Lauren and Andrew’s picturesque Sarasota wedding was an elegant evening filled with soft blue and white flora set under moss-clad oak trees overlooking the Bay. The couple exchanged vows during a waterfront ceremony before enjoying an al fresco reception under a glamorous peak tent.

“We wanted something that would fit our outdoor venue so we decided on a springtime, garden party theme,” the bride shared. “We wanted to keep it springy so we chose light blue, white, and green as our main colors. Our florals were mainly white with pops of blue and lots of greenery throughout.”

The Tampa couple envisioned a springtime garden vibe for their 108-guest April celebration. Upon their first conversation with Corona Pardue, Director of Weddings & Events at Beneva Weddings, they knew her team would bring their vision to life.

“Our inspiration was a spring garden party.  We knew we wanted to work with Beneva Weddings after having an initial call with Corona Pardue; She was absolutely amazing to work with and created a stunning floral design for us,” Lauren raved. “She helped guide us throughout the entire process and was truly one of the nicest people we worked with during our wedding planning.”

“Lauren and Andrew’s floral palette was a classic, all-white, with a twist: a pop of soft blue. The classics went in, Playa Blanca roses, Premium Hydrangea, Lisianthus, Ranunculus, and Veronica to create a stunning base for stems of light blue Delphinium and blue Tweedia to shine. A lush and textural skirt of assorted eucalyptus foliage boasted stems of soft and velvety Dusty Miller, bringing touches of silvery sage greens to the palette. We try to include at least one fragrant bloom, and for these two it was a seasonal favorite: Stock flower, which boasts a clean, sweet, floral scent from its fluffy bloom,” Corona explained. “When Lauren and Andrew walked into their show table appointment with the mock-up on the table, I believe the trust we had already established was only strengthened. From then on, when it came to floral design they gave us their full trust which will always result in our best work.”

The pair personalized their wedding by threading common motifs throughout the decor. From the paper goods to the place settings to the dance floor, each element tied together for a stylish and cohesive look. Even the traditional ceremony script was customized to reflect their personalities.

“Our invitation suite included some personal touches including oysters which are one of our favorite foods. We carried this into the reception by using the same crest from our invitations on the bars and used oyster name cards on the tables,” the bride detailed. “Our ceremony was short and sweet, and while an important part of our day, our officiant included many funny moments to keep it light and memorable.”

“Every detail was so thoughtful, and Andrew was incredibly involved and made a lot of effort to hold Lauren’s vision closely, advocating for her at all times, and even went an extra mile towards the end of planning,” the wedding florist added. “She had wanted custom matches, which just weren’t the highest priority so ended up on the back burner. He knew how much this meant to her, so he and the wedding planner, Kelly Kennedy, secretly cooked up custom matches, surprising Lauren at the wedding with them.”

Lauren wanted an natural-yet-elevated look for her wedding day hair and makeup. She immediately felt a connection with Kassie Plaster at Adore Bridal thanks to her attentive communication, friendly demeanor, and artistic skill.

“I wanted something timeless and elegant, but I wanted to make sure I looked like myself. I chose to wear my hair down in glam waves and did a soft glam makeup look. Adore Bridal did an initial consult call before I booked with them, and this is what made me want to hire them immediately,” the bride beamed. “Kassie made the initial call with me and was so kind as to answer all the questions I had. She ended up doing my hair for trial day and wedding day, and it was so nice to know and talk to a familiar face. Kassie made me and all my girls feel comfortable and she was so much fun!”

The couple opted for a first look at which time they exchanged private vows with each other. This intimate moment ended up being one of the most memorable experiences of the entire day.

“Our first look was one of our favorite moments. We did not want to share our personal vows during our ceremony, so our first look gave us the perfect opportunity to do so,” Lauren reminisced. “It was a really special moment that we could enjoy just the two of us.”

The Proposal:
As evident by our wedding motif, we love oysters. On a Saturday afternoon, Andrew bought oysters to have at home. We were sitting on our back porch shucking oysters (Andrew was teaching me how to shuck them, that is). He handed me an oyster that looked a little different. This one opened up to have a ring inside. Andrew got on one knee and popped the question! 

What was your wedding beauty inspiration?
I wanted something timeless and elegant, but I wanted to make sure I looked like myself. I chose to wear my hair down in glam waves and did a soft glam makeup look. 

Adore Bridal did an initial consult call before I booked with them, and this is what made me want to hire them immediately. Kassie made the initial call with me and was so kind as to answer all the questions I had. She ended up doing my hair for trial day and wedding day, and it was so nice to know and talk to a familiar face. Kassie made me and all my girls feel comfortable and she was so much fun!

What was your wedding floral inspiration?
Our inspiration was a spring garden party. 

We knew we wanted to work with Beneva Weddings after having an initial call with Corona Pardue; She was absolutely amazing to work with and created a stunning floral design for us. She helped guide us throughout the entire process and was truly one of the nicest people we worked with during our wedding planning.