Shelby and Stephen’s downtown St. Pete wedding was a chic celebration filled with classic white flora accented with exotic orchids and tropical foliage reflecting shades of crisp white, vibrant green, and luxurious touches of gold. The pair exchanged vows overlooking the bay and marina, before dining and dancing with loved ones in a historic ballroom reception beneath the glow of a blown-glass Chihuly chandelier.

“We wanted to showcase Florida and how much we love living here, so I went with an elegant tropical theme. We got married at The Vinoy, which is so incredibly beautiful and timeless and really speaks for itself, so we wanted to enhance the beauty of our venue,” the bride shared. “We went with white, gold, and sage green as our color palette to keep things simple and elegant. I loved how these shades complemented the pink of the Vinoy exterior. It came together exactly how I had hoped it would, knowing the design will be beautiful for years to come.”

The New England-based couple relied on Marry Me Tampa Bay to help plan their 127-guest destination wedding. With a September date and venue in mind, they turned to the portfolio of real wedding images to fine-tune their style in a way that felt authentic in the space they envisioned.

“Marry Me Tampa Bay was a huge source of inspiration for me while planning our big day. There are so many inspirational photos out there that it was hard to narrow down what my vision was; I had so many ideas! Marry Me Tampa Bay helped show me real-life weddings at my own venue, and that allowed me to pick ideas and designs I saw other brides use in the same space I would be getting married in. It brought things to life for me in a way that Pinterest just couldn’t do,” the bride revealed. 

Shelby prioritized selecting a floral design company with a reputation for gorgeous flower arrangements that could transform the space and bring her vision to life. She was immediately impressed upon seeing the multitude of display pieces showcased at The Vinoy courtesy of Lemon Drops Weddings & Events, and was stunned by the final result they created for her special day.

“Florals are such an important part of a wedding. I wanted to ensure the florist we picked not only had fresh, vibrant flowers, but was able to display them in an elegant and tasteful way. Admittedly, florals were one of the most expensive investments in our wedding, but they were so important to me and made such a difference in our ceremony and reception areas. I was familiar with Lemon Drops Weddings & Events‘ work, as they are responsible for the gorgeous flower arrangements that are on display throughout The Vinoy. Their work speaks for itself, but beyond that, the Lemon Drops team was so spectacular to work with,” the bride raved. “They were patient with me when I changed my vision multiple times and had great ideas for which flowers would look best based on my theme. I was absolutely blown away when we walked into our reception area and saw how incredible our centerpieces looked. They were beyond what I could’ve imagined and made me so happy I trusted their creative team.”

“We wanted to go with a classic and timeless color palette of green and white, but with a topical approach that utilized the natural foliage of Florida. Using a mix of traditional wedding flowers like roses and hydrangeas, we brought in lilies and orchids to offset the design from becoming more traditional. These florals were paired with a plethora of tropical greenery like Monstera leaves, Robellini, Palmetto, and even Fish Tails (all of which are synonymous with the Florida tropics vibe)!” – Liz Johnson, of Lemon Drops Wedding & Events, detailed. “We really leaned into the lush greens for Shelby and Stephen’s wedding and utilized their naturally large-sized leaves to create some lush and extravagant arrangements. The arch was a definite showstopper, consisting of only the greenery of the wedding that was then used by the sweetheart table for the reception. Truly, it was a sophisticated yet Florida-centric design that paired beautifully with the grandeur of The Vinoy.”

To further enhance the atmosphere, Shelby turned to the extensive decorative inventory at Kate Ryan Event Rentals to elevate the space with a chic assortment of soft seating, gold Louis chairs, place settings, and glassware. With fond memories of photo booths at previous events, and a focus on the overall guest experience, Shelby selected The Gala Photobooth for their chic black and white photo booth setup that invited everyone to stylishly strike a pose and leave with keepsake photo prints.

“The rentals that we decided on from Kate Ryan Event Rentals made all of the difference in our reception space. I wanted the space to feel elegant while still ensuring the items we chose were useful and filled the space nicely. I fell in love with their chairs and furniture options, specifically the gold Louis chairs and the Chesterfield sofa. It was important to us to have comfortable seating options not only at the tables where our guests would be enjoying dinner, but also near the dance floor for some of our guests with mobility issues. By having the lounge set next to the dance floor, I felt like everyone was included, and I loved having family close by while we danced the night away,” the bride detailed. “After deciding on the seating, I couldn’t help but add beautiful tableware as well. We rented chargers, glassware, silverware, and napkins, all of which pulled together to create the place settings of my dreams. A huge highlight for me was the gold silverware we opted for; it felt so elevated and classy on a day when I wanted to feel special. We also rented two gold étagères, which housed our wine favors as guests exited the reception. Kate Ryan also seamlessly delivered and picked up all items, making it so easy for me as the bride.”

With all of the elements in place, the couple focused on the evening’s entertainment. Given their shared love of music and the groom’s decade of line dancing experience, it was important that they select a skilled DJ who would keep the dance floor full all night long.

“Having a DJ who knows how to read the room and play just the right song to keep the party going can be hard to find. I can’t even count how many times Tampa Bay DJ Company was recommended to me throughout the planning process, and now, after using their services, I can understand why. The team at Tampa Bay DJ Company sent us over a questionnaire a few weeks before our wedding, outlining the important songs that we would need to think about prior to the big day. I am so glad they did this, and with ample time before the wedding, as it allowed us to set aside some time and think about what would be special to hear on the wedding day. Cory was our DJ and I cannot say enough great things about him!” Shelby beamed. “He went through our questionnaire with us prior to the wedding and had some very helpful tips and tricks that I never would have thought of otherwise. The sound quality in both our indoor and outdoor spaces was amazing, which is key when planning an event in multiple spaces. Cory also set up uplighting throughout our reception space, which made it even more beautiful. Stephen and I have been country line dancing together for a couple of years, with Stephen dancing back home with his friends for 10+ years, so we wanted to have a few songs where we could line dance together, which Cory was happy to play for us. It was an unexpected surprise when most of our guests came to the floor to try and learn along with us; it’s one of the memories we reminisce about most together.”

The pair opted for pre- and post-wedding events to bookend their nuptials and extend their celebration with their friends and family. Although the additional activities required extra preparations, they allowed the couple to enjoy quality time with their guests beyond the abbreviated evening of their ceremony and reception.

“We opted to have a weekend-long celebration, starting with a welcome party on Friday evening and ending with a farewell brunch on Sunday morning. Both of these events, in addition to our wedding day, were so instrumental in us having a relaxed and enjoyable weekend. Having the welcome party allowed us to casually mingle and chat with our guests without feeling like we were missing out on a portion of the wedding day experience,” Shelby detailed. “We opted to showcase the flavors of Florida at our welcome party, where guests enjoyed grouper bites, mini Cuban sandwiches, hush puppies, key lime pie, and more. The same went for the farewell brunch, with a highlight being our raw bar seafood display, omelet station, and mimosa bar. We wanted our guests to feel spoiled and appreciated, given the distances most traveled to celebrate with us. Although these events required additional preplanning by me, I’d do them a thousand times over as it made the weekend feel even more special.”

Although the entire weekend of festivities was unforgettable, one special moment stood out from the rest as a core memory for the bride.

“There were so many moments on our wedding day that meant so much to me that it’s hard to narrow it down. If I had to choose a favorite, coming around the corner to begin the walk down the aisle is a feeling I’ll never forget,” the bride reminisced. “There’s no way to describe the immense amount of love that you feel on your wedding day, from your partner, to your family, to your friends. Everyone is there to celebrate the love you have with the most important person in your life, and it’s overwhelming (in the best way) to see everyone all at once. It’s the type of feeling you wish you could bottle up and revisit over and over again.”

The Proposal:
Stephen proposed at the base of Mt. Vesuvius in Italy at a winery, after I had told him for years how much I loved my first visit there. We had scheduled to cruise the Mediterranean with my parents, and he had been planning the proposal for a few months leading up to the trip, with everyone in on it except me, of course. Stephen knew that Italy is one of my favorite places in the world, and he felt that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to propose in such a beautiful place. It was intimate and special. It very much reflected on us as a couple which was all I could ask for. 

What did you look for in a wedding florist?
Florals are such an important part of a wedding. I wanted to ensure the florist we picked not only had fresh, vibrant flowers, but was able to display them in an elegant and tasteful way. Admittedly, florals were one of the most expensive investments in our wedding, but they were so important to me and made such a difference in our ceremony and reception areas. 

I was familiar with Lemon Drops Weddings & Events‘ work, as they are responsible for the gorgeous flower arrangements that are on display throughout The Vinoy. Their work speaks for itself, but beyond that, the Lemon Drops team was so spectacular to work with. They were patient with me when I changed my vision multiple times and had great ideas for which flowers would look best based on my theme. I was absolutely blown away when we walked into our reception area and saw how incredible our centerpieces looked. They were beyond what I could’ve imagined and made me so happy that I trusted their creative team. 

How did the rentals add to the ambiance of your event? 
The rentals that we decided on from Kate Ryan Event Rentals made all of the difference in our reception space. I wanted the space to feel elegant while still ensuring the items we chose were useful and filled the space nicely. I went to Kate Ryan because I fell in love with their chairs and furniture options, specifically the gold Louis chairs and the Chesterfield sofa. It was important to us to have comfortable seating options not only at the tables where our guests would be enjoying dinner, but also near the dance floor for some of our guests with mobility issues. By having the lounge set next to the dance floor, I felt like everyone was included, and I loved having family close by while we danced the night away.

After deciding on the seating, I couldn’t help but add beautiful tableware as well. We rented chargers, glassware, silverware, and napkins, all of which pulled together to create the place settings of my dreams. A huge highlight for me was the gold silverware we opted for; it felt so elevated and classy on a day when I wanted to feel special. We also rented two gold étagères, which housed our wine favors as guests exited the reception. Kate Ryan also seamlessly delivered and picked up all items, making it so easy for me as the bride. 

What did you look for in a wedding DJ?  
Having a DJ that knows how to read the room and play just the right song to keep the party going can be hard to find. I can’t even count how many times Tampa Bay DJ Company was recommended to me throughout the planning process and now after using their services, I can understand why. The team at Tampa Bay DJ Company sent us over a questionnaire a few weeks before our wedding, outlining the important songs that we would need to think about prior to the big day. I am so glad they did this, and with ample time before the wedding, as it allowed us to set aside some time and think about what would be special to hear on the wedding day.

Cory was our DJ and I cannot say enough great things about him. He went through our questionnaire with us prior to the wedding and had some very helpful tips and tricks that I never would have thought of otherwise. The sound quality in both our indoor and outdoor spaces was amazing, which is key when planning an event in multiple spaces. Cory also set up uplighting throughout our reception space, which made it even more beautiful. 

Why did you choose to have a photo booth as part of your reception?
Personally, photo booths have always been a fun activity when I am a guest attending someone else’s wedding, so I wanted to have one at ours as well. Anything that further documents the day is a win in my book! The Gala Photobooth was a great choice and so easy to work with. They were able to extend their service from our cocktail hour into our reception.

Our guests had a blast taking advantage of the booth early in the evening during cocktail hour, where they got some beautiful photos, which turned into fun party photos as the evening went on. We opted for the black and white glam package, which I felt tied into the vibe of the rest of our wedding. In addition to the traditional photo booth prints, they sent over all the photos digitally the next day, which was fun to scroll through and see our guests throughout the evening!