Brittni and Logan's waterfront Bradenton wedding featured a simple yet modern design with accents of gold to complement the glistening sunset. The bride and groom incorporated delicate spring colors of sage and blush among the tropical greenery intertwined with soft white flowers. The laid-back beach details paired perfectly against the serene Manatee River.
“Our theme was ‘modern tropical,' so we wanted it to be simple yet elegant with a beachy feel,” the bride shared. “I fell in love with the idea of tropical monstera leaf centerpieces with white and gold details and went from there. I chose sage for the bridesmaid dresses because it was the perfect spring color and suited each girl perfectly. For the groomsmen, we chose simple tan suits paired with a tropical floral boutonniere because they exuded a laid-back, beachy vibe. We loved that our ceremony and cocktail hour were outside, directly next to the Manatee River, and we tied in our theme by playing reggae and island music at cocktail hour. We thought this theme was perfect for a Florida springtime wedding.”
The downtown Tampa couple chose to host their 120-guest tropical celebration just over the bridge in Bradenton to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The beach décor and abundance of seafood paired with laid-back music added to the ambiance. For their signature drink, the “Luna-rita”, Brittni and Logan named it after their dog and included the pup's face on the drink stirrer. To incorporate their love for wine, the pair created a personalized cork shadow box for guests to sign wine corks.
“We are both such beach bums and love to have a good time, so we tried to tie in elements that reflected this throughout our décor, music, and even food choices. We wanted to get married in a location that felt like a getaway for us, and we wanted a waterfront venue because a lot of our family and friends were traveling from all corners of the U.S. We wanted everyone to feel like they were on vacation the moment they stepped into the venue,” the bride beamed. “I used Marry Me Tampa Bay in the beginning stages of my wedding planning process to learn about popular vendors in the area and used the website’s blog posts to gain inspiration for design ideas. I initially found Breezin' Entertainment and Femme Akoi Beauty Studio on Marry Me Tampa Bay's website.”
To keep the March wedding as stress-free as possible, Brittni looked for a wedding planner known for their exceptional service and attention to detail.
“I looked for a wedding coordinator who could provide advice during the wedding planning process, but most importantly, someone who could adequately manage my vendors the month and day of our wedding. Initially, I was interested in hiring Breezin' Weddings after reading through their reviews online. Then, immediately after speaking with our planner over the phone, I knew I wanted to hire her!” the bride beamed. “She was amazing: organized, detail-oriented, and always quick to respond to my questions leading up to the wedding. She worked so hard to make sure every part of our rehearsal and wedding day ran smoothly, and it did! I also liked that she provided a lot of décor elements for the wedding (i.e., picture frames, charger plates, candles, cake stand, etc.) and even hand-delivered all of our gifts to our hotel room after the wedding!”
Along with the planner's sister company, Breezin' Entertainment, the couple provided an action-packed night for their guests.
“The food, music, and atmosphere were important to us. We wanted a DJ who was lively, outgoing, and could read the crowd well. We really wanted our guests to enjoy themselves and have a great time! We wanted a DJ who was lively, outgoing, and could read the crowd well, and DJ Manny from Breezin' Entertainment was phenomenal!” Brittni raved. “Our guests ranged in age from early 20s to 70s, and he managed to keep everyone on their feet all night long! He took requests and played all of our favorite and requested songs. We got so many compliments from guests on the song choices and mixes. Also, I liked that my coordinator worked for the same company as it was easier to manage our entertainment. They were very quick to respond to my questions, and they sent video clips of their DJs performing so that you could get a feel for their work and personality.”
The bride opted for a low bun with loose, beachy curls created by Femme Akoi Beauty Studio. The delicate hairstyle highlighted the back of her elegant yet modern dress. The hair and makeup artists enhanced her beauty with naturally styled makeup to match the laidback vibes.
“I researched Femme Akoi a lot on Instagram to get a better idea of their style and felt that their work was very similar to what I was looking for. My stylist, Megan, made me feel so comfortable at my makeup trial and spent extra time with me, trying out different hairstyles and tailoring my makeup,” the bride shared. “On my wedding day, all the stylists were punctual, professional, efficient, and super outgoing! They did such an amazing job not only on me but on my six bridesmaids, mom, and grandmom as well. Everyone looked fabulous!”
Looking back, one of the highlights for Brittni and Logan was the start of the reception, which kicked off a night filled with laughter that honored not only the newlyweds but also their guests.
“One of the most memorable moments was getting ready to be introduced as husband and wife at our reception and do our first dance! We took dance lessons for a few months leading up to the wedding and were so nervous (but excited) to finally be able to do our official first dance. From the moment we stepped into our reception, the atmosphere was incredibly energetic. We were so happy to be able to let loose and have fun with all of our guests!” the bride reminisced. ” Instead of the traditional bouquet toss, we did an anniversary dance. The DJ invited all of the married couples onto the dance floor and gradually asked couples married less than 1, 5, 10, etc. years to leave the dance floor until the longest married couple remained. It was super cute, and everyone loved it!”
What were your wedding hair and makeup inspiration?
My wedding hair inspiration combined boho and beachy vibes to match our overall wedding theme. My wedding dress had a high neck with a very low back, so I really wanted a hairstyle that highlighted the back of my dress, thus I went with a low bun. For makeup, I specifically requested a natural look, as I don’t typically wear a lot of makeup and wanted to feel comfortable yet beautiful and confident.
I researched Femme Akoi Beauty Studio a lot on Instagram to get a better idea of their style and felt that their work was very similar to what I was looking for. My stylist, Megan, made me feel so comfortable at my makeup trial and spent extra time with me, trying out different hairstyles and tailoring my makeup. She was so patient and detail-oriented while doing my hair and makeup. When I first met her at my hair and makeup trial she was just so personable and fun; it was a great experience. My wedding hair and makeup turned out better than I could have ever imagined; I felt so beautiful and confident the entire day.
On my wedding day, all the stylists were punctual, professional, efficient, and super outgoing! They did such an amazing job not only on me but on my six bridesmaids, mom, and grandmom as well. Everyone looked fabulous!
The Proposal:
We went to Charleston for my birthday in December. Logan was insistent he wasn’t proposing this trip, so I didn’t think any of it when he told me to pack a nice outfit for dinner one night. We went out for drinks prior, and then Logan led me into a park as a “shortcut” to dinner.
I finally realized what was happening when a photographer walked over, and Logan got down on one knee. We then did an entire photoshoot throughout Charleston; the pictures turned out beautiful! I was even more surprised when we walked to a restaurant after our photoshoot, and my parents were hiding in the corner. They had driven all the way from Tampa to surprise me and celebrate with us!
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our theme was ‘modern tropical,' so we wanted it to be simple yet elegant with a beachy feel. I fell in love with the idea of tropical monstera leaf centerpieces with white and gold details and went from there.
We loved that our ceremony and cocktail hour were outside, directly next to the Manatee River, and we tied in our theme by playing reggae and island music at cocktail hour. We thought this theme was perfect for a Florida springtime wedding.
What were your colors?
Soft white and sage green with blush pink and gold details.
I chose sage for the bridesmaid dresses because it was the perfect spring color and suited each girl perfectly. For the groomsmen, we chose simple tan suits paired with a tropical floral boutonniere because they exuded a laid-back, beachy vibe.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We went to Italy for our honeymoon! We both love to travel internationally, and Italy has been at the top of our bucket lists for a long time. We started at the very top of the country and made our way to the bottom. It was magical!
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Tulum, Mexico. I had never been to Mexico, and since the bachelorette party was in January, I wanted to go somewhere warm and tropical. Quite a few of the girls flew in from cold parts of the U.S., so they were thankful for a warm getaway!
I looked for a wedding coordinator who could provide advice during the wedding planning process, but most importantly, someone who could adequately manage my vendors the month and day of our wedding.
Initially, I was interested in hiring Breezin' Weddings after reading through their reviews online. Then, immediately after speaking with our planner over the phone, I knew I wanted to hire her!” the bride beamed. “She was amazing: organized, detail-oriented, and always quick to respond to my questions leading up to the wedding.
Our planner did an amazing job managing our wedding day. She was so calm and organized and just made the entire day so easy for Logan and me and our entire wedding party. We really could not have pulled off such an amazing day without her! She worked so hard to make sure every part of our rehearsal and wedding day ran smoothly, and it did! I also liked that she provided a lot of décor elements for the wedding (i.e., picture frames, charger plates, candles, cake stand, etc.) and even hand-delivered all of our gifts to our hotel room after the wedding!
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
The food, music, and atmosphere were important to us. We wanted a DJ who was lively, outgoing, and could read the crowd well. We really wanted our guests to enjoy themselves and have a great time! We wanted a DJ who was lively, outgoing, and could read the crowd well, and DJ Manny from Breezin' Entertainment was phenomenal!
Our guests ranged in age from early 20s to 70s, and he managed to keep everyone on their feet all night long! He took requests and played all of our favorite and requested songs. We got so many compliments from guests on the song choices and mixes. Also, I liked that my coordinator worked for the same company as it was easier to manage our entertainment. They were very quick to respond to my questions, and they sent video clips of their DJs performing so that you could get a feel for their work and personality.
Breezin' also booked our photo booth attendant. He was awesome, and our guests had an absolute blast using the photo booth all night long!
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
All of our vendors were absolutely fabulous and went above and beyond. I wouldn’t change a single one.
Our photographers and videographers were on point the entire day and felt like friends by the end of the night! Our planner did an amazing job managing our wedding day. She was so calm and organized and just made the entire day so easy for Logan and me and our entire wedding party. We really could not have pulled off such an amazing day without her!
Megan with Femme Akoi Beauty Studio was so patient and detail-oriented while doing my hair and makeup. When I first met her at my hair and makeup trial she was just so personable and fun; it was a great experience. My wedding hair and makeup turned out better than I could have ever imagined. I felt so beautiful and confident the entire day.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Enjoy the wedding planning process and make decisions as a couple! Something that Logan was great at is making decisions and then sticking with those decisions; it takes a lot of stress away.
As for the wedding day, it’s important to understand that you can’t control everything. Let everything fall into place. And as cliché as it sounds, make sure you enjoy every second of your wedding day because it really does go by in a flash!
