Ashlie and Doug
urban stillhouse
“Our wedding theme was a Warped Tour. We both grew up on pop-punk and emo music and have so many memories from the Vans Warped Tour days. We wanted our wedding to feel less like a traditional ceremony and more like going to a rock show. Think checkered Vans, skateboarding, and mosh pits. Everyone dressed in their most emo attire, and black eyeliner was highly recommended. The idea was to blend our nostalgia for that era with the excitement and chaos of a live concert. We chose black as our main wedding color. The DJ played emo hits, and we cried the blackest tears that night.” -The Bride
FEATURING
Ashlie and Doug’s moody St. Pete wedding brought together 80 guests for an unforgettable, high-energy April celebration that felt more like an underground concert than a traditional reception. Set against their venue’s dark, industrial backdrop, the design embraced a minimalist yet edgy aesthetic, with black details, candlelight, and textured floral accents enhancing the sultry, rock-and-roll ambiance. The evening unfolded with unexpected moments and immersive entertainment, creating a celebration that felt intimate, electric, and completely their own.
“Our wedding was anything but traditional. We called it ‘Married Tour’ — inspired by our love of pop-punk and the old Vans Warped Tour. We turned The Urban Stillhouse into a rock show with drag, live performances, and a soundtrack of all the songs that raised us. The moody venue, the energy, and the lineup of incredible performers made it one big celebration of love, music, and nostalgia,” the bride beamed. “Every detail of the night was us. From the vegan dessert room to the kava bar, we included bits of each of our personalities throughout the experience. Drag Queen Adriana Sparkle hosted the reception, kicking off a lineup of live performances that included local artists, burlesque, and drag acts. Once the dance floor opened, the playlist featured the songs that raised us: Blink-182, Fall Out Boy, I Set My Friends on Fire, and all the pop-punk anthems that defined our teen years. We moshed, sang, and danced until the very end. It felt like the ultimate concert, but it was our wedding.”
The Proposal
“Doug proposed during a climb in Colorado while we were summiting a double 14er — Grays and Torreys Peak. Just as we reached the top, a sudden winter storm hit, turning everything into a whiteout. We could barely see a few feet ahead. Right there, in the middle of that chaos, he got down on one knee. The descent ended up being a wild, snowy fight for our lives, but I figured — if I could trust him to get me off that mountain safely, I could trust him to be my adventure partner for life.”
The Bach Party & Honeymoon
“We actually didn’t have a bach party — we decided to put that energy into the wedding itself and make it one big, unforgettable party with all our favorite people.
We flew to Peru for our honeymoon and spent five days trekking the Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu. We wanted something adventurous and physically challenging — a trip that reflected who we are as a couple. We love hiking, climbing, and doing things that scare us a little, and this was the perfect adventure to start married life.”
The Experience
“We live downtown and wanted to show our friends and family how unique and fun St. Pete really is. Our wedding weekend involved a lot of walking and scooting around town to our favorite boutiques, gyms, and restaurants. We wanted to show everyone what a weekend in the life of a local looked like — no cars, no fancy reservations or dress codes. Just go with the flow and have fun.
The atmosphere and experience for our guests were the most important to us. We didn’t follow the traditional wedding agenda — no cake cutting, no long speeches — we wanted to skip straight to the fun and get everyone on the dance floor. The venue itself was the experience. The Urban Stillhouse was the perfect fit for our Warped Tour–inspired theme with its dark, moody décor, industrial style, and candlelit warmth. We barely had to add anything other than flowers and extra candles — the space already set the tone. It was the vibe we were going for: intimate, edgy, and effortlessly cool.”
Researching Wedding Vendors
“We used Marry Me Tampa Bay to cross-check recommendations and read honest reviews. It was super helpful to see how other couples worked with the vendors we were considering, which gave us extra confidence in our choices.”
The Photography
“Personality and vibe were everything. We wanted a photographer who really understood who we are and could capture the day’s emotion, chaos, and fun without making it feel posed or forced. Photos and video were at the top of our priority list, so we knew we needed the best. Finding someone who could understand our personalities and the energy we wanted to portray was really important.
When it came time to plan the wedding, Shannon Kelly (my videographer) was my first hire. I asked her who she worked best with, and she immediately mentioned Brandon and Shannon Dewitt of Dewitt for Love Photography. We looked them up on Marry Me Tampa Bay, read glowing reviews, and that sealed the deal. From there, we built our vendor team around vibe. Working in marketing, I know how important it is to have a strong, collaborative team, and that’s exactly what we had. Everyone clicked and made the day run effortlessly.”
The Design
“Our wedding theme was a Warped Tour. We both grew up on pop-punk and emo music and have so many memories from the Vans Warped Tour days. We wanted our wedding to feel less like a traditional ceremony and more like going to a rock show. Think checkered Vans, skateboarding, and mosh pits. Everyone dressed in their most emo attire, and black eyeliner was highly recommended. The idea was to blend our nostalgia for that era with the excitement and chaos of a live concert. We chose black as our main wedding color. The DJ played emo hits, and we cried the blackest tears that night.”
From The Photographer
“Ashlie and Doug did things in a way that resonated with who they are as people. This whole day was unique, with a timeless, old-Hollywood vibe that gave way to a sea of backstage passes, mosh pits, Vans shoes, pizza, and good times. It’s proof you can have a moody and timeless wedding when it comes to your styling, but then throw an absolute skater-kid rager with a Vans Warped Tour-themed reception!
Once their reception kicked off, performers from drag queens to fire breathers took the stage and amped up the energy for the dancing soon to come. Ashlie and Doug’s wedding shows that you don’t have to follow what feels ‘safe’ or be traditional if you don’t want to be, a timeless ceremony and cocktail hour with the best dance floor you’ve ever seen for the reception and your one shot to throw possibly the biggest party you’ll ever throw for yourselves.”
— Shannon Dewitt, Dewitt for Love Photography
Most Memorable Moment
“One of the best moments was when Adriana Sparkle made her entrance down the staircase to kick off the reception. She opened the night with a jaw-dropping lip-sync that had the entire room screaming and cheering. It completely set the tone for the rest of the night. From that point on, it was just pure energy, laughter, and chaos in the best way.”
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Oh man, they were all incredible. Shannon and Brandon from Dewitt for Love went above and beyond — they weren’t just photographers, they were lifesavers. They steamed my dress, wrangled my parents, helped keep me grounded, and even backed me up when I had to scold my dad for sneaking a smoke near the venue. They truly kept me sane.
Our officiant, Lhegend, absolutely blew us away. He’s an artist and storyteller who crafted the most insane ceremony script — heartfelt, poetic, and unforgettable. He held the room in the palm of his hand.
Our wedding was truly the perfect blend of romance and rebellion. We wanted it to feel like a love letter to the music and culture that shaped us, and The Urban Stillhouse provided the perfect stage for that. The team at The Urban Stillhouse, especially Bri and Jordan, was absolute guardian angels. They made the entire night flow seamlessly and took care of every detail before we could even think of it. Their calm professionalism and genuine kindness allowed us to fully let go and just enjoy the night.
And our performers…I can’t say enough. Adriana Sparkle is a legend — not just locally but nationally — and she assembled the most talented and gorgeous team of drag and burlesque performers. Every single vendor showed up with passion, creativity, and pure heart.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Don’t feel pressured to follow tradition — do what feels true to you. Build a vendor team that you genuinely connect with and trust their expertise. The vibe of your day will come from the people you surround yourself with. And when the day comes, let go and have fun — it goes by in a blink.
