Jill and Steven's timeless downtown St. Pete wedding was a vision of modern elegance with colorful family traditions, dazzling details, and a color palette of navy blue, champagne, and gold.
“Our theme was traditional yet classic. We both come from very strong, Italian and Portuguese backgrounds and finding ways to honor that was very important to us. We envisioned a timeless celebration with a touch of glamour that we could look back on for years to come,” the bride beamed. “Anyone who knows us knows that I am all about the glitz, and Steven is all about the style. Any place that I could add a little extra sparkle, I absolutely did!”
MORE: CLASSIC WEDDING INSPIRATION
Early on, the bride looked to Marry Me Tampa Bay to check off just about everything on her wedding day checklist. From scoping out the very best local vendors to gaining inspiration through our social media pages, Jill thoroughly did her research.
“I used Marry Me Tampa Bay all the time! I literally checked social media daily,” the bride shared. “I also utilized it quite frequently to get inspiration from other local weddings in the area and to find local vendors. It was important to us to use vendors local to the St. Pete area because we love the culture here so much, and Marry Me Tampa bay definitely helped give us a wide variety to choose from for our special day.”
From day one, the St. Pete couple had a particular venue in mind, but it wasn't until Jill and Steven actually stepped foot into the luxurious grand ballroom of The The Vinoy Renaissance that they both knew it was the perfect place for them to celebrate their love.
“We found the Vinoy through Marry Me Tampa Bay and a little help from my dad. He had actually found the site when looking for venues and told me to check it out, and I became hooked! The Vinoy was everything we dreamed of for our wedding and more! We chose it because we felt right at home when we walked in. It truly represented our love so perfectly—big, grand and beautiful,” the bride gushed. “Everything at the Vinoy was absolutely outstanding. We were provided a wedding coordinator, who was absolutely incredible. She took care of everything, even down to the small details and made sure I wasn’t bothered with anything on the morning of our wedding. I would definitely recommend The Vinoy to anyone who's looking to have the perfect local Tampa Bay wedding!”
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Making sure their celebration was a reflection of their fun-loving personalities and deep family roots, the bride and groom incorporated unique elements to ensure the day was extra special.
“I definitely think the late-night Chick-fil-A was a big hit and made our wedding unique,” the bride beamed. “For our wedding favors, we gave out Jordan Almonds, which is an Italian tradition. My Matron of Honor’s in-laws are from Italy, and she was able to get real, authentic Jordan Almonds for us to use. Each bag was filled with five almonds to represent health, wealth, happiness, fertility, and longevity. It was something that was different and memorable, but also delicious to snack on before dinner was served!”
Reminiscing on their special day, Jill and Steven loved being together at their reception taking in how lucky they were to be surrounded by their closest friends and family.
“The most memorable part for us was definitely sitting alone together at our sweetheart table! Before we were served our food, we took a quick moment to soak it all in. It was surreal to look around that huge ballroom and realize we pulled off our dream wedding,” the bride gushed. “Not only that, but it was an indescribable feeling to look around the room and see 200 people who all love and care so much about the both of us.”
The Proposal:
Steven and I took a trip to New York with my family to visit my extended family in Long Island. I had spent a year in New York City to get my Master’s degree at Fordham, so the two of us took a train ride into the city for a night to visit some friends and eat some delicious NYC food! We spent the day exploring and eating and had plans to grab a nice dinner with some friends. Before we went to dinner, Steven asked if we could take a walk through Central Park for a quick photo-op. We stopped at Bethesda Fountain to take a beautiful photo in front of the fountain and much to my surprise, he got down on one knee! My entire extended family was watching us from above on a bridge and was able to see the entire proposal! A big Italian feast immediately followed!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We were looking for something that could accommodate over 200 people, and we knew we wanted to get married in the Tampa Bay area so our options were limited. We wanted something that was classic, local, and easy for our guests to get to. When we first moved to St. Pete, we always talked about how perfect the Vinoy Renaissance would be. As soon as we stepped foot into the grand ballroom, we both knew it was the place for us to celebrate our love.
I want to learn more about weddings at the Vinoy Renaissance.
We found the Vinoy through Marry Me Tampa Bay and a little help from my dad. He had actually found the site when looking for venues and told me to check it out, and I became hooked! The Vinoy was everything we dreamed of for our wedding and more! We chose it because we felt right at home when we walked in. It truly represented our love so perfectly—big, grand and beautiful. Everything at the Vinoy was absolutely outstanding. We were provided a wedding coordinator, who was absolutely incredible. She took care of everything, even down to the small details and made sure I wasn’t bothered with anything on the morning of our wedding. I would definitely recommend The Vinoy to anyone who's looking to have the perfect local Tampa Bay wedding!
The food and service the night of the wedding was outstanding! Everything was fresh and absolutely delicious. We had an option of short rib, grouper, chicken, or vegetarian, and honestly, you couldn't have gone wrong with any of the choices. The serving staff was amazing! Dinner was served right on time, finished quickly, and gave us the opportunity to immediately start dancing right and celebrating. Steven and I had a personal server who periodically checked on us throughout the night to see if we needed any more food or drinks. Everyone from the staff was amazing. I couldn't have asked for more.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our theme was traditional yet classic. We both come from very strong, Italian and Portuguese backgrounds and finding ways to honor that was very important to us. We envisioned a timeless celebration with a touch of glamour that we could look back on for years to come. Anyone who knows us knows that I am all about the glitz, and Steven is all about the style. Any place that I could add a little extra sparkle, I absolutely did!
What were your colors?
Navy blue, champagne, and gold. We wanted a very classic look and knew these colors would never go out of style. Very sleek, classic and glamorous.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
You cannot go wrong with having a wedding in the most beautiful area in Florida! Tampa Bay has such a unique culture and the weddings are definitely not lacking in that area! Take planning in strides, and try to enjoy the process the best you can without stressing out. Utilize other brides who got married in the area and ask their opinions about their venders. Use Marry Me Tampa Bay to your advantage to take some additional stress off your shoulders. Oh, and splurge and get the late-night snacks!
Ceremony Venue: St. Mary Catholic Church
Reception Venue: The Vinoy Renaissance *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Venue
Photographer: Dewitt for Love Photography
Videographer: Voila Cinematic
Dress: Hayley Paige
Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell and Steve Madden
Florist: 2Birds Events
DJ: DJ Cory Barron
Hair and Makeup: Lasting Luxe
Rental Chairs: On the Move Productions
Bridesmaid Dresses: The Dessy Group
