Amanda and Zach’s timeless downtown St. Pete wedding evoked magical winter ambiance, by pairing whimsical gold details with romantic greenery-inspired centerpieces. Looking to give their guests a true vision of their hometown, the Florida couple hosted a rooftop happy hour that delivered picturesque sunset views reminiscent of a postcard.
Using Marry Me Tampa Bay as a resource for inspiration, the bride researched local wedding venues, compared vendor reviews, and browsed other weddings for décor ideas.
“Amanda spent a lot of time searching online and knew she wanted a classic color theme with a more formal look. Our wedding was in late December, but after Christmas, so we wanted to choose something that would still fit the season, but not come across as Christmas-themed,” Zach shared. “We ended up going with a white and gold color palette to evoke a winter wonderland feel, with a nod to the upcoming New Year. Each table had white tablecloths and napkins, gold charger plates, gold chairs, and white and blush flower arrangements with lots of candles. Everything ended up coming together exactly how we envisioned it.”
Imagining a modern wedding venue with floor-to-ceiling glass doors overlooking the water that could accommodate their guest list of 170, Amanda and Zach chose a downtown St. Pete wedding boutique hotel that checked all of their boxes.
“We needed to keep in mind our total budget first, then we wanted something with somewhat modern décor, great food, and close proximity to hotels and other activities for guests to explore throughout the weekend. The Birchwood fit all of our criteria perfectly and was in downtown St. Pete. When it came down to it, we were between two St. Pete venues. Both were excellent choices, but The Birchwood fit our personalities and felt more like home. We couldn’t have been happier with their venue and services,” the groom beamed. “The team at The Birchwood exceeded our expectations! They provided an excellent venue, bridal suite, food, and the flow of service was perfect. No one ever had to wait in line for food or drinks, and they were extremely flexible to fit all our needs!”
Creating an experience their friends and family would never forget was a big part of the couple’s vision, and with a stunning ballroom and an unforgettable happy hour, they more than succeeded.
“We had a large amount of time between the ceremony and reception that allowed us to take pictures and join the cocktail hour after. It was nice getting some more time to talk to a lot of our guests, some of whom we hadn’t seen in a very long time,” Amanda shared. “Having the cocktail hour at The Birchwood rooftop bar, The Canopy, during sunset was a truly unique aspect of our celebration. We also chose to have two large feasting tables in lieu of a sweetheart table at the head of the room, this way all of our wedding party could have their dates sit with them, as they are all close friends of ours as well!”
Cherishing the little moments from their special day, Amanda and Zach are most grateful for the time they got to spend with the most important people in their lives.
“The entire wedding was amazing and flew by so quickly,” the bride reminisced. “We truly just enjoyed seeing all of our closest loved ones having so much fun and being able to celebrate this wonderful new chapter in our lives!”
The Proposal:
Amanda was attending veterinary school at St. George’s University on the Caribbean Island of Grenada. I brought the ring with me and made reservations at the nicest restaurant we knew of to celebrate our birthdays, as they are both in the same month. Amanda’s class ran late, and I tried rushing her to make the sunset (which she wasn’t concerned about because she said there is a sunset every night). Safe to say she had no idea it was coming. Luckily, we made it to the restaurant before sunset and had a secluded table overlooking the gorgeous Caribbean Sea. As our waiter poured us champagne, I asked him to take our picture. Once we were standing for the photo, I got down on one knee and proposed. Amanda was speechless and shocked for a few moments, then exclaimed, “Yes!” and kissed me. She then proceeded to cry happy tears for the remainder of our dinner. The waiter managed to capture every moment, and it was absolutely perfect!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
Our criteria for the reception venue included large windows and enough space to accommodate 175-200 people, which was surprisingly hard to come by. The first time we saw the ballroom at The Birchwood, we knew it was perfect. The ballroom is modern yet classy, with floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open up onto a balcony that overlooks the bay, gorgeous chandeliers and a gold-white color scheme that matched our vision. It was truly meant to be! We needed to keep in mind our total budget first, then we wanted something with somewhat modern décor, great food, and close proximity to hotels and other activities for guests to explore throughout the weekend.
The Birchwood fit all of our criteria perfectly and was in downtown St. Pete. When it came down to it, we were between two St. Pete venues. Both were excellent choices, but The Birchwood fit our personalities and felt more like home. We couldn’t have been happier with their venue and services. The team at The Birchwood exceeded our expectations! They provided an excellent venue, bridal suite, food, and the flow of service was perfect. No one ever had to wait in line for food or drinks, and they were extremely flexible to fit all our needs.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Amanda spent a lot of time searching online and knew she wanted a classic color theme with a more formal look. Our wedding was in late December, but after Christmas, so we wanted to choose something that would still fit the season, but not come across as Christmas-themed. We ended up going with a white and gold a color palette to evoke a winter wonderland feel with a nod to the upcoming new year.
What were your colors?
White and gold. We wanted a winter wedding with a New Year’s feel to it. The bridesmaids wore long, elegant champagne dresses, while the groomsmen wore classic black tuxedos. Each table had white tablecloths and napkins, gold charger plates, gold chairs, and white and blush flower arrangements with lots of candles. Everything ended up coming together exactly how we envisioned it
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Make the planning process slow and enjoy it. Same for the wedding day. Ours was amazing and it flew by, so we wish we could have made it last a little longer somehow.
