Lindsay and Christopher's intimate South Tampa wedding featured classic touches with notes of burgundy and greenery.
“Our goal was to create an intimate experience that focused on the romance of our relationship beyond any party theme we could envision. We wanted the look and feel to be timeless, simple, and romantic,” the bride shared. “Our colors were mainly neutral, using a lot of whites, ivories, and greenery but we popped the palette with burgundy. Chris wore a custom burgundy suit.”
With the couple living in Louisville, Kentucky, and moving to New York City before the wedding, the bride relied on Marry Me Tampa Bay to find the most reputable wedding professionals for their big day in the Tampa Bay area.
“I was constantly browsing the Marry Me Tampa Bay site for ideas and best practices. I still love scrolling through! We found our most important vendor on Marry Me Tampa Bay, Elegant Affairs by Design. Riley was wonderful; she endured the ups and downs and trials faced by COVID-19 and was by our side and acted as a calming force. Nearly a month before the wedding day, we found ourselves on the hunt for a new venue. Riley planned our wedding among a pandemic and kept us calm through the entire process,” the bride recalled. “Elegant Affairs by Design designed the most elegant and romantic affair that I could have ever imagined. Riley went above and beyond in every aspect and is the most patient, kind, smart, and fun professional and friend.”
Providing their 36 guests a safe experience and entertaining evening was a main priority for the couple.
“It was important to us to make the day as much a celebration with our family and friends, but also reserving the intimacy of our nuptials with each other. We decided not to have a wedding party to keep the focus on one another,” the bride revealed. “We shared our personalities through art, music, and food in unique ways. Live music and a live painter captured a sneak peek from the day that added to the guest experience.”
Some of the couple's most memorable moments of the day included an extended portrait shoot in South Tampa.
“Chris and I built a couple hours into the schedule for photography between the ceremony and reception. These sweet moments together were perfect, and the photographs were magical. We spent most of those moments exploring the University of Tampa’s gorgeous grounds followed by a pit stop at Buddy Brew in Hyde Park before arriving at The Epicurean’s rooftop to enjoy the sunset,” the bride reminisced.
The Proposal:
In October on the islands of Hawaii, Chris surprised me with an evening campfire on a secluded Maui beach where he popped the question.
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
A good attitude! We wanted a planner who was invested in our day as much as we were and could carry out our vision as if it were her own. Also, as much as we didn’t realize in the beginning, having a planner that is flexible and calming while planning a wedding during a global pandemic is vital.
We found our most important vendor on Marry Me Tampa Bay, Elegant Affairs by Design. Riley was wonderful; she endured the ups and downs and trials faced by COVID-19 by our side and acted as a calming force. Nearly a month before the wedding day, we found ourselves on the hunt for a new venue. Riley planned our wedding among a pandemic and kept us calm through the entire process, even when we separated from our original venue less than 30 days until the event and a week later when the caterer backed out, and especially as we were planning thousands of miles away.
Elegant Affairs by Design designed the most elegant and romantic affair that I could have ever imagined. Riley went above and beyond in every aspect and is the most patient, kind, smart, and fun professional and friend.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Austin, TX! It was the perfect location for all the girls to reasonably travel and had good food, great weather, chill vibe, and unbeatable nightlife.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We are reserving to celebrate our honeymoon until our first anniversary and looking to travel to a tropical paradise.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our goal was to create an intimate experience that focused on the romance of our relationship beyond any party theme we could envision. We wanted the look and feel to be timeless, simple, and romantic.
What were your colors?
Neutral, using a lot of whites, ivories, and greenery but we popped the palette with burgundy. Chris wore a custom burgundy suit.
How did you incorporate your personalities into the wedding?
Our personalities were incorporated from the vows to our favorite foods, desserts, and signature drinks: a Nole Fashioned for him (an FSU graduate) and Big Apple Bees Knees for me (Chris and I met on Bumble, and we always find small ways to integrate bees into special days, plus a nod to our current city, NYC).
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Have fun! Find vendors who listen to your vision and take it on as their own and are also flexible and thoughtful in their approach.
Our wedding can’t be discussed without sharing how we navigated through planning in a global pandemic. Having the right vendors by your side is critical. In the last month of planning, it felt like we re-planned the wedding from the ground up, moving venues, creating a new catering menu, and figuring out new rentals. These changes not only made us remember and focus on what was truly important for that day (the unity of us) but also upgraded our guest experience. We couldn’t have done it without the flexibility and quick responses and decision-making from our new vendors and pre-existing team.
Reception Venue: The Epicurean
Photographer: Kaptured by Kacy Photography
Planner: Elegant Affairs by Design *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Pro
Florist: Save the Date Florida
Cake: Publix
Officiant: Church by the Sea
Save the Dates: 2MadDogs (Etsy)
Invitations: Zola
Transportation: Tampa Limo and Car
Dress Shop and Designer: Blu Rayne Bridal | Mikaella Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Glitz and Glam Creative
Live Painter: Karisa Briest
Tux: Indochino
Dessert Bar: Mazzaro's (mini cannolis), Halelife Bakery (mini cupcakes), Simply Done Donuts (mini donuts)
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.
