Christa and Tony's luxurious downtown St. Pete wedding featured lavish florals and was dripped in gold. The bride and groom's dark green and white color palette accented their romantic décor and picturesque reception space.
“Our wedding theme was classic and elegant, a modern fairytale. It was very romantic,” the bride shared. “My favorite color is hunter green, and my husband and I love gold. I've been planning our wedding for years and had always known I wanted dark greens, whites, and a gold color scheme!”
Christa revealed that she wanted to go “over the top” for wedding day which featured bold colors, rich textures, clear acrylic chairs and gold table settings from A Chair Affair which complemented her lavish floral design.
“It was all about the florals for me, that was what we were most excited about. I wanted all white flowers with lots and lots of greenery,” Christa shared. “Bruce Wayne Florals did an amazing job bringing our fairytale into a reality. The florals made the decor even more fabulous! They listened to what I wanted and gave me just that but even better! I could literally talk about our florals all day, they were so beautiful!
Along with the florist, another essential for the couple was a wedding planner. Like many wed-to-be's, having an experienced expert to navigate through important decisions and tie together all their ideas was essential.
“We looked for a team that could really capture our vision. We chose Parties a la Carte because of their previous work we had seen on social media and wedding magazines, and it was a great fit,” the bride beamed. “They are very accommodating and totally captured our vision. They are on top of everything and always there whenever we had questions or concerns.
Looking back, the reception reveal was a shining memory for Christa and Tony.
“Our most memorable moment was getting to see our reception room before all our guests. We got taken into the ballroom with our parents and the wedding planners and got to see the magic that was created. We shared our first dance just my husband and me. We got to actually soak it all in, all the hard work and every detail. It was truly a fairytale!” the bride reminisced.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
We did a joint bachelor/bachelorette weekend in Anna Maria Island, FL. It's not the traditional way of celebrating but my husband and I truly are best friends and spending it apart just wouldn't have been us.
We rented a mansion on the inner coast right across from the beach, it had a private pool and plenty of rooms to accommodate all of us! It was the perfect getaway weekend with our wedding party and closest friends! We did do some separate girl and guys activities too. One day the girls toured the island on a 10-seater peddle bike and went to lunch, and the guys had a pool day and then got matching tattoos! It was a weekend we all will never forget!
The Proposal:
Tony proposed on Valentine's Day. It may sound like a cliché, but if you knew me and my husband it is far from that! We never celebrate Valentine's Day big so I wasn't expecting it at all. It was very romantic, just the two of us at dinner at The Birchwood.
After he proposed we went upstairs to their rooftop bar for a drink, and he surprised me with all of our family and close friends. It was the best night ever; I was so surprised!
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
We looked for a team that could really capture our vision.
We chose Parties a la Carte because of their previous work we had seen on social media and in wedding magazines, and it was a great fit. They also helped plan my sister and her husband's wedding. They are very accommodating and totally captured our vision. They are on top of everything and always there whenever we had questions or concerns.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We honeymooned in St. Pete Beach. We both love the beach, and it was close to home. We wish we could have traveled out of the country, but due to COVID-19 and travel restrictions, it was easier to stay local. We plan to do our real honeymoon on our one-year anniversary weekend!
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Classic and elegant. A modern fairytale. It was very romantic.
What were your colors?
My favorite color is hunter green and my husband and I love gold. I've been planning our wedding for years and always known I wanted dark greens, whites, and a gold color scheme.
What did you look for in a wedding florist?
Romantic greenery vibes. I wanted all white flowers with lots and lots of greenery. It was all about the florals for me, that was what we were most excited about.
Bruce Wayne Florals did an amazing job bringing our fairytale into a reality. The florals made the décor even more fabulous. They listened to what I wanted and gave me just that but even better! I could literally talk about our florals all day, they were so beautiful!
What did you look for in a wedding bakery?
Size, taste, decor. I have lots of food allergies, so that's what it really came down to, who could accommodate our large guest count and my specific needs.
The décor of the cake from The Artistic Whisk was just gorgeous!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Your wedding day is the start of forever with the love of your life. Make it about you and your partner and don't try to please others. It's not about them at the end of the day.
Ceremony Venue: St. Jude's Cathedral
Reception Venue and Caterer: Vinoy Renaissance
Photographer: Photography by Avery
Videographer: Voila Cinematic
Planner: Parties a la Carte *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Florist: Bruce Wayne Florals *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Tables, Chairs, Flatware, Charger Rental: A Chair Affair *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Draping: Gabro Event Services
Chairs and Dance Floor: Fiesta Solutions
Cake: The Artistic Whisk *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Entertainment: Matt Winter Band
Invitations: UrbanCoast
Transportation: Network Limo
Rolls Royce: Ambassador Group
Bridesmaid Dress Shop: Kleinfeld Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Lasting Luxe
Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
*Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros are highly respected by our local wedding community and have been personally vetted by our editor.
