Alanna and Cavin’s South Tampa wedding was a whimsical wintery dream filled with cool tones of blue and white, romantic candlelight, shimmery silver accents, and an abundance of lush florals.
“Our wedding theme was ‘starry night.’ We built off the idea of having our wedding in the winter so we leaned toward lots of icy blues and whites,” the bride shared. “We wanted to create something that felt very romantic storybook but also very luxurious and glamorous.”
The Nashville couple initially eloped and then planned a 165-guest celebration a day after their one-year anniversary. The bride’s mother, an experienced wedding florist, created a winter wonderland for the February reception.
“The most important elements to us were definitely the decor, especially the florals, as well as our wedding outfits. My mother, Carmen, exceeded our expectations the most with the floral design. I knew it would be incredible, being that I am her first child to get married, but she pulled out every stop, and there were just so many beautiful flowers everywhere,” Alanna beamed. “No one in the room could believe it, and it was definitely the most gorgeous wedding that I’ve ever been to. We had lots of guests tell us the same thing.”
The historic South Tampa venue was a fitting tribute to the bride’s hometown roots. The couple personalized their wedding to reflect their personalities through special menu offerings and music selections, creating an experience that was uniquely them.
“Being from Tampa, having the wedding at Palma Ceia felt very Tampa classic. We had our cocktail hour and pictures on the golf course so we could enjoy the beautiful Tampa weather as well as the palm trees. Our signature cocktails were named after and inspired by our pets,” the bride detailed. “We are both very silly and goofy and love to dance so our first dance was very upbeat and felt a bit more carefree than a traditional first dance. As a dancer and a choreographer, I felt like I had to play into that so I choreographed an entire bridal dance as well as added an extra dance with my mom to one of our favorite Latina artists, Selena.”
The pair prioritized their wedding day entertainment to create a fun environment for their 165 guests. They turned to the experts at Grant Hemond & Associates for their reputation for keeping the dance floor packed all night long and being an excellent master of ceremonies throughout the evening.
“We wanted a DJ who would understand what kind of music/vibe we were going for but who also could use their creative expertise to bring that atmosphere to life rather than just hit play on our playlist. We ultimately went with Grant Hemond & Associates because my mom has done many weddings with them and had a lot of great things to say about them,” Alanna gushed. “I thought DJ James was absolutely fantastic and also very professional and kind. He was able to create a really fun and special atmosphere, and he had absolutely everybody dancing!”
The bride and groom never lost focus of what the day was all about: a declaration of their love for one another and a celebration with those they loved most. Maintaining that outlook allowed them to be present in the moment and truly enjoy the experience as it unfolded.
“The most memorable moments were definitely our vows and our first dance. We never wanted to lose sight of what the day was truly about and our vows did such a great job of reiterating why we were all there and how much we truly love each other. It was a special moment to share between the two of us but also such a special way to express to everyone we love why we made the decision that we did in marrying each other and why we think the world of each other,” the bride reminisced. “Our dance was right after and it just felt like a real celebration to let go of each other and just simply enjoy that moment as well as the entire day.”
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
I chose downtown Tampa for my bachelorette party because we knew our way around, and it was close by so that we could have it on the same week as the wedding. Not to mention that it is such a fun and beautiful area.
What was your wedding theme?
Our wedding theme was ‘starry night.’ We built off the idea of having our wedding in the winter so we leaned toward lots of icy blues and whites. We wanted to create something that felt very romantic storybook but also very luxurious and glamorous.
The Proposal:
We didn’t really have a proposal. We decided we were going to get married in February and made the decision to elope two days later. Our wedding was actually planned after the fact as a celebration to take place on our one-year anniversary (technically the day before).
Cavin did, however, ‘propose’ in December with a ring since we didn’t have those yet on our real wedding day. He got down on one knee while we were in a Gondola in Venice, and it was very romantic.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We wanted a DJ who would understand what kind of music/vibe we were going for but who also could use their creative expertise to bring that atmosphere to life rather than just hit play on our playlist.
We ultimately went with Grant Hemond & Associates because my mom has done many weddings with them and had a lot of great things to say about them. I thought DJ James was absolutely fantastic and also very professional and kind. He was able to create a really fun and special atmosphere, and he had absolutely everybody dancing!
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
We went on our honeymoon after the summer after we were actually married. We went to Charleston because we love beach towns and had never been before!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
I would recommend all of our vendors to other Tampa couples, as well as tell them to take advantage of the fabulous weather in the cooler months. That date in February turned out to be one of the most beautiful days we could have ever hoped for, and everyone was simply stunned by how pretty it was outside for cocktail hour.
