Savannah and Ryan's destination Sarasota wedding featured an abundance of white florals, exuding classic sophistication with a refined color palette of black, white, champagne, and baby pink.
“We went with a timeless, elegant theme for our wedding by utilizing neutral colors and heavy florals. I chose this theme because I thought our venue was so spectacular on its own that we didn't need to bring in super bright colors or heavy theming,” the bride shared. “I used Marry Me Tampa Bay when looking for inspiration for wedding themes. Our colors were black, white, champagne, and baby pink.”
The April nuptials unfolded on the expansive grounds of a historic 60-acre estate. The Mediterranean-style mansion's outdoor patio served as the ceremony's picturesque setting, witnessed by 100 of their nearest and dearest. Following the vows, guests gathered on the lush lawn under a sprawling white tent, offering panoramic vistas of Sarasota Bay for an unforgettable reception.
Realizing the significance of preserving their special moments, the Ocala couple sought a wedding photographer with ample experience to expertly direct them for stunning portraits while also prioritizing a stress-free wedding day, a combination they found in Rachel Elle Photography.
“We really wanted someone who could guide us through the whole process. We didn’t want to have to provide our own poses or think too hard about organizing group/family photos. We really wanted someone who could give us direction so we didn’t have to stress,” the bride shared. “We chose Rachel Elle Photography because her portfolios clearly showed her passion for her work. We also loved her light and airy editing style, which we felt would work best with an outdoor venue. She was amazing and felt like family by the end of the day. She made me feel so confident and beautiful during my bridal portraits.”
The bride donned a timeless yet modern princess ball gown featuring a dramatic neckline, complemented by a distinctive organza bow adorning her shoulder. She completed her ensemble with limited edition satin bow baby blue heels, serving as her something blue.
For many brides, the image of their wedding day forms in their minds from the earliest memories. Since childhood, Savannah had imagined hanging flowers at her dream wedding, and this dream became a stunning reality during the reception.
“Florals were extremely important to me,” the bride gushed. “I had a vision from when I was a little girl to hang flowers from the ceiling at my wedding, so bringing that vision to life was very important.”
While florals undoubtedly contribute to a wedding's ambiance, infusing personal touches into every aspect of the event, right down to the minute details, is equally important.
“We incorporated our personalities into the smaller details of our wedding. We each had our favorite drinks served during cocktail hour, and we added rose-shaped ice cubes to our cocktail hour drinks because my middle name is ‘Rose.’ We each had the DJ play famous songs from our colleges, and we had a pink wedding cake!” the bride beamed. “In addition, I had Mickey Mouse pins incorporated into the handle of my bridal bouquet, and Ryan and his groomsmen all wore funny dress socks with their tuxedos. We also did a choreographed first dance. We started taking dance lessons eight months prior to our wedding and made it our Tuesday night date nights.”
For both the bride and groom, prioritizing quality time with family and friends held great significance. Opting for a Sunday wedding provided them an entire weekend to cherish these moments with their loved ones.
“Having our out-of-town wedding on a Sunday was pretty unique. Prior to the wedding day, we spent the whole weekend enjoying Sarasota with our friends and family, and that made it seem like a huge vacation for everyone,” the bride shared. “For Ryan, having moments with his friends and family before the hustle and bustle of wedding day were most important to him.”
Numerous unforgettable moments linger from the wedding, yet the couple cherished a select few as their favorites.
“One of the most memorable moments for me prior to the ceremony was spending the whole day getting ready at the venue with my bridesmaids, sister, and mom. It was really important to me to watch everything come together and soak it all in,” the bride beamed. “My mom also surprised me by gifting me her original engagement ring from my dad. She had it resized to fit me, and I wore it on my right hand as part of my wedding jewelry. “
The Proposal:
Ryan had planned a date night but wouldn’t tell me where we were going, just that I should dress nice! I actually fell asleep in the car on the ride to dinner, so that helped with the surprise. I woke up, and we were on Treasure Island, pulling into Caddy’s beach bar, which is where we went on our first date.
We were seated at the same table as our first date and ordered the same drinks we had that day just for fun. After dinner. we went for a sunset walk on the beach, and after walking a little while, Ryan slowed down and then proposed! He knew having the whole thing photographed was important to me, so he had one of his friends hidden on the beach taking pictures the whole time, and then his friend popped out right after Ryan proposed! He finished the evening of surprises by telling me we were going to Disney the next day to celebrate our engagement!
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
We really wanted someone who could guide us through the whole process. We didn’t want to have to provide our own poses or think too hard about organizing group/family photos. We really wanted someone who could give us direction so we didn’t have to stress.
We chose Rachel Elle Photography because her portfolios clearly showed her passion for her work. We also loved her light and airy editing style, which we felt would work best with an outdoor venue. She was amazing and felt like family by the end of the day. She made me feel so confident and beautiful during my bridal portraits.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Miami, Florida. I have always loved the Miami culture and try to visit as much as possible, to the point that my friends nicknamed me. “Miami Mami.” The theme for the weekend was Bikini’s and Martini’s.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Kaui, Hawaii. We wanted to go somewhere that we could rest and relax but also offered plenty of activities for us to do when we wanted to.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
I used Marry Me Tampa Bay when looking for inspiration for wedding themes. We went with a timeless, elegant theme for our wedding by utilizing neutral colors and heavy florals. I chose this theme because I thought our venue was so spectacular on its own that we didn't need to bring in super bright colors or heavy theming.
What were your colors?
Our wedding colors were black, white, champagne, and baby pink.
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Our florist and wedding planner far exceeded our expectations and made all our dreams and visions come true! We had an extremely hard time finding a florist that we felt could execute the ceiling florals the way we had envisioned. Ours was so committed to the idea and was so detailed in her work; she made me feel like anything I could dream up, she could do. Even with the heavy winds we had on our wedding day, everything was perfect!
Our planner was a literal saving grace throughout our wedding planning journey. We had spent almost a year and a half planning together, and I couldn't have done it without her.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Be intentional about the things that are important to you. Prioritize enjoying time with your friends and family. Stop occasionally and take it all in; the day goes by so fast!
