendors are booked solid for weekend dates and Spring and Fall 2021, which are also known as “Florida’s wedding season.” However, with couples rescheduling and moving dates around due to COVID-19, prime wedding dates that are normally reserved months in advance have opened up! Discover which popular wedding dates...
Over the past decade, photo booths have evolved to become the life of the party, especially with the continuing growth of our social media culture. They provide guests the spotlight throughout the night, create amazing Instagram-worthy photos and videos, make for amazing party favors, and leave your guests with memories they can cherish forever. As...
Weddings are all about the guest experience, and an important part of that experience often involves alcohol. If your venue allows you to bring in your own bartender, there are several things to know so that you choose a professional who comes prepared, won’t keep your guests waiting for their drinks and most importantly, who...
One of the best investments you can make for your wedding day is hiring a wedding planner. The couples whom we feature always say how vital their planner was in executing their vision, and making the day even more enjoyable so that they nor their family had to worry about a thing. But do you...
Choosing a date is one of the most important things you’ll do during the planning process for your Tampa Bay wedding. While summer is often an ideal time to get married in more northern parts of the country, the same considerations don’t apply to Florida weddings. “Florida is hot in the summer, like chill out...
If you ask most wedding guests what they remember about their experiences, they’ll often comment on the food and entertainment. Wedding day music goes beyond hiring a DJ for your reception. Your entertainment selections set the ambiance for your wedding ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. There’s a lot to be said of hiring musicians who...
With COVID affecting wedding guest size, some couples are opting to host a smaller ceremony and event now and planning a larger event next year, while others are eloping. When hosting an intimate wedding, you still want to put the same amount of thought into hiring professional wedding pros, and lucky for you, vendors who...
What makes your wedding different from all the other events that happen at your venue? Your flowers and decor. Think of flowers as the “icing on the cake” or the jewelry and accessories to a great outfit. With endless options on Pinterest and Instagram, how do you know how to achieve your vision, while also...
At the end of every real wedding feature, we ask couples their advice for other soon-to-be weds, and hands down we hear the same reply: Hire a wedding planner. If you ask any wedding vendor if you should hire a wedding planner the answer will always be yes, because experienced wedding planners are worth their...
Announcing your wedding date is one of the most exciting things that kicks off your wedding planning journey, so what do you need to know when it comes to all things save the dates? We’ve enlisted Paperlust, a leading Australian-based online stationery designer, to answer the questions that every couple has on their mind when...
From Christi Winsor, owner of Winsor Event Studio: “Let me tell you a story about my recent 10-year wedding anniversary vow renewal. We decided to commemorate our anniversary by renewing our vows at a beautiful international destination that is near and dear to me personally. This was 10 years after our local Tampa wedding, and...
What Should Brides Know about Choosing a Hair and Makeup Artist (HMUA)? “Do your research and make sure you love the pictures on their social media and website. Do the styles and brides that they have featured match your style? If the answer is yes, then that artist could be worth it!” -Christine Wheaton, owner...
I was recently speaking to a newly engaged couple, and they asked me what advice I had for them. I told them what I tell EVERY couple…hire a seasoned wedding planner. Hands down, there is no better investment you can make for your wedding. “Hiring a wedding planner can relieve stress, provide options, create a...
What factors go into the cost of professional wedding photography? “Photographers are business owners; we don’t just run around taking pretty photos and then throw up our feet on the couch all week. We have all the same costs as any other business, (marketing, equipment, insurance, second shooters, product cost, etc.), so there is a...
Setting a budget for your wedding day is one of the biggest decisions that you will make before your planning even begins. Your budget sets the tone for selecting your venue, the rest of your vendor team, and possibly the date. With budgets and finances being a delicate issue to discuss with your partner or...
You want to have your closest friends and family at your wedding, so you probably can’t imagine saying “I do” without your best friend. Even if your bestie has four legs and is covered in fur. Including your pet in your wedding can seem like a challenging, stressful experience, but it doesn’t have to be!...
While you may have thought selecting a Tampa Bay wedding date was the simplest part of planning, there are many factors to consider for when choosing those special numbers: Weather. Hurricane season. Gasparilla. Spring break. Local events (think St. Pete Grand Prix or festivals at Curtis Hixon or Vinoy Park) So that you don’t choose...
While your wedding day is one of the most memorable days in your life, it can also be an expensive one. Every year, there tends to be a wedding venue that closes its doors, a vendor who goes out of business, or a weather issue that causes issues. Because you start paying for your wedding...
Getting engaged is one of the most exciting times in your life. Though, with the celebration comes big responsibility. Your wedding day is a milestone and one of the most memorable days of your life. The first set of decisions you make over the next few weeks will set the tone of your wedding: budget,...
Written by Brides N Blooms Designs owner Ellen Hack: I really sympathize with the couples who are in the middle of a panic on whether to cancel, reschedule, or revamp their wedding dates and dreams. It is emotional for many. The truth is there is no right path or best choice. There are only the...
How to Pop the Question “Proposals do take some planning, but try to make them as natural as possible! They will come across more authentic and meaningful if you are yourself. You’ll most likely be a little nervous, so it’s important to have details already in place: select a spot, (check the weather if it’ll...
Marry Me Tampa Bay editor, Anna Coats, created Marry Me Tampa Bay in 2012 to showcase the area's best local weddings and vendors. She has been featured as a wedding expert on the national talkshow Daytime, Fox13, ABC Action News, Great Day Tampa Bay, and Bay News 9 (now Spectrum).
