Kristina and Wyatt's waterfrontTampa wedding took place over the idyllic setting of Rocky Point, surrounded by artfully designed florals with a jewel-toned vibrancy.
“We chose to have a classy, yet laid-back soiree on the beach, bursting with color,” the bride shared. “We are absolutely obsessed with jewel tones, and by we, I mean me, so we wanted rich emerald, deep amethyst, bright sapphire, and ruby on every touch. From the saturated bouquets to the table cloths, the bridesmaid dresses, and even the cookies, every surface just made us feel joy.”
After having to change wedding venues last-minute due to COVID complications, theTarpon Springs couple found an event space that was close by to keep planning convenient, but far enough away that the March weekend felt like a getaway for their 85 guests.
“COVID certainly threw in some curveballs but it all worked out better than we ever imagined. We looked for somewhere where we would reimagine everything and host a wedding weekend.We found our wedding venue on Marry Me Tampa Bay. Their suggestion of The Current Hotel was the most perfect place for that!”Kristina gushed. “As a family and couple, we absolutely love being on the water, so the beachfront was an amazing ceremony spot, and Wyatt got his dream of getting married in the sand. It also felt private and provided all of the comfort and elegance we could ask for in a hotel venue.”
The bride is a seasoned wedding photographer and knows the importance of hiring a planner, so she relied on the expertise of someone to whom her couples have also entrusted their days to.
“We wanted someone who was nice and easy to work with but also could get things done, and Jillianat Perfecting the Plan was a boss with the best genuine energy and bright smile! We simply could not have had our amazing wedding without her and her team,” Kristina gushed. “From the moment we called with a wedding date to the last dance on the wedding night, our planners felt like the fairy godmothers of wedding magic. The execution was flawless.Communication was always amazing, and Jillian kept up with ever-changing plans and looping in the vendors. We literally cannot come up with even one minor thing that fell through the cracks during this. It was all a dream!”
Kristina is known for her vibrant photography so it was only fitting that she chose a rich color palette bursting with color.
“The colors made such an impact on the photographs and the decor vibe on the wedding day. Iza's Flowers really brought the whole wedding vision together by creating the most gorgeous bouquets, arch decor, and centerpieces I had ever laid eyes on.I am a wedding photographer, so my expectations were not low!” the bride beamed. “I cried when they brought my flowers into the room. We even dried and saved some, and they hang in our new family home.”
While the couple planned a memorable day, they also kept their sights on the significance of their lifetime commitment to one another.
“It was most important to us that we focused on building a foundation for marriage. While the wedding is an incredible opportunity to bring together your immediate community, and have the most fun you can possibly have in one day, it always stayed centered on our relationship and the amazing opportunity we have to be better, together,” the bride revealed. “By far our favorite part of the wedding day was exchanging our handwritten vows with one another. We had not heard the other's promises until that moment in our ceremony, and it made for a very emotional declaration of love and commitment of marriage in front of our loved ones.”
While looking back on all of the challengesKristina and Wyatt overcame to reach their wedding day, it was the moment the bride shared with her son and groom at the altar that created a heartfelt memory.
“My father passed away, so our 10-year-old son, Gavin, gave me away to Wyatt, his new step-dad. Walking down the aisle with my son's hand in mine, towards the man I know I will spend the rest of my life loving, was one of the most intense feelings I have ever experienced,” the bridereminisced.
What did you look for in a wedding florist?
Iza's Flowers really brought the whole wedding vision together for us by creating the most gorgeous bouquets, arch decor, and centerpieces I had ever laid eyes on. I am a wedding photographer, so my expectations were not low!
I cried when they brought my flowers into the room. The colors made such an impact on the photographs and the decor vibe on the wedding day. We even dried and saved some, and they hang in our new family home.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Classy, yet laid-back soiree on the beach, bursting with color!
What were your colors?
We are absolutely obsessed with jewel tones, and by we, I mean me, so we wanted rich emerald, deep amethyst, bright sapphire, and ruby on every touch. From the saturated bouquets to the table cloths, the bridesmaid dresses, and even the cookies; every surface just made us feel joy.
What did you look for in a wedding officiant?
We were suggested Brandi Morris Officiant through Marry Me Tampa Bay, and are so grateful to have had her perform our ceremony.
Brandi was a great combination of well-spoken elegance, dynamic delivery, and heartfelt energy that we were hoping for in our emotional, community-oriented, and God-centered ceremony. It truly takes a village, and we are blessed with a good one! She knew when to let us shine, kept us at the moment, and was very thoughtful and tactful when it came to things like scooting to the side for our first kiss!
The Proposal:
Wyatt and I met networking our businesses. I wanted to purchase a piece of property to build a wedding venue. One evening at a business meeting turned happy-hour-dinner, my son, Gavin, spilled the beans that I was, “available on the dating market,” which led to weeks of awkward avoidance, and eventually funny banter between us. It resulted in us getting to know each other on a personal level, which we had never done before in our work-related interactions. We fell quickly in love, but carefully built a foundation on friendship, understanding, and trust, as well as an aligned vision for family and goals for our future.
I am obsessed with sunsets, we are talking tears, people, so Wyatt surprised me on a beach walk one night while strolling in the sand watching the sun dip into the water.
“Iza's Flowers really brought the whole wedding vision together for us by creating the most gorgeous bouquets, arch decor, and centerpieces I had ever laid eyes on. I cried when they brought my flowers into the room. The colors made such an impact on the photographs and the decor vibe on the wedding day.”
-The Bride
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Tulum, Mexico! We love tropical destinations, and this was such an accessible location, especially during a pandemic. It was secluded enough to feel safe as well as romantic and diverse enough to keep us busy and thrill-seeking. We are not great at sitting around the pool, so we adventured daily into cenotes for snorkeling and cliff jumping, as well as enjoyed beautiful fine dinner dates in the evenings.
“The wedding vendors in the Tampa Bay area are truly like one big helpful family. They all came together to play an essential part in our wedding day and provided us with the perfect start to our marriage celebration and new life together as husband and wife. As a fellow wedding photographer, I already knew exactly who we would want to have to document our big day. Wyatt agreed, Ashlee and Joe were the perfect teams, especially because they specialize in capturing color, and our wedding was full of it. Our home is filled with beautiful memories thanks to them.”
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
We wanted someone who was nice and easy to work with but also could get things done, and Jillian at Perfecting the Plan was a boss with the best genuine energy and bright smile! We simply could not have had our amazing wedding without her and her team.
From the moment we called with a wedding date to the last dance on the wedding night, they felt like the fairy godmothers of wedding magic. The execution was flawless. Communication was always amazing, and Jillian kept up with ever-changing plans and looping in the vendors. We literally cannot come up with even one minor thing that fell through the cracks during this. It was all a dream!
What was your wedding cake inspiration?
A dessert table so that everyone had something to enjoy!! We loved the look of this, and everyone enjoyed grazing on sweet treats from The Artistic Whisk throughout the reception.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
DJ Eric Harding at Grant Hemond & Associates was an MVP for sure! He has the absolute most wonderful presence, did a wonderful job providing sound at our ceremony and cocktail hour, and mixed club-worthy music for the reception. A DJ really carries the execution of your timeline from the guest's perspective, and he delivered it flawlessly. Our dance floor was on fire!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Utilize a planner and a team of wedding professionals! You truly can't beat getting to sit back and enjoy the actual events of your wedding day, soaking in every single moment, rather than running ragged trying to handle everything yourself.
Do not sweat the small stuff. Some of the things that we felt were so important during the planning process meant the least when the wedding finally rolled around. Focus on your marriage above all else. Any stress or tears and fights will never be worth it.
