Jessica and Imran's South Tampa wedding was adorned in a romantic palette of blush, white, and sage florals, along with luscious green garland that hung on a birchwood altar and brought a soft touch to their venue.
“We wanted a classic neutral springtime wedding that was intimate and romantic,” the bride shared “We kept the invite list to our closest family and friends but indulged in our choice of venue and food.”
The Tampa couple shared their special day with the 50 people who knew them best. The pair incorporated personal touches that reminded them of their guests throughout the day.
“We wanted our wedding to incorporate all of our shared favorites,” the bride shared. “We had a violinist play our favorite Beatles songs during our ceremony, we had cocktails named after our two cats, a dessert bar with our favorite desserts, and we curated our cocktail hour and dinner music. Imran wore his father's watch, and I wore the pearl bracelet my great-grandfather gave me when I was little.”
Jessica followed Marry Me Tampa Bay for wedding day inspiration. During the ceremony, the bride walked down the aisle strewn with petals and lit with candles to meet the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with.
“I used Marry Me Tampa Bay to look at photos of the various venues. There were so many great photos and inspiration from local weddings on. This made conveying what we wanted to our vendors much easier,” the bride detailed. “I made sure the expectations of what I wanted were very specific to all the vendors.”
Jessica selected Iyrus Weddings to capture the intimacy of her ceremony and reception through photography and videography. The venue's dark wood finishes and high ceilings were dressed to the nines with springtime florals and twinkle lights, and the bride knew that the photography/videography team would capture every detail from her delicate beaded gown to the groom's mega-watt smile during their first look.
“We wanted our photos to be bright, crisp, and classic, and we wanted the photographer and videographer to be one team, physically and stylistically. Will and his team from Iyrus were perfect,” the bride beamed. “They were professional and made sure all the details in the photos were fixed prior to shooting. They also kept track of the shot list and helped manage our schedule. Iyrus definitely exceeded many expectations.”
With the professional photos covered, the couple incorporated candid moments that also doubled as a favor through The Gala Photobooth.
“We wanted the photo booth to have high-quality photos, and Gala provided a great arrangement of backdrops and props,” the bride raved. “They also had high-quality prints for our guests to take home.”
Looking back, the bride and groom reminisced on a day filled with love and the blending of two families and cultures.
“The ceremony was our favorite part of the wedding,” Jessica gushed. “My grandma officiated the ceremony, and we wrote our own vows. We exchanged our favorite family dishes to symbolize the blending of our two cultures.”
The Proposal:
We were on a day trip to Sarasota. We went to the Ringling Museum, had lunch on the water, then went to the beach. I thought this might be the day he'd finally ask since I had picked out a ring almost a year ago. We were walking back from the beach, and I was a little disappointed, but Imran dropped his sunglasses in the sand, got on one knee, and then pulled the ring out. I was completely surprised. I laughed, said some choice words, and then said yes!
What did you look for in a wedding photography and videography team?
We wanted the photographer and videographer to be one team, physically and stylistically. We wanted our photos to be bright, crisp, and classic.
Will and his team from Iyrus Weddings were perfect on our wedding day. They were professional and made sure all the details in the photos were fixed prior to shooting. They also kept track of the shot list and helped manage our schedule. Iyrus definitely exceeded many expectations.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Kauai and Maui. We wanted to stay in the U.S. due to Covid but wanted to travel as far as we could.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Downtown Dunedin. We did a “Brews before I Do's.” We went to all the local breweries, walked around the Saturday Farmer's Market, and stayed at the historic Fenway Hotel. It was the perfect local getaway.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We wanted an intimate, romantic wedding. We kept the invite list to our closest family and friends but indulged in our choice of venue and food.
What were your colors?
We chose blush, white, and sage. We wanted a classic neutral springtime wedding.
What did you look for in a photo booth rental company?
We wanted the photo booth to have high-quality photos. The Gala Photobooth provided a great arrangement of backdrops and props. They also had high-quality prints for our guests to take home.
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Iyrus Wedding definitely exceeded many expectations. The Oxford Exchange, my hair stylist, the wedding dress shop, our makeup artist, and our baker were instrumental in making our wedding happen. They all went above and beyond to make sure everything went smoothly.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Make sure the expectations of what you want are very specific. Make sure your florist has photos in their proposal, have the DJ provide a list of music they typically play, discuss lighting plans with your photographer if your venue is darker, and plan for something to go wrong (it usually does).
