Elegant Downtown Tampa Wedding | The Tampa Club Wedding
Erin and Joe's sophisticated downtown Tampa wedding featured a traditional yet modern ballroom reception with a navy, off-white and antique gold color palette.
The local couple, who hails from Greenville, South Carolina, chose to showcase Tampa Bay and its amazing beaches for their closest family and friends to celebrate together during their wedding weekend.
“My parents and I were a little nervous about planning a wedding not in my hometown, but The Tampa Club’s suggestions for vendors and our initial meetings put our minds at ease. Brittany, the director of Catering and Events, takes the selection of these vendors very seriously and has high expectations of their delivery,” the bride explained. “The Tampa Club offers the highest quality of service, friendly and engaging staff, an amazing variety of food, the flexibility to make our wedding our own and incredible views of our city.”
With the creativity and the ability to think outside of the box, the Northside Florist team was able to take the bride's vision and turn it into a work of art showcased throughout the reception.
“I am not the biggest flower person, so I wanted a florist who could take my simple vision and make me love flowers. Kathy of Northside Florist and her team did just that,” Erin gushed. “Kathy just understands brides. My mom, dad, and I met with her once, showed her a few pictures, described what we liked and the vibe of our wedding, and she captured it perfectly. Their service is impeccable, and Kathy was flexible even when we had to ordered a few additional boutonnieres a day or two before.
Photography was one of the most important elements to the bride. Ensuring that she would have professional images to look back on for years to come, Erin hired Tampa Bay wedding photographer Carrie Wildes Photography.
“As a bride, you miss so many moments throughout the day while you are in hiding. Knowing we have phenomenal photos to look at for years to come is invaluable to us,” Erin shared. “We specifically hired Carrie Wildes Photography because she not only came highly recommended, but also had the depth and quality of service we were looking for. “We viewed many weddings that she shot at The Tampa Club and were highly impressed with her ability to capture the essence of the club and the beautiful views with the windows of the Grand Ballroom.
MORE: CARRIE WILDES PHOTOGRAPHY WEDDINGS
To end their wedding evening on a sweet note, the bride chose a three-tiered round wedding cake with hand painted gold confetti detail and a modern flair from local Tampa Bay wedding cake boutique Hands on Sweets.
“We specifically hired Hands on Sweets because there is no better cake in Tampa,” the bride gushed. “Chef Marie and her husband are outstanding bakers, and she is an absolute doll. She is patient, energetic, and creative beyond words. We loved her so much that we even ordered cookies for our guests in addition to having her bake mini cupcakes and cake pops for my sister’s birthday, which was two days before our wedding.”
Looking back, one the bride's sentimental memories included the quiet time her parents, sister, and she had together before leaving for the church.
“During this time, my mom pinned a piece of her wedding gown on the underside of mine, my sister gave me my paternal grandmother’s engagement ring to wear as my something borrowed, my mom put a special necklace on me and I pinned my dad’s boutonniere on him. These little moments started our wedding day off perfectly for me.”
How would you describe your theme?
Our theme was simple with a little bit of sass/funk. We chose this theme because it fits our personalities. We are relaxed and low-key people who have our own individual styles.
What were your colors?
Navy, off white, and antique gold. The classic colors gave us the ability to mix traditional and modern touches.
The Proposal:
Joe proposed on Friday, May 20. He and I were planning to go to a late dinner with friends at the Columbia Restaurant at our favorite beach, Sand Key. Since we were going to dinner late, we decided to take a walk on the beach. We were walking down the beach and arrived at a beautiful spot with blanket, candles, flowers and our favorite music. Joe got down on one knee, gave me the perfect ring, and even had our friend who is a photographer hiding to take the perfect photos. We then dined and celebrated at the Columbia.
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
Great personality and energy, professional prints, unique and different angles and settings for the pictures.
We specifically hired Carrie Wildes Photography because she not only came highly recommended, but also had the depth and quality of service we were looking for. We viewed many weddings that she shot at The Tampa Club and were highly impressed with her ability to capture the essence of the club and the beautiful views with the windows of the Grand Ballroom. The service was unmatched. We had very high expectations for our photos, and our final proofs beyond exceeded our expectations. We can’t thank her and her team enough for capturing our favorite moments in the most incredible way.
What did you look for in a wedding florist?
Creativity and the ability to think outside the box; I am not the biggest flower person so I wanted a florist who could take my simple vision and make me love flowers.
Kathy of Northside Florist just understands brides. My mom, dad, and I met with her once, showed her a few pictures, described what we liked and the vibe of our wedding, and she captured it perfectly. Their service is impeccable, and Kathy was flexible even when we had to order a few additional boutonnieres a day or two before.
What was your wedding cake inspiration?
We wanted the cake to have some flare and some funky touches, but truly capture the essence of our wedding. We specifically hired Hands on Sweets because there is no better cake in Tampa. Chef Marie and her husband are outstanding bakers, and she is an absolute doll. She is patient, energetic, and creative beyond words. We loved her so much that we even ordered cookies for our guests in addition to having her bake mini cupcakes and cake pops for my sister’s birthday, which was two days before our wedding.
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
Impeccable service, delicious and one of a kind food, beautiful décor, and the ability of the event coordinator to realize our vision.
We specifically chose The Tampa Club because of everything I listed in the question above. They offer the highest quality service, friendly and engaging staff, an amazing variety of food, the flexibility to make our wedding our own, and incredible views of our city. Brittany, the director of Catering and Events, takes the selection of vendors very seriously and has high expectations of their delivery.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Make your wedding your own. Find those vendors with whom you connect with and who truly understand you and your vision. Spend money on the best photographer; you won’t regret it. If you are on the fence about whether or not to have a videographer, get one. Finally, try very hard to have all of your wedding details solidified two weeks before your wedding day. I set that goal for myself, accomplished it, and as a result, was the calmest and happiest bride on my big day.
Ceremony Venue: Christ the King Catholic Church
Reception Venue and Caterer: The Tampa Club – Britany Erigo
Photographer: Carrie Wildes Photography *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Videographer: Allure Cinema
Florist: Northside Florist
Rentals: The Tampa Club
Cake: Hands on Sweets
DJ: Breezin’ Entertainment
Officiant: Fr. Len Plazewski
Invitations: Paisley and Paper (Greenville, SC)
Transportation: Blue One Transportation
Dress Designer: Tadashi Shoji
Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: White House Black Market
Hair & Makeup: Collective Creations
