Wedding

Jewel-Toned Winter Wedding | Tabellas at Delaney Creek

Cara and Justin's Tampa wedding featured saturated jewel tones, organic cascades of flora, and rustic wood elements paired with chic gold details. Following an outdoor ceremony with the couple's furbabies in tow for photos, guests celebrated with eclectic entertainment in an open-air pavilion.

“Our wedding didn't have an exact theme. If I had to name it, I'd call it a deep jeweled winter wedding,” the bride shared. “We chose navy blue, plum, hunter green, burgundy, deep magenta, and gold accents. I knew having a winter wedding I needed to choose florals that would be available during that time, so working with my florist and a lot of Pinterest-ing, I loved that we could put any and all deep jeweled tones together and create a beautiful dark array of décor.”

The Clearwater bride and wedding industry pro has been an avid follower of Marry Me Tampa Bay and collected inspiration for her big day over the course of 10 years of readership.

“I have been following Marry Me Tampa Bay for a good portion of my career. I can't pinpoint one article or real wedding that I gained ideas from, but collectively over 10 plus years, I collected opinions on things I would want to include and probably more importantly, not include, when it finally came time for my big day,” Cara detailed.

With a decade of events industry experience, the bride knew the importance of having a wedding planner to ensure the logistics and details were professionally executed so that she and Justin could enjoy their day.

“Being a planner myself, I needed someone who was going to allow me to have all my crazy ideas and bring them to life on the wedding day. I’ve worked with Jillian from Perfecting The Plan for almost 10 years so I knew she was up for the challenge!” the bride gushed. “Jillian and her two assistants knocked it out of the park. The fact that I was able to enjoy and not stress over one detail on the day of the wedding just proves how amazing they were. They were always one step ahead of everything. I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to get out of my ‘coordinator headspace' and truly enjoy the moment, but this proved to be the exact opposite knowing Jillian and her team had everything covered!”

Cara relied on the stylish and extensive inventory of Kate Ryan Event Rentals to bring her vision to life through the use of decorative table settings, furniture, and backdrops.

Kate Ryan Event Rentals provided our tables, chairs, linens, flatware, glassware, greenery walls, and our sweetheart loveseat. Their top-quality products paired with our florals created the best possible tablescape and overall vibe for the reception,” the bride raved.

Since the bride has been a part of hundreds of weddings herself, she focused on making sure the day was representative of the couple's personalities.

“Being in the event industry for over 10 years, it was important to me to make my wedding day different from all the others I had planned in the past. I made a conscious effort to make decisions that reflected the two of us and therefore created a unique wedding experience for us and our guests,” Cara revealed. “We are big Disney fans so we did have touches of Disney throughout the wedding with a Mickey ring box, castle cake topper, and festival booklet as our wedding program. Our dinner stations allowed our guests to ‘Eat Around the World' just like Epcot with five different country cuisine showcases: American, German, Chinese, Mexican, and Italian.

With the details in place, Cara searched for a wedding dress that not only made her feel beautiful but that also allowed her to let loose on the dance floor.

“I had two requirements in finding my wedding dress. Being larger chested, it was important for me to feel contained and comfortable. The second must be that I had to be able to get low on the dance floor!” the bride beamed. “I was referred to Truly Forever Bridal by a friend and the owner Lela was amazingly patient with me in finding the perfect dress to meet both requirements and so much more!”

Although finally celebrating with their friends and family made their wedding day incredibly special, it was the memory of receiving a special gift from Justin that Cara will forever treasure.

“We were so grateful after all the re-scheduling and re-planning to finally be able to share this day with our family and friends. To have everyone we loved together was truly amazing. One particular moment that will stick with me forever was opening the music box gift from Justin just minutes before the ceremony,” the bride reminisced. “As I turned the handle, it played You Are My Sunshine; I just couldn't help but shed a few tears thinking about how lucky I was that Justin had chosen me to be his sunshine for the rest of his life.”

The Modern Groom Banner Ad 728x90 1
Blue Artsy Wedding Invitations with White Lettering
Deep Vneck Wedding Ballgown with Lace Appliques | Tampa Bridal Boutique Truly Forever Bridal
Purple, Pink, Indigo with Greenery Bridal Bouquet | Florida Wedding Planner Perfecting the Plan Wedding and Events
Bride in Vneck Ballgown and Long Train Veil Bridal Portrait | Tampa Florida Wedding Boutique Truly Forever Bridal

What was your wedding dress inspiration?

I had two requirements in finding my wedding dress. Being larger chested, it was important for me to feel contained and comfortable. The second must be that I had to be able to get low on the dance floor!

I was referred to Truly Forever Bridal by a friend and the owner Lela was amazingly patient with me in finding the perfect dress to meet both requirements and so much more!

Purple, Pink, Indigo with Greenery Bridesmaids Bouquet | Florida Wedding Planner Perfecting the Plan Wedding and Events
Bride with Bridesmaids in Navy Mix and Match Style Bridesmaids Dresses Wedding Portrait

Where did you host your bachelorette party?
My bachelorette was in Asheville, NC the summer before the wedding. With friends in the event industry, we knew it would be tricky to take time off in the fall closer to the wedding, so we chose a location that would be nice weather, not too hot in the summer months, and also easy to travel to with bridesmaids coming from several different states, including one all the way from Hawaii!

Wedding Alter with Burgundy Draping and Blue and Indigo Floral | Tampa Wedding Planner Perfecting the Plan Weddings and Events
Rustic Outdoor Wedding Ceremony in Tampa Bay | Florida Rentals Kate Ryan Event Rentals
Wedding Alter with Burgundy Draping and Blue and Indigo Floral | Tampa Wedding Planner Perfecting the Plan Weddings and Events
Rustic Outdoor Wedding Ceremony with Crossback Wooden Chairs in Tampa Bay | Florida Wedding Rentals Kate Ryan Rentals
Bride and Groom Exchange Vows | Outdoor Rustic Wedding Ceremony

The Proposal:
We had plans to go to the Gaylord Palms for their ICE exhibit followed by Disney Springs for the Christmas Tree Trail. After walking through the ICE exhibit, Justin kept asking me to look at things throughout the hotel to try to set up the scene to propose. Little did he know, I was getting annoyed as I was ready to leave to head to Disney Springs because we only had an hour or so until the Tree Trail closed. After wasting 20 minutes or so and absolutely no cooperation from my end, Justin agreed we should just go. We made it to the Disney Springs and made it through the Christmas Tree Trail.

It was bustling with tons of people as Disney Springs always is around the holidays, but just after the trail was a small holiday photo op pushed back off the common path with statues of Mickey, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto. Justin and I stopped to take a photo and that's where it happened. Of course, he likes to bring up that I made him stand on a certain side in order to catch ‘my good side' in the photo but in turn forcing him to get on one knee in a big puddle that would have been avoided would he have been on the other side of me!

Bride and Groom Exchange Vows | Outdoor Rustic Wedding Ceremony
Bride and Groom Just Married Portrait | Florida Wedding Ceremony Rustic Outdoor
Bride and Groom Just Married Portrait | Florida Wedding Ceremony Rustic Outdoor

What did you look for in a wedding planner?

Being a planner myself, I needed someone who was going to allow me to have all my crazy ideas and bring them to life on the wedding day.

I’ve worked with Jillian from Perfecting The Plan for almost 10 years so I knew she was up for the challenge! Jillian and her two assistants knocked it out of the park. The fact that I was able to enjoy and not stress over one detail on the day of the wedding just proves how amazing they were. They were always one step ahead of everything. I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to get out of my ‘coordinator headspace' and truly enjoy the moment, but this proved to be the exact opposite knowing Jillian and her team had everything covered!

Bride and Groom with Dogs Wedding Portrait | Florida Wedding Planner Perfecting the Plan Wedding and Events | Fairytail Pet Care
Ringbearer Dog Wedding Portrait | Florida Wedding Planner Perfecting the Plan Wedding and Events | Florida Fairytail Pet Care

Why did you choose to incorporate your pet into your wedding day?

We are those crazy dog parents, and we celebrate birthdays and holidays with them just as we will our children. It was never even a question of whether they would be involved in our big day!

FairyTail Pet Care just made the logistics that much easier by getting our three fur babies to and from the wedding, down the aisle in style, and helping get them posed for photos!

Bride and Groom Detail Wedding Portrait
Rustic Wedding Reception with Crossback Chairs and White Linens | Tampa Florida Kate Ryan Event Rentals
Couples Table with White Linen and White Sofa and Greenery Décor with Indigo and Hot Pink Florals and a Neon Sign on the Greenery Wall | Tampa Bay Rentals Kate Ryan Event Rentals

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?

Our wedding didn't have an exact theme. If I had to name it, I'd call it a deep jeweled winter wedding.

What were your colors? 

We chose navy blue, plum, hunter green, burgundy, deep magenta, and gold accents. I knew having a winter wedding I needed to choose florals that would be available during that time, so working with my florist and a lot of Pinterest-ing, I loved that we could put any and all deep jeweled tones together and create a beautiful dark array of décor.

How did the rentals add to the ambiance of your reception?

Kate Ryan Event Rentals provided our tables, chairs, linens, flatware, glassware, greenery walls, and our sweetheart loveseat. Their top-quality products paired with our florals created the best possible tablescape and overall vibe for the reception.

Purple, Indigo, and Hot Pink Floral Centerpieces with Gold Table Numbers with White Lettering
Tall Indigo Floral Centerpieces with Greenery at Crossback Chairs Table | Florida Rentals Kate Ryan Event Rentals
Clear Chargers with Gold Trim and Gold Flatware on White Linen | Kate Ryan Event Rentals

What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
I had worked with Grant Hemond & Associates for a few years and was always impressed by the level of service by not only their DJs but their office staff as well. In planning my own wedding, I had pretty much made my mind up about hiring them when I came across their 5-star reviews and figured they have to be doing everything right to earn such a rating! 

Four Tier Navy Wedding Cake and Gold Trim and Detailing | The Artistic Whisk
Tinder Coozies Wedding Gift | Florida Wedding Planner Perfecting the Plan Wedding and Events
Wedding DJ Grant Hemond & Associates
Bride and Groom Wedding Reception Outdoor Rustic Wedding Portrait
Wedding Couple Sparkler Exit Wedding Portrait

Why did you choose to have a photo booth a part of your wedding day?
We are both big picture takers and love to look back and remanence on old photos. We wanted to provide a takeaway for our guests to look back and remember how much fun they had at our wedding! The Gala Photobooth offered the perfect package for us to include the backdrop, props, printouts, and digital copies all within our budget. 

Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Our original honeymoon location was supposed to be Japan. It's on our bucket list to visit all of the Disney parks worldwide however COVID put a damper on those plans. After rescheduling to a whole year after our original wedding date, we decided we would wait for our 5-year anniversary to take that Japan trip. We did take a week-long cruise to the Dominican Republic and Grand Turk a few weeks after the wedding as a makeshift honeymoon to unwind a bit after the big day.

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Hire a planner. They are worth every penny.

Don't sweat the small details.

Don't settle. This is one day you will never forget. Make it personal, and truly embrace every moment as it goes by so fast!

Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

Vendor Credits

 

Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pros

Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros are highly respected by our local wedding community and have been personally vetted by our editor.