Ashley and Daniel
Events at The Morean Historic Train Station And St. Mary Our Lady Of Grace Catholic Church
“Danny has Irish heritage, which blended well with the fantasy elements, so our wedding invitation had a more celtic theme. We’d describe our theme as ‘Woodland Fantasy.’ Our color palette included darker greens, olive and emerald, ivory, gold, and wood accents. We felt that these colors, combined with our decor, would really evoke the woodland fantasy theme we wanted to capture.” -The Bride
FEATURING
Ashley and Daniel’s romantic downtown St. Pete wedding was a beautiful fusion of heartfelt tradition and personal flair, culminating in a celebration uniquely their own. Their enchanting woodland theme intertwined with elements like a traditional Catholic Mass and a touching nod to the groom’s Irish heritage.
“Danny has Irish heritage, which blended well with the fantasy elements, so our wedding invitation had a more celtic theme. The green colors we implemented throughout our decor and outfits hinted to that as well. Ashley loves fantasy novels and really anything with a magical, ethereal atmosphere to it, so she chose a wedding dress that reflected that: an a-line organza gown with large embroidered flowers starting at the bottom and ending at the long train; She also wore a crown and had a cathedral length veil,” the couple shared. “We’d describe our theme as ‘Woodland Fantasy.’ Our color palette included darker greens, olive and emerald, ivory, gold, and wood accents. We felt that these colors, combined with our decor, would really evoke the woodland fantasy theme we wanted to capture.”
To showcase the area’s beauty, the St. Petersburg couple kept their wedding weekend local. They chose Events at The Morean Historic Train Station for their 145-guest reception, appreciating its welcoming ambiance and meaningful connection to the community.
“Our requirements for the reception venue were natural lighting, exposed brick, a room that could accommodate a large dance floor, and a welcoming atmosphere. The UDREAM event staff at The Morean Historic Train Station was a pleasure to work with,” the bride beamed. “We chose the venue because it met all of our criteria perfectly, but also because it had sentimental value for Danny. His family has been involved with the Morean Arts Center for many years, and he spent a lot of time at the Center for Clay during his youth.”
The historic venue’s exposed brick walls, steel beams, and wood ceilings provided the perfect backdrop. Building on these natural elements, Ashley and Daniel created their woodland fantasy with a mix of chic rentals and DIY details.
“We incorporated many do-it-yourself details that we specifically curated to our theme and preferences. My mom, Danny, and I worked together to create moss centerpieces, and we thrifted vintage glassware for guests to use and take home as favors,” the bride revealed. “Additionally, during our wedding Mass, we included a Hispanic tradition called the Arras, where the couple exchanges coins. My mom was able to get the coins directly from relatives in Venezuela, which was one of my biggest hopes for the wedding.”
Keeping their reception high-energy and fun was a top priority for the couple. To achieve this, they enlisted Grant Hemond & Associates. With a veteran DJ at the helm, who knew exactly how to keep the entire night effortlessly flowing.
“We wanted someone who was truly a professional, but would also keep our own preferences and tastes in mind. We also wanted someone with high energy and the ability to get people out of their seats and on the dance floor quickly. We chose both Grant Hemond & Associates and our DJ, Jason Tally, because of the extremely high number of five-star reviews they had,” Ashley raved. “Neither the company nor Jason disappointed; it was easy to book with them, the price was very reasonable, and Jason was incredible! He was so kind, energetic, personable, and helped the reception go very smoothly.”
Of all the moments on their wedding day, the ceremony was what the couple cherished most. It was the pivotal point where their marriage truly began.
“Our wedding Mass at St. Mary Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church was easily the best part because it was where we established the covenant of our marriage in the presence of God and everyone we love. For Ashley, it was surreal to walk down the aisle and see all her friends and family, with Danny at the altar and Jesus in the tabernacle behind him. Getting ready was also one of her favorite parts because it was so emotional: so much joy and happy tears,” the couple reminisced. “For Danny, he remembers being ‘locked’ and very focused during the wedding Mass not because he was nervous or afraid to make a mistake, but because he wanted to take in every detail and be fully present for every moment of it. For both of us, our reception was an insane party. We love to dance and our friends and family definitely showed up to party with us. The entire day was filled with joy, peace and laughter.”
The Proposal:
I was extremely surprised – I did not see it coming that day. Danny proposed on February 3rd, 2023 at St. Mary Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church. We had attended the vigil Mass that evening, and Danny asked if they could stay and pray a bit after, which was not unusual, so I agreed. After sitting in the empty, peacefully silent church for a few minutes, Danny turned to me, professed his love, got down on one knee, and proposed. I was in utter shock but immediately said yes. When they exited the church, Danny surprised me again by having all of her family outside waiting for them. The last surprise was an engagement party at Danny’s parents house with all of their friends and loved ones. It was a surreal day for both of us and one we will never forget.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We went to Iceland and Ireland and it was incredible! We chose those locations because there are direct flights to Ireland using IcelandAir from Orlando that were very reasonably priced, and you can also choose a stopover in Reykjavik. Danny had never been to Iceland or Ireland, so we were so excited we found a way to do both.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Sarasota, Florida. I absolutely loves the beach, so I wanted a location nearby. Also, I wanted a location that was easy to get to and not extremely far away from St. Petersburg. Sarasota was perfect because the city is not too big but still had lots of places to go out dancing!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
Our requirements for the reception venue were natural lighting, exposed brick, a room that could accommodate a large dance floor, and a welcoming atmosphere. The UDREAM event staff at The Morean Historic Train Station was a pleasure to work with. We chose the venue because it met all of our criteria perfectly, but also because it had sentimental value for Danny. His family has been involved with the Morean Arts Center for many years, and he spent a lot of time at the Center for Clay during his youth.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Both of us love nature and the fantasy genre, so we turned to that for our primary inspiration. We’d describe our theme as ‘Woodland Fantasy.’
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We wanted someone who was truly a professional, but would also keep our own preferences and tastes in mind. We also wanted someone with high energy and the ability to get people out of their seats and on the dance floor quickly.
We chose both Grant Hemond & Associates and our DJ, Jason Tally, because of the extremely high number of five-star reviews they had. Neither the company nor Jason disappointed; it was easy to book with them, the price was very reasonable, and Jason was incredible! He was so kind, energetic, personable, and helped the reception go very smoothly.
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
We were extremely impressed and delighted with all of our vendors. Our cake vendor, Allie Cakes, did a phenomenal job. The piping work and decoration was exactly how we envisioned it would look and the cake was delicious. Our photographer and her associates were also amazing as they were so personable, professional, and helped us feel comfortable throughout the whole day. Additionally, our day-of coordinator, Carley and her Day of Details team were wonderful. They were extremely detail-oriented leading up to the wedding day and were great during the day as well. Our florist for my bouquet and Danny’s boutonniere was also remarkable. The colors and flowers were exactly what we were envisioning and the Bloom House Florist & Bazaar team were friendly and professional. Justina with Just Beauty. Justina is such a delight to be around; she easily immersed herself in the crazy energy of the bridesmaids and family while getting ready by trading stories, making jokes, and being a personal hype-woman. Justina is also exceedingly talented and she executed the style I wanted perfectly. 3 C’s Catering was amazing. The food was delicious and the team was so easy to work with. They made sure we had everything we wanted for the meal and did so within a highly reasonable price range. We are so grateful for the kindness and professionalism of all our vendors.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Do not procrastinate; the little details will catch up to you and can really stress you out at the end if you are not careful. After you get engaged, take at least a week or two to just enjoy being engaged (seriously, this time is important). But, after that, get started on planning and booking! You’ll thank yourself later when you’re able to actually relax a bit the month leading up to the wedding.
