Wedding

Modern Minimalist Tropical Downtown Tampa Wedding | The Vault

Patrycja and Matt's destination downtown Tampa wedding embodied tropical Florida elements with modern details for an intimate destination wedding that was worth the wait.

“We went through several theme iterations. We landed on the modern minimalist tropical theme for three reasons: it's a nod to our Florida roots, it would help make the guests feel as if they attended a destination wedding (especially given that 90% of the guests were from out of town), and we were under the impression that tropical foliage would cost less than florals,” Patrycja shared. “Our colors were white, champagne, sand, and green. We wanted to maintain a clean and simple palette that felt lux and minimal. We also knew that we needed some color to break up the white color of the venue. The chosen shade of green was perfect for this and helped convey the tropical theme.”

While planning from across the country, Patrycja relied on online resources to find and research wedding vendors before discovering Marry Me Tampa Bay (though she wished she had found it sooner!)

“I had discovered Marry Me Tampa Bay late into my vendor search. Prior to finding the site, I had been cross-referencing other sites. It was a lot of wasted time as I came to find that Marry Me Tampa Bay had basically already done all that work for me,” the bride recalled. “As a result, I used it mostly for inspiration ideas for photography shots and locations that I handed off to my photographer.”

The California couple grew up in Florida and knew they wanted to get married in the Sunshine state near their families. They searched for a venue that could accommodate their 88 guests and that offered the convenience of inclusive packages and an attentive team to help make the planning process more manageable.

“Since I was planning on my own from the west coast, I really needed a venue that provided not only a responsive event coordinator but also a majority of the services that I would need. The Vault did just that. Their event services included furniture rental/setup, lighting, audio equipment, and catering. It was pretty close to a one-stop-shop,” the bride shared. “Morgan, the venue's event coordinator, got involved extremely early and was diligent about addressing my questions and concerns throughout the process.”

Although Patrycja had a clear vision for the style elements of her big day, she sought a wedding coordinator who could help bring everything together and allow her and Matt to enjoy their celebration.

“From the beginning, I wanted to hire a day coordinator, even though the venue came with an event coordinator. As time went on I realized that being on the West Coast was making it difficult to do some of the DIY elements that I planned, so I specifically looked for a design-oriented coordinator who could take on some design tasks for me,” the bride reasoned. “I ended up hiring Taylored Affairs as Anna’s portfolio showcased her creative side. She had a great system for keeping the master schedule and inventory. As a fellow spreadsheet lover, it was super helpful for planning.”

The pair documented their guests' enjoyment of the festivities through a quality photo booth to forever preserve the fun-loving memories.

“We were debating between a DIY photo booth and a professional photo booth and ultimately decided on a professional one to make it easier on guests and to make sure we got quality pictures to capture the fun memories from the night,” Patrycja revealed. “We chose The Gala Photobooth because of their high reviews, reasonable prices, and their options for props. We thought highly of their service and would recommend them. We also received a lot of positive feedback from the guests regarding how fun the booth was.”

The secret to the couple's calm demeanor on their wedding day was that they had already secretly tied the knot, unbeknownst to their friends and family.

“Matt and I secretly eloped prior to our September 4th ceremony. This was a direct result of our multiple postponements and the uncertainty of a future date amidst the global pandemic. As much as things have been pretty ‘normal' in Florida during the pandemic, a majority of our guests from other states were hesitant to travel and so our event focus shifted. Eloping allowed us to truly focus on just the two of us for a day and provided a bonus blessing of taking away so much stress from our wedding,” Patrycja revealed. “Several wedding party members even asked if we eloped ahead of time given how calm and relaxed we both were the day of the wedding.”

White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Palm Leaves and Geometric Gold Shape Wedding Invitation
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding, Princess Cut Diamond Engagement, Rose Gold Wedding Band, Black Wedding Ring for Groom
White and Green Modern Tropical Minimalist, Rose Gold Bride Letter Balloons Above Bed
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding, Chic Spaghetti Strap Deep V Neckline A-Line Wedding Dress

What was one of the most memorable moments? 
The bridal brunch and mimosa bar was one of the highlights and really set the tone for the rest of the day. It made the long hours of hair and makeup prep a little less exhausting.

White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding, Bride and Bridesmaids Getting Wedding Ready in Palm Tree Leaves Silk Short Pajama Set Throwing Confetti on Bed with Balloons | Tampa Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio

The Proposal:  
Matt surprised me with a weekend trip to Alaska. The action-packed weekend included a private helicopter ride to the top of the Colony Glacier.  While exploring the glacier surface, Matt popped down to one knee to ask the question.

White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding, Bride Wearing Chic Spaghetti Strap V Neckline A-Line Wedding Dress Holding White King Protea, Orchids, Roses and Anthurium with Palm Tree Leaves Floral Bouquet First Look with Groom | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding, Bride and Groom Outside Downtown Tampa Rivergate Tower | Downtown Tampa Wedding Portrait
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding, Bridesmaid Holding Champagne Off the Shoulder Dress Holding Monstera Palm Leaf and White Orchid Floral Bouquet
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Bridal Party, Bridesmaids in Mix and Match Champagne Dresses Holding White Flowers and Palm Leaf Floral Bouquets | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio | The University of Tampa

What were your wedding hair and makeup inspiration? 

The inspiration was sun-kissed and ocean waves. I wanted myself and the girls to look like we had just come from a tropical vacation. The goal was to look natural and effortless.

Femme Akoi Beauty Studio repeatedly came up as a recommended vendor. I know most brides will do a trial prior to booking their vendor, however, I felt comfortable booking them ahead of time based on the reviews and portfolio. They paired me with a stylist that specifically specialized in the style I was going for.

I did a trial session with Ayla the week of the wedding so that any notes and changes were fresh in her head for the day of the wedding. She was able to make all the adjustments without any issues. 

White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Party, Bride and Groom Kissing, Bridesmaids in Mix and Match Champagne Dresses, Groomsmen in Navy Blue Suits | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio | The University of Tampa
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding, Groom and Groomsmen Wearing Navy Blue Suits Outside The University of Tampa
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Party, Bridesmaids Wearing Mix and Match Champagne Dresses, Groomsmen in Navy Blue Suits, Bride Wearing Spaghetti Strap V Neckline Chic A-Line Wedding Dress and Full Length Veil Holding White Flowers and Palm Leaf Bouquet, Groom Wearing Navy Blue Tuxedo | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio | Steps of Historic Courthouse Le Meridien

Where did you host your bachelorette party?
I ended up having two!  My original bachelorette was scheduled to be in Cabo the first week of March. However, this was the weekend before the world went into lockdown (San Francisco being one of the strictest and longest-standing covid restriction states to date) so half of the girls scheduled to come on the trip canceled the week of the trip. I still went with two of my bridesmaids, and it was a blast. It ended up having a dual meaning to “a final farewell to a former life.” I chose Cabo since my girlfriends and I typically take a “girls' trip” once a year somewhere in the U.S. for a weekend, so I wanted it to be somewhere close but international. 

Since a majority of my bridesmaids couldn't make that trip, I did a local bachelorette in Tampa two nights before the wedding for the other six bridesmaids. We had a lovely brunch at Luv Child, a private aerial yoga class through Aerial Dragon Studios, some pool time at Embassy Suites, and dinner at the private room of Meat Market before a night out at Eden.

Where did you spend your honeymoon? 
We were notified two weeks before the wedding that our honeymoon trip to Kenya and Tanzania was canceled. We have yet to rebook the same trip for next year. We knew we wanted to go on a safari as we knew it would be a difficult trip to make once we started a family. It felt like our last chance at a big adventure. We choose Contiki as our tour provider since they specialize in groups aged 25-35 and the countries selected were based on the great migration season. Booking a group tour cut the trip cost in half compared to a private safari.

White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding, Bride and Groom Outside Historic Downtown Courthouse Le Meridien | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding, Bride and Groom Kissing Underline Veil | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Ceremony Decor, White Chiavari Chairs with Palm Frond and Monstera Leaf with White Orchid Flower Arrangement | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Taylored Affairs
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Ceremony Decor, White Chiavari Chairs with Palm Leaf Floral Arrangements, Monstera Leaves and Palm Fronds Planted Pots | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Taylored Affairs | Downtown Tampa Historic Wedding Venue The Vault
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Ceremony, Bride and Groom Exchanging Wedding Vows | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Taylored Affairs | Downtown Tampa Historic Wedding Venue The Vault

What did you look for in a wedding planner?

From the beginning, I wanted to hire a day coordinator, even though the venue came with an event coordinator. As time went on I realized that being on the West Coast was making it difficult to do some of the DIY elements that I planned, so I specifically looked for a design-oriented coordinator who could take on some design tasks for me.

I ended up hiring Taylored Affairs as Anna’s portfolio showcased her creative side.  She had a great system for keeping the master schedule and inventory. As a fellow spreadsheet lover, it was super helpful for planning.

White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropicl Wedding Ceremony, Bride and Groom Kissing After Exchanging Vows Holding Lush Monstera Palm Leaves, White King Protea, Orchids, Anthurium Floral Bouquet | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Taylored Affairs | Downtown Tampa Historic Wedding Venue The Vault
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Reception Decor, White Chiavari Chairs, Monstera and Palm Fronds with White Flowers Centerpieces | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Taylored Affairs | Downtown Tampa Wedding Venue The Vault

What did you look for in a wedding venue?

Since I was planning on my own from the west coast, I really needed a venue that provided not only a responsive event coordinator but also a majority of the services that I would need.

The Vault did just that. Their event services included furniture rental/setup, lighting, audio equipment, and catering. It was pretty close to a one-stop-shop. Morgan, the event coordinator, got involved extremely early and was diligent about addressing my questions and concerns throughout the process. 

White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Reception Decor, White Chiavari Chairs, Gold Chargers and Silverware, Tall Clear Hurricane Vases with Monstera Palm Leaves and White Orchid Centerpiece | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Taylored Affairs | Downtown Tampa Historic Wedding Venue The Vault
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Reception Decor, White Chiavari Chairs, Gold Chargers and Silverware, Tall Clear Hurricane Vases with Monstera Palm Leaves and White Orchid Centerpiece | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Taylored Affairs | Downtown Tampa Historic Wedding Venue The Vault
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Reception Decor, White Chiavari Chairs, Gold Chargers and Silverware, Tall Clear Hurricane Vases with Monstera Palm Leaves and White Orchid Centerpiece | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Taylored Affairs | Downtown Tampa Historic Wedding Venue The Vault
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Reception Decor, White Chiavari Chairs, Gold Chargers and Silverware, Tall Clear Hurricane Vases with Monstera Palm Leaves and White Orchid Centerpiece, White Linen Backdrop Sweetheart Table, Bridal Party Tables, Planted Palm Fronds, Gold Arch | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Taylored Affairs | Downtown Tampa Historic Wedding Venue The Vault

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We went through several theme iterations. We landed on the modern minimalist tropical theme for three reasons: it's a nod to our Florida roots, it would help make the guests feel as if they attended a destination wedding (especially given that 90% of the guests were from out of town), and we were under the impression that tropical foliage would cost less than florals.

What were your colors? 
White, champagne, sand, and green. We wanted to maintain a clean and simple palette that felt lux and minimal. We also knew that we needed some color to break up the white color of the venue. The chosen shade of green was perfect for this and helped convey the tropical theme.

White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Reception Decor, Sweetheart Table with Seashell Tufted Dining Chairs, Palm Fronds, Monstera Leaves, White King Protea, Roses, Orchids, Anthurium Floral Arrangements, Planted Palm Fronds in Pots, Gold Arch, Linen Draping Backdrop | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Taylored Affairs | Downtown Tampa Wedding Venue The Vault
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Reception Decor, Gold Chargers and Flatware, Wooden Mr and Mrs Laser Cut Words, Monstera Palm Leaves, White Anthurium, Orchids, King Protea Floral Arrangements | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Taylored Affairs
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Reception, Simple Two Tiered White Textured Wedding Cake with Monstera Palm Leaves and White Orchid Flower Decor
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Reception, Bride Wearing Reception Outfit, Sheer White Pants, Rhinestone Beaded Crop Top Dancing with Groom | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio | Downtown Tampa Historic Wedding Venue The Vault
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding, Bride Wearing Two Piece Reception Outfit, Sheer Pants and Rhinestone Beaded V Neckline Spaghetti Strap Crop Top Holding Hands with Groom | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio

Which vendors really exceeded your expectations? 
I made it very clear while interviewing vendors that I have high expectations and that I have a very detail-oriented eye. The two vendors who exceeded my expectations across the board were my wedding favor vendor and bridal brunch and mimosa bar. They were able to read my hesitation with trusted vendors to deliver, communicated every step of the way, and did not hesitate to show me options or proofs along the way to make sure they were bringing our vision to life. They also went above and beyond with their finishing touches. I was blown away when I saw my centerpieces and bouquet. They were so much larger than I thought we paid for. The centerpieces made such a statement and really fit with the modern minimalist theme, so it was a lovely surprise. I had never seen monstera leaves that large before!

White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Reception Photobooth | Tampa Bay The Gala Photobooth
White and Green Modern Minimalist Tropical Wedding Reception Photobooth | Tampa Bay The Gala Photobooth

What did you look for in a photo booth?

We were debating between a DIY photo booth and a professional photo booth and ultimately decided on a professional one to make it easier on guests and to make sure we got quality pictures to capture the fun memories from the night.

We chose The Gala Photobooth because of its high reviews, reasonable prices, and options for props. We thought highly of their service and would recommend them. We also received a lot of positive feedback from the guest regarding how fun the booth was. 


What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples? 
The first bit of advice I will give is for anyone is not to use digital invitations. That was our biggest regret. As much as you may want to save the world or just money on postage, it sets the wrong tone and gets lost so easily in digital clutter. 

Use tried and true local vendors when you can. Especially if you don’t have a wedding planner, really listen to local forums and blogs regarding selections. I spent more hours than I can count reinventing the wheel to review resumes and portfolios, and in the end, this means you or your planner will also have to put in more leg work to get your vendors caught up to speed on locations.

At minimum hire a day of/month of coordinator to be the one to address things. Looking back I think I would have equally enjoyed the planning process, but avoided “reinventing the wheel” if I had brought on a planner from day one.

The last piece of advice is to learn to let go because things will go “wrong” and not according to plan. As someone who loves to be in control, I planned so many details to a “T.” It was almost painful, while at the moment, to see things not go as planned, which I had explicitly given directions for. At the moment I had to just look away to focus on the bigger picture to enjoy the day. 

Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

Vendor Credits

 

Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pros

Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros are highly respected by our local wedding community and have been personally vetted by our editor.

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