Bianca and Edgar’s elegant downtown St. Pete wedding boasted dramatic red and cream flora, sparkling champagne accents, an emotional first look, and lively Spanish music in honor of the couple’s heritage.
“The theme for our wedding was elegant romance. We wanted an intimate romantic wedding,” the bride shared. “The colors were champagne and burgundy. Since our wedding was right after the New Year, we wanted to keep it holiday and romantic.”
While planning their 100-guest celebration, the bride relied on Marry Me Tampa Bay as a resource for real wedding inspiration.
“Marry Me Tampa Bay was used a lot during our wedding process,” the bride revealed. “I would read the blogs and look through Instagram for ideas. We noticed our photographer and florist on one of the Marry Me Tampa Bay blogs.”
The Tampa locals hosted their wedding in the nearby city of St. Pete so it would feel like a mini destination for their guests. The bride attributes their venue selection as one of the most special aspects of their overall wedding experience.
“The Vinoy Renaissance is a historical hotel with a lot of character. We wanted our guests to feel the historic vibe in the Sunset Ballroom with its arches and beauty. We also wanted our guests to feel cared for. During the reception there were dancing shoes, delicious food, glow sticks, and late-night snacks (sliders and chicken and waffles). The wedding was a blast!” Bianca beamed.
The bride knew she wanted to work with renowned wedding photographer Carrie Wildes Photography after seeing her work on Marry Me Tampa Bay and meeting her in person.
“Carrie Wildes Photography was one of the vendors that we noticed on Marry Me Tampa Bay. Carrie was the first vendor that we booked after we booked our venue. We knew her work was amazing and did not want to miss out on her capturing our day. Carrie’s pictures are stunning, and once we met her, we wanted to book her ASAP,” Bianca gushed. “Every person who has worked with her has nothing but the best things to say. We are in love with our pictures and appreciate the excellent service!”
The bride and groom chose to have a “first look” before their ceremony so that their photographer could capture beautiful portraits in natural light, as well as to have an intimate moment together before all of the festivities. It was that special experience in the tea garden, along with seeing each other for the first time during the formal ceremony, that Bianca recalls as the most memorable moments of the day.
“Two different special moments that we cherish were our first look and meeting at the altar. We wanted to have a private moment together before walking down the aisle. It was the calmest and most relaxing feeling to see each other with our first look. We had that intimate moment of talking, laughing, and crying with excitement,” the bride reminisced. “The first look was important since our wedding was in the evening. We were able to get the daytime pictures that we wanted.”
To complement their elegant wedding style and holiday-inspired color palette, Bianca and Edgar envisioned a wedding cake with a stunning design that would only be rivaled by how delicious it tasted.
“We wanted to have a cake that looked unique with each tier. We decided to do The Artistic Whisk‘s take-home cake tasting; it was amazing!” Bianca raved. “It was a challenge to pick our top flavors, lemon cream and red velvet. The designing process was fun, and our designer was extremely creative.”
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
My bachelorette was themed as “Bianca’s Final Fiesta” in Siesta Key! My maid of honor and bridesmaids planned the most perfect trip. We stayed at a house by the beach, and everything was decorated like a final fiesta! All the details of it made it so much fun!
The Proposal:
Edgar proposed on New Year’s in Paris! The proposal was a complete surprise. We went on a trip to Europe with another couple. The night started off with a boat ride to the Eiffel Tower. Once we reached the Eiffel Tower it was New Year’s, and Edgar proposed! It was a perfect night.
What elements of your wedding were the most important?
The most important elements to us were our first look and meeting at the altar. We wanted to have a private moment together before walking down the aisle. We were able to do a first look at the Vinoy’s Tea Garden. It was also important to us since our wedding was in the evening. We were able to get the daytime pictures that we wanted. It made two special moments for our wedding. Walking down the aisle at the church and locking eyes down the aisle made for another special moment between us. Our first look and meeting at the altar were two different special moments that we cherish.
What was your wedding dress inspiration?
I wanted something that would make me feel elegant and beautiful.
The dresses at Isabel O’Neil Bridal Collection were stunning! My mom, sister, and niece went with me to pick out my wedding dress. Samaly welcomed us and gave us the best experience. I told her what I was envisioning, and the dress that I picked was one of the first ones that I tried on. The whole experience was wonderful and memorable.
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
Carrie Wildes Photography was one of the vendors that we noticed on Marry Me Tampa Bay. Carrie the first vendor that we booked after we booked our venue. We knew her work was amazing and did not want to miss out on her capturing our day.
Carrie’s pictures are stunning, and once we met her, we wanted to book her ASAP. Every person who has worked with her has nothing but the best things to say. We are in love with our pictures and appreciate the excellent service!
Where did you spend your honeymoon and why did you choose that location?
We spent our honeymoon at Chateau Elan – a winery and spa resort in Georgia. It was amazing! We chose that place because we wanted to stay in the states and not travel far. We saw a beautiful place with a spa and wine and were sold!
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
The theme for our wedding was elegant romance. We wanted an intimate romantic wedding.
What were your colors?
The colors for our wedding were champagne and burgundy. Since our wedding was right after the New Year, we wanted to keep it holiday and romantic.
The Vinoy Renaissance is a historical hotel with a lot of character. We wanted our guests to feel the historic vibe in the Sunset Ballroom with its arches and beauty. We also wanted our guests to feel cared for. During the reception there were dancing shoes, delicious food, glow sticks, and late-night snacks (sliders and chicken and waffles). The wedding was a blast!
What was your wedding cake design inspiration?
We wanted to have a cake that looked unique with each tier.
We decided to do The Artistic Whisk‘s take-home cake tasting; it was amazing! It was a challenge to pick our top flavors, lemon cream and red velvet. They met with us on Zoom to design our cake. The designing process was fun, and our designer was extremely creative.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Take in the whole wedding day and cherish every moment. It goes by so fast!
Ceremony Venue: St. Raphael Catholic Church
Reception Venue: The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort and Golf Club *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Venue
Photographer: Carrie Wildes Photography *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Planner: Events by Angela Smith
Florist: Events in Bloom
Linens: Connie Duglin Linens
Cake: The Artistic Whisk *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
DJ: Wild Out Entertainment
Invitations: InvitacionesEC
Transportation: Affairi Transportation
Dress: Isabel O’Neil Bridal Collection *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Shoe Designer: Badgely Mischka
Hair & Makeup: D2Co.
Rehearsal Dinner: The Mill in St. Pete
Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
*Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros are highly respected by our local wedding community and have been personally vetted by our editor.
