Sarah and Alan’s Pinellas Park wedding day was filled with touching moments and a mix of emotions. Sarah, the owner of Sarah Bubar Designs, is a stand-out creative in our Tampa Bay wedding community, and a wonderful friend. For the bride, an unexpected family event changed how the wedding day would proceed, but not the faith and love within the air.

“Four days before the wedding, my dad suffered a massive stroke that nearly took him from us. It was the scariest moment of my life. I remember as my soon-to-be husband held him, praying, ‘Lord, please spare my dad. I can’t marry the love of my life and bury the first man I ever loved in the same week.’ It was sobering, and there were even talks about what to do about the wedding, but I could even think about that until I knew he was out of danger,” the bride shared.

“After his traumatic surgery, we were able to visit him in the ICU, and my dad was able to speak. He told me not to cancel the wedding; he didn’t want to be the reason. So, honoring his wishes, we went ahead as planned. My boss, who has known me since I was a teenager, and thankfully is also ordained minister, was able to step into my father’s role and perform the ceremony using my father’s very words that he had already written out! It was perfect…well, almost,” Sarah added.

“The night before the wedding at our rehearsal, my matron of honor asked if I was all set and ready for the next day. I was, but obviously bummed that my dad wasn’t going to be there. He was still in ICU, and while I wanted him to be there more than anything, I was just glad he was alive. Crying over the fact that he couldn’t be at my wedding seemed selfish to me. Here my father was fighting for his life in a hospital bed, and I’m whining because he’s not where I want him to be? So, as I’m sitting there lamenting with my bestie, she suggests something that reminds me why she’s my MOH. She tells me to ‘pull a Jim and Pam!’ We’re The Office fanatics, so as soon as she says this, I know exactly what she means and I jump on the idea. I called my fiancé, and he was game. Called my officiant, he was game. Called my mom, she was game. So the next morning, on the day that I was going to get married, my fiancé and I, along with the officiant and my mom, go to the hospital and have a small private ceremony where my father very clearly says, ‘Her mother and I do.’ I was in yoga pants and a messy bun, but it was the perfect wedding because my father was there to give me away. Later that evening, we celebrated and had a ‘second ceremony’ which was almost as perfect as the first,” Sarah reminisced.

With plans to move forward with their “second ceremony,” the couple incorporated soft satin touches with a mixture of wood and copper elements, light beige, and bold pops of teal.

“I work with watercolors and paints, and Alan works with woods and metals. He was just starting to work with copper when we started dating, so it’s really played a role in some of those first important conversations that you have when you’re first getting to know a person,” Sarah shared. “It’s been a reoccurring theme ever since. It’s no wonder how it’s played out through our entire wedding.”

MORE: COPPER WEDDING INSPIRATION

As a wedding vendor herself, the bride explored Marry Me Tampa Bay for local inspiration and research and even invited us as guests to her special day!

“I love Marry Me Tampa Bay and the resources it affords the brides in the Tampa Bay Area. I definitely have the page as one of my most recents throughout the entirety of the wedding planning process. It is a great resource for vendors, and I used several preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay vendors,” Sarah gushed.

With her dream Tampa Bay wedding photographer already in mind, Sarah knew who she wanted for her A-List wedding vendor team.

“For photography, it was Carrie Wildes Photographyall the way! I told her she was making my wedding photographer dreams come true when she said she would do my wedding. Her pictures are just always so full of light and life, and that’s what I wanted our day to be remembered as. She was my number one choice!” the bride beamed. “I work in the wedding industry, and I’ve always really respected Carrie and the way that she does business. She’s the real deal! She really listened to what we wanted and delivered above and beyond what we were expecting.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT CARRIE WILDES PHOTOGRAPHY | EMAIL

With only months to find a dress, Sarah looked for a gown that was ready to go and within her budget.

“I had a 3-month engagement, so this was an area that I didn’t have a whole lot of wiggle room. I didn’t have the time to have a dress made,” Sarah explained. “I had gone to several other bridal dress stores and none of them quite had what I was looking for. It was either too expensive or would take too long to get. I was on the verge of discouragement when I walked into Truly Forever Bridal. The girl who helped me was so sweet and patient and understanding of my size needs, budget needs, and time concern. They had a great selection for me as a plus-size woman, and the dress I picked fit my budget perfectly. The best part, I walked out of the store, dress in hand, with two months to do my alterations. It was ideal!”

LEARN MORE ABOUT TRULY FOREVER BRIDAL | EMAIL

With the perfect dress, came the perfect look, and the bride turned to the glam squad at Michele Renee The Studio to complete her wedding day beauty look.

“Michele is a great friend of mine. I’m blessed to know her personally, and I can’t say enough good things about the woman. But beyond that, she’s an incredibly talented makeup artist! What I loved about Michele is that she accepted my scaled-down version of what I wanted in regards to my makeup and hair. She took my vision and just brought it to life,” the bride beamed. “I wanted classic beauty, like those natural art elements. I didn’t want fake lashes or fake hair.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT MICHELE RENEE THE STUDIO | EMAIL

What was your bridal gown inspiration?
My budget was my gown inspiration! I had a 3-month engagement, so this was an area that I didn’t have a whole lot of wiggle room (no pun intended). I didn’t have the time to have a dress made.

I had gone to several other bridal dress stores and none of them quite had what I was looking for. It was either too expensive or would take too long to get. I was on the verge of discouragement when I walked into Truly Forever Bridal. Kathy was so sweet and patient and understanding of my size needs, budget needs, and time concerns. After trying on several no’s, we found the one! It was a great experience, and I would recommend them to anyone. They had a great selection for me as a plus-size woman, and the dress I picked fit my budget perfectly. The best part, I walked out of the store, dress in hand, with two months to do my alterations. It was ideal!

The Proposal:
It was Easter Weekend, and I went up to Waldoboro, Maine to spend the weekend with Alan, my brother and his family, and my parents. We had spent that rainy Saturday morning building my niece one of those massive tree houses. We came in after lunch, late in the afternoon, all of us soaked and cold and dirty. Alan and I were sitting next to the fire cause this Florida girl could not get warm enough, and Alan whispered, “Alright, I’m gonna do this!”

He quickly got up and picked up a box of bracelets (he makes copper bracelets) and gave it to my mom and dad and said, “Here are some bracelets I made. Look them over and if you see any that you like you can have it! If there’s anything that you think Sarah would like, you can give that to her too.” My dad was the first to pull out the ring box and walked it over to Alan and said, “I think you left something important in there.” Alan said, “No, that’s for you. I’ll trade you that (points to the ring) for her. But the only catch is, you gotta let her wear it.” My dad handed over the ring to Alan who got down on one knee and asked me then to marry him.

What were your wedding hair and makeup inspiration?
I wanted classic beauty, like those natural art elements. You take a beautiful piece of wood that dont need much more than a smooth sanding and some oil rubbed into it, and it just stands on its own. I didn’t want fake lashes, or fake hair, or fake nails. Oh, wait, yeah, I need fake nails!

Michele, the owner of Michele Renee The Studio, is a great friend of mine. I’m blessed to know her personally, and I can’t say enough good things about the woman. But beyond that, she’s an incredibly talented makeup artist! What I loved about Michele is that she accepted my scaled-down version of what I wanted in regards to my makeup and hair. She took my vision and just brought it to life.

What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
Carrie Wildes Photography all the way! I told her she was making my wedding photographer dreams come true when she said she would do my wedding. Her pictures are just always so full of light and life, and that’s what I wanted our day to be remembered as.

Carrie was my number one choice. I work in the wedding industry, and I’ve always really respected Carrie and the way that she does business; she’s the real deal! She really listened to what we wanted and delivered above and beyond what we were expecting. I remember when we talked about having a consultation, I told Alan, “Ok, I’m going to this consultation and don’t be surprised when I come home crying because I can’t have Carrie. I’ll get through it.” Little did I know she would be available and make a package specifically fit for my needs.

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Copper and patina. It’s what began our relationship. Alan and I are both artists. I work with watercolors and paints, and Alan works with woods and metals. He was just starting to work with copper when we started dating, so it’s really played a role in some of those first important conversations that you have when you’re first getting to know a person, and it’s been a reoccurring theme ever since. It’s no wonder how it’s played out through our entire wedding.

What were your colors?
I chose biscotti for the girls’ dresses because it was such a soft dreamy color, a muted version of how copper looks when you really buff and shine the mess out of it and that bold teal that grows on copper when it’s been patinated in ammonia and salt for the men.

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Don’t sweat the small stuff. Focus on what’s truly important, because you’re celebrating two lives becoming one life, not one day.

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Shahnasarian Hall
Photographer: Carrie Wildes Photography *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Planner and Florist: Stephanie Voth Events
Rentals: Traditional Rentals
Linens: Gabro Events Services *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Cake: Shannon’s World of Sweets and Treats
Invitations, Day of Stationery, Calligraphy, and Favors: Sarah Bubar Designs
Dress Shop: Truly Forever Bridal *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal – Vera Wang
Hair & Makeup: Michele Renee The Studio *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Cake Topper: Wired Hearts Studio