Anjuli and Garrett’s beachfront destination Sarasota wedding featured classic white flora with soft muted shades of pink and accents of gold befitting the pristine ocean backdrop and elegant ballroom reception.
“I wanted to go with simple elegance. I always loved gold, white, taupe, and light pink so I knew right away those were the colors I wanted to incorporate. I wanted it to be beautiful and classic, while still having the laid-back beach vibes,” the bride shared.
The bride relied on Marry Me Tampa Bay for insight and inspiration for her March beach wedding vision.
“I followed Marry Me Tampa bay when I started the process. It really helped me see multiple venues and had lots of beach weddings. Since I always wanted a beach wedding, it was really helpful for me to see from a décor standpoint what other couples did. I definitely ended up screenshotting lots of the pictures to help inspire my color scheme and décor,” Anjuli recalled.
The San Francisco couple got engaged in Florida (while living in New York at the time), and the bride had long envisioned a beach wedding after years of travels to the area to visit her late grandmother, so it was only natural that the pair would look for a venue with gorgeous oceanfront space for their 130 guests and menus that would satisfy their ‘foodie’ appetites.
“I really wanted outdoor spaces, especially with the pandemic. I also wanted a place that had a variety of choices when it came to food,” Anjuli articulated. “We ended up going with The Resort at Longboat Key Club because of their multiple outdoor space options. The beach was gorgeous and private which we appreciated. It also had a great lawn and ballroom so we knew we would have endless options. We are huge foodies so having great food was super important. We ended up doing stations and got a big variety of food options for everyone. That was one of our favorite parts.”
Anjuli elected to incorporate her heritage into the wedding through unique music and fashion selections that would give a nod to her culture without planning a full-on Indian wedding.
“What was most unique about our wedding is that although we did not have an Indian wedding, my father is from India, and we incorporated that into our wedding. We wore Indian outfits the night before at our welcome reception on the pool deck, and also had a traditional Dhol Indian drummer,” the bride revealed. “All of our friends loved the Indian drummer and music, and I think that was so unique to incorporate two cultures into one perfect wedding.”
The bride and groom love to dance, so they prioritized their wedding entertainment and searched for an experienced DJ who could pack the dance floor while playing both traditional and Indian music.
“We like to have fun and big dance parties so we wanted our reception to be upbeat with tons of dancing, and it absolutely was a great party! We had some surprise dances thrown in throughout the weekend. We wanted someone fun, but who could also throw in some Bollywood tunes,” Anjulia shared. “I loved Graingertainment‘s overall vibe. I appreciated how they could really get the party started. They also had experience playing Indian music as well and were super easy to work with.”
The destination bride relied on the experts at Femme Akoi Beauty Studio to create a classic yet unfussy look to complement her lightweight gown and their natural surroundings.
“I knew I always wanted some sort of beach wave with a braid. I didn’t want something too formal or different,” the bride reasoned. “I loved Femme Akoi’s Instagram. They were experts in braids, and I knew I wanted to incorporate that into my hairstyle. They had a more bohemian vibe which fit my hair vision.”
Despite a morning shower threatening the outdoor ceremony plans, Mother Nature surprised the couple with a picturesque backdrop just in time for their wedding.
“The ceremony was the most memorable part of the wedding. It rained all morning, and I was so on edge that we would not be able to have it outside on the beach (which was my dream). I was so impressed at how the venue and my planners were able to shift when the weather messed up our original plans. However, the rain cleared just in time, and we were able to make it happen. Plus the sun came out right when we started, and there were dolphins in the background. It was seriously the perfect day,” the bride gushed. “Additionally, we said our own vows and had Garrett’s grandfather officiating so the whole ceremony was very special and personal to us.”
What were your wedding hair and makeup inspiration?
I knew I always wanted some sort of beach wave with a braid. I didn’t want something too formal or different.
I loved Femme Akoi Beauty Studio‘s Instagram. They were experts in braids, and I knew I wanted to incorporate that into my hairstyle. They had a more bohemian vibe which fit my hair vision.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
I wanted to go with simple elegance. I always loved gold, white, taupe, and light pink so I knew right away those were the colors I wanted to incorporate. I wanted it to be beautiful and classic, while still having the laid-back beach vibes.
What were your colors?
We incorporated lots of white, gold, pinks. I always loved these colors and think they are very classic and elegant. They also went really well with the sandy taupe bridesmaid dresses.
The Proposal:
Garrett proposed in Key West, FL. We went down there to meet his family during spring break. We rented a catamaran and were out on the water. Little did I know he flew both of my parents out and they were hiding below deck to surprise me! He proposed on the boat with both of our families there, and we got to watch the sunset.
What were the most memorable moments?
The ceremony was the most memorable part of the wedding. It rained all morning and I was so on edge that we would not be able to have it outside on the beach (which was my dream). However, the rain cleared just in time and we were able to make it happen. Plus the sun came out right when we started, and there were dolphins in the background. It was seriously the perfect day.
We really wanted our siblings and family to be a big part of our wedding. All of our siblings did a reading. Additionally, we said our own vows and had Garrett’s grandfather officiating so the whole ceremony was very special and personal to us.
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
I really wanted outdoor spaces, especially with the pandemic. I also wanted a place that had a variety of choices when it came to food
We ended up going with The Resort at Longboat Key Club because of their multiple outdoor space options. The beach was gorgeous and private which we appreciated. It also had a great lawn and ballroom so we knew we would have endless options. We also loved that they offered food stations. We also are huge foodies so having great food was super important. We ended up doing stations and got a big variety of food options for everyone. That was one of our favorite parts.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Unfortunately due to the pandemic, we did not have a full honeymoon. We hope to do that soon and go international. We did do a mini-moon and went to Miami. We chose that because it was a quick drive, and we love the restaurant scene there. It was nice to unwind for a few days following the wedding
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
This also got canceled due to COVID. However, I did a sisters’ trip to Scottsdale, Arizona, and we stayed at an Airbnb called the Peachy Palm.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We like to have fun and big dance parties so we wanted our reception to be upbeat with tons of dancing, and it absolutely was a great party! We had some surprise dances thrown in throughout the weekend. We wanted someone fun, but who could also throw in some Bollywood tunes since my dad is from India.
I loved Graingertainment‘s overall vibe. I appreciated how they could really get the party started. They also had experience playing Indian music as well and were super easy to work with.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
To enjoy every moment, and realize that no matter any stress leading up to it, it all fades away the second you go down that aisle. I have to say that the night also flew by.. everyone says it goes by so fast but they were not kidding!
