Glamorous Downtown Tampa Wedding | The Vault Wedding
Brooke and TJ’s downtown Tampa wedding featured glamorous accents with a champagne, white and blush color palette.
“Our wedding theme was classic, glamorous and fun! Our venues were so stunning, so we wanted to keep our theme classic, while still adding some sparkle,” the bride explained.
The Tampa bride and groom chose the downtown area so that they could marry at their church, then celebrate just a few blocks away at downtown reception venue The Vault.
“I wanted our reception venue to be near our church. I did not want our guests driving around from place to place,” Brooke said. “I chose The Vault because I loved the building. It’s elegant and grand and the details were just perfect. TJ and I are both attorneys in the financial services industry, and The Vault was formerly The National Exchange Bank and kept the actual bank vault and many of the bank’s accents.”
The pair incorporated elements and heirlooms from their families throughout their big day.
“There were flowers in the church dedicated to my grandparents who had passed away. Upon entering the reception, we had gold frames with photos of our family members on their wedding day displayed,” the bride shared. “My rings were all re-made from family jewelry dating back generations. TJ wore his grandfather’s vintage watch, which by chance was stuck on the 23rd, which happens to be our wedding date, TJ’s birthday and my birthday.”
The groom orchestrated a surprise engagement proposal with Tampa wedding photographer Carrie Wildes Photography, and there team was there to capture all of the memories of their wedding day.
“We looked for a wedding photographer who was organized, dependable, and most importantly, took great pictures,” Brooke explained. “TJ actually found Carrie Wildes Photography through Marry Me Tampa Bay! Once we saw the surprise engagement pictures and met with her, we knew she would be our wedding photographer. Carrie and Kandice were absolutely wonderful to work with. When we got our pictures, we were blown away with how awesome they were.”
MORE: CARRIE WILDES PHOTOGRAPHY WEDDINGS
It was important to the bride and groom to make their wedding unique to them, so they skipped some of the more traditional wedding elements.
“We didn’t have a cake; we had a smores bar instead, and it was so good! We didn’t do the bouquet and garter toss; we wanted to spend more time on the dance floor with our family and friends. We also opted for dueling pianos over a traditional band or DJ; our guests loved it and were singing and dancing all night long,” Brooke shared.
The Proposal;
It was my birthday weekend, and TJ said he had a special surprise for me. On Friday night when I got home from work, TJ had champagne sitting out with a note and instructions for a scavenger hunt. It ended with him down on one knee, with the Hillsborough River and the Lights of Tampa Festival in the background! It was a cold, yet absolutely beautiful night. After the proposal, I realized a photographer was capturing it all. Carrie Wildes [of Carrie Wildes Photography] was so sneaky that I didn’t even notice her!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
Location. I wanted our reception venue to be near our church. I did not want our guests driving around from place to place.
I chose The Vault because I loved the building. It’s elegant and grand and the details were just perfect. TJ and I are both attorneys in the financial services industry, and The Vault was formerly The National Exchange Bank and kept the actual bank vault and many of the bank’s accents.
How would you describe your theme?
Classic, glamorous and fun! Our venues were so stunning, so we wanted to keep our theme classic, while still adding some sparkle. We also were very conscious of our guests’ experience and wanted to make sure that they had a fun weekend.
What were your colors?
Champagne and white, with blush accents. I chose these colors because I wanted to keep things classic, while adding some sparkle.
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
Someone who is organized, dependable, and most importantly, took great pictures.
TJ actually found Carrie Wildes Photography through Marry Me Tampa Bay! Once we saw the surprise engagement pictures and met with her, we knew she would be our wedding photographer. Carrie and Kandice were absolutely wonderful to work with. When we got our pictures, we were blown away with how awesome they were.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay Brides?
Don’t waste your budget on things you don’t absolutely have to have. I skipped the expense of printed programs and a wedding cake, because I cared more about the open bar and entertainment.
I also alternated floral centerpieces with gold candelabras to save on florals. Flowers will die but your memories last forever!
Ceremony Venue: First Presbyterian of Tampa
Reception Venue: The Vault *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Venue
Photographer: Carrie Wildes Photography *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Videographer: Jones Videography
Planner & Florist: Event Design
Caterer: Catering by the Family
Entertainment: Orlando Dueling Pianos
Invitations: Minted
Dress: Pronovias
Bridesmaids Dresses and Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Hair: Haute Hair
Makeup: Jessica Fleming
Photo booth: SEA Creative Photo Booths
Jeweler: Lindy’s Jewelry
Groom’s Tux: Suit Supply
Groom’s Shoes: Stubbs and Wootton