Lindsey and Alex’s elegant Saftey Harbor wedding was a true reflection of their commitment to faith and deep-rooted love for one another. With a handmade circular arch dripping with orchids for the ceremony and floating candles illuminating the reception tables, the bride and groom perfectly brought their timeless vision to life.
“Alex and I consider ourselves to be a very traditional couple, and I think that that showed throughout our wedding,” the bride shared. “From choosing biblical vows to seeing each other for the first time as I walked down the aisle to him, it was the little things throughout our wedding that meant the most to us as a couple.”
With both the bride and groom deeply connected to their faith, selecting the perfect church to tie the knot was a priority. After choosing Harborside Chapel online, the couple knew its light and airy space would be exactly what they envisioned for their big day.
“Hiring Harborside Chapel for our wedding ceremony was so much more than we previously anticipated. We expected professionalism, but we were also met with genuine care for our upcoming marriage. We not only had a helpful staff to help us plan our ceremony, but we also gained marriage mentors and a new home church in the process,” Lindsey gushed. “We had the privilege of being a part of the church’s mentorship program which is mandatory with their contract. During that time we were able to learn so much from our marriage mentors and are actually still in contact with them today! I am sure that we will continue to attend Harborside regularly for years to come.”
Planning a wedding while living part-time in New Orleans, where the groom plays in the NFL for the Saints, the couple searched for a Tampa Bay wedding planner who was creative, experienced, and ready to deliver the wedding of their dreams.
“Jessica Ralph with Parties A’ La Carte planned the best day of our lives. They were constantly on call and available. Their efforts did not go unnoticed or unappreciated by myself or Alex. From the start of our relationship, Jessica had superb organizational skills which was something that we fellow OCD-ers relished! Jessica and her team went above and beyond for us from the beginning of our engagement shoot in New Orleans. She even went as far as bringing me a dress to wear that she thought might be better suited for the look that we were aiming for. The fact that she offered to do that was so special and important and will be something I cherish forever,” Lindsey beamed. “Jessica was not only a great businesswoman throughout the process, but she became a great friend as well. I could always rely on her to make the best decision because I knew that she cared just as much as us, heck, maybe even more! Everyone can tell how passionate she is about what she does and that is what makes her and Parties A’ La Carte the best. I can speak for my whole family when I say that we love her and will miss her!”
After being overcome with emotion from videographer, Bonnie Newman Creative’s previous work, the couple knew that they wanted her to shoot every detail of their summertime celebration.
“We did a lot of research prior to choosing Bonnie Newman Creative and her team. She not only produces great work, but she is great at day-of direction as well. Alex and I both felt so comfortable with her and in front of the camera. She really captured our natural moments not only with each other but with our friends and family as well,” the bride relished. “For example, she captured my first look with my dad, which was super special. We have photos of this moment as well, which are amazing, but having the audio that went along with it was exceptionally moving! You could hear the emotion in my dad’s voice when he first saw me and told me how beautiful I looked. I get emotional just thinking about it again, and it means so much that I have that caught on camera forever. My husband and I highly recommend Bonnie Newman and her team!”
Although they chose to marry in Clearwater, Florida, Lindsey and Alex still incorporated some Louisana flair.
“Given that we spend half of our time living in New Orleans with Alex playing for the Saints, we made sure to incorporate The Big Easy in a unique way with a second line leaving the reception. The band made a line and played us out of the party to the elevator where we waved goodbye to our guests for the night which was really fun!” the bride reminisced.
Looking back, the most special moments were the ones spent with family before walking down the aisle.
“Before the wedding, my mom and I did an impromptu dance to Mama’s Song by Carrie Underwood in front of all my bridesmaids. It was so emotional seeing my mom tear up which is such a rarity,” Lindsey shared. “Another special moment was my dad seeing me for the first time as a bride. I walked out from behind the white drawn curtain while Butterfly Kisses was playing as my dad and I embraced. He was so emotional and managed to get out, ‘How the heck are we going to get down the aisle?’ We ended up getting down the aisle just fine without any major breakdowns!”
The Proposal:
Alex proposed while on a trip to the Turks and Caicos. I didn’t see this proposal coming at all, although my friends and family said they knew it was coming. I just thought of it as a trip that Alex had planned for the off-season since we don’t get to spend much time together during the football season. Well, one night on the trip he suggested that we take a walk on the beach. We ended up sitting on beach towels together and stargazing when he popped the question! I was so excited and so nervous at the same time! I was expecting my family to be lurking somewhere behind the sand dunes, so I finally blurted out, “Are we alone?” to which he answered, “Yes.” Then I could relax a little. I was so caught up in the moment that I did not even glance down at the ring. I was just starring at him mesmerized that this just happened! He finally says to me, “Well are you even going to look at it?” Mind you, it was pitch dark outside so I couldn’t even see it, but it felt so amazing being slipped onto my finger by him that I truly hadn’t even thought about it yet. It was the best moment. He ended up shining his phone flashlight onto the ring, and it was beautiful. He did such a great job, and I was so impressed. This date was so special to us. We never wanted to forget it, in fact, we ended up making it our wedding date one year to the day of the proposal!
What did you look for in a wedding ceremony venue?
Alex and I both really value our faith, so we wanted to find the perfect church to have our wedding ceremony. We envisioned a light and airy space, but were constantly coming up short until we stumbled upon Harborside Chapel online and were floored! We thought there was no way this place could be as beautiful in person as it is online, which was a trap that we had previously fallen into. The next day, we drove to take a look at it and even though their office was closed, a cleaning crew inside let us in to take a little peek. To our delight, it was even more magical in person. We both knew instantly feeling that this was the place we would tie the knot. We called our wedding planner right then and there!
Hiring Harborside Chapel for our wedding ceremony was so much more than we previously anticipated. We expected professionalism, but we were also met with genuine care for our upcoming marriage. We not only had a helpful staff to help us plan our ceremony, but we also gained marriage mentors and a new home church in the process. We had the privilege of being a part of the church’s mentorship program which is mandatory with their contract. During that time we were able to learn so much from our marriage mentors and are actually still in contact with them today! I am sure that we will continue to attend Harborside regularly for years to come.
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
When we were interviewing planners, some of the qualities we knew we wanted early on was someone who was organized, creative, experienced, high energy, passionate, and motivated. Not only were those expectations met, but they were exceeded!
Jessica Ralph with Parties A’ La Carte planned the best day of our lives. They were constantly on call and available. Their efforts did not go unnoticed or unappreciated by myself or Alex. From the start of our relationship, Jessica had superb organizational skills which was something that we fellow OCD-ers relished! Jessica and her team went above and beyond for us from the beginning of our engagement shoot in New Orleans. She even went as far as bringing me a dress to wear that she thought might be better suited for the look that we were aiming for. The fact that she offered to do that was so special and important and will be something I cherish forever. Jessica was not only a great businesswoman throughout the process, but she became a great friend as well. I could always rely on her to make the best decision because I knew that she cared just as much as us, heck, maybe even more! Everyone can tell how passionate she is about what she does and that is what makes her and Parties A La Carte the best. I can speak for my whole family when I say that we love her and will miss her!
What did you look for in a wedding videographer?
Hiring a videographer was a must for us. Having the footage of our special day to look back on for years to come was something that we really wanted. While looking for a videographer we had one very strict stipulation, their previous videos had to bring us to tears! I mean hey, if watching someone’s wedding video that you don’t even know makes you emotional, then that’s one powerful video! We watched several wedding videos recommended to us from our wedding planner, and once we watched one of Bonnie’s videos, Alex and I both became very emotional. We decided right then, Bonne would document our special day.
We did a lot of research prior to choosing Bonnie Newman Creative and her team. She not only produces great work, but she is great at day-of direction as well. Alex and I both felt so comfortable with her and in front of the camera. She really captured our natural moments not only with each other but with our friends and family as well. For example, she captured my first look with my dad, which was super special. We have photos of this moment as well which are amazing but having the audio that went along with it was exceptionally moving. You could hear the emotion in my dad’s voice when he first saw me and told me how beautiful I looked. I get emotional just thinking about it again and it means so much that I have that caught on camera forever. My husband and I highly recommend Bonnie Newman and her team!
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Timeless, traditional ambiance with a modern edge.
What were your colors?
Black and white with a hint of gold. We decided to go with this simplistic yet bold color scheme because we didn’t want to look back on our wedding day with regret. We have seen so many couples look back and regret their choice in color scheme, so we wanted to make sure we kept it simple in that arena.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Remember the importance of your union! Yes, it’s more than fun to plan a wedding, but at the end of the day, it’s about you and your partner’s love for each other. I know getting to the party portion of the event as fast as possible is what most us want to do, but try to take it all in and really appreciate the little moments because the reception will come! Also, things can get stressful at some points planning a wedding, and that’s okay, just don’t let yourself forget how fortunate you are! It’s all a blessing!
Ceremony Venue: Harborside Chapel *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Venue
Reception Venue and Caterer: Sandpearl Resort
Photographer: Photography by Avery
Videographer: Bonnie Newman Creative *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Planner: Parties A’ La Carte *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Production Company and Florist: MMD Events
Late Night Snack: Catering Specialties
Rentals: BBJ Linens
Cake: Hands on Sweets
Band: Ascension Band
Officiant: Pastor Kurt Parker
Invitations: Pen & Ink
Day of Paper: URBANcoast
Dress Shop and Designer: Wedding Belles – Romona Keveza
Hair & Makeup: Lasting Luxe