Haley and Robert's luxurious Sarasota destination wedding brought their love story to life with breathtaking waterfront views and sophisticated modern charm. Embracing the stunning beauty of their historic venue, the North Carolina couple chose both an outdoor ceremony and reception to truly showcase the Venetian-inspired architecture of the Ca d’Zan.
“I usually have more of a boho style and thought my wedding would be the same, but we absolutely fell in love with our venue,” the bride gushed. “It just felt very Great Gatsby, and since we were going for more of a formal wedding; it was perfect. Since the venue is already so stunning on its own, we went with neutral colors so that all of the details and architecture could truly stand out.”
As the blushing bride-to-be pieced together her fairytale celebration, she looked to Marry Me Tampa Bay's Instagram for inspiration. Part of her checklist included finding a local wedding planner that had the experience and knowledge to help plan a destination wedding for 200 guests and hiring NK Productions Wedding Planning proved to be the perfect match.
“Since the venue was at a historic museum, there were a lot more rules to abide by, which meant we really needed someone who understood all the ins and outs. We really wanted someone who would communicate well since we were not going to be on-site for a lot of the planning and someone who knew the venue like the back of their hand,” Haley shared. “Hiring NK Productions Wedding Planning was the perfect move for us. The team went above and beyond from start to finish! We couldn't have asked for more.”
With a large bridal party, it was crucial to hire a beauty squad who could keep everyone on schedule, and with the help of Femme Akoi Beauty Studio, Haley and her bridesmaids achieved her “sleek, clean, and classic” look.
“NK Productions recommended Femme Akoi Beauty Studio because they were great at keeping on schedule, and I had a really big bridal party,” the bride explained. “They did 16 people’s hair and makeup with time to spare and everyone looked great!”
Feeling overjoyed with all of the love from their day of bliss, Haley and Robert will always hold a few special moments close to their hearts.
“It's truly hard to pick out just one favorite memory from our big day since there were so many. A few that really stood out to us the most were our grandmas walking the aisle as our flower girls, our first look at Belvedere Tower since it was something out of a fairytale, and of course our first dance! We are both very bad dancers, but had a lot of fun with really just making it our own!” the bride reminisced.
What was your wedding theme?
I usually have more of a boho style and thought my wedding would be the same, but we absolutely fell in love with our venue. It just felt very Great Gatsby, and since we were going for more of a formal wedding; it was perfect. Since the venue is already so stunning on its own, we went with neutral colors so that all of the details and architecture could truly stand out.
The Proposal:
We went to Steamboat Springs, Colorado on a ski trip. Robert told me we were making a stop on the way to dinner, and he took me to this beautiful frozen waterfall. It had just snowed the night before so it looked like a winter wonderland!
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
A planner who was personable, knowledgable, and able to really be there since we live in North Carolina. Since the venue was at a historic museum, there were a lot more rules to abide by, which meant we really needed someone who understood all the ins and outs.
We really wanted someone who would communicate well since we were not going to be onsite for a lot of the planning and someone who knew the venue like the back of their hand. Hiring NK Productions Wedding Planning was the perfect move for us. The team went above and beyond from start to finish! We couldn't have asked for more.
What advice would you give to other Sarasota couples?
For planning, identify your priorities early on and focus on those. As for the day of, my favorite piece of advice was to be a guest at your own wedding. All of the planning is done at that point so just sit back and enjoy the day!
