Rebecca and Brandon's romantic waterfront Sarasota wedding was a testament to resilience and love as they gracefully adapted to a last-minute venue change caused by Hurricane Ian. Drawing inspiration from their favorite season, the Orlando-based couple chose a rich, warm color palette for their November nuptials, perfectly complementing the tropical allure of Florida's esteemed culture coast.
“Our inspiration came from the time of year we were getting married, as well as our favorite colors. We both grew up in the North East, and our favorite season is fall. The theme was fall, romantic with burgundy, pink, and navy with pops of gold accents. These colors brought the feeling of fall to a tropical venue. The gold accents accentuated the bold colors and brought the romantic theme to life,” the bride detailed. “We wanted to incorporate florals with our colors as well as eucalyptus throughout the venue to bring greenery to the space.”
Using Marry Me Tampa Bay as a compass, the couple sought insight into local trends to help shape their wedding vision, especially when unpredicted changes called for last-minute decisions.
“Marry Me Tampa Bay provided us with real examples of what couples were doing in the area in which we would be getting married in. A lot of the influence of small pieces of décor and design were inspired by things that we saw on Marry Me Tampa Bay. The biggest way we used the site was when we were desperately searching for a new venue when our original venue was damaged by Hurricane Ian,” Rebecca explained. “The decision to select a new venue needed to be narrowed down and made quickly. We were able to narrow the venues down to three to tour by looking at blogs on the site. It was helpful to know what other venues our vendors were familiar with and what the venues could look like with rentals, florals, and décor that we had already selected and paid for that could not be changed.”
Facing the unpredictability of nature, Rebecca and Brandon showcased their resilience and adaptability as Hurricane Ian threw a wrench into their plans. The couple quickly began researching new accommodation for their 90 guests.
“Unfortunately, just five weeks before our wedding, Hurricane Ian damaged our wedding venue. Since it was only weeks away, we decided that since all of our guests had already made their travel arrangements, we were going to look as close as possible for a venue that had our date available. This was a difficult task as November is one of the most popular wedding months in Florida. With the help of our vendors, we were able to find a couple of openings and toured the other venues that very same week,” the bride detailed. “The Ritz Carlton Sarasota had the same date available, an outdoor ceremony space, and an indoor reception space that would fit our number of guests perfectly. Our guests kept telling us that they could not even notice that this wasn’t the wedding that we had been planning for almost two years and that we had to re-design and relocate just five weeks before.”
The bond between a couple and their wedding planner is truly special, and the bride, who was also a former event planner, found her perfect match in Tammy Waterman of Special Moments Event Planning, whose expertise and understanding supported her throughout the journey.
“We were very anxious about planning a wedding in an area we did not live in. We did not know where to start in terms of selecting the right vendors. We found our wedding planner, Special Moments, on Marry Me Tampa Bay, and after that, the rest was a piece of cake. We wanted a wedding planner who understood our style and who was willing to take the time to get to know us personally. We wanted someone who had many years of experience and knew the ins and outs of the wedding industry in the Tampa Bay area. We knew we would need someone who could handle a bride who wanted to handle everything on her own but knew that she could not,” Rebecca related. “Tammy Waterman, owner of Special Moments Event Planning, was exactly who we were looking for. She not only had all the experience in the area, but she also had the time to sit with us one-on-one and understand who we were and what we wanted. Once Tammy took over, she was able to provide us with her favorite vendors in the area that she has great relationships with, which made the process of selecting and planning that much easier!” She was so patient with us as we navigated through one of the biggest challenges of our lives of having to relocate after Hurricane Ian.”
Highlighting their dedication to detail, the bride and groom entrusted the intricate aspects of their special day A&P Design Co. for classic fall invitations and menus and Kate Ryan Event Rentals for exquisite decor rentals.
“All of our guests needed a lot of information regarding the weekend itinerary, the best way to get to the venue, and how to book their rooms. The tri-fold design worked well for making sure our guests were able to get the invitations and details in an organized, classic way,” the bride shared. “A&P Designs was great and met us with a box of colors and textures to choose from and worked well with us to figure out what was important so that we could stay within budget. The illustration of the venue really brought personality to our invitations, and all of our guests loved it!”
Incorporating cherished family members, even the furry ones, into the ceremony was a priority for the bride. FairyTail Pet Care was their pup's plus-one the entire day, ensuring he was part of the festivities.
“There was never any question that we wanted our dog, Henri, to be a part of our wedding. Henri was in our engagement photos, and while taking those photos, we quickly realized that we needed someone who wasn’t going to be a guest at our wedding to be able to care for him. With a destination wedding, Henri could not be at the reception and needed to be fed and taken out during this time,” the bride explained. “We were hesitant at first about having a stranger pick up our dog, bring him to the ceremony, and take him back to the hotel. We found FairyTail Pet Care through Marry Me Tampa Bay’s Instagram post. When we reached out, Ilana immediately responded that she could drive out to Orlando to meet Henri for a meet and greet to see if we would be more comfortable. Henri normally barks at everyone, and from the moment Ilana walked into our house, we knew she would be Henri’s date for our wedding! When Ilana came into the bridal suite to pick up Henri months later on our wedding day, he did not forget her and was so happy to spend the day with her while his mommy and daddy got married! Ilana and FairyTail Pet Care get a hundred stars in our book for making what we thought was the impossible of having our stubborn, crazy dog a part of our wedding!”
Inspired by natural elegance, the bride's selected hairpiece stood out as a central feature. Michele Renee The Studio expertly crafted Rebecca's look with a sophisticated twisted updo.
“The inspiration for my hair and makeup was natural elegance. I loved the hairpiece that I had bought and really wanted it to be highlighted. Michele Renee The Studio was great to work with, and they were personable from start to finish,” the bride beamed. “They really made creating the timeline for myself and my bridal party a seamless process, and I was stress-free the whole morning of my wedding day!”
Looking back on their wedding, the blending of traditions, shared emotions, and meaningful tokens made the event exceptionally poignant.
“Our most memorable moment was our first look. This is something that we had been planning at our original venue, and when we had to relocate, we were really worried that we would not get that same experience. Our vendors were able to create a scene that was more beautiful than we ever imagined with the eucalyptus lining the stairs with florals and lanterns and even the extra surprise of the firepit being on. It was truly a magical moment,” the bride reminisced. “Another favorite moment of ours was the last song of the night. The song Sweet Caroline has different meanings to both of our families, and we wanted this to be the last song that got everyone on the dance floor. It was Brandon’s grandfather’s favorite song and in turn a favorite song for his whole family. I am from Massachusetts, and it is played at every Boston Red Sox Game, so it made all of my family and friends feel as though they were back in Boston. The dance floor was full and we felt as though all of our guests truly felt connected as one, which was our vision for our wedding day.”
What were your wedding invitation and stationery inspiration?
We wanted our invitations to incorporate our colors and our venue. While looking at blogs of other couples married at our original venue, we came across the illustrations that A&P Design Co. had done there.
All of our guests needed a lot of information regarding the weekend itinerary, the best way to get to to the venue, and how to book their rooms. The tri-fold design worked well for making sure our guests were able to get the invitations and details in an organized, classic way. A&P Designs was great and met us with a box of colors and textures to choose from and worked well with us to figure out what was important so that we could stay within budget. The illustration of the venue really brought personality to our invitations, and all of our guests loved it!
The Proposal:
Brandon proposed at the Ritz Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes. The pergola that he had decorated with roses and candles overlooks a golf course and lake. He proposed at sunset while the family was secretly on the rooftop watching.
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
We wanted a wedding planner who understood our style and who was willing to take the time to get to know us personally. We wanted someone who had many years of experience and knew the ins and outs of the wedding industry in the Tampa Bay area. We knew we would need someone who could handle a bride who wanted to handle everything on her own but knew that she could not.
We were very anxious about planning a wedding in an area we did not live in. We did not know where to start in terms of selecting the right vendors. We found our wedding planner, Special Moments Event Planning, on Marry Me Tampa Bay, and after that, the rest was a piece of cake. Tammy Waterman was exactly who we were looking for. She not only had all the experience in the area, but she also had the time to sit with us one-on-one and understand who we were and what we wanted. Once Tammy took over, she was able to provide us with her favorite vendors in the area that she has great relationships with, which made the process of selecting and planning that much easier! She understood I was a former event planner who wanted to control whatever I could and knew when and where to step in and assist. She was so patient with us as we navigated through one of the biggest challenges of our lives of having to relocate after Hurricane Ian.
Why did you choose to incorporate your pet into your wedding day?
There was never any question that we wanted our dog, Henri, to be a part of our wedding. Henri was in our engagement photos, and while taking those photos, we quickly realized that we needed someone who wasn’t going to be a guest at our wedding to be able to care for him. With a destination wedding, Henri could not be at the reception and needed to be fed and taken out during this time.
We were hesitant at first about having a stranger pick up our dog, bring him to the ceremony, and take him back to the hotel. We found FairyTail Pet Care through Marry Me Tampa Bay’s Instagram post. When we reached out, Ilana immediately responded that she could drive out to Orlando to meet Henri for a meet and greet to see if we would be more comfortable. Henri normally barks at everyone, and from the moment Ilana walked into our house, we knew she would be Henri’s date for our wedding! She talked to us about our wedding day timeline and what Henri would be doing, and then she played with Henri, and they were instantly best friends!
When Ilana came into the bridal suite to pick up Henri months later on our wedding day, he did not forget her and was so happy to spend the day with her while his mommy and daddy got married! Ilana and FairyTail Pet Care get a hundred stars in our book for making what we thought was the impossible of having our stubborn, crazy dog a part of our wedding!
What was your wedding hair and makeup inspiration?
The inspiration for my hair and makeup was natural elegance. I loved the hairpiece that I had bought and really wanted it to be highlighted.
Michele Renee The Studio was great to work with, and they were personable from start to finish. They really made creating the timeline for myself and my bridal party a seamless process, and I was stress-free the whole morning of my wedding day!”
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Sandals South Coast. We chose Jamaica because of the ease of access to the Orlando area. The direct flight of only two hours made the traveling very simple. Brandon loves to swim in the pool, and South Coast offered a room that had a swim-up pool right outside the room. The all-inclusive style of the resort was able to help us really relax and not have to worry about anything at all.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Savannah, Georgia. We wanted somewhere within driving distance and could check off the boxes of great restaurants, fun bars, and a beach. We were able to explore Savannah with a bar-hopping bike ride and the amazing restaurants within walking distance. We also spent a day at Tybee Island beach which was a short distance away.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our inspiration came from the time of year we were getting married, as well as our favorite colors. We both grew up in the North East, and our favorite season is fall.
What were your colors?
The theme was fall, romantic with burgundy, pink, and navy with pops of gold accents. These colors brought the feeling of fall to a tropical venue. The gold accents accentuated the bold colors and brought the romantic theme to life,” the bride detailed. “We wanted to incorporate florals with our colors as well as eucalyptus throughout the venue to bring greenery to the space.
How did the rentals enhance the ambiance of your wedding?
We used Kate Ryan Event Rentals for our sweetheart table chairs and table linen. They were very flexible with our last-minute needs, as our original venue was providing both of these for us. It really made our sweetheart table tie into the burgundy and gold theme.
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Tammy Waterman and her team were incredible. Every step of the way, Tammy was there to make us feel comfortable with the decisions that we were making. She took time out of her personal schedule to contact our vendors and alternative venues to make us feel as though we were being given as many options as possible.
Our photographer and videographer also went above and beyond to change their schedules and take the time to recreate our timelines to make sure that we were still going to be receiving the best photos and videos even though we were not at our primary venue.
Lastly, we do not have enough great things to say about Ilana and the bond that she formed with not only our fur baby but also us. We trusted her with the most important thing during the wedding, our fur baby, and we could not have been happier with the results of hiring her.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Take your time and choose a venue and vendors that you feel comfortable with. Do not worry about what other people think; this day is about what you want and what makes you happy. Our vendors and our venue were the whole reason that our wedding still happened on the day it was supposed to. They helped us through every step of the way during the five crazy weeks leading up to our wedding day, and everything went seamlessly because of who we chose as our vendors two years before.
