Kate and Matt's destination South Tampa wedding combined a pastel color palette with touches of gold, creating an elegant atmosphere. The bride and groom played off the timeless architecture and the beauty of their historic venue to give their guests an experience of a lifetime!
“Our colors were sage green, blush, ivory, gold. We wanted the decor to be elegant and traditional, yet timeless,” the bride shared. “The natural tones and understated color palette accomplished that.”
The California couple hosted a traditional ceremony in downtown Tampa's most iconic Catholic Church, then guests danced and dined in a historic South Tampa venue, originally built in 1896. Kate is originally from Tampa, while Matt hails from San Francisco Bay, so a “Bay-to-Bay” theme was a wonderful reflection of the couple.
“We had fun incorporating elements of both regions into the day. We had Tampa and San Francisco-inspired signature cocktails, and our tables were named for Tampa and San Francisco area landmarks,” the bride detailed. “Our floral arrangements incorporated tropical elements reminiscent of Tampa as well as flowers evocative of the natural beauty of the San Francisco Bay Area. Even our guest welcome bags continued the “Bay-to-Bay” theme. They included some of our favorite things from Tampa and San Francisco, such as a Sangria mix from The Columbia Restaurant, where we had our rehearsal dinner, chocolate cigars from See's Candy since Tampa is known as Cigar City, and See's Candy is a San Francisco Bay Area institution, and Philz Coffee from San Francisco.”
To capture the couple's wonderful homage to their hometowns, they hired one of Tampa's most experienced wedding photographers Carrie Wildes Photography. The photographer's ability to capture their big day in a timeless style thrilled the pair.
“We wanted a photographer who would tell the story of our day with natural, true-to-life photos,” the bride explained. “Carrie Wildes Photography delivered a beautiful photo journal of our day. We couldn't be happier with the content and quality of the photos. Carrie has established herself as a premier Tampa Bay Area photographer, and we wanted the best. She and her team were fantastic!”
Kate and Matt's intimate February affair with 80 of their loved ones featured white with pops of gold and blush. The three-tier cake was displayed on a gold platter while lush floral arrangements of greenery and white blooms adorned the tables. Rentals from A Chair Affair created a romantic and traditional atmosphere that brought the couple's vision to life.
“We rented our ivory linens, banquet tables, round tables, sweetheart tables, tall cocktail tables, as well as the gold Chiavari chairs and cocktail chairs from A Chair Affair,” the bride shared. “The opulent gold starburst chargers really made the dinner tables beautiful.”
The bride leaned on the advice of Marry Me Tampa Bay and its wedding vendor reviews. She picked her perfect ballgown with a delicate lace cover for the traditional ceremony from one of Florida's largest bridal shops Truly Forever Bridal.
“We found all of our vendors through extensive internet research, including the recommendations of Marry Me Tampa Bay,” Kate explained. “The recommendations offered on Marry Me Tampa Bay were helpful in allowing us to compare and contrast. It helped us ultimately narrow down all the fantastic options the Tampa Bay Area has to offer.”
Looking back on the romantic and timeless evening, the couple remembers the love that filled their day.
“One of the most memorable moments of the day was walking into the cocktail hour in the main house of our venue to the cheers and applause of all our wonderful family and friends,” the bride reminisced. “Another moment we'll always remember is riding in the limo down Bayshore Boulevard sipping champagne at the end of the night, just the two of us enjoying the first moments to ourselves as a married couple.”
The Proposal:
Hiking is one of our favorite things to do in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Mount Tamalpais is one of our favorite places to go. Matt proposed on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco skyline after a lovely hike through the redwoods on Mt. Tam.
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
We wanted a photographer who would tell the story of our day with natural, true-to-life photos. Carrie Wildes Photography delivered a beautiful photo journal of our day. We couldn't be happier with the content and quality of the photos. Carrie has established herself as a premier Tampa Bay Area photographer, and we wanted the best. She and her team were fantastic!
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We spent 10 days in Paris, France at a charming boutique hotel in St. Germain de Pres on the Left Bank and then took the train to London, where we stayed for another three days. We wanted to visit Europe but did not want to spend our entire honeymoon on the go. Spending that much time in one city allowed us to really immerse ourselves in the culture, which meant busier days touring the sites, but also leisurely days lingering in cafes and strolling the Seine. It was magical.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Palm Springs, California. I wanted to explore somewhere new, and it is close to San Francisco. We stayed at a fabulous rental house called The Pink Monkey, which had Old Hollywood glam charm. We lounged by the pool, went hiking, and enjoyed exploring the town.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
I am from Tampa Bay, and Matt is from San Francisco Bay, so a Bay-to-Bay/San Francisco Bay meets Tampa Bay theme naturally came to mind. We had fun incorporating elements of both regions into the day. We had Tampa and San Francisco-inspired signature cocktails, our tables were named for Tampa and San Francisco area landmarks, and our floral arrangements incorporated tropical elements reminiscent of Tampa as well as flowers evocative of the natural beauty of the San Francisco Bay Area. Our guest welcome bags continued the Bay-to-Bay theme. They included some of our favorite things from Tampa and San Francisco: Sangria mix from The Columbia Restaurant (where we had our rehearsal dinner), chocolate cigars from See's Candy (Tampa is known as Cigar City and See's Candy is a San Francisco Bay Area institution), and Philz Coffee from San Francisco.
What were your colors?
Sage green, blush, ivory, gold. We wanted the decor to be elegant and traditional yet timeless. The natural tones/understated color palette we chose helped accomplish that.
How did your rentals enhance the ambiance of your event?
We rented our ivory linens, banquet tables, round tables, sweetheart tables, tall cocktail tables, as well as the gold Chiavari chairs and cocktail chairs from A Chair Affair. The opulent gold starburst chargers really made the dinner tables beautiful.
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
All of our vendors were fantastic. Our caterer was excellent, from the passed hors-d’oeuvres (deviled crab croquettes, salmon poke, and falafel) and impressive charcuterie board at the cocktail hour, that our guests didn't stop talking about, to the delicious dinner buffet and the delightful late-night snacks (nori frites and candied bacon). Our florist created gorgeous floral arrangements. Our raspberry-lemon-filled cake had guests asking for extra servings. Our planner pulled everything together beautifully and made sure we never had to worry or stress about anything.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
The best wedding planning advice I could give is to hire a wedding planner. Although we did most of the planning ourselves, we hired Confetti Events to handle all the details the month of and day of our wedding, and it was one of the best decisions we made throughout the entire process. Having their team in charge allowed us to truly enjoy the day stress-free and soak up all the precious moments.
