Madison and Luran’s al fresco Lake Wales wedding was a colorful celebration inspired by the luxurious Italian coastline. A rainbow of flora adorned the waterfront ceremony and outdoor reception, creating a vibrant setting against the Tuscan architecture of the stone-clad estate.

“We love to go on dates to botanical gardens and museums, so we wanted our wedding to have details that reminded us of those. We wanted a venue that was an estate on the water similar to Lake Como,” the bride detailed. “We chose bright florals with neutral everything else so the florals could pop without looking uncoordinated. They reflected our personality, and keeping everything else neutral but elevated also helped to keep everything formal but fun and lively.”

The Gainesville-based bride relied on Marry Me Tampa Bay to research her wedding pros and source local inspiraiton.

“Marry Me Tampa Bay sent us quite a few resources for inspiration and tickets for an expo!” the bride shared. “Seeing that Marry Me Tampa Bay has featured our vendors did help affirm our decisions, and seeing ‘Featured on Marry Me Tampa Bay,’ on their websites was also good to see while selecting vendors.”

With her colorful, European-inspired vision in mind for their 68 closest friends and family, Madison sought a Central Florida wedding planner with the creativity and nearby connections to bring everything to fruition.

“We looked for a wedding planner with local connections and a wide network. Upon meeting Lauren Gertz MDP Events, I felt she had a similar aesthetic to what we were going for and a broad knowledge of the local vendors to make it happen,” Madison beamed.

“Madison came to us wanting a classic romantic and luxurious sophisticated feel for her wedding day. She pulled her inspiration from Villa Balbiano and Chateau Bouffemont weddings. We worked together to detail her overall look by adding whimsy to her romance and a variety of tones and textures to the original palette of colors. Her tabletop compote arrangements, large U-shaped arch for the ceremony that then was repurposed around the cake, and the gold vintage candelabras added so much vibrancy, color, romance, and personality to the space!” Lauren Gertz, Lead Planner at MDP Events, added.

The admittedly over-the-top couple wanted to ensure their guests’ experience lived up to their personalities. With a focus on personal details and exciting menu offerings, the bride and groom channeled themselves into the overall wedding day vibe.

“Our friends know we are very extra, so we paid a lot of attention to details. We had custom drinkware for the bars, the guest names were foiled on their menus, and we had very bright florals to reflect our personalities,” the bride detailed. “Luran is Brazilian, so we chose a Brazilian barbecue caterer to grill onsite. The entire wedding felt very personal to us down to each and every detail.”

“Madison’s florals were my favorite details of the day! They were bright yet beautifully pastel and Flower Smith always does the best job of adding texture, whimsy, and personality to her arrangements,” the wedding planner gushed. “With Madison’s inspiration and vision, the venue was the perfect European-style estate for their celebration.” 

One of the most unique elements of the outdoor summer wedding was the gallery wall installation that guests enjoyed during the cocktail hour, which chronicled the couple’s love story in artistic display on the venue’s lawn.

“Madison and Luran wanted to create something personal and interactive for their guests,” the planner explained. “We worked with Ocean Hawk Rentals to have walls installed like an art exhibit where they added photos of different parts of their lives and relationships throughout the years to show the journey of their lives together for guests to walk through during cocktail hour. It was beautifully done and added a very modern element to a historic estate venue.”

While the entire day felt unique and unforgettable, it was the reception intros that left a lasting impression on all in attendance.

“The most memorable moment was when the wedding party learned the choreography to Back on 74 by Jungle and danced to their entrance to the reception,” the bride reminisced.

The Proposal:
It was at a picnic on Lake Eola by the lake and swans.

What did you look for in a wedding planner?
We looked for a wedding planner with local connections and a wide network. Upon meeting Lauren Gertz MDP Events, I felt she had a similar aesthetic to what we were going for and a broad knowledge of the local vendors to make it happen.