Lisa and Andrew’s destination Sarasota wedding showcased their personalities in an understated elegant theme. The out-of-town bride and groom knew they wanted something romantic with a blush and gold color palette.

“We live in and met in Boston, Massachusetts. We both had strong ties to Sarasota, as this is where Andrew grew up and where my grandparents lived for most of my life,” the bride explained. “We wanted to find something that would be uniquely ‘us.’ It ended up being the perfect destination to represent both of us and our families.”

MORE: SARASOTA WEDDING INSPIRATION

Since they were planning at destination wedding, Lisa and Andrew knew it was important to hire a Sarasota wedding planner who could help them make all of the right decisions.

“NK Productions helped provide cohesion to the theme; it turned into the perfect balance of comfortable, elegant, and fun!  The NK team struck a great balance of giving opinions on looks and decisions, as well as making sure the process was enjoyable and memorable for us every step of the way,” the bride gushed. “Nicole knows every vendor in the area and has done a wide range of weddings, including many on a very high end. In talking to people who had worked with Nicole and NK, everyone had rave reviews, and I would have to agree whole heartedly. In retrospect, the most important thing we did in the entire process (besides saying “I do”!) was hiring NK Productions as our wedding planner. It was the best decision we made and is always the number one thing we recommend when engaged couples ask our advice on the process.”

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Searching for a Sarasota wedding photographer who could seamlessly document their wedding day, they couple hired Cat Pennenga Photography.

“We wanted the pictures to be comfortable and natural, really showcasing the venue and not too formal. Cat came with great reviews and had beautiful examples of other weddings she had done in the area,” the bride explained. “She was able to perfectly capture all of the different emotions throughout the day: from the excitement of getting ready, to the first look, to the ceremony, and to the joy of the reception. Cat and her team also did this without being intrusive to the event, which can sometimes be an issue.”

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Looking back on their wedding day, the couple cherished seeing the entire day come together.

“The most memorable moments were after our first look, when we were able to see the completed venue before guests arrived, and during the cocktail hour when we were able to see all of our guests enjoying the event. Both were special moments orchestrated by our wedding planner in a wonderfully natural way that allowed us to have a glimpse of our wedding from a different perspective.”

The Proposal:
We were visiting Andrew’s parents in Sarasota for his mother’s birthday, something we have done for several years in a row, so I didn’t expect anything. We went to our favorite spot on the beach, with me expecting to have dinner, only to find a perfect spot set aside for us with a fireplace where Andrew asked. We had dinner afterward with our families surprising us from Boston and Miami to be with us.

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration? 
Our theme for the wedding turned out to be an understated elegance, though it wasn’t intentional initially. Our wedding planner helped provide cohesion to the theme as we talked about separate ideas we liked along the way. Ultimately, it turned into the perfect balance of comfortable, elegant, and fun!

What were your colors?
Blush and gold. I wanted something romantic and elegant.

How did you incorporate you and your spouse’s personalities into the wedding?
We brought a few things that were uniquely us into the ceremony itself, by way of some special messages and a reading from a close family member, using some special small details (like the place cards and napkins), and our favors were very Boston: peanut butter and fluff sandwiches.

What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
I really wanted someone who could capture a lot of candid photos throughout the entire day and to capture the entire wedding day how I experienced it. We wanted the pictures to be comfortable and natural, really showcasing the venue and not being too formal.

Cat of Cat Pennenga Photography came with great reviews and had beautiful examples of other weddings she had done in the area. She was able to perfectly capture all of the different emotions throughout the day: from the excitement of getting ready, to the first look, to the ceremony and to the joy of the reception. Cat and her team also did this without being intrusive to the event, which can sometimes be an issue.

What did you look for in a wedding planner?
The most important elements were working with someone who knew the area and the specific vendors, since neither of us lived there and someone who could help us plan out the right timing of decisions, to know what to focus on when in the process.

We hired Nicole of NK Productions because she was the perfect fit to help us achieve our dream wedding. She knows every vendor in the area and has developed great professional relationships that make the planning process seamless. She has done a wide range of weddings, including many on a very high end. In talking to people who had worked with Nicole and NK, everyone had rave reviews, and I would have to agree whole heartedly. We would have never been able to plan and execute our wedding the way Nicole and NK team were able to do. The NK team struck a great balance of giving opinions on looks and decisions, as well as making sure the process was enjoyable and memorable for us every step of the way. In retrospect, the most important thing we did in the entire process (besides saying “I do”!) was hiring NK Productions as our wedding planner. It was the best decision we made and is always the number one thing we recommend when engaged couples ask our advice on the process.

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Hire Nicole and NK Productions! Even if just for day of coordination. We had the most stress-free, blissful day and were able to focus on the memories. They literally handled every detail, down to holding our sunglasses and phones during the ceremony. I did not have to worry about a single detail and got to experience our wedding more than I think most couples might.

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Ringling Museum
Photographer: Cat Pennenga Photography *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Planner: NK Productions *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Florist: Beneva Flowers
Caterer: Michael’s on East
Rentals: So Staged and Affairs in the Air
DJ and Quartet: Goodley Entertainment Group
Officiant: Rev. Nathan Speck-Ewer
Invitations: Ceci New York
Transportation: SRQ Trolley
Dress Shop and Designer: Cristina’s Bridal Shop (Andover, MA) – Legends by Romona Keveza
Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: Bella Bridesmaids *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Hair & Makeup: Fresh Salon Sarasota