Downtown Tampa Wedding | Tampa Marriott Waterside
Sara and Tim's downtown Tampa wedding highlighted Florida's beautiful waterfront and skyline.
“We had a lot of out-of-town guests at the wedding, so I loved the city feel that showed off everything Tampa has to offer!” the bride gushed.
The couple's Tampa wedding featured champagne and ivory colors, with subtle pops of peach and pink.
“I wanted to stick with mostly neutral tones with a lot of greenery to keep up with that classic feel,” Sara explained. “I wanted everything to be simple and elegant.”
At the time, the pair were living two hours from downtown Tampa, so they searched for a wedding venue that could keep their planning stress-free, while also provide a stunning backdrop.
“We wanted a venue that was pretty much all-inclusive and to make things easy for ourselves and not have to find separate vendors for food, tables and chairs. We also loved the downtown area and wanted a venue that had a place for all the guests to stay,” the bride said. “A big selling point for the Tampa Marriott Waterside was the view. Our cocktail hour was on the veranda overlooking the water, and we knew that our guests who were escaping the cold winter weather back home would just love it.”
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Music played an important role in showcasing the bride and groom's personalities.
“Tim and I are both really easy-going and love spending time with our family and friends, and I think that showed at the wedding. Our choice of music for the entrances and first dances was just so ‘us,'” Sara shared. “Grant Hemond and Associates came highly recommended by a lot of our other vendors, and we knew they had a lot of experience DJing weddings in the area. The uplighting looked perfect and our DJ did a great job the entire night.
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Looking back, the couple's first dance was one of the most memorable moment's of the night.
“We took dance lessons before the wedding so it was really fun to show off everything we learned! It was also a really special moment to get a few minutes and look right at Tim and let the fact that we were married really sink in,” the bride reminisced.
The Proposal:
Tim and I met while attending Emory University in Atlanta and spent a lot of time at Piedmont Park. We were back visiting his family for Christmas and made a stop at the park with our dogs. and as we were walking Tim got down on one knee!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We wanted a venue that was pretty much all-inclusive. We started planning the wedding living about two hours away and weren't sure if we would even be able to move to Tampa at the time, so we wanted to make things easy for ourselves and not have to find separate vendors for food, tables and chairs, etc. We also loved the downtown area and wanted a venue that had a place for all the guests to stay.
A big selling point for choosing the Tampa Marriott Waterside. Our cocktail hour was on the veranda overlooking the water and we knew that our guests who were escaping the cold winter weather back home would just love it. I think the indoor/outdoor feel we had at the venue made the wedding stand out. Our guests could enjoy a drink outside overlooking the water then pop inside to dance.
We also immediately clicked with the staff there and knew we would be able to easily work together, and we were right. We couldn't have been more pleased with the staff, the food and how everything turned out!
How would you describe your theme?
I didn't plan around a set theme, but I think the best way to describe it would be classic. I wanted everything to be simple and elegant. We had a lot of out-of-town guests at the wedding, so I also loved the “city” feel that showed off everything Tampa has to offer!
What were your colors?
Our colors were mostly champagne and ivory with some light pinks and peaches as a pop of color. I wanted to stick with mostly neutral tones with a lot of greenery to keep up with that classic feel.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We wanted a DJ that was not only going to listen to what kind of music we liked, but also was going to be a good MC to host the wedding and set the tone for the night.
Grant Hemond and Associates came highly recommended by a lot of our other vendors, and we knew they had a lot of experience DJing weddings in the area. We were very pleased with their service. The uplighting looked perfect and our DJ did a great job the entire night. Our choice of music for the entrances and first dances was also just so “us.”
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay Brides?
I recommend before you start looking at vendors, prioritize. Make a list of what is most important to you and work your budget around spending more where it matters, then opting for maybe a less expensive vendor for things that are lower on your list.
I would also say to keep your support system small as you plan. Talk about all the details with just a few family members and friends to make sure you're not getting a million different opinions that will make decisions more difficult.
Trust your gut! Pick vendors that you have good connections with.
Most importantly, when the wedding rolls around, RELAX! I put so much work into planning the wedding and was able to let it all go when the day rolled around and trust the vendors to do what they do best. I was able to enjoy every second of our big day.
Ceremony Venue: Corpus Christi Catholic Church
Reception Venue: Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Venue
Photographer: Sarah and Ben Photography
Videographer: Brogen Productions
Florist: 2Birds Events
Caterer: Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina
Cake: Hands on Sweets
DJ & Uplighting: Grant Hemond and Associates *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Officiant: Father Mike Smith
Invitations: William Arthur
Transportation: Skyline Limousine
Dress: The White Magnolia Bridal Collection
Bridesmaid Dresses: Nordstrom
Hair & Makeup: KyleLynn Weddings
