Modern Downtown St. Pete Wedding | NOVA 535 Wedding
Lauren and Nick’s modern downtown St. Pete wedding featured a romantic candlelit ceremony and a black, white and metallic color palette.
“I chose those colors because I wanted a classic look and something neutral for photos,” the bride explained. “[I wanted to make our wedding] as personal and meaningful to us as possible. I was heavily focused on our guests being able to see us for who we are and celebrate our love for each other.
The South Tampa couple planned their big day around their “I do’s” and creating an inviting guest experience.
“The ceremony was very important to us, as well as making our guests feel as if we were not only celebrating our wedding, but the institution of marriage,” Lauren shared. “We collected all of our married guests’ wedding photos, had them printed and then displayed on one of the walls. We wanted our guests to take a look back on their special day and remember why we are all here in the first place.”
The bride and groom enjoyed the hip vibe that downtown St. Pete offers and chose unique wedding venue NOVA 535.
“We choose NOVA 535 because of the beautiful warehouse feel and floor-to-ceiling brick walls. We loved the bamboo garden and that it was close to downtown St. Pete,” the bride gushed. “They are also experts in what they do.”
The couple accented the wedding venue’s modern atmosphere with dramatic lighting for their indoor ceremony.
“The ceremony lights were dangling from the ceiling on the brick wall; it was very romantic and intimate. We had the candles lighting the walkway,” Lauren added.
To complement their contemporary decor, Lauren and Nick chose a wedding cake with a metallic flair.
“We designed the cake together and added the layering element to give it more texture,” the bride explained. “Hands on Sweets was very helpful and assisted me in design, size, and flavor. They understood what I wanted and delivered without overselling me. I loved how responsive and professional they were.”
Looking back, one of the couple’s most memorable moments was honoring the groom’s cousin who skipped his college graduation to attend the wedding.
“To honor Nick’s cousin’s graduation, we ordered a light blue cap and gown and had the DJ play the graduation song. We created a pretend walk and handed him a card as if he walked across the stage. He was so appreciative of it and said it was the best surprise ever!” the bride reminisced.
The Proposal:
Nick proposed in Savannah, GA. I didn’t suspect a thing. On our drive up, he was anxious about getting to the hotel before a certain time in order to drop our bags and sightsee a bit before dinner. Once we arrived, he said that he was going to get dressed up for the night as we had dinner reservations at the Pink House that evening and suggested I do the same. That was his way of saying, pull it together. I still had no idea.
As we departed the hotel, he was all of a sudden so caught up with wanting to see this cathedral before it closed, but as it turned out he was trying time our arrival with the photographers for the proposal spot he selected right next to the cathedral. After the service in the church, he led me across the street near this beautiful fountain. He turned me around and got on one knee. Then I heard click, click, click, which was the photographer capturing the entire thing. I was so shocked, I was shaking. I finally said yes!
How would you describe your theme?
The theme I was going for was to make it as personal and meaningful to us as possible. I was heavily focused on our guests being able to see us for who we are and celebrate our love for each other.
What were your colors?
Black, white and metallics. I chose them because I wanted a classic look and something neutral for photos.
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
Air conditioning, a rain back up plan and large dance floor.
We choose NOVA 535 because of the beautiful warehouse feel and floor-to-ceiling brick walls. We loved the bamboo garden and that it was close to downtown St. Pete. They are also experts in what they do.
What was your wedding cake inspiration?
I wanted something simple and classic and to pull in the gold and metallic elements. We designed the cake together and added the layering element to give it more texture. Hands on Sweets was very helpful and assisted me in design, size, and flavor. They understood what I wanted and delivered without overselling me. I loved how responsive and professional they were.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay Brides?
Guests come first! You do not need to spend a ton of money to make the night memorable and magical. Communicate with your fiancé and decide together what the most important elements of the day are and focus your attention and budget on those.
Ceremony and Reception Venue: NOVA 535 *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Venue
Photographer: Benjamin Hewitt Photography
Florist: Tampa Wedding Studio
Caterer: Puff n’ Stuff
Photo Booth: Snapshoot Photo
Cake: Hands on Sweets
DJ: DJ Jaey
Officiant: Sensational Ceremonies
Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas
Transportation: Metropolis Transportation Solutions
Dress: Mikaella
Hair & Makeup: Andrea Suarez
