Andrea and Alex’s Ybor City wedding was a whimsical evening filled with historic charm, colorful flora, and nods to the couple’s roots. From the poetic details and offbeat decor to the culturally inspired cuisine, their relationship was threaded throughout the experience, creating an unforgettable celebration.

“We wanted the moody but enchanted fairytale look on our wedding day. If you ask Pinterest, it is ‘dark academia,’” the bride revealed. “We played off the historic building while still adding elements and colors that would give us our moodier vibe. We picked jewel tones for the flowers, with a big emphasis on emerald green and gold. We looked for something unique that still matched our aesthetics.”

The St. Petersburg couple incorporated their personalities throughout the ceremony and reception, including special touches into the atmosphere, cuisine, music, and decor. The result was a wedding experience that truly felt personal and authentically ‘them.’

“All the decisions made for decor or experiences reflected us as a couple. The most wonderful compliments we have received are when our friends remark, ‘Wow, this is very them!’ We wanted to stay close to home but loved the look of Ybor City, and it was a wonderful way to tie in Alex’s Louisiana background and my Cuban heritage. We created our menu to be a Cuban and Cajun fusion. We did a station-style dinner that featured staples like mojo pork and jambalaya,” Andrea detailed. “Our table seating consisted of individual books that we picked out for each of our guests as we are both huge readers. We also had references to some of our favorite literary stories like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. We pick May the Fourth (be with you) as our wedding date. Alex’s accessories included imperial cufflinks, lightsaber socks, and the Darth Vader-themed watch and tie. Our cake was Lembas Bread flavored, and the groomsmen walked down the aisle to the Imperial March while the family walked to Lord of Rings.”

As wedding industry professionals, the bride and groom sought a unique event space for their 75-guest spring celebration. Having worked at so many venues over the years, they wanted a setting that felt special to them and wasn’t associated with any business memories.

“We were in a unique situation where we did not want to be at a venue where we work every day; nothing about this day was supposed to embody our work lives, so we needed somewhere unique in this aspect.  We also needed an option that would allow us to bring in our own caterer since the cuisine was so important to us,” Andrea explained. “We found J.C. Newman on Marry Me Tampa Bay. We loved the history of the J.C. Newman Cigar Co. building and knew it would tie in so well with my Cuban heritage.  We wanted a building with an ambiance that stood on its own. We were not interested in a ballroom or special event venue but instead wanted something that would be as unique as our ideas for our big day. With the unpredictability of Florida weather, we wanted everything to be indoors. Having the different spaces on each floor really created a unique experience for each part of the day! We loved being able to provide cigars to our guests. We had lighter and darker cigar options, letting our guests pick between the light and dark side to play on our ‘May the Fourth’ wedding date.”

The organized and creative team at Blue Skies Weddings & Events helped guide the pair through the planning process and ensured that all of the thoughtfully curated details were executed flawlessly on the event day. Even the couple’s pets were on hand to celebrate and pose for family portraits, thanks to Fairytail Pet Care.

“We wanted a wedding planner who could handle my type-A personality and Alex’s laid-back approach, someone with experience who was open to new ideas since we knew we would be a couple who would throw some curve balls. We wanted someone we were confident would execute our vision,” the bride shared. “Heather and Samantha at Blue Skies Weddings & Events had the perfect approach to working with us as a couple. We knew they could handle any challenges in a graceful manner and get the job done. They stepped in to create our vision of a cocktail hour library. They were so dialed in on making sure every step of the day went seamlessly.”

As the Director of Sales for Cafe ala Carte and The Gelato Carte, the bride had to include espresso martinis and citrus gelato into the carefully curated menu. The delicious offerings were meticulously selected to reflect the history and charm of the beautiful setting.

“We chose to have Cafe Ala Carte because what pairs better than cigars and Cafe Cubano?! The experience added to not only our venue but also the history and charm of Ybor City. Our barista even had specialty brewed espresso delivered to our bar so our guests could enjoy fresh espresso martinis. Many espresso martinis were served to us throughout the night,” the bride beamed. “We know what a special treat it is to have gelato for our guests! Since our main menu was Cuban and Cajun-themed, we based our desserts on a Florida theme. Our guests enjoyed Key Lime Sorbet, Blood Orange Sorbet, Lemon Meringue, and Dulce de Leche, a Tampa classic. Some guests even enjoyed a special treat of the Duche de Leche gelato topped with a shot of espresso for a traditional affogato.”

Andrea and Alex knew that their wedding entertainment could make or break the experience for the day, so they relied on the experts at Tampa Bay DJ Company to help set the tone and keep everyone on the dance floor. The company’s special effects also created unforgettable formalities throughout the evening, from the first dance to the send-off.

“The dance portion of the night was something we were very much looking forward to. We needed someone who would listen but also keep the floor full all night. We were also searching for a company with special effects. It was awesome to find a company with both. Cory, Kevin, and the rest of Tampa Bay DJ Company really fit the bill for everything we needed and wanted for our day,” the bride raved. “They worked with us one-on-one on picking songs and creating the right vibe and transitions for each part of the night. The lighting effect of the room gave the candlelight ambiance for an enchanted evening. The dancing on the cloud fog effect created the most breathtaking first dance straight out of a fairytale. And we used the cold sparks as our final exit for the most picturesque departure moment.”

“Seeing two people I care about commit to each other was something special. It was truly such a fun and unique experience,” Cory Baron, owner of Tampa Bay DJ Company, beamed. “Because we know and work together, Andrea and Alex trusted us with some creative freedom for their lighting design and special effects. We were able to provide incredible mood lighting, cold sparklers, and a cloud effect to really make their wedding day the mystical and magical vibes they were going for. I’m a sucker for the Dancing on a Cloud, and when that went off, it was straight out of a Harry Potter ball. 

With so much time and energy invested in planning such a personal event, the final result will live forever in the newlyweds’ minds. Seeing everything come together was a favorite memory of the day, along with an intimate moment together before the festivities began.

“The reception room reveal was something extra special. Having been in the industry and taking two years to plan the day, it really hit us hard to see all the work we put in finally come together. It was a very emotional moment but also such a weight lifted from our shoulders,” Andrea reminisced. “We also took the time to write and say private vows to each other. This really created such a special moment for us to breathe and really say what was on our hearts and minds. This took a lot of the nerves of the ceremony away.”

The Proposal:
Alex asked on Easter in front of my family. He completely surprised me by asking to say a few words before dinner. Alex had asked my father for permission that morning, and knowing my family well, he knew the secret would be out in no time, so he quickly decided to ask that night. 

Why did you choose to have your pets a part of your wedding day?
Our cat and two dogs are a super important part of our lives. They are part of our family, and we could not imagine having this day without them. 

We hired Fairytail Pet Care to be there for our animals since all our loved ones would be there with us, and we needed to have the trust that our fur babies would be taken care of. They went above and beyond to make sure Anastasia, Barley, and Roux had the best day along with us.

FairyTail helped make some special moments happen, like our pre-ceremony photoshoot, ceremony, and cake cutting (with the pups), which all went flawlessly! We decided to have some fun with our pups and have a private cake-cutting with our two dogs. They are very food-driven, and it made for some of the funniest photos. 

What did you look for in a wedding planner?
We wanted a wedding planner who could handle my type-A personality and Alex’s laid-back approach, someone with experience who was open to new ideas since we knew we would be a couple who would throw some curve balls. We wanted someone we were confident would execute our vision.

Heather and Samantha at Blue Skies Weddings & Events had the perfect approach to working with us as a couple. We knew they could handle any challenges in a graceful manner and get the job done. They stepped in to create our vision of a cocktail hour library. They were so dialed in on making sure every step of the day went seamlessly.

What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We were in a unique situation where we did not want to be at a venue where we work every day; nothing about this day was supposed to embody our work lives, so we needed somewhere unique in this aspect.  We also needed an option that would allow us to bring in our own caterer since the cuisine was so important to us.

We found J.C. Newman on Marry Me Tampa Bay. We loved the history of the J.C. Newman Cigar Co. building and knew it would tie in so well with my Cuban heritage.  We wanted a building with an ambiance that stood on its own. We were not interested in a ballroom or special event venue but instead wanted something that would be as unique as our ideas for our big day. 

With the unpredictability of Florida weather, we wanted everything to be indoors. Having the different spaces on each floor really created a unique experience for each part of the day! We loved being able to provide cigars to our guests. We had lighter and darker cigar options, letting our guests pick between the light and dark side to play on our ‘May the Fourth’ wedding date.

Why did you choose to have a dessert add-on experience?
We chose to have Cafe Ala Carte because what pairs better than cigars and Cafe Cubano?! The experience added to not only our venue but also the history and charm of Ybor City. Our barista even had specialty brewed espresso delivered to our bar so our guests could enjoy fresh espresso martinis. Many espresso martinis were served to us throughout the night.

We know what a special treat it is to have gelato for our guests! Since our main menu was Cuban and Cajun-themed, we based our desserts on a Florida theme. Our guests enjoyed Key Lime Sorbet, Blood Orange Sorbet, Lemon Meringue, and Dulce de Leche, a Tampa classic. Some guests even enjoyed a special treat of the Duche de Leche gelato topped with a shot of espresso for a traditional affogato.

What did you look for in a wedding DJ company?
The dance portion of the night was something we were very much looking forward to. We needed someone who would listen but also keep the floor full all night. We were also searching for a company with special effects. It was awesome to find a company with both. 

Cory, Kevin, and the rest of Tampa Bay DJ Company really fit the bill for everything we needed and wanted for our day. They worked with us one-on-one on picking songs and creating the right vibe and transitions for each part of the night. The lighting effect of the room gave the candlelight ambiance for an enchanted evening. The dancing on the cloud fog effect created the most breathtaking first dance straight out of a fairytale. And we used the cold sparks as our final exit for the most picturesque departure moment.