Marshay and Daniel
Powel Crosley Estate
“We wanted to keep our wedding classic and timeless with mainly white florals/decor, yet incorporate pops of blue with our venue also having an ocean view. We chose white, gold, and sky blue to fit our classic, yet ocean vibe. The groomsmen wore tan with sky blue ties to match the bridesmaids’ satin sky blue dresses.” -The Bride
FEATURING
Marshay and Daniel’s waterfront Sarasota wedding was a chic fall celebration filled with neutral shades of white and champagne accented with soft blue, chic gold decor, and romantic candlelight. The bride and groom exchanged vows overlooking the bay before hosting their 82 closest friends and family for dinner in a historic estate venue, followed by donuts and dancing on the veranda.
“Many of our guests are from out of town, and we knew they would also enjoy exploring the beautiful beaches of Sarasota and the surrounding areas while they were visiting for our wedding,” the bride beamed. “We loved that our venue had a stunning ocean backdrop for our ceremony, without sand! I have always dreamed of a beach wedding, but did not want to deal with the mess sand can cause.”
The Bride’s Look
Femme Akoi Beauty Studio & Truly Forever Bridal
“When I style my hair, I normally wear it down and curled. I wanted to stay true to myself, but add that little extra glam for my wedding day. I opted for Hollywood glam waves and natural glam makeup to enhance my typical hair/makeup look, which Ana, with Femme Akoi Beauty Studio, who absolutely nailed!
Femme Akoi was referred to me by both my planner and my hairstylist. I know that they are experts in the bridal hair/makeup services and knew they would be able to glam me, and also my bridesmaids and moms. I cannot say enough positive things about Femme Akoi, specifically Ana, who ensured my glam waves and makeup held up perfectly all day and night. Aliyah and Monica also did an amazing job on my bridesmaids and the moms – everyone felt and looked beautiful!
For my wedding dress, I initially imagined myself in a clean and simple, all-satin gown. When I went to a few bridal shops to try on those dress styles, I fell in love with so many; however, I did not necessarily feel like a bride. I heard that Truly Forever Bridal had a large selection of dresses, so I made an appointment there next to continue my search. I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived.
Truly Forever Bridal is basically like 10 bridal shops in one warehouse. It was incredible, and so was Ash, my amazing stylist, who also became a great friend throughout the process! I tried on several dresses that Ash found throughout the store to match my vision. I absolutely loved the pearl, corset bodice, and dramatic satin skirt/train with the front slit on the Milla Nova gown I ended up choosing.”
The Proposal
“Daniel proposed the balcony at our apartment before leaving for London/Paris the following day. He wanted the proposal to be intimate and for our trip to be a celebration of the engagement. It was so memorable, and we had a blast!”
The Flowers
Beneva Weddings
“We looked for a florist that was within our budget, yet could still provide us with the aesthetics we wanted. I absolutely love flowers and wanted them to really accentuate our wedding day. Beneva Weddings was recommended to us by our planner.
Petra and the staff at Beneva were amazing to work with. They paid close attention to all of my suggestions and brought our vision to life. The florals were stunning, and we couldn’t have asked for a better service or more beautiful result.”
The Content Creation
Behind The Vows
“We wanted someone who was very knowledgeable in weddings, yet was also friendly with a positive energy that would blend in well with the bridal party. When I met with Anna during the initial phone call, it was obvious that she was extremely knowledgeable about weddings and the importance of capturing all the important details. Behind the Voww was an easy choice!
It was confirmed a great decision after meeting with Gabi, who ended up creating adorable and fun transition videos and reels. Gabi’s sweet personality was the perfect addition to our wedding day, helping to create even more fun in the bridal suite. “
The Bach Party & Honeymoon
“I went to Miami for my bachelorette party! I wanted somewhere that was different from Tampa Bay, but also had fun, beachy party vibes.
We went to Santorini, Greece, for our honeymoon! We wanted somewhere romantic and relaxing with beautiful views. We stayed in one of the infamous Greek cave rooms there, and that is exactly what we got. We also knew that October is not a peak tourist time for the island; therefore, it was less busy and very peaceful.”
The Entertainment
Grant Hemond & Associates
“We wanted a wedding DJ who was high-energy, would listen to our music suggestions, and keep the dance floor packed all night.
DJ Jason Tally of Grant Hemond & Associates was highly recommended to us by our planner. From the first phone call, we could tell by his warm and energetic personality that he was exactly what we were looking for in our wedding DJ!”
The Design
“We wanted to keep our wedding classic and timeless with mainly white florals/decor, yet incorporate pops of blue with our venue also having an ocean view. We chose white, gold, and sky blue to fit our classic, yet ocean vibe. The groomsmen wore tan with sky blue ties to match the bridesmaids’ satin sky blue dresses.
The most important elements were the aesthetics and making the wedding enjoyable for our guests. We also wanted to be sure that little personal touches were added to make it even more memorable, such as personalized cocktail hour napkins, our last name above the sweetheart table, and adding our two cats as cake toppers.”
The Experience
“One of our favorite cities is London (and also where we traveled days after getting engaged), so we added a classic telephone booth for our audible guestbook. It was so fun for us to listen to our guests’ voice messages after the wedding. Daniel is not a huge fan of cake, therefore we opted for a smaller cake with a donut tower to please both of us.
One of the most memorable moments of our wedding was after the ceremony, when we had a private moment in the upstairs getting ready suite to just look out the window at all of our friends and family that came to celebrate us. It was even more heart-warming dancing under the chandelier outside during sunset, with all of our loved ones gathered around – it was truly picture-perfect and made all of the planning worth it!”
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
All of my vendors were absolutely incredible! The vendors that were by our sides for most of the day, including my planner, Christine, and her assistant, Lenae, my content creator, Gabi, , and my photographer, Shelby, were so much fun to be around and made sure that we were stress-free the entire day/night. Anytime something came up, they were there in seconds to handle it, which we were so appreciative of.
What advice would you give to other Sarasota couples?
Spend the extra money on a planner and a day-of coordinator! It took so much stress off of us and allowed us to truly enjoy the planning process and our entire wedding day.
