Wedding

Intimate, Treasure Island Destination Wedding | Sunset Vistas

 

Brides Who Brunch Tampa Bay Bridal Wedding Planning Show - Sunday, April 15, 2018

Heather and Tom's intimate Treasure Island beach destination wedding featured a beachfront ceremony along the sugar sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico.

“We wanted to focus on us and the beautiful location. We are pretty casual and love simplicity. We both knew we wanted an intimate, barefoot on the beach style wedding, but with a casual and relaxed elegance,” the bride shared.

Planning an out-of-state wedding, the couple turned to St. Pete Beach wedding planner Gulf Beach Weddings to plan their big day in just three weeks.

“We never felt we were all the way in Ohio planning a Florida wedding. It was exactly as we were told it would be. The follow through and attention to detail were more than we had expected. There are several beautiful locations to choose from. We were able to easily connect with local vendors for our needs. They fit into our budget perfectly. Above all, we had zero stress planning it,” the bride gushed.

MORE: GULF BEACH WEDDINGS

Focusing on creating a simplistic, barefoot event that matched the couples relaxed personality, Heather and Tom chose an ivory and tan color palette. They left the details in the hands of their wedding planner, with one very specific ceremony set up request.

“We asked [that our photographer] capture the water behind us and to capture the beauty of our colors,” the bride explained. “We felt like we were on an island all our own with our family right beside us. Gulf Beach Weddings created an absolute vision for our day!”

Looking back on their special day, the bride reflected that her most cherished memory was when she locked eyes with her groom prior to the ceremony.

“The moment I walked down to the end of the boardwalk to meet Tom and saw what we had envisioned actually right in front of us, it was absolute perfection: the music was playing, the water was still and colorful from the sun's reflection, our girls and family standing there waiting for us and the sense of peace. It all fell into place!” the bride reminisced.

DIY Handmade Beach Inspired Grooms Boutonniere with Seashell and Dried Seagrass Greenery

DIY Handmade Seashell with Dried Seagrass Greenery Ring Pillows with Twine, Engagement Rings and Black Mens Wedding Band

The Proposal:
Tom planned the proposal at the venue we had our first date, the French Ridge Winery in Killbuck, OH. He worked with the owners to book one of their cabins and surprised me with an overnight getaway. Once we checked in, he brought my favorite bottle of wine up from the winery and, as we were overlooking the vineyard, he proposed. It was perfect! Tom even arranged for a few of our close friends to arrive later and celebrate with us.

Simple Intimate Beach Wedding Ceremony Decor with White Pomander Balls on Iron Hook with Greenery, Black Tulle Draped Table, Wooden Arch with White FLowers and Draping, and Tiki Torches | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Gulf Beach Weddings | Treasure Island Venue Sunset Vista Condo Hotel Resort 

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Intimate, barefoot on the beach style. We wanted to focus on us and the beautiful location. We are pretty casual and love simplicity. We both knew we wanted a wedding feel, but with a casual and relaxed elegance. I knew I wanted to wear a lightweight, ivory grecian-style dress that flowed in the breeze. Our daughters stood up with us, and we wanted them to feel a part of the beautiful scenery and special moment.

What were your colors?
We were vacationing in Las Vegas and I saw these beautiful wraps that could be worn almost 100 different ways. The colors were stunning, and I was inspired right then to dress the girls in colors that complemented their personality/skin tone and allowed them to design their own look. For our wedding arrangements we chose dark tiki with white flowers and starfish, along with ivory and black tulle over the arch and hanging white flowers. The white pomander balls down the aisle way, enhanced the pomander balls {made of dark vine} that I made for the girls to carry, instead of traditional flowers. I carried a simple white floral bouquet with greenery. I handmade a boutonnière for Tom out of seashells and sea grass.

Simple Intimate Beach Wedding Ceremony Decor with White Pomander Balls on Iron Hook with Greenery, Black Tulle Draped Table, Wooden Arch with White FLowers and Draping, and Tiki Torches | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Gulf Beach Weddings | Treasure Island Venue Sunset Vista Condo Hotel Resort 

Simple Intimate Beach Wedding Ceremony Portrait with White Pomander Balls on Iron Hook with Greenery, Black Tulle Draped Table, Wooden Arch with White Flowers and Draping, and Tiki Torches, Bridesmaids in Mismatched Bright Colored Tropical Dresses | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Gulf Beach Weddings | Treasure Island Venue Sunset Vista Condo Hotel Resort 

Outdoor Beach Wedding Ceremony with White Draped Wooden Ceremony Arch with Flowers and Greenery | Tampa Bay Officiant and Planner Gulf Beach Weddings

Outdoor Beach Wedding Ceremony with White Draped Wooden Ceremony Arch with Flowers and Greenery, Bride in Halter DaVinci Dress | Tampa Bay Officiant and Planner Gulf Beach Weddings

Outdoor Treasure Island Beach Wedding Ceremony First Kiss Portrait with White Draped Wooden Ceremony Arch with Flowers and Greenery

What did you look for in a wedding planning company?
One that would see our vision for the wedding, was affordable with our budget, and easy to work with since we lived in Ohio.

I want to learn more about destination weddings from Gulf Beach Weddings

Book with confidence. Gulf Beach Weddings is a trusted Marry Me Tampa Bay preferred wedding pro. Powered by ConvertKit

Our good friend Rachel works for Gulf Beach Weddings, and we knew as soon as we were engaged and discussing the wedding that they would be the perfect fit. And of course, to have a friend perform our ceremony was priceless. The website was extremely easy to navigate, and we were able to build our perfect wedding theme using their online tools. We worked with the wedding planner and had any and all questions answered quickly. The follow through and attention to detail were more than we had expected. There are several beautiful locations to choose from. We were able to easily connect with local vendors for our needs. They fit into our budget perfectly. Above all, we had zero stress planning it. We were engaged in July and married in November. It took us about three weeks to plan everything start to finish and then were able to relax, sit back, and wait for our big day to arrive.

Simple Intimate Beach Wedding Ceremony Portrait with White Pomander Balls on Iron Hook with Greenery, Wooden Arch with White Flowers and Draping, and Tiki Torches, Bridesmaids in Mismatched Bright Colored Tropical Dresses, Bride in Halter DaVinci Dress | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Gulf Beach Weddings | Treasure Island Venue Sunset Vista Condo Hotel Resort 

Outdoor Beach Bridal Portrait, Bride in Halter DaVinci Wedding Dress, with White Floral and Natural Greenery Bouquet | Treasure Island Wedding

Outdoor Beach Bride and Groom Wedding Portrait, Bride with White and Greenery Bouquet

Outdoor Sunset Beach Wedding Ceremony Portrait with White Draped Wooden Ceremony Arch with Flowers and Greenery, Bride in Halter DaVinci Dress with White Floral Bouquet with Natural Greenery | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Gulf Beach Weddings | Treasure Island Wedding Venue Sunset Vista Condo Hotel Resort  What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Enjoy the process and don't stress. Find the location that means something to you personally, and then find your wedding planner, one who you feel a connection with and fits your budget. An all-inclusive planner such as Gulf Beach Weddings saves time and money along with the confusion that can come from trying to coordinate all your vendors.

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Sunset Vista Condo Hotel Resort
Photographer: Kristen Sloan Photography
Planner/Officiant: Gulf Beach Weddings – Rachel Ledford *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Florist: Lou's Florist
DJ: Gulf Beach Weddings
Dress Shop and Designer: Winning Image Boutique (Wooster, OH) – DaVinci Bridal
Bridesmaid Designer: Iris Impressions
Hair & Makeup: Ulta Beauty
Spray Tan: Tan with KARE (Avon, Ohio)