Becca and Ryan’s destination Clearwater Beach wedding embodied beachy, casual vibes with a chic, neutral color palette and pop of dark green.

“I had always dreamed of having the wedding outside, and January in Pennsylvania wasn’t going to allow that! Florida is somewhat of a second home to me. My grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins have lived there my entire life, so I grew up taking yearly vacations to Florida,” the bride shared. “I really wanted our wedding to be casual and comfortable but still elegant. We are pretty laid back and casual, but still appreciate style.”

MORE: CLEARWATER BEACH WEDDING INSPIRATION

Looking for a Clearwater Beach wedding venue with outdoor space for their 133 guests, but also have a guaranteed backup location for rain, Becca and Ryan selected the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa.

“After deciding to have the wedding in Florida, I really wanted to focus on a beachfront venue. I didn’t want our guests to travel to Florida, and then have the wedding in a venue that we could have found in Pennsylvania,” the bride explained. “We chose the Hilton because we wanted a beachfront venue and the ability to be able to extend the party to the beach. It fit our budget and the aesthetic we were looking for. I loved the deck right on the beach and that our party could spill out onto the sand.”

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Seeking a Clearwater Beach wedding photographer who showcased a natural and light style, the bride and groom selected Lifelong Photography Studios.

“I first saw Lifelong at a wedding expo in Safety Harbor and then realized they were on the Hilton’s preferred vendor list. After reading reviews and checking out their website, we booked. I loved their style. Their service was perfection!” Becca beamed. “We met Buffy during our engagement photo shoot, and she was so sweet. She made us feel special and comfortable in front of the camera. She and Jorge did an incredible job at the wedding. They were everywhere and didn’t miss a thing. I can’t recommend them enough!”

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Looking for a natural look with old Hollywood vibes, the bride hired Michele Renee The Studio for her wedding day hair and makeup.

“I was planning to do my hair and makeup myself until about a month before the wedding. I realized I just didn’t want to stress about doing my hair and makeup that day, and I’m so glad I decided not to!” the bride shared. “Michele Renee The Studio had great reviews, and I loved my trial with them. Their service was great! They were very nice and made us all feel relaxed.”

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Reminiscing about her special day, the bride couldn’t help but smile when she thought of her wedding ceremony.

“Our ceremony illustrated what love is to us and allowed us to formally commit ourselves to a life together. Also, Ryan adorably messed up part of the vows, and it may sound silly, but it was so sweet and my favorite part. Also, the speeches by our brothers and my dad were so good! They really surprised us and had great stories and advice,” Becca shared.

What was your wedding day beauty inspiration?
I wanted a fairly natural look, but also understand you need a little more glam on camera. I ended up going with a natural/old Hollywood vibe.

I was planning to do my hair and makeup myself until about a month before the wedding. I realized I just didn’t want to stress about doing my hair and makeup that day, and I’m so glad I decided not to! Michele Renee The Studio had great reviews, and I loved my trial with them. Their service was great! They were very nice and made us all feel relaxed. They were also very flexible with me booking late and adding people.

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Beachy, casual, and chic. They might sound like juxtaposing descriptions, but I really wanted our wedding to be casual and comfortable but still elegant. I think we achieved it! A lot of my inspiration came from Pinterest and Instagram. I followed wedding trends and tended to gravitate toward trendy styles. We are pretty laid back and casual, but still appreciate style. It really started with my flowers, which were absolutely gorgeous. I loved the soft texture of the pampas grasses, paired with the more harsh, pointy (but still beautiful) king proteas, and the little pop of tropical from the green leaves.

What were your colors?
Blush, white, tan, and dark green. We also added some pops of blue with the guys’ tuxes and our cookie favors. I wanted to keep the colors fairly neutral. First, I found flowers that I liked on Pinterest and chose the colors from there.

What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We looked for something that allowed us to have the wedding as much outside as possible but also had a guaranteed backup location. After deciding to have the wedding in Florida, I really wanted to focus on a beachfront venue. I didn’t want our guests to travel to Florida and then have the wedding in a venue that we could have found in Pennsylvania.

We chose the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa because we wanted a beachfront venue and the ability to be able to extend the party to the beach. I loved that the Hilton offered the deck right on the beach and that our party could spill out onto the sand. It fit our budget and the aesthetic we were looking for. It also had great reviews. Their service was amazing!

The Proposal:
Ryan and I love hiking. On Christmas Eve 2017, exactly eight years after we first revealed our mutual crush on each other, we went for a hike in Saint Peters Village, P.A., near where we both grew up. After the hike, we were driving back to my parents’ house where we were staying for the holidays, and we passed our high school. Ryan pulled into the parking lot and proposed in front of our high school! My dad proposed to my mom in front of their high school; they are also high school sweethearts. Also, Ryan’s parents (and older brother) got engaged on Christmas Eve. I thought it was sweet to have all of those things reflected in our proposal.

What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
We wanted someone with a natural, light, and sweet style.

I first saw Lifelong Photography Studios at a wedding expo in Safety Harbor and then realized they were on the Hilton’s preferred vendor list. After reading reviews and checking out their website, we booked. I loved their style. Their service was perfection! We met Buffy during our engagement photo shoot, and she was so sweet. She made us feel special and comfortable in front of the camera. She and Jorge did an incredible job at the wedding. They were everywhere and didn’t miss a thing. I can’t recommend them enough!

What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We looked for someone that was both affordable and had good reviews.

Grant Hemond & Associates was great! They were very helpful in guiding the wedding and keeping us on track. They also did a good job of reading the room and playing music our guests enjoyed.

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Try not to stress! Slow down. Enjoy each moment. Everyone says it…it goes so fast! I was very anxious/nervous the morning of, but once everything got going, I was able to relax and enjoy. Focus on what’s most important. To us, it was celebrating and spending the day with family and friends I’d also recommend not to second guess your choices. A few times I started to second guess things we’d picked, but when I went back to why we’d pick them, they made sense. There are so many options and probably a few different ways you could do things, but try to enjoy whatever you pick!

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Venue
Photographer: Lifelong Photography Studios *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Videographer: Yours Truly Media
Coordinator: Confetti Events
Florist: Iza’s Flowers
Cake: Chantilly Cakes
DJ: Grant Hemond & Associates *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Officiant: Bowen Knarr (Cousin of Bride)
Invitations: Minted
Dress Shop and Designer: White Magnolia Bridal – Hayley Paige
Hair & Makeup: Michele Renee The Studio *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Guitarist: Mallory Moyer