Kara and Pawel's nautical downtown Tampa wedding featured a maritime atmosphere with shades of green and gold accents throughout. The destination bride and groom opted for the Tampa area to experience a unique wedding ambiance without the need for extensive travel.
“The night before the wedding, we hosted a fun pirate-themed welcome party and rehearsal dinner. In alignment with that, our wedding theme was old-world nautical and treasure. We wanted something that was classic but would still be unique. We wanted to really transform the aquarium rooftop in a way that was surprising to people and to feel like you were walking onto an elegant pirate ship,” the bride detailed. “Our colors were emerald green, sage, and gold. My favorite color is green, so it just made sense to go in that direction. The use of dark green, shining gold, and highlights of sage, as well as rich fabrics like satin and velvet, played into the overall moodiness and luxuriousness of the occasion.”
For their Halloween weekend nuptials, the West Palm Beach couple selected the Florida Aquarium in downtown Tampa's Channel district for its one-of-a-kind experience and nod to the bride's occupation.
“We wanted something unique for our wedding venue where people could enjoy the venue itself just as much as the party. I'm a science teacher, so an aquarium just made sense,” the bride beamed. “We looked through a couple of aquariums in Florida, but the Florida Aquarium had the best location, in addition to a stingray touch tank and a penguin encounter where penguins got to meet the guests. We were very happy with the Florida Aquarium. They were always very responsive with their communication, were accommodating with the grand ideas we had in mind, and the chef worked with us to create a menu that we were very happy with. The venue provides such a unique experience for a wedding.”
Breezin' Weddings meticulously planned every detail to ensure Kara and Pawel and their 90 guests were treated to an unforgettable experience. Offering a multitude of live experiences, Breezin' Entertainment provided the couple with a magician and karaoke DJ at the welcome party/rehearsal dinner, a saxophone musician, DJ, and coffee cart at the wedding, and a harpist at the next day brunch.
They also assisted with incorporating the couple's personality into the occasion, including a mini-donut cake with to-go boxes, a unique combination of two song favorites for the first dance, and specialty drinks at the bar and the coffee cart named after some of the couple's favorite people (and pets!).
“The most important thing we looked for in a wedding planner was someone who understood our vision and could handle the magnitude of the whole wedding weekend, from the pirate costume welcome party to the aquarium wedding to the brunch,” the bride recalled. “We hired Breezin' Weddings for their wedding coordination services. Anna was the most amazing and talented coordinator we could ever ask for. We would have been so lost without her! We were so happy with all of the services provided by Breezin'. Everyone was professional and helped keep the party going!”
In line with the couple's vision, Lemon Drops used their creativity to bring the theme to life with the floral decor. The driftwood arch featured a mix of white flowers and greenery with a touch of gold and pearls. The floral arrangements that adorned the ceremony aisle were embellished with miniature lights to create a radiant glow.
“Our inspiration for the florals was keeping to the couple's theme of the old world nautical, imagining lush, overgrown greenery that you would see if visiting an abandoned port or a deserted island. Mix this with almost a ‘regal' feel with pops of white and gold through the arrangements, and we get the perfect mix of old-world elegance by the sea,” Melanie Eubanks, owner and lead floral designer at Lemon Drops Wedding & Events, detailed. “We deepened the richness of the greenery-heavy arrangements and coordinated with gold-painted coral provided by the bride's mother by enhancing some of the greenery with an antique gold finish. We didn't want anything too shiny or bright because we wanted to make sure there was almost an aged and weathered appearance to these features. Leaning into the moodiness of the ‘old world,' we wanted the greenery to have almost a mind of its own, spreading it out organically as if overgrowing the area. This helped add in the charm of ‘old' but in a way that also looked like the greenery was thriving.”
“The inspiration for the florals was lots of greenery and full white flowers with a subtle nod to the old world nautical theme. Pearls and gold sea fans were incorporated into the arrangements and chair sashes. The table centerpieces were gold candelabras wrapped in greenery and white flowers made by my mother,” the bride added. “When we talked to Lemon Drops, they were immediately excited about our ideas, and that was the number one thing we looked for in a vendor. They did an amazing job with the florals, arch, and greenery!”
The couple meticulously planned every aspect of the wedding theme's decor, with an encompassing aquarium for the ceremony and a rooftop reception crafted to transport guests onto a majestic pirate ship. From treasure maps to golden oysters and even a treasure chest with pearls as the cake topper, every intricate detail was meticulously woven together, leaving a lasting impression.
“We visited the Marry Me Tampa Bay site quite a bit, especially at the beginning of the process, to get inspiration,” the bride shared.
Amidst the whirlwind of unforgettable moments, the bride most treasured the quiet interlude with the groom before the reception, where they seized the opportunity to rehearse their first dance.
“The most memorable moment was after the ceremony and family pictures when Pawel and I were tucked away on our own in the new aquarium exhibit,” the bride reminisced. “For just a few minutes, we got to enjoy the beautiful animals; we used that alone time to practice our first dance before we went out to face all our friends and family.”
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We wanted something unique for our wedding venue where people could enjoy the venue itself just as much as the party. I'm a science teacher, so an aquarium just made sense. We looked through a couple of aquariums in Florida, but the Florida Aquarium had the best location, in addition to a stingray touch tank and a penguin encounter where penguins got to meet the guests. We were very happy with the Florida Aquarium. They were always very responsive with their communication, were accommodating with the grand ideas we had in mind, and the chef worked with us to create a menu that we were very happy with. The venue provides such a unique experience for a wedding.
What was your floral inspiration?
The inspiration for the florals was lots of greenery and full white flowers with a subtle nod to the old-world nautical theme. Pearls and gold sea fans were incorporated into the arrangements and chair sashes. The table centerpieces were gold candelabras wrapped in greenery and white flowers made by my mother.
When we talked to Lemon Drops, they were immediately excited about our ideas, and that was the number one thing we looked for in a vendor. They did an amazing job with the florals, arch, and greenery!
The Proposal:
The proposal was such a surprise! We had been together for six years and had talked about getting married, but I somehow still was shocked when it happened. In December, we were in Washington, D.C., walking along the Potomac around sunset with my mom and brother when Pawel asked to pose for a picture.
I actually got down on one knee to pretend I was going to propose because it was so picturesque, so when he then got down on one knee I thought he was joking! I even tried to walk away because he was drawing a little crowd, but my mom made me go back because it was real. Pawel went to put the ring on my finger, and it slipped and fell into the river! I swear I was about to jump in after it. After a few seconds of shock (and maybe a few tears) he pulled out the real ring and explained that the first one was a prop and he had planned the whole thing. The real ring was the one that we had picked out together. It was such a theatrical and over-the-top moment and so perfectly ‘us.’
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
The most important thing we looked for in a wedding planner was someone who understood our vision and could handle the magnitude of the whole wedding weekend, from the pirate costume welcome party to the aquarium wedding to the brunch.
We hired Breezin' Weddings for their wedding coordination services. Anna was the most amazing and talented coordinator we could ever ask for. We would have been so lost without her!
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
My girls and I spent a weekend in Siesta Key. We went on a sunset cruise, sang karaoke, went to Daiquiri Deck, and spent a day on the beach together.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We are taking a short camping trip to Ocala National Forest to go canoeing and hiking and just take some time to be alone and enjoy each other’s company without so many distractions.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
The night before the wedding, we hosted a fun pirate-themed welcome party and rehearsal dinner. In alignment with that, our wedding theme was old-world nautical and treasure. We wanted something that was classic but would still be unique. We wanted to really transform the aquarium rooftop in a way that was surprising to people and to feel like you were walking onto an elegant pirate ship.
What were your colors?
Our colors were emerald green, sage, and gold. My favorite color is green, so it just made sense to go in that direction. The use of dark green, shining gold, and highlights of sage, as well as rich fabrics like satin and velvet, played into the overall moodiness and luxuriousness of the occasion.
How Did the Rentals Enhance Your Ambiance?
We used Outside the Box Event Rentals for the chairs, drapery, chandelier in the Coral Reef room, and the dance floor, dinner chairs, and the bride and groom “throne” on the rooftop.
The rentals from Outside the Box helped elevate both of the venues perfectly, mixing elegance with utility! The drapery and chandelier on the ceiling of the coral reef room, combined with the glitter of the gold chiavari chairs, transformed the room into a luxurious underwater chamber.
Upstairs on the roof, the mahogany Chiavari guest chairs and the dark wood and burgundy thrones where the bride and groom sat played into the moody, old-world theme.
What did you look for in an entertainment company?
We look for people who can keep the party going! Breezin’ Entertainment had so many services to offer, and everything was so easy to book with Anna as our planner.
We used many of their entertainment services, including a magician and karaoke DJ at the welcome party/rehearsal dinner, a saxist, DJ, and coffee cart at the wedding, and a harpist at the brunch.
Our first dance was a mashup of I’m Yours by Jason Mraz, followed by Love is an Open Door from our favorite Disney movie, Frozen; then we had our whole wedding party join us on the dance floor to Wobble.
We had specialty drinks at the bar and the coffee cart. We had two specialty cocktails named after our cats Smok and Sylvanas, and we had a Bride’s Pumpkin Spice Latte, a Groom’s Iced Matcha Latte, and Mom’s Spiked Kahlua Cappuccino at the coffee cart. We were so happy with all of the services provided by Breezin; everyone was professional and helped keep the party going!
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Our planner Anna, of Breezin' Weddings, blew us out of the water! Her dedication, communication, and persistence ensured we had the wedding of our dreams. Tampa Bay Staging and Event went so above and beyond with the lighting, and it really helped transform the aquarium rooftop beautifully. The decor and staging of the furniture and vignettes really helped curate the old-world vibe on the rooftop. Our hair and makeup artist really impressed me with her soft, glam look. She did an amazing job making me feel comfortable and getting the look so that I still looked like me, just a more glamorous version!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Get a wedding planner! It will make your lives so much easier when it comes to planning your wedding. It can be really difficult to know where to start, but once you have an idea, the planner knows who to talk to, where to go, and what you should be spending on certain things. Having someone who actually knows the industry and knows how to navigate the waters makes all the difference!
