Brittany and James’ elegant waterfront Sarasota wedding featured breathtaking scenery and romantic decor that perfectly tied together their modern yet intimate destination wedding. Choosing a color palette of ivory and blush with a pop of burgundy, the Virginia couple created the perfect outdoor fairytale celebration.

“I knew I wanted an intimate romantic feel with beautiful scenery,” the bride shared. “I really wanted soft, whimsical colors with candles scattered about. My goal was to create an elegant ambiance that allowed everyone to enjoy every aspect of our wedding.”

MORE: WATERFRONT SARASOTA WEDDING INSPIRATION

Planning from afar, the couple searched for an experienced Sarasota wedding planner who could alleviate stress and make the planning process enjoyable.

“Something that really made NK Productions stick out was how the owner, Nicole, took about 30 minutes out of her day to speak with me on the phone about my inquiry. She got to know me, spent time listening to my ideas and really made me feel comfortable,” Brittany gushed. “I knew at that moment I wanted to book her because I didn’t want to risk losing her as our planner! From start to finish, everything was so incredibly smooth and easy. Not one time did I feel stressed or worried. Nicole and her team did an incredible job, and I really couldn’t have asked for a better team of people to plan our wedding.”

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The couple was excited to capture the raw emotion of their big day, and they looked for a photographer who they enjoyed being around.

“Cat of Cat Pennenga Photography was so friendly right off the bat! We loved her portfolio and her services exceeded all of our expectations,” the bride shared. “She was calm, patient and professional, but was also funny, friendly and really put us at ease throughout the whole day. It was wonderful having her at our rehearsal dinner because it allowed us to spend even longer with her. She truly was able to capture the raw emotion of the day which we had expressed was important to us.”

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Looking to add some flair to their special day, The Virginia natives enlisted the help of the Fancy Booth to create a fun way for guests to be silly with props and take home some candid photos.

“We hired the Fancy Booth through Cat Pennenga Photography, and the service was awesome. The props were great and everything ran smoothly. Our guests loved it,” the bride gleamed. “It was also really fun getting home from our honeymoon and going through all of the photos again seeing all the fun people had!”

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Looking back on their wedding day, one of the couple’s most memorable moments was seeing each other at the ceremony.

“We decided not to do a first look, so the first time we got to see each other was when I started walking down the aisle. For us, we will never forget that moment because it was so authentic and emotional,” the bride reminisced.

What did you look for in a wedding planner?
When choosing a wedding planner, I wanted to make sure that some of the stress would be taken off of me so that the process of wedding planning could be more fun and enjoyable. I wanted to focus on getting married and let the experts help with the details!

What stuck out to me about NK Productions was how the owner, Nicole Kaney, took about 30 minutes out of her day to speak with me on the phone about my inquiry. She got to know me, spent time listening to my ideas and really made me feel comfortable. I knew at that moment I wanted to book her because I didn’t want to risk losing her as our planner! From start to finish, everything was so incredibly smooth and easy. Not one time did I feel stressed or worried. Nicole and her team did an incredible job and I really couldn’t have asked for a better team of people to plan our wedding.

The Proposal:
My sister asked me if I wanted to go to a winery. That morning James got an “emergency call” and said he needed to go for a meeting and that he would meet everyone at the winery afterward. I arrived at the winery where most friends and some family were already there. My sister, Mallory, said she didn’t feel well and said she had fainted in the bathroom. She was crying and shaking and looked very disoriented. Everyone appeared very concerned, especially me. Emily, who worked at the winery informed them that they had to call 911 because it was protocol. I was texting James updating him on what was going on, little did I know he was nearby. The ambulance and firetruck arrived almost instantly with lights and sirens. I was so focused on Mallory that I didn’t even see James get out of the truck. He was almost all the way up the path when I noticed him in his suit holding a bouquet of roses and my first response was “What are you doing?!” I looked around and saw everyone begin to hold up their phones and cameras, and I immediately knew what was going on. James took my hand and we shared a couple minutes quietly together as he expressed how he felt. He then got on one knee to propose, and filled with tears and emotion I shook my head yes!

What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
It was important to us that we felt connected with our photographer and felt that they could capture the raw emotion of the day. James and I are both very social people and we wanted someone that we felt comfortable with and enjoyed being around.

Cat of Cat Pennenga Photography was so friendly right off the bat! We loved her portfolio, and her services exceeded all of our expectations. She was calm, patient and professional but was also funny, friendly and really put us at ease throughout the whole day. It was wonderful having her at our rehearsal dinner because it allowed us to spend even longer with her. She truly was able to capture the raw emotion of the day which we had expressed was important to us.

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration? 
I knew I wanted an intimate romantic feel with beautiful scenery. I really wanted soft, whimsical colors with candles scattered about. My goal was to create an elegant ambiance that allowed everyone to enjoy every aspect of our wedding.

What were your colors?
I chose an ivory and blush themed color palette with a pop of burgundy for the bridesmaids’ dresses. I liked the burgundy color specifically because our wedding took place in the fall. I thought it was a good combination yet didn’t take away from the soft, romantic feel I was hoping to capture.

Why did you choose to have a photo booth at your wedding?
We have been to weddings in the past that had a photo booth and they were always so much fun. We loved the fact that people got to take home fun photos and that we got to keep the photos too! It was really fun getting home from our honeymoon and going through all of the photos again seeing all the fun people had.

We hired The Fancy Booth through our photographer, and the service was awesome. The props were great, the photos turned out great, and everything ran smoothly. Our guests loved it!

What advice would you give to other Sarasota couples?
Hire a wedding planner in any capacity, if you have the option. It really alleviates some of the stress and gives you the opportunity to truly enjoy your big day and the whole process of planning. Also, learn to trust your instincts when it comes to what you want for your wedding day. In the end, you start to realize that everything has a way of working itself out to make your day perfect.

Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Powel Crosley Estate
Photographer: Cat Pennenga Photography *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Videographer: Viola Cinematic
Planner: NK Productions *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Florist: Flowers by Fudgie
Caterer: Michaels on East
Rentals: So Staged Event Rentals
Rentals and Lighting: Affairs in the Air
Cake: Center Ring Cakes
DJ: Fitz Otis
Officiant: Pastor Eric Wogen
Transportation: SRQ Trolley
Dress Shop and Designer: Ellies Bridal Boutique (Virginia) – Stella York
Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: Katherine’s Bridal Boutique (Virginia) -Bill Levkoff
Hair & Makeup: Fresh Salon Sarasota
Photo Booth: The Fancy Booth *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Rehearsal Dinner and Hotel Room Block: Hyatt Regency Sarasota