Alison and D’Marco’s luxurious Sarasota wedding was a modern-day fairytale set in the heart of one of Florida’s most iconic stages. The Venetian inspired venue and courtyard were embellished with blush pink and ivory florals that paired with romantic outdoor lighting.
“I wanted a wedding that whisked people away by its beauty when they walked in,” the bride explained. “For our colors, we chose white with hints of light pink and gold. We wanted it to be simple and elegant.”
As the bride and groom searched for wedding inspiration, they used Marry Me Tampa Bay to look for real wedding features from their venue.
“We loved looking through past weddings featured on Marry Me Tampa Bay for ideas,” Alison shared.
With only six months to plan, the Tampa couple understood that a reputable and experienced wedding planner would make the entire process easier and enjoyable.
“We wanted someone with lots of experience planning weddings at our venue,” Alison revealed. “We hired Nicole from NK Weddings because we loved her portfolio of work at Ringling. The past weddings she had planned were absolutely beautiful. We loved working with her and her team and would definitely choose her if we had to do it all over again.”
While the wedding logistics were in good hands for her 130 guests, Alison envisioned a bridal glow-up fit for a princess. For a folklore-fantasy look, the bride visited bridal salon Isabel O’Neil Bridal and selected a Galia Lahav wedding dress. The ballerina ballgown was embellished with a tulle skirt that complemented a modern plunging neckline.
“I originally wanted either a simple, satin ball gown or a dress with a fuller, detachable skirt. I had visited a few local stores and felt like all of the dresses looked the same each place so one store recommended I check out Isabel O’Neil,” the bride shared. “I went in and tried on multiple Galia Lahav gowns and realized my original simply ball gown wasn’t what I would ultimately choose. My dress did not match my original inspiration but I could not have found a more perfect dress.”
While the bride planned her day from Tampa Bay, the cross-country bridal party coordinated with Bella Bridesmaids to find the perfect combination of dresses. The blush satin Hayley Paige Occasion line was styled to complement each girl, with formfitting fit-and-flare and flattering a-line style bridesmaid dresses.
“I originally wanted the simple satin gowns that are super popular right now but quickly decided that those were not the best choice. We used those as inspiration to find different satin dresses that gave my bridesmaids the ability to choose which dress was best for them,” Alison explained. “We had an amazing experience with Bella Bridesmaids. My bridesmaids were located in three different states and six different cities, and thankfully there was a Bellas location for each girl to visit to get fitted. I went to the Tampa store first with my local girls and were so pleasantly surprised at the amount of non-chiffon options. They were so, so helpful and went over and beyond to make the ordering process go smoothly even when we were on a bit of a time crunch.”
While the couple reminisced on their luxurious wedding day, it was the simple moments spent with loved ones that mattered the most.
“We loved having the special moment together of our first look,” the bride gushed. “The first look with my dad was so sweet, one of the few times in life I’ve seen my dad cry. The toasts, my husband’s friends were hilarious and you could truly feel the love. My brother’s toast was wonderful. It was so sweet, endearing, and painted the perfect picture of our relationship. I was honored by his words! Getting ready with my mom and grandma. I love that they both got to be there and had such a fun morning with them and the rest of the bridesmaids.”
What was your bridal gown inspiration?
I originally wanted either a simple, satin ball gown or a dress with a fuller, detachable skirt. I had visited a few local stores and felt like all of the dresses looked the same each place so one store recommended I check out Isabel O’Neil Bridal.
I went in and tried on multiple Galia Lahav gowns and realized my original simply ball gown wasn’t what I would ultimately choose. My dress did not match my original inspiration but I could not have found a more perfect dress for me.
What were your hair and makeup inspiration?
I wanted my hair to be whimsical and romantic.
I had seen multiple past brides recommend Femme Akoi. I loved Monica. She did an absolutely amazing job on both my hair and makeup.
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What was your bridesmaid dress inspiration?
I originally wanted the simple satin gowns that are super popular right now but quickly decided that those were not the best choice. We used those as inspiration to find different satin dresses that gave my bridesmaids the ability to choose which dress was best for them.
We had an amazing experience with Bella Bridesmaids. My bridesmaids were located in three different states and six different cities, and thankfully there was a Bellas location for each girl to visit to get fitted. I went to the Tampa store first with my local girls and were so pleasantly surprised at the amount of non-chiffon options. They were so, so helpful and went over and beyond to make the ordering process go smoothly even when we were on a bit of time crunch.
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
We wanted someone with lots of experience planning weddings at our venue.
We hired Nicole from NK Productions because we loved her portfolio of work at Ringling Museum. The past weddings she had planned were absolutely beautiful. We loved working with her and her team and would definitely choose her if we had to do it all over again.
The Proposal:
We spent the morning doing all of my favorite things: eating blueberry pancakes and exploring pretty Nashville sites. We drove the Natchez Trace Parkway to find a famous lookout bridge. As we were walking across, I turned around to talk to D’Marco, and he was down on one knee. It was just the two of us and so, so sweet.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Modern fairytale, I wanted a wedding that whisked people away by its beauty when they walked in.
What were your colors?
We chose white with hints of light pink and gold. We wanted it to be simple and elegant.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Don’t sweat the small stuff, and hire a planner.
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Ringling Courtyard
Photographer: Matt Rice Photography
Planner: NK Weddings *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Florist: Flowers by Fudgie
Caterer and Linens: Modern Events
Lighting: Affairs in the Air
Furniture Rentals: So Staged
Cake: Wonder Cakes
Ceremony and Cocktail Hour Music: Peter Simms
Reception Music: Kurt Disney
Officiant: Shannon Gordon (Friend of the couple)
Invitations: Mospen Studios
Dress Shop and Designer: Isabel O’Neil Bridal – Galia Lahav *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Seamstress: Seamless Alterations
Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: Bella Bridesmaids – Hayley Paige *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Hair & Makeup: Femme Akoi Beauty Studio *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
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.
