Caitlin and Brandon's Safety Harbor wedding provided a garden chic aesthetic with subtle touches of greenery and a romantic color palette of pale blue and ivory. Covered in an abundance of soft flowers and rustic wooden furniture, the Tampa Bay natives' wedding day embodied a swoon-worthy, country ambiance.
“I feel like a lot of people stay away from blue in their wedding colors and instead try to play it safe with more neutral colors. However, I’m so glad we stuck to our Wedgewood blue and ivory color palette because we got so many compliments,” the bride shared. “Choosing those colors and adding wooden accents really pulled our country chic wedding theme together so well.”
MORE: BLUE WEDDING INSPIRATION
Searching for the perfect ceremony venue, the couple kept in mind the importance of a gorgeous space that would be perfect for pictures, big enough to fit their guests, and adaptable to Florida's uncertain weather.
“When we saw photos of Harborside Chapel we were absolutely blown away! We were so excited to book with them that we actually booked the venue before we physically got to see the space,” Caitlin gushed. “When you enter the chapel, it's absolutely breathtaking! For us, it was everything we wanted in a venue. There was an open scenic outdoor area for beautiful photos, a gorgeous bridal suite for the bridal party and lighting that filled the chapel perfectly. We just loved it!”
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When it came time to research reception venues and vendors, the bride turned to Marry Me Tampa Bay for inspiration and reviews.
“Marry Me Tampa Bay is where I first saw photos of The Tampa Garden Club after my planner recommended them,” the bride explained. “It is also where I would look for a lot of my reviews before considering vendors.”
The bride and groom knew they needed certain details to pull their theme off perfectly and were delighted when they came across Tampa Bay decor rental company A Chair Affair.
“A Chair Affair had great prices and fantastic customer service. They always responded to my emails in a timely manner, and I could always reach someone by phone easily,” Caitlin beamed. “Some of our favorite pieces were the sweetheart farm table and the rustic French country cross back chairs. They really added the touch we were looking for.”
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As the big day approached, the bride turned to a trusted wedding stationery designer, Sarah of Sarah Bubar Designs, to create her floral themed invites.
“We wanted to incorporate the colors and the flowers into our invitations, but we weren’t sure how. Sarah is a longtime friend of mine, and I have had the pleasure of supporting her and watching her business grow over the years. Her designs are incredible, and I love the watercolor and florals she uses throughout,” the bride shared. “I was so happy that my invitations were so unique to my wedding with gorgeous colors and elegant calligraphy addressing all of our matching envelopes. Everything turned out stunning!”
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With a few ideas in mind for hair and makeup, the bride looked for a wedding hair and makeup artist who could ensure a polished look that lasted all night.
“From the beginning, Femme Akoi made sure my trial looked exactly the same as my wedding day. I was really impressed with the way the owner, Christine, took my ideas and came up with her own to get me exactly what I was looking for. My curls were polished perfectly, and I got so many compliments that made me feel that much more beautiful,” the bride shared. “Femme Akoi did an amazing job with everyone's hair and makeup and were very professional and lovely to have while we were getting ready.”
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Looking back on their wedding day, the bride couldn't forget the hilarious moment her groom added some flair to the wedding ceremony.
“Brandon said ‘I do' twice, and it was hilarious! I guess the pastor paused after his sentence so Brandon immediately replied, ‘I do' and everyone laughed. There’s actually a picture of me bent over laughing and a few photos of our guests cracking up,” the bride reminisced.
What was your wedding invitation inspiration?
My obsession with florals! We wanted to incorporate the colors and the flowers into our invitations, but we weren’t sure how.
I Want to Learn More about Stationery and Invitations From Sarah Bubar Designs
Sarah of Sarah Bubar Designs is a longtime friend of mine, and I have had the pleasure of supporting her and watching her business grow over the years. Her designs are incredible, and I love the watercolor and florals she uses throughout. I was so happy that my invitations were so unique to my wedding with gorgeous colors and elegant calligraphy addressing all of our matching envelopes. Everything turned out stunning!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We really wanted to have a beautiful ceremony and reception space, both perfect for taking photos and adaptable to the weather. We needed space large enough for our families and guests.
I want to learn more about Harborside Chapel
We were so excited to book with Harborside Chapel. In fact, our schedule kept conflicting to meet initially, so we went ahead and booked it before we even saw it in person. For us, it was everything we wanted in a venue. When you enter the chapel, it's absolutely breathtaking! There was an open scenic outdoor area for beautiful photos, a gorgeous bridal suite for the bridal party and lighting that filled the chapel perfectly. Harborside Chapel was the perfect venue! The coordinators were so helpful in making sure they had all the timelines from my wedding planner and making sure that everything was perfect for us leading up to the big day. They emailed promptly and were always so great about answering all of our questions. Our bridal suite was stocked with snacks and cold water for the big day, which was perfect for all of us anxious girls that had been up getting ready since 7:30 in the morning. We absolutely loved it there!
What were your wedding hair and makeup inspiration?
I had a few ideas on Pinterest for hair; I knew I wanted my hair to be somewhat down. I wanted a company who could deliver quality and consistency. I have very thick hair, it holds a curl very well and can be done and set for the whole night, so I knew I needed to find the perfect company for hair and makeup.
I want to learn more about hair & makeup from Femme Akoi.
I chose Femme Akoi because I really liked their photos on their website and was impressed with their glowing reviews. From the beginning, they made sure my trial looked the exact same as my wedding day. They went to the same lengths so I knew exactly what I’d look like. I was really impressed with the way the owner, Christine, took my ideas and came up with her own to get me exactly what I was looking for. My curls were polished perfectly, and I got so many compliments that made me feel that much more beautiful. They did an amazing job with everyone's hair and makeup and were very professional and lovely to have while we were getting ready.
The Proposal:
Brandon surprised me for my birthday with tickets for a cruise. I was so excited because I’d never been on a cruise before! On June 25th, the first night of the cruise, he took me to the top deck of the ship before dinner. Brandon told me he wanted to take pictures. While people took pictures of us, he asked, “Do you know what would make this cruise even better? If you’d be my fiancé.” He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him!
How did you incorporate you and your spouse's personalities into the wedding?
We had so much fun planning our wedding and I feel like every little piece represents us as a couple. I have to say while
the ceremony most definitely represented our love, the reception represented all of the amazing times we've had in our relationship. We also put a lot of thought into our song choices to make the night even more special.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Garden, chic. I loved all of the greenery with white and blush florals with wooden accents here and there.
What were your colors?
Wedgewood blue and ivory with greenery. I actually gave Brandon the choice of colors: blush, champagne, silver/gray, or blue. He chose the blue because its unique. Neutral colors are so common.
What did you look for in a wedding rental company?
Responsibility, reasonable price, and good reviews.
I Want to Learn More about Rentals from A Chair Affair
Our wedding planner had worked with A Chair Affair, and she trusted them. They had great prices, fantastic customer service, and great pricing! They always responded to my emails in a timely manner, and I could always reach someone by phone easily.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We wanted someone who would have fun with us, almost like they were also a guest at the party. After all of the formal dances, we wanted to make sure everyone danced all night! One of the most important things to us at the reception was that
everyone would be dancing and that definitely relies on a DJ.
I want to learn more about DJ/Lighting services from Grant Hemond & Associates.
We heard many great things about Grant Hemond & Associates from our own friends. We were so happy with their
services! Ben was so much fun! He kept the party going all night! He even played Bad Boys to complement my husband being a police officer. Ben called Brandon and all of his friends who are officers to the dance floor to honor them. No one asked him to do that but it was so fun and so special to us.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Having a wedding planner who knows the area and the vendors well is definitely important! Tampa has an array of gorgeous venues, so if you have the time, visit them each to see which one best captures your vision and style you’re going for. As for the big day, enjoy the little moments with your fiancé, have fun and make it personal to you!
Ceremony Venue: Harborside Chapel *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Venue
Reception Venue: Tampa Garden Club
Photographer: Tiffany McClure Photography
Videographer: Paul Steal
Planner: Chantilly Chic Celebrations
Florist: conceptBAIT
Caterer: 4Rivers Catering
Bartender: The Hub Tap Mobile Event Co.
Rentals: A Chair Affair *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Linens: Connie Duglin
Cake: Allyson Reynolds
DJ: Grant Hemond & Associates *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Officiant: Griffin Gilstrap & Jake English
Invitations: Sarah Bubar Designs *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Transportation: Olympus Limousines
Dress: The White Magnolia
Hair & Makeup: Femme Akoi *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
