Oriana and Brennan’s luxurious St. Petersburg wedding showcased an abundance of white florals, featuring tall centerpieces adorned with cascading blooms, an array of romantic candles, and gold accents, creating an enchanting and dream-like celebration.

“The theme of our wedding was elegant and ethereal. Since I was a little girl, I always dreamed of a white wedding, so I envisioned almost everything in white with hints of gold. I wanted the atmosphere to be ethereal and magical, creating a dreamy, elegant feeling as soon as you walked into the room,” the bride gushed. “Our colors were white with accents of gold. I chose these colors to fit the dreamy feeling I wanted the wedding to have. It was important that the gold was used in smaller accents so that the shades of white could truly envelop the space while still providing a touch of shimmer and shine.”

Selecting the perfect vendors to bring the bride’s dreams to life was essential. By exploring the Marry Me Tampa Bay website, the pair was able to research vendor portfolios and read testimonials from other couples.

“I used Marry Me Tampa Bay during the process of the wedding to read reviews from vendors who had been suggested to me. I wanted to see what other people’s experiences were before selecting my vendors and also so I could see photos of the vendor’s work,” the bride shared.

Oriana dreamed of an elegant and magical fairy tale celebration enveloped in timeless white and gold. The couple chose the talented wedding photographers from K&K Photography to capture the magic of their dreamlike celebration.

“First and foremost, I wanted a photographer who knew how to capture the overall feeling I was going for in the wedding: light, airy, dreamy, and elegant. I also wanted to work with someone who made us comfortable and knew how to get the right shot better than I ever could!” the bride beamed. “We chose K&K Photography because they were just perfect! The service we received exceeded all my expectations! I could go on and on about them,” the bride gushed. “On our wedding day, we had unexpected rain after the ceremony. It was time for the portraits, and our photographer came up to me and said, ‘It’s raining, but it’s not too bad; I think we go for it and go outside and get some shots. It’s going to be so worth it.’ She was so right! The photos we got looked stunning, and it was so much fun! I was dragging my dress in some puddles, and we were definitely getting a little soaked, but it was such a fun experience, and the photos were absolutely gorgeous.”

The bride wore an elegant strapless trumpet gown adorned with beading and lace appliqué by Ines Di Santo. To complete her look, she chose Astrinodo sandals by Christian Louboutin featuring crystal-studded bows, complemented by her loose, natural waves cascading gracefully down her back.

The Dunedin couple hosted their wedding locally because having as many family members in attendance as possible was important to them. They exchanged vows in front of 200 guests in a historic St. Pete ballroom adorned with romantic details, setting the tone for an unforgettable evening.

“What made our wedding unique was the attention to detail for our guests. While I wanted a dream wedding, it was so important to me that my guests had the best time and were also wowed by everything we created,” the bride recalled. “We timed food and drinks so that there was never a moment to be hungry or thirsty, we had centerpieces built in a way that guests could talk and see each other no matter where they sat at each table, and the timing of the wedding was done so that no one was ever left feeling bored. Our wedding cake consisted of two different styles of cake along with a spread of other desserts, so there was something for everyone. All in all, the best feeling, other than being married, was that all my guests came up to me to tell me how blown away they were by it all! It made me feel so good knowing that every tiny detail made an impact and that they felt what I was trying to have them feel! They perfectly captured the essence I aimed for, calling it ethereal, elegant, breathtaking, and dreamy!”

Oriana and Brennan infused their personalities into every detail of the February event. From custom-made 90-pound centerpieces to a personalized “The Cloudens” sign for the bar area and a wrapped dance floor, they made the wedding entirely unique and distinctly theirs. There was a lavish abundance of florals, including Tibet white roses, a dreamy sweetheart table adorned with several grand arrangements, and a magnificent floral boa. The couple even included subtle tributes to their favorite animals.

“The biggest way we incorporated our personalities into the wedding was through bits of decor that included our pets. We had custom cocktail napkins with their images pressed on in gold foil. We had cake toppers with our two dogs and three cats,” the bride revealed. “We also had custom dog treats made as wedding favors for all of our guests to take home to their fur babies!”

To bring their vision to life, the couple enlisted the expertise of Kate Ryan Event Rentals, which elevated the reception’s ambiance.

“The rentals we used from Kate Ryan were the tablecloths and tabletop decor (minus the silverware), as well as the bar and bar back shelves. The rentals from Kate Ryan really brought my vision to life,” the bride raved. “The glassware and chargers had gold trim that accented the centerpieces, adding gimmer to the tables! The tablecloths and napkins were elegant, with different shades of white and a touch of shimmer to them. It’s amazing how much every little piece on your tables is important. The bar was the bar of my dreams! I envisioned a grand bar as the focal point of the wedding. With a large number of guests and an open bar, this area was crucial to the overall experience. Kate Ryan provided the bar itself, which consisted of four pieces, along with the white shelving behind it. I also ordered a custom ‘The Cloudens’ sign to sit behind the bar, and it all turned out absolutely stunning! When you walked into the cocktail hour space, it was the first thing you saw making a huge impact!”

While many memories are made on such a momentous occasion, several special moments made the biggest impact on the bride.

“One of the most unforgettable moments was walking into my reception space for the first time. After months of planning and numerous decor meetings, seeing it all come together was incredible,” Oriana reminisced. “There are photos capturing the shock on my face during my first look at the space; it was breathtaking. I was overjoyed that it matched exactly what I had envisioned in my mind.”

“The photos taken in the rain were also among the most memorable moments. After investing so much time and money into perfecting my hair, makeup, and dress, it was liberating and fun just to let loose and take pictures in the rain!” the bride added.

The Proposal:
I notice every detail (that is just who I am), so on the day of the proposal I was a little suspicious. Brennan had faked me out a couple of times on a couple of things to get me to think I was not going to get proposed to that day! Eventually, we wound up at a brunch with his parents, and I had let go of my thoughts of a proposal and thought oh this is just an ordinary brunch. Right as I did, I turned to my side to see my brother and sister-in-law (who lived in North Carolina at the time), along with my two dogs entering the restaurant! I had no idea he was in town, and immediately at that moment, I thought, ‘Oh my God, it’s happening!’ Brennan then got down on one knee, and I was in tears trying to say yes fast enough! It was truly a cute moment because it was very hard to surprise me! 

What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
First and foremost, I wanted a photographer who knew how to capture the overall feeling I was going for in the wedding: light, airy, dreamy, and elegant. I also wanted to work with someone who made us comfortable and knew how to get the right shot better than I ever could!

We chose K&K Photography because they were just perfect! The service we received exceeded all my expectations! I could go on and on about them. On our wedding day, we had unexpected rain after the ceremony. It was time for the portraits, and our photographer came up to me and said, ‘It’s raining, but it’s not too bad; I think we go for it and go outside and get some shots. It’s going to be so worth it.’ She was so right! The photos we got looked stunning, and it was so much fun! I was dragging my dress in some puddles, and we were definitely getting a little soaked, but it was such a fun experience, and the photos were absolutely gorgeous.”

How did the rentals enhance the ambiance of your wedding?
The rentals we used from Kate Ryan Event Rentals were the tablecloths and tabletop decor (minus the silverware), as well as the bar and bar back shelves. The rentals from Kate Ryan really brought my vision to life. The glassware and chargers had gold trim that accented the centerpieces, adding gimmer to the tables! The tablecloths and napkins were elegant, with different shades of white and a touch of shimmer to them. It’s amazing how much every little piece on your tables is important. The bar was the bar of my dreams! I envisioned a grand bar as the focal point of the wedding. With a large number of guests and an open bar, this area was crucial to the overall experience. Kate Ryan provided the bar itself, which consisted of four pieces, along with the white shelving behind it. I also ordered a custom ‘The Cloudens’ sign to sit behind the bar, and it all turned out absolutely stunning! When you walked into the cocktail hour space, it was the first thing you saw making a huge impact!”

What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
I wanted a DJ who was going to make me feel like I was out in Miami and could give that endless loop of songs that kept you dancing and hyped to hear the next one coming! I specifically hired Tampa Bay DJ Company after speaking with them on the phone and describing the dance floor vibes I wanted. They seemed to get exactly what I meant when I explained how I really wanted to keep the energy up on the dance floor and spend hours dancing away! My guests really enjoyed the music that the DJ played, and we ended up with some awesome dance floor shots of everyone enjoying themselves!