Jackson's Bistro & Harbour Island Westin Wedding | Waterfront Tampa Wedding
Jen and Jeremy's downtown Tampa wedding incorporated elegant, timeless decor and a beautiful Tampa skyline backdrop.
“I love Tampa! It's been my home for over a decade now,” the Fox 13 news anchor for Good Day Tampa Bay exclaimed. “Coming from the Northeast, I consider myself a city girl. The downtown landscape is gorgeous and was a wonderful backdrop.
The Tampa couple chose a refined style for their black and wedding white waterfront Tampa wedding.
“Our wedding was elegant and timeless,” the bride shared. “Classic black and white is sharp, clean and classy. When I look back at the pictures ten years from now, I think I will still like the colors. Black and white translates very well for the wedding, the space and look great in photographs.”
To add to the ambiance of classic wedding, Jen searched for a Tampa wedding florist who could bring her vision to life.
“Northside Florist came highly recommended to us by a close friend, who was also planning her wedding at the same time,” Jen said. “From the moment we walked in, we knew we had found the right people. I knew what I was looking for but couldn’t quite put it into words, and Kathy knew exactly what I wanted! She even had the perfect candelabra (which I was obsessed with having at the reception) for the gift table. It all came together beautifully.”
The bride knew she wanted to relax and enjoy her wedding day rather than worry about the details, so she hired Tampa wedding planner The Day of Events.
“I wanted the day to be about my husband and I embracing the celebration.” the bride said. “Hiring a professional “day of” coordinator placed all the worry on someone who was very capable. From the moment I spoke with Bel [of The Day of Events] she was sweet, knowable and enthusiastic. She went above and beyond.”
The pair infused their fun, easy going personality by having the groomsmen wear playful, socks, and the bridesmaids chose their own dresses, keeping in line with the black theme. Jen and Jeremy also included two very important family members in their wedding ceremony.
“As animal lovers, having our dogs, Kote and Otis, in the wedding wearing their adorable tuxes was very important,” the bride shared. “They walked down the aisle and were there when I was getting ready. They are part of our family and it was so special having them there for our ceremony.”
After discovering Brides Against Breast Cancer, Jen purchased her gown through the non-profit organization.
“Working with Fox 13, I had heard about the work they did for breast cancer survivors. My mom is a breast cancer survivor, and anytime I can honor her journey, I do,” Jen explained. “I was blown away by all the work Brides Against Breast Cancer does. I thought it was a great way to help out an amazing charity and get the dress of my dreams at a discount.”
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
I wanted someone sweet, knowable and enthusiastic, and who would capture the essence of the day. After our first meeting with Marilyn of Rising Lotus Photography, I could tell she was a romantic and her feminine photography style translates amazing to wedding photography. She wasn’t trendy and flashy, but had beautiful timeless photographs. Also, she is an perfectionist, that was really important to me.
The Proposal:
We were celebrating Christmas early, because he was going home to see his family in North Carolina. On December 21st, we opened presents and then went ice skating. Jeremy said he had one more present to give me. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, he was down one knee. My reaction was “YES!” I jumped on him and gave him a huge hug.
My favorite photographer in the whole world was there to capture the moment and photograph my reaction, so I can have that moment forever and ever. It was so special.
What were the deciding factors for the venue you chose?
We choose Jackson's Bistro because of the outside scenery of Downtown Tampa and the wonderful staff. We both love the waterfront and having the bay in the background was so beautiful. Jackson’s was amazing to work with, from the moment I chatted with Rebecca, we know it was going to be our location. It was a perfect fit for our dream wedding.
How would you describe your theme?
Our wedding was elegant and timeless. Classic black and white is sharp, clean and classy. When I look back at the pictures ten years from now, I thought I would still like the colors. Black and white translates very well for the wedding, the space and look great in photographs.
Why did you hire a wedding planner?
I worked hard to plan the wedding. Thus, I wanted the “day of” to be mine to relax and enjoy the moments. I didn’t want to have to worry about the details. I wanted the day to be about my husband and I embracing the celebration. Hiring a professional “day of” coordinator placed all the worry on someone who was very capable. From the moment I spoke with Bel [of The Day of Events] she was sweet, knowable and enthusiastic. She went above and beyond.
What did you look for in a wedding florist?
Northside Florist came highly recommended to us by a close friend, who was also planning her wedding at the same time. From the moment we walked in, we knew we had found the right people. I knew what I was looking for but couldn’t quite put it into words, and Kathy knew exactly what I wanted! She even had the perfect candelabra (which I was obsessed with having at the reception) for the gift table. It all came together beautifully.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay Brides?
It would be silly to say, “Don’t worry, it is going to turn out perfectly,” because you are going to worry and things might not go perfectly. But the day of will turn out exactly the way it is meant to be: filled with love and wedding magic.
The little things that go wrong become part of your wedding story and really don’t matter in the end. The wedding is about you and your man. As long he shows up you are good to go.
Ceremony Venue: The Westin Harbor Island
Reception Venue: Jackson's Bistro Bar & Sushi
Photographer: Rising Lotus Photography
Planner: The Day of Events
Florist: Northside Florist
Linen Rentals: Fancy That Specialty Linens
Cake: Hands on Sweets
DJ: Music On The Move
Officiant: Roni Sloman
Dress Shop: Brides Against Breast Cancer
Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Angelo Bridal
Bridal Shoes: Betsy Johnson
Groomsmen Tuxedo: Vera Wang and Men's Wearhouse
Wedding Rings: Gold & Diamond Source
