Ariane and Matthew’s intimate downtown Tampa wedding featured a springtime palette of pastel blue, soft green, and buttery yellow. The bride and groom exchanged vows amidst the backdrop of sweeping rooftop views of the coveted Riverwalk and city skyline.
“Our theme could be described as a ‘garden party;’ we wanted something colorful and intimate,” the bride shared. “We didn’t choose a traditional singular color, but we wanted green, blue, and yellow to be present throughout our wedding. This can be seen with the mixed-matched bridesmaids’ dresses and groomsmen’s navy suits.”
The Gainesville couple sought a wedding photographer with an eye for storytelling and a talent for traditional film. Upon viewing McNeile Photography‘s portfolio of stunning imagery, they knew Arron McNeile was the perfect person to document their January celebration.
“We were looking for someone who used bright colors in their art and was able to capture moments and really tell a story. We also love film photography, so Arron offering that as an add-on was a huge bonus. We chose McNeile Photography because his photography really spoke to us. His service went above and beyond. He was more than just a photographer for us; he really was a partner in helping us plan our wedding,” the bride gushed. “He was also extremely responsive and great with communication from the moment we first inquired. We didn’t have a huge budget for our wedding, but photography was the one thing we were willing to go all out for, so it was really important for us to feel confident in our vendor. Arron was just perfect all around. We simply cannot recommend him enough!”
“Think of film like your favorite old photo album; it’s real, it’s raw, and it captures the day just as it happened. That’s why I love using it for weddings. It fits perfectly with the documentary style because it keeps things genuine. No fancy filters or editing tricks, just pure, honest moments frozen in time,” Arron explained. “I break out the old film camera for those real, heartfelt moments that deserve a touch of nostalgia. Like when the bride’s grandma gets up to dance or when the groom sneaks a kiss when he thinks no one’s looking. Those are the moments that make each wedding special, and film photography has this knack for making them feel even more real and authentic. Film just adds this cozy, timeless vibe to those moments that really enhances the whole wedding story; it has this knack for making them feel even more real and authentic.”
The couple included their heritages in the celebration to create a unique experience for their 44 closest friends and family.
“We tried to incorporate both of our cultures in our wedding to make a unique French-Greek wedding,” Ariane revealed. “We included a lot of French music and did some Greek line dancing. Matt and his brothers also performed a short dance from one of their favorite childhood movies.”
With their multicultural music approach as a top priority, the couple turned to the professionals at Grant Hemond & Associates to help bring their vision to fruition. Knowing the same company had DJ’d the groom’s parents’ wedding 30 years earlier, Ariane and Matthew trusted their expertise and reputation for personalized service.
“We were looking for someone who was willing to DJ based on a playlist we had curated. We wanted to make sure it would be our music playing at our wedding and not just what may be trending at the time. I am French, and Matthew is Greek, so it was really important for us to incorporate tunes from both our countries into the night. Having our own dancing playing was important. We spent hours choosing and listening to songs that we knew we were going to love and dance to the night of our wedding.” Ariane detailed. “We chose Grant Hemond & Associates because when they connected us with our DJ, he completely understood what we were looking for and was on board with our vision. DJ Jason was very nice and professional.”
The last dance left a lasting impression on Ariane, who will forever remember being surrounded by her an intimate group of loved ones under the night sky.
“At the end of the night, the DJ played our last song, A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay. Almost everyone had left by that time; it was just our parents, siblings, and a few close family members left. As the song began to play, all of our siblings and moms came over to dance, and we all gazed at the stars while listening to that last song,” the bride reminisced. “It was such a special, intimate moment that we’ll cherish forever.”
The Proposal:
When we were in France, I asked to go on an early morning walk before our train later that day. Ariane knew something was going to happen since I like to sleep in! Along the walk, I would ask to stop to pose for some photos, and I would place my phone down to take a video as we did various poses. I think it was on the fifth plus time of us stopping to take photos that I proposed so she would not expect it.
It was just her and I in a park a little after sunrise when I proposed. After she said yes, we spent the next hour talking about how I had managed to plan the whole thing with both of our families and keep the ring hidden from her the whole time in my backpack. We spent the remainder of the day with her family on a beautiful lake in Annecy, France.
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
We were looking for someone who used bright colors in their art and was able to capture moments and really tell a story. We also love film photography, so Arron offering that as an add-on was a huge bonus.
We chose McNeile Photography because his photography really spoke to us. His service went above and beyond. He was more than just a photographer for us; he really was a partner in helping us plan our wedding. He was also extremely responsive and great with communication from the moment we first inquired. We didn’t have a huge budget for our wedding, but photography was the one thing we were willing to go all out for, so it was really important for us to feel confident in our vendor.
Arron was just perfect all around. We simply cannot recommend him enough!
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Aspen, Colorado, because we both love the mountains, and Matt had never seen it snow!
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our theme could be described as a ‘garden party;’ we wanted something colorful and intimate.
What were your colors?
We didn’t choose a traditional singular color, but we wanted green, blue, and yellow to be present throughout our wedding. This can be seen with the mixed-matched bridesmaids’ dresses and groomsmen’s navy suits.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We were looking for someone who was willing to DJ based on a playlist we had curated. We wanted to make sure it would be our music playing at our wedding and not just what may be trending at the time. I am French, and Matthew is Greek, so it was really important for us to incorporate tunes from both our countries into the night. Having our own dancing playing was important. We spent hours choosing and listening to songs that we knew we were going to love and dance to the night of our wedding.
We chose Grant Hemond & Associates because when they connected us with our DJ, he completely understood what we were looking for and was on board with our vision. DJ Jason was very nice and professional.
Grant Hemond also DJed Matt’s parents’ wedding back in the 90s, and we thought it was fitting for the same company to be the DJ for our wedding.
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Arron McNeile, our photographer, really just went above and beyond. He is someone who pays attention to the smallest of details and always gets it right. He also helped us find almost every other vendor.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
If there is something that will not make you happy during your wedding, you do not have to do it.
