Emily and Greg's romantic downtown St. Petersburg wedding seamlessly melded modern with the timeless, using a palette of neutrals punctuated with touches of gold, black, and greenery. The celebration began the night prior with a rehearsal dinner on the bustling Beach Drive, setting the stage for the elegant ceremony and reception to follow at a historic, industrial venue.
“Our wedding theme was a mix of modern and romantic. We had such a beautiful venue, and we wanted to keep our design simple and clean,” the bride shared. “Our colors were very simple: neutrals, white, gold, black, and greenery.”
The Tampa couple was captivated by NOVA 535's blend of historic charm and modern aesthetics. The allure of a ceremony in the bamboo courtyard, a reception amidst the original exposed brick interiors, and the venue's proximity to the beach for their guests' enjoyment made it the perfect choice.
“We chose NOVA 535 specifically because they brought our vision to life, and it itself did not require a ton of extra decor. It's beautiful on its own!” the bride beamed. “NOVA is a modern industrial space with both indoor and outdoor space to be able to have both our ceremony and reception there.”
When it came to capturing these magical moments, Emily sought an experienced St. Pete wedding photographer who could interject vibrant, playful energy into every shot. Eddy Almaguer Photography's artistic eye turned moments into lifelong memories.
“We wanted someone who would be able to showcase our real selves versus super rigid photos. We are both very energetic and love to laugh at ourselves, so we wanted that to show in our photos. We also wanted someone who was passionate about making our love story come to life in the photos,” Emily explained. “I worked with Eddy Almaguer Photography at the time and saw his work from a corporate level. I saw how beautifully he captured moments and knew that he would be able to make our vision come to life. We were lucky enough to use him for our engagement photos, rehearsal dinner, wedding, and when we received our photo album. He is absolutely amazing, and I don’t think I ever thank him enough for the beautiful memories we have to last a lifetime.”
As their 120 guests filed into the courtyard, they were greeted with a glass of bubbly, setting a festive and elegant tone. A Chair Affair magnificently brought Emily’s vision of elegance and guest experience to life with a whimsical champagne wall and the adorned arch under which they exchanged their vows.
“We used A Chair Affair for our champagne wall structures and the arch we got married under. I really wanted to have a champagne wall to enhance the guest experience when walking into the ceremony! It was put together beautifully, and every guest talked about how they loved the idea. The arch we got married under, paired with decor from our florist, looked amazing with all the greenery at NOVA 535 and added to the already gorgeous courtyard,” Emily gushed.
The winter nuptials were celebrated with a delicious plated dinner from Olympia Catering, where guests raved over the quality of cuisine.
“We wanted a plated meal so there would be more time for dancing and celebrating with our guests. Olympia Catering was referred by NOVA 535,” Emily shared. “They were wonderful. I think every single guest told us it was the best wedding food they’ve ever had!”
Every detail of Emily and Greg's wedding included personal touches that spoke to their journey, their personalities, and their love. From a signature drink named after their beloved cat, Gru, to the familial tunes that opened their dance floor, every element was a chapter of their love story.
“A few things were very important to us: family and having a great time without taking life too seriously, and we wanted to showcase that during our wedding,” the bride detailed. “My uncle officiated, and my father and another uncle kicked off our dance floor by playing guitar and singing songs special to us. After that, we let the DJ take over, turning our dance floor into a party complete with light-up glow sticks and, of course, an open bar.”
As Emily reminisced on her wedding day, the private vow exchange before the ceremony was her favorite moment.
“Our first look and personal vows to each other were a very special moment for just us two before seeing all our guests and doing our traditional vows during the ceremony. We wanted to have a moment of just us two before everything else began,” Emily beamed.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Scottsdale, AZ. I chose this as it was a direct flight for all my girls. I wanted to make that as easy as possible! My maid of honor went above and beyond to throw the best weekend with 16 of my closest friends!!
The Proposal:
Greg and I live in Tampa, FL, but are both originally from Omaha, NE. After two-plus years of long distance, Greg lived in Tampa, and I lived in Dallas. COVID hit, and we had to make a life-changing decision: how can we continue our relationship without monthly flights? I took the plunge and relocated to Tampa with my cat, Gru.
We definitely had some ups and downs going from long distance to living, working, and COVID-ing together, but Greg proposed at home, followed by a celebratory dinner with friends! Our cat is a huge part of our family, and he wore the ring on his collar to officially ask if Greg could be his “paw-ther” on our rooftop.
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
We wanted someone who would be able to showcase our real selves versus super rigid photos. We are both very energetic and love to laugh at ourselves, so we wanted that to show in our photos. We also wanted someone who was passionate about making our love story come to life in the photos.
I worked with Eddy Almaguer Photography at the time and saw his work from a corporate level. I saw how beautifully he captured moments and knew that he would be able to make our vision come to life. We were lucky enough to use him for our engagement photos, rehearsal dinner, wedding, and when we received our photo album. He is absolutely amazing, and I don’t think I ever thank him enough for the beautiful memories we have to last a lifetime.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our wedding theme was a mix of modern and romantic. We had such a beautiful venue, and we wanted to keep our design simple and clean.
What were your colors?
Our colors were very simple: neutrals, white, gold, black, and greenery.
How did the rentals enhance your ambiance?
We used A Chair Affair for our champagne wall structures and the arch we got married under. I really wanted to have a champagne wall to enhance the guest experience when walking into the ceremony! It was put together beautifully, and every guest talked about how they loved the idea.
The arch we got married under, paired with decor from our florist, looked amazing with all the greenery at NOVA 535 and added to the already gorgeous courtyard.
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We chose NOVA 535 specifically because they brought our vision to life, and it itself did not require a ton of extra decor. It's beautiful on its own!
NOVA is a modern industrial space with both indoor and outdoor space to be able to have both our ceremony and reception there.
What was your wedding menu inspiration?
We wanted a plated meal so there would be more time for dancing and celebrating with our guests!
Olympia Catering was referred by NOVA 535. They were wonderful. I think every single guest told us it was the best wedding food they’ve ever had!
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We are going on our honeymoon in February. We want to take a big trip to Maldives, Thailand and Singapore. We chose these locations as they are places we’ve always wanted to experience together and have the opportunity to relax but also explore new cultures!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Decide what is most important to you and make those your top priority! Everything else will fall into place. Last minute, there is always something that is going to go wrong and add extra stress, but looking back, you’ll laugh, and no one else will notice! The day goes by SO fast, especially after so much planning, so try to soak in every moment and make sure to take some time to be together.
