Geneva and Kevin’s St. Pete wedding was inspired by a love for timeless elegance, brought to life through a soft, romantic palette and beautiful white florals accented with greenery.

“Our theme was classic elegance. We both like the look of a mostly white wedding with a few accent colors,” the bride shared. “Our colors were white, gold, and sage. We chose these colors because they fit into our theme of having a classic/elegant wedding.”

The local couple hosted their August nuptials in St. Petersburg, the city they proudly call home and where they’ve built a life they love together. As Geneva planned their celebration, she found inspiration through a favorite local resource.

“We chose to have our wedding in St. Petersburg because we love living here, easy access to some of the most beautiful beaches in our country,” the bride beamed. “I used Marry Me Tampa Bay’s Instagram for a few wedding inspirational ideas on decor.”

When it came to the venue, Geneva and Kevin were drawn to Isla Del Sol Yacht & Country Club for its private beach, breathtaking water views and full-service experience that highlighted everything they love about Florida.

“We were looking for a venue that showcased all of the reasons we love St. Petersburg. We also wanted an all-inclusive venue that our out-of-town guests would really enjoy,” the bride explained. “We chose Isla Del Sol Yacht & Country Club because they had years of experience with weddings at their venue. We love that they had a beautiful private beach area for the ceremony, and the large ballroom with the dance floor was perfect for our guests. We also liked that it was an all-inclusive venue, and Melissa was amazing to work with!”

The wedding took place on the sand beneath swaying palm trees, with the serene waters of Boca Ciega Bay creating a stunning natural backdrop. Surrounded by 170 of their closest family and friends, Geneva and Kevin exchanged heartfelt vows in a ceremony that felt both intimate and timeless. The celebration continued in the elegant ballroom, where guests dined beneath a sparkling chandelier at round tables dressed in floor-length white linens, adorned with lush floral centerpieces, gold accents, and Chiavari chairs.

Photography was a top priority, and the pair sought professionals who were not only familiar with their venue but who made them feel comfortable and captured the soft, bright aesthetic they envisioned.

“We were looking for a wedding photographer who was experienced at our venue and someone we were comfortable working with,” the bride shared. “We hired Lifelong Photography Studio because we loved working with Buffy and her team. She was very patient and knew exactly where to get the best photos on our wedding day. We also love their editing style, as it gives our photos a soft, bright light and is very pretty.”

To keep everything running smoothly, the couple enlisted an experienced wedding planner who was deeply familiar with their venue and could expertly guide them through the planning process while bringing their vision to life with ease.

“We chose Coastal Coordinating because they were recommended by Melissa at Isla Del Sol, and they had several years of experience putting on weddings at this venue,” the bride revealed. “Cayla was incredible and helped walk us through so many details we would have struggled with on our own. On the day of the wedding, she made sure everything was set up and on time, and it looked beautiful!”

Wanting to fully capture the energy, emotion, and behind-the-scenes moments of their day, Geneva and Kevin knew that adding a dedicated wedding content creator team to their vendor team would be one of the best decisions they made.

“We chose to have a content creator because we didn’t want to spend the extra money on a videographer, but wanted clips to share with our friends and family who weren’t able to come to our wedding on social media,” the bride explained. “We hired the Behind the Vows team because they were one of the few experienced content creators for weddings in the Tampa Bay area. On the day of our wedding, they took so many pictures and videos! It was amazing to have all the footage sent to us the day after.”

Throughout their wedding, Geneva and Kevin added meaningful, personal touches that truly reflected their personalities and relationship. From walking down the aisle to music from The Lord of the Rings trilogy, to having their dog Bacardi as the ring bearer, and featuring all three of their pets as cake toppers, each detail was a celebration of who they are. Their grand entrance into the reception—dancing into the ballroom to Fireball by Pitbull with sparkler cannons—brought energy and laughter that set the tone for the night.

“Our wedding was unique because we made sure to include pieces of our personality into each part using Lord of the Rings music during the ceremony, our pets incorporated in the decorations, and bursting into the ballroom dancing to Fireball as our entrance,” the bride gushed.

Even their floral choices reflected the couple’s thoughtful and intentional planning. Geneva chose beautiful faux florals from Etsy shops, which looked stunning in photos and allowed them to reallocate part of their budget toward other meaningful elements.

“My flowers look incredible in all of our photos and we were able to save some money this way to spend on other things,” the bride revealed.

As for the most unforgettable parts of their day, one special memory immediately came to mind.

“The most memorable moments at our wedding started with our dog walking the rings down the aisle. She’s getting older, so we were really happy we could include her in our day and have those pictures forever,” the bride reminisced. “We loved both speeches by the best man and matron of honor—they were absolutely hilarious and so heartfelt; our guests were laughing and crying. And we’ll never forget our entrance to Fireball and lighting off the sparkler cannons—it really set the tone for such a fun night on the dance floor.”

The Proposal:
I was surprising Kevin for his 30^th birthday and had our families and friends in a private event space on the second floor of Grand Central Brewery in St. Petersburg. After I got him up there and surprised him, we were enjoying food and drinks, Kevin secretly asked his dad to run back to our house to get the ring. He surprised me by proposing to me there in front of all our loved ones at his birthday party.

Why did you choose to have a content creator as part of your wedding day?
We chose to have a content creator because we didn’t want to spend the extra money on a videographer, but wanted clips to share with our friends and family who weren’t able to come to our wedding on social media.

We hired the Behind the Vows team because they were one of the few experienced content creators for weddings in the Tampa Bay area. On the day of our wedding, they took so many pictures and videos! It was amazing to have all the footage sent to us the day after.

What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We were looking for a venue that showcased all of the reasons we love St. Petersburg. We also wanted an all-inclusive venue that our out-of-town guests would really enjoy. We chose Isla Del Sol Yacht & Country Club because they had years of experience with weddings at their venue. We love that they had a beautiful private beach area for the ceremony, and the large ballroom with the dance floor was perfect for our guests. We also liked that it was an all-inclusive venue, and Melissa was amazing to work with!

What did you look for in a wedding planner?
We chose Coastal Coordinating because they were recommended by Melissa at Isla Del Sol, and they had several years of experience putting on weddings at this venue. Cayla was incredible and helped walk us through so many details we would have struggled with on our own. On the day of the wedding, she made sure everything was set up and on time, and it looked beautiful.

What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
We were looking for a wedding photographer who was experienced at our venue and someone we were comfortable working with.

We hired Lifelong Photography Studio because we loved working with Buffy and her team. She was very patient and knew exactly where to get the best photos on our wedding day. We also love their editing style, as it gives our photos a soft, bright light and is very pretty.

What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We were looking for an experienced DJ who would ensure our guests had a great time.

We hired Grant Hemond & Associates because we went to a previous wedding where we really enjoyed their music and how they handled the announcements and kept the party going.