Noelle and Matt's intimate St. Pete Beach wedding combined a romantic palette of creamy white and mauve, personalized details, and the perfect Florida ambiance with views of the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico.
“Our wedding design inspiration was a soft palette, Florida winter at the beach, and February romance! This was chosen based on my personal style, with input from the groom, as interpreted by the time of year and location,” the bride explained. “We determined the color story with the bridesmaids' dresses; both ladies are brunettes and the mauve color was fantastic on them. We then chose white as a neutral and silver as a metallic accent based on the style of the bridal gown. The gentlemen wore black suits with white shirts because we could coordinate that easily at a distance!”
The Tampa bride and groom relied on Marry Me Tampa Bay for ideas and inspiration, including opportunities to experience venues and vendors in person via live events.
“Marry Me Tampa Bay is a great resource for couples to familiarize themselves with the wedding industry, trends, and who is doing beautiful work in our area. Although I have been in many weddings, until I was the bride, I admittedly knew little about planning the wedding myself! The site sent a beautiful e-mail about our venue following the bridal show I attended there, which definitely reinforced our decision to choose Hotel Zamora as our venue,” the bride revealed. “We also followed along closely with all of MMTB’s Instagram posts and e-mails throughout our planning process, couples cannot help but be inspired by all of the beautiful featured weddings and vendors!”
Noelle and Matt's wishlist for their wedding venue included the flexibility to customize a package to suit their needs, beautiful views, beach access, and all the conveniences that their guests would appreciate.
“A hotel venue was high on our list to accommodate out-of-town guests and eliminate the need for additional transportation. It also needed to be pet-friendly so our guests could have the option to travel with their furry friends. Additionally, we wanted somewhere that the views would be spectacular with easy beach access preferred!” the bride beamed. “Hotel Zamora has a great location and space to accommodate whatever vision brides and grooms may have! Erin and her team are ‘yes' people, which is a must with regard to package customization, lodging logistics, and vendor arrangements. Also, the bridal suite was an exquisite room perfect for hair and makeup.”
The couple's intimate Florida wedding made for a truly unique experience for their 26 closest friends and family, and their personalized details, including custom ceremony vows and handmade centerpieces, also contributed to the memorable celebration.
“Every guest commented on the intimacy of the event, which felt very special. That was unique compared to our experiences during weddings we had previously attended. They also remarked on the attention to detail, coordination, and how much it reflected our overall style as a couple. We were able to maintain these feelings and scale down the wedding in order to keep everyone safe from a COVID perspective, which was one of our biggest goals,” Noelle explained.
The bride carried a timeless bouquet of white and mauve garden roses accented with orchids and eucalyptus, which coordinated perfectly with the floral arbor that served as the ceremony backdrop, artfully created by Iza's Flowers.
“The florist had to be an expert in the field because you do not see the final product in person until the day of the wedding,” the bride declared. “Iza's Flowers came recommended to us by our venue, and Iza was ready to execute at our consultation appointment! She was able to assimilate a vision of my preferences with a nod to both of our mothers' bouquets, which was very special. The bridal bouquet was wrapped in lace from my mother's 1977 wedding gown. All of the flowers were stunning! Her staff on-site for our wedding day were also particularly calming in the groom’s suite, as she pinned on all the boutonnieres.”
Noelle walked down the aisle to a compilation of modern song selections chosen by the couple and performed live by a string duo.
“We had a very specific idea about our live ceremony music; since we had no dance floor due to COVID. The ceremony music was the only music we selected for the wedding. Cindy at Breezin’ Entertainment was incredible; we told her we wanted a live string duo (violin and cello) and that is exactly what we got,” the bride raved. “The musicians played and arranged our requested songs for processional and recessional so beautifully and seamlessly; it sounded like a recording!”
Noelle shares that one of her favorite memories of the day occurred when the couple stole away for a few private moments together along the picturesque beach during sunset.
“Truly, the whole day was memorable! We really enjoyed our brief sunset escape with the photographer to snap some beautiful photos on the beach,” the bride reminisced.
The Proposal:
Matt proposed on the beautiful lawn in front of Fenway Hotel in Dunedin and surprised me with sunset photos, dinner, and an overnight stay! We had discovered Hi-Fi Rooftop Bar over the summer, and it still feels like our place when we want to get out of Tampa for a minute.
What did you look for in a wedding entertainment company?
We had a very specific idea about our live ceremony music; since we had no dance floor due to COVID, the ceremony music was the only music we selected for the wedding.
Cindy at Breezin’ Entertainment was incredible; we told her we wanted a live string duo (violin and cello) and that is exactly what we got. The musicians played and arranged our requested songs for processional and recessional so beautifully and seamlessly; it sounded like a recording! Cindy and her team make the process to book them so easy!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
A hotel venue was high on our list to accommodate out-of-town guests and eliminate the need for additional transportation. It also needed to be pet-friendly so our guests could have the option to travel with their furry friends. Additionally, we wanted somewhere that the views would be spectacular with easy beach access preferred!
I attended the bridal show at Hotel Zamora and got to meet Erin (the vendor coordinator) in-person at that event and was impressed with her energy! I also sampled food from the chef and appreciated the versatility of the venue’s spaces.
Hotel Zamora has a great location and space to accommodate whatever vision brides and grooms may have! Erin and her team are “yes” people, which is a must with regard to package customization, lodging logistics, and vendor arrangements. Also, the bridal suite was an exquisite room perfect for hair and makeup. One of the best parts of the wedding weekend was room service breakfast in bed on Sunday morning!
What did you look for in a wedding florist?
The groom definitely deferred to me for this vendor! The florist had to be an expert in the field because you do not see the final product in person until the day of the wedding.
Iza's Flowers came recommended to us by our venue, and Iza was ready to execute at our consultation appointment! She was able to assimilate a vision of my preferences with a nod to both of our mothers' bouquets, which was very special. The bridal bouquet was wrapped in lace from my mother's 1977 wedding gown. All of the flowers were stunning! Her staff on-site for our wedding day were also particularly calming in the groom’s suite as she pinned on all the boutonnieres.
What did you look for in a wedding florist?
The groom definitely deferred to me for this vendor! The florist had to be an expert in the field because you do not see the final product in person until the day of the wedding.
Iza's Flowers came recommended to us by our venue, and Iza was ready to execute at our consultation appointment! She was able to assimilate a vision of my preferences with a nod to both of our mothers' bouquets, which was very special. All of the flowers were stunning! Her staff on-site for our wedding day were also particularly calming in the groom’s suite, as she pinned on all the boutonnieres.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
The day before our wedding, five of my friends and I went to Spa Oceana at Don CeSar for manicures and pedicures. I had been to Spa Oceana twice during COVID and was so impressed with their cleanliness and safety protocols; their service, regardless of pandemic status, is also second to none!
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our wedding design inspiration was a soft palette, Florida winter at the beach, and February romance! This was chosen based on my personal style, with input from the groom, as interpreted by the time of year and location.
What were your colors?
We determined the color story with the bridesmaids' dresses; both ladies are brunettes and the mauve color was fantastic on them. We then chose white as a neutral and silver as a metallic accent based on the style of the bridal gown. The gentlemen wore black suits with white shirts because we could coordinate that easily at a distance!
How did you incorporate your personalities into the wedding?
Because we had a small wedding and did not have a planner, we got to personally select every detail. We designed the script for the ceremony with help from our officiant, Romel, who is the chaplain at the hospital where I work. My mom and I designed the tables and arranged the centerpieces in the bridal suite with the bridesmaids the morning of the wedding. I also got to handwrite all the place cards, and we determined the seating arrangements. We chose our ceremony songs together, which included selections from The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, and Etta James.
What elements of your wedding were the most important?
After handling the challenges of 2020, we just wanted to start our married lives together! It was important that the vendors were able to work within our four-month timeline and/or available on our chosen date. Additionally, we agreed upfront to eliminate aspects of a wedding that would put our guests at increased risk of COVID exposure; it had to be a small group and completely outside with little-to-no chance for repeated or close exposure (i.e. no rehearsal dinner and no dance floor).
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
In April, we drove to the Omni at Amelia Island for our honeymoon, which is north of Jacksonville. We chose that resort because most Omnis are pet-friendly. We adopted a dog, Tex, from Humane Society Tampa Bay three days after our wedding and wanted to be able to take him with us!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Neither one of us had ever been to a wedding as small as the one we had. Do not be afraid to design your day your way even if you do not have a blueprint! Also, when it gets down to crunch time, sometimes you have to make whatever decision gives you the most control over the outcome to give you peace of mind.
Ceremony and Reception Venue and Caterer: Hotel Zamora *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Venue
Photographer: Fabian Photo + Films
Florist: Iza's Flowers *Marry Me Tampa*Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Cake: Cakes by Carolynn
Entertainment: Breezin’ Entertainment *Me Tampa*Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Officiant: Romel Charles
Invitations: Paper Source, Rifle Paper Co.
Dress Shop and Designer: Isabel O’Neil Bridal Collection – Alyne by Rita Vinieris
Shoe Designer: Kelly & Katie
Bridesmaid Dress Shop: Azazie
Hair & Makeup: Crown and Mane
Wedding Rings:Summit Diamond Corporation
Alterations:Seamless Alteration Studios
Bride and Bridesmaids Sweatsuits: Chaser Brand
Wedding Veil: Gilded Shadows
Groom's Suit: Nordstrom Rack
Faux Fur Wraps:Amazon Fashion
Earrings: Loft
Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
*Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros are highly respected by our local wedding community and have been personally vetted by our editor.
