Carissa and Anthony's elegant downtown St. Pete wedding was an enchanting evening decorated with greenery and surrounded by delicate white florals and vibrant blue thistles. The springtime ceremony took place in an outdoor bamboo courtyard that set the tone of the wedding.
“I never really figured out a theme, but we kept calling it ‘greenery.' I wanted it to be simple yet elegant,” the bride shared. “Our colors were navy and sage. We just love earth tones!”
The Tampa Bay bride and groom often travel in their spare time and wanted to invite their 148 guests to a location that felt like a getaway for everyone. From beaches to breweries to the relaxed Florida vibe, the weekend was filled with a variety of what the area has to offer.
“We live in Riverview, FL, but our favorite place to be is St. Pete. We love to take day trips there for the good food, and the atmosphere is unlike anywhere else,” Carissa beamed. “Most of our family is from New York and Chicago, so we wanted them to have a vacation while celebrating our wedding. We also love the beach! In St. Pete, you get the best of both beach and downtown life. It was a Thursday wedding, so we could have family stay the weekend and celebrate with us all the way until Sunday!
As she began her planning, Carissa read Marry Me Tampa Bay's real wedding features and researched the preferred venue lists.
“It all started with Stephanie and with Marry Me Tampa Bay. I asked her for help finding a venue for over 200 people that was affordable. Once I saw NOVA 535, it was perfect,” Carissa beamed. “From there, I found all of my vendors through their preferred list but also saw most of them were vendors with Marry Me Tampa Bay also! I double-checked with Stephanie on each of them.”
The private venue in the heart of downtown St. Pete offered a romantic bamboo courtyard for the ceremony and a spacious two-story interior for the reception, keeping the party conveniently located in one spot for the weeknight celebration.
“I wanted it to be as all-inclusive as possible. I wanted to have as many components of the wedding in one place and not have to juggle and coordinate different vendors. NOVA 535 was exactly that,” the bride beamed. “When I first walked into the courtyard, I fell in love with all the bamboo and greenery. I could instantly see our ceremony happening there. Then when we walked in and talked with April, and she showed me all the details included in the price, it made it very easy to move forward. NOVA had so much to offer that we didn't have to decorate too much. NOVA went above and beyond to make the day run smoothly and had the smaller details that made it unique to us! The staff was incredible, and the communication from day one until the wedding day was spot on. We could tell they know how to handle weddings and large weddings at the rehearsal.”
Desiring a timeless style for their wedding photos, Carissa was impressed by Carrie Wildes Photography's established relationship with their venue. The calming nature of Carrie's personality made posing effortless and left the couple with stunning candid and formal portraits.
“I looked through lots of photos and wanted ones that looked real and not over-edited. Also, our venue has more theatrical lighting, so I made sure to ask if photographers had shot there before,” the bride explained. “I chose Carrie Wildes Photography after our first conversation. Carrie has worked with the owners of NOVA for over 10 years, so she was very familiar. She was very sweet, and I just felt a connection with her! She had a ton of experience with our venue, which made me feel confident. Carrie was amazing because the cost of her packages goes towards artwork that we now how hanging in our home, which was incredible!”
Although the entirety of the April day was filled with effervescent moments, it was their grand finale that felt the most magical to the newlyweds.
“We love to entertain! We love to have friends and family together to celebrate all occasions, and we wanted our wedding to be a party! We love good dance music, and our two priorities were that everyone needed to be on the dance floor and everyone should feel like this was the best vacation ever! We feel we achieved both!” Carissa gushed. “Our guests were having so much fun dancing that when the DJ said it was the last song of the night, everyone screamed ‘Encore,' and he played one more song for us as we exited! It was amazing!”
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
I looked through lots of photos and wanted ones that looked real and not over-edited. Also, our venue has more theatrical lighting, so I made sure to ask if photographers had shot there before.
I chose Carrie Wildes Photography after our first conversation. Carrie has worked with the owners of NOVA for over 10 years, so she was very familiar. She was very sweet, and I just felt a connection with her! She had a ton of experience with our venue, which made me feel confident. Carrie was amazing because the cost of her packages goes towards artwork that we now how hanging in our home, which was incredible!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
I wanted it to be as all-inclusive as possible. I wanted to have as many components of the wedding in one place and not have to juggle and coordinate different vendors. NOVA 535 was exactly that.
When I first walked into the courtyard, I fell in love with all the bamboo and greenery. I could instantly see our ceremony happening there. Then when we walked in and talked with April, and she showed me all the details included in the price, it made it very easy to move forward. NOVA had so much to offer that we didn't have to decorate too much. The staff was incredible, and the communication from day one until the wedding day was spot on. NOVA went above and beyond to make the day run smoothly and had the smaller details that made it unique to us! We could tell they know how to handle weddings and large weddings at the rehearsal.
The Proposal:
We were in Keystone, Colorado skiing which is the total opposite of our warm beach life in Florida. We got to the top of the mountain, and Anthony took me to a lookout to see the view. As I turned around, he was on one knee asking me to marry him! It was perfect! I was so nervous about losing the ring that I made him put it back in the box until we got to the bottom of the mountain.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Scottsdale, Arizona! It was in February, and I wanted a warm destination still! It was amazing! Best food, nightlife, and activities I could have asked for!
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
I never really figured out a theme, but we kept calling it greenery. I wanted it to be simple yet elegant.
What were your colors?
Navy and sage. We just love earth tones!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Donโt hesitate to go non-traditional there are so many venues and vendors that can accomplish any vision you have. If it seems like itโs never been done, just ask! If itโs what you want, do it!
