Kayla and Trevor's Brandenton wedding featured a moody, autumn-themed palette with pops of pumpkin orange, greenery, and delicate fall touches to set the mood. Taking place just three days before Halloween, the bride and groom's wedding featured cool weather mixed with the rustic pampas grass, a jewel-toned color palette, and delicate greenery with wood decor giving their day a rustic and romantic feel.
“We went with a fall-themed wedding as Halloween/fall is my favorite time of the year. We picked them to match the theme without making it seem too ‘Halloweeny.' We worked together to make our own drink menu with fall-themed alcoholic drinks. One was apple cider based, and the other was pumpkin spice oriented. We named them ‘The Obi' and ‘The Cleo,' which are our dogs' names,” the bride shared. “Our colors were navy, burgundy, emerald green, and saffron.”
To create an autumn atmosphere for their 100 guests, the Lakeland Ranch couple selected a highly-reviewed wedding florist with over two decades of experience.
Their 100 closest loved ones were surrounded by rich autumn beauty thanks to Sarasota florist Beneva Weddings. They showcased a fun theme in a classic and romantic way.
“We wanted a florist who could look at our vision and make it come to life. With Beneva Weddings, we just showed them the theme we were going for and let them make the decisions,” the bride shared. “We had no particular flower or design we were looking for; we just knew our colors and that we wanted limited decor. We let the flowers be more of the decor and centerpieces and chose Beneva because we got to work with the florist, Samantha. She really brought our ideas to life and seemed genuinely excited to take on our project.”
Kayla wore a delicate form-fitting dress from Truly Forever Bridal Tampa with lace detailing and capped sleeves with a beautiful train. Her bridesmaids surrounded her in dark fall colors, allowing the beautiful bride to stand out.
“I went in with no idea of what I wanted for a dress. So, I asked Laura, my bridal attendant at Truly Forever Bridal, to set me up with a variety of options that she thought would work for my body type and my budget. She went to work right away. Laura listened to my opinions on different dresses, which allowed her to narrow down my options. Our assistant also helped me all the way through the alterations process. I was allowed to bring my bridal party and family, which allowed for a more personalized experience. All in all, it was fantastic from beginning to end. I didn't have to think too hard about anything. It was all very easy!”
While the bride got her perfect dress, the groom had a custom suit created with his initials inside. As a nod to the groom's military service, the couple cut their three-tiered white cake with Trevor's Marine Corps sword.
Looking back on their love-filled day, Kayla and Trevor remember their navy tablescapes with pops of burgundy and gold charger plates among pumpkins, roses, and baby's breath. They created intimate moments at their sweetheart table and said their vows in front of a white gazebo.
“We wanted everyone to have a great time, so we made sure to keep the drinks flowing, the music playing, and the ‘traditional' aspects of the wedding shortened,” the bride explained. “The most memorable moments were the dance circles at the reception. The DJ was keeping the party alive, the bartenders were knocking drinks out of the park, and meanwhile, the photographer and videographer were capturing it all!”
What was your wedding dress inspiration?
I went in with no idea of what I wanted. I asked Laura, my bridal attendant at Truly Forever Bridal, to set me up with a variety of options that she thought would work for my body type and my budget. She went to work right away, and I didn't have to think too hard about anything. It was all very easy!
I picked Truly Forever Bridal mainly due to its location and also because they allowed for a more personalized experience where I could also bring my bridal party and family. Many locations had limits of three guests in attendance, which really took away from the experience.
Laura was fantastic from beginning to end. She helped pick my dress, listened to my opinions on different dresses, which allowed her to narrow down the options of what she would give me to try on next, and also assisted me all the way through the alterations process as well.
The Proposal:
We had just signed a contract for a new construction home two weeks prior. Trevor took me to the lot (which was just dirt at the time), set up flowers, printed photos, and a walkway so that I wouldn't get dirty. He played music and proposed.
What did you look for in a wedding florist?
We wanted a florist who could look at our vision and make it come to life. With Beneva Weddings, we just showed them the theme we were going for and let them make the decisions. We had no particular flower or design we were looking for; we just knew our colors and that we wanted limited decor. We let the flowers be more of the decor and centerpieces and chose Beneva because we got to work with the florist, Samantha. She really brought our ideas to life and seemed genuinely excited to take on our project.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We went to London and then boarded a cruise to Spain and Portugal, which sailed back to Miami. We selected this because I had never been outside of the USA, and Trevor wanted to go on a cruise, so we put both of those desires together.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We went with a fall-themed wedding, as Halloween/fall is my favorite time of the year. It has also generally cooled down temperature-wise in Florida by that time of year.
What were your colors?
Navy, burgundy, emerald green, and saffron. We picked them to match the fall theme without making it seem too ‘Halloween-y.”
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Pretty much all of them. Our baker had an amazing personality, and her desserts blew everyone out of the water. The food was to die for. Our photographer made our rustic theme come to life in our photos, and they turned out beautifully. Our videographer was phenomenal. I didn't realize how important having a videographer was until we saw the finished project. The music was so much fun, and our DJ really took creative lead on that. I could go on for days, but all of our vendors did an amazing job and made our wedding absolutely perfect.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
You aren't actually going to save money DIYing it. Just go with a venue that has a package you can select from. It takes the stress out of your wedding as other people take care of everything for you, and it all ends up coming out to about the same cost in the end.
