Ashley and Americo's destination Madeira Beach wedding was a bohemian dream, combining a soft and romantic palette of blush and beige, lush flora and textural stems, and a mix of industrial and elegant details.
“I would describe our theme as ‘beachy boho in Brooklyn.' Americo and I met in New York City. One of our favorite elements of the city is that they take any space, including warehouses, and make it feel personal and elevated. They also always have some kind of floral element. My goal was to bring our love of Florida beaches, flowers, and industrial vibes together,” the bride beamed. “We went with a neutral color palette of white, beige, dusty rose, and mixed metals. I was going for a classic elegant feel, so I wanted the lighting and florals to be the statement, not colors.”
The New Jersey couple selected the Tampa Bay area to host their spring celebration and envisioned a multi-use wedding space to fit their style. The beautiful outdoor landscape and character of the indoor space at The West Events sold them immediately, and being steps from the beach was the icing on the cake.
“I wanted a venue close to the water and ceremony that had several different spaces to hang out and enjoy. Iโve never loved ballroom weddings where youโre stuck at a round table trying to converse over the dance floor music. We love to host get-togethers! It was important to us that it felt like we were hosting in a space that felt like ours. We wanted the group to be able to choose their experience, dance all night, hang out at the bar, or lounge outside and enjoy the warm weather!” Ashley beamed. “I chose The West Events because of the indoor/outdoor setup, the industrial reception space, the beautiful bar with the roll-up garage door, and the proximity to the beach ceremony. They also partner with our planner, who facilitated the ceremony, so it made it very easy.”
The couple planned a delicious plated dinner for their 120 guests, with mouth-watering options such as pan-seared mahi and filet mignon. From the first bite during their private tasting at Olympia Catering, Ashley and Americo were certain they had selected a caterer to truly wow their friends and family.
“We wanted a menu that was flexible and universal. Our planner recommended Olympia Catering, and when we went in for a tasting, the food was great!” Ashley raved.
The newlyweds created new customs during their wedding, instead of letting tradition dictate their decisions, with an intimate cake cutting and a private last dance. Those select moments are some of Ashley's favorite memories from the evening.
“It was important to us that it was what we wanted and not what was ‘traditional.' We did a semi-private cake cutting, no bouquet toss, and our guests took home a late-night snack of Chick-fil-A,” the bride recalled. “My favorite moment was our final dance. We did it by ourselves on the outside lawn with an acoustic guitar player and cool sparklers. I donโt think it had been done yet at The West Events, but our planner and I worked through it, and it was really special for Americo and I to take a moment together in the space one last time on our special day.”
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Curaรงao. We chose it because we wanted a beach outside of the U.S. but would be easy for everyone attending to get to.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
I would describe our theme as ‘beachy boho in Brooklyn.' Americo and I met in New York City. One of our favorite elements of the city is that they take any space, including warehouses, and make it feel personal and elevated. They also always have some kind of floral element. My goal was to bring our love of Florida beaches, flowers, and industrial vibes together.
What were your colors?
We went with a neutral color palette of white, beige, dusty rose, and mixed metals. I was going for a classic elegant feel, so I wanted the lighting and florals to be the statement, not colors.
The Proposal:
Americo and I are fairly private people and donโt like very public attention. He proposed at our apartment on a random quiet Sunday with a beautiful ring engraved with the words, โMy beautiful princess.โ
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We did two weeks in Europe: Croatia, Montenegro, Barcelona, and Lisbon. We chose there so it could be a mix of beaches, so we could relax and cities for historical activities.
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
I wanted a venue close to the water and ceremony that had several different spaces to hang out and enjoy. Iโve never loved ballroom weddings where youโre stuck at a round table trying to converse over the dance floor music. We love to host get-togethers! It was important to us that it felt like we were hosting in a space that felt like ours. We wanted the group to be able to choose their experience, dance all night, hang out at the bar, or lounge outside and enjoy the warm weather!
I chose The West Events because of the indoor/outdoor setup, the industrial reception space, the beautiful bar with the roll-up garage door, and the proximity to the beach ceremony. They also partner with our planner, who facilitated the ceremony, so it made it very easy.
The West Event space is so wonderful on its own that you donโt really need to do much to it. That being said, I want to enhance it a bit with our own touch. The hanging florals made you notice the open ceiling. The lounge furniture outside made it more comfortable to hang out, and the roll-up garage door to the bar made inside and outside drinking easy!
What was your wedding menu inspiration?
We wanted a menu that was flexible and universal. Our planner recommended Olympia Catering, and when we went in for a tasting, the food was great!
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
The West Events. They were just so easy. They didnโt have a lot of restrictions and accommodated most of my requests. They even took down the window curtains for me!
Our florist really understood my vision for the space and brought it to life.
Our planner really made life much easier, especially because I was planning from New York. Her recommendations were spot on, and I didnโt have to worry about anything on the day of my wedding!
Our photographer has such wonderful attention to detail. He knew what photos I would want better than I did. He was flexible with events prior and was with me throughout the whole day. The photos are just breathtaking.
Our hair and makeup artist was patient and so creative! She did a great job with floral additions to the little girls hair and really made my vision come to life. After the ceremony on the beach, my curly hair had gotten a bit crazy. She was there to touch me up before I walked into the reception, and I felt wonderful all over again.
The bartender was so engaged and accommodating. They recommended options based on what they know of weddings and what we wanted the experience to be.
All of my guests loved the unique photo booth experience.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Create an experience. People wonโt remember all the details, but they will remember how the experience felt.
Make sure to build in private moments. The day goes so fast that without them, it would have felt like a blur.
