Katie and Alex’s nature-inspired Tampa Bay wedding combined their love for the outdoors with an organically chic vibe. From the signature cocktails to the outdoor tented reception, this sweet celebration was overflowing with beauty and elegance.
“We envisioned our day as timeless, but with a few modern twists on traditional wedding touch points. For us, it was very important to make the whole day feel like a celebration of love surrounded by the true beauty of nature,” the bride shared. “Our color palette of white, greens and dusty rose all perfectly tied together the ambiance we were going for.”
MORE: NATURE-INSPIRED WEDDINGS
As the pair pieced together their big day from North Carolina, they visited Marry Me Tampa Bay frequently and were able to find a large number of their vendor recommendations through the site.
“We found the majority of our vendors through Marry Me Tampa Bay, and we couldn’t be happier. We were thrilled with their quick responses when we reached out regarding recommendations on the perfect vendors. They were an extremely helpful resource when it came to the wedding process,” the bride shared. “Not only did our wedding vendors exceed our expectations and give us excellent service, but many of them have worked with one another several times, which made things run even more smoothly.”
The couple selected a private estate, nestled just outside of the city, to host their destination Tampa Bay wedding.
“We chose Paradise Spring for many reasons. The beautiful villa first grabbed our attention as it reminded us of our travels in Europe. It had such a peaceful setting with all the acreage surrounding it with the gorgeous trees and greenery,” Alex beamed. “The layout of the venue is extremely thought out as it allows for each moment throughout the day to look and feel a bit different and unique. We loved this venue so much, it felt like it was truly ours for the weekend!
Finding a Tampa Bay wedding planner who was professional and experienced was a priority to Katie and Alex, which led them to Love Lee Lane.
“We instantly felt a connection with Ashley from Love Lee Lane! She started as our wedding planner and quickly became a friend who we trusted and enjoyed being around. Ashley was always the perfect combination of enthusiastic and knowledgable, and it really made her so easy to work with,” Katie gushed. “We truly trusted her opinion and recommendations and were so happy to have had her on our team. Planning a wedding from another state was difficult at times, but Ashely always took the time to listen to our concerns and find a solution while also making us feel at ease.”
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When selecting a wedding photographer to capture their big day the couple wanted someone who made them feel at ease.
“We were looking for someone who really knew how to carry themselves professionally, but also someone that made us feel comfortable in front of the camera,” the bride shared. “Gaby from Lifelong Photography Studio was exactly that! She was so wonderful to work with, and her style was exactly what we were looking for. We wanted our photos to capture the raw feelings and special moments of that day so that far in the future we will be able to look back and relive those feelings time and time again.”
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Reflecting their love for food, a unique and unexpected dinner menu was a priority to the couple.
“We are huge foodies and felt as though our menu should be a reflection of this. The last thing we wanted was something traditional. We put a lot of thought into each dish to ensure all of our guests would it enjoy them just as much as we did,” Katie explained. “After working with the team at Tastes of Tampa Bay, we were able to take our menu to the next level. We really enjoyed working with the owner, Casey! She had some great ideas and her food presentation and creativity was outstanding!”
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Reminiscing of the day they tied the knot, Katie and Alex enjoyed the moments full of love and emotion the most.
“Seeing our five-year-old nephew Cooper walk towards the ceremony as our ring bearer brought tears to our eyes,” the bride confessed. “Another special moment that we will forever have in our hearts is when we both separately walked down the aisle with our fathers. We remember our hearts pounding as we turned the corner and walked through the arch, seeing all of our loved ones for the first time.”
The Proposal:
Alex and Katie both wanted to plan an extra special proposal for the other, so they decided each would get one full day. Katie surprised Alex at The Four Seasons of Palm Beach where she brought her to a romantic beachside picnic surrounded by candles, rose petals, lounge pillows and framed pictures as. A Thousand Years by Christina Perri played in the background and Alex said “yes,” to spending forever with Katie. They popped a bottle of champagne as they watched the sunset on the gorgeous Florida ocean. When Alex thought the evening was coming to an end, Katie had another surprise waiting for her. A private cabana dinner overlooking the ocean. The menu was custom created by Katie and the executive chef to reflect all of the couple’s favorite dishes and wines from around the world.
The next day, Alex packed a bag and drove Katie down to Ft. Lauderdale where she surprised her with a private chartered 40-foot sailboat yacht for the day. Once they got out to the lighthouse, Alex popped the question quickly followed by popping the bubbly! The two enjoyed an afternoon of sailing the crystal blue waters, a gourmet spread of savory and sweet treats and the beautiful sunny skies. The weekend couldn’t have been more perfect and an amazing start to the next chapter in their love story.
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
Someone that was experienced, professional and easy to connect with on all levels of wedding planning.
Send me pricing and availability for preferred wedding planners.
We instantly felt a connection with Ashley from Love Lee Lane! She started as our wedding planner and quickly became a friend who we trusted and enjoyed being around. Ashley was always the perfect combination of enthusiastic and knowledgable, and it really made her so easy to work with. We truly trusted her opinion and recommendations and were so happy to have had her on our team. Planning a wedding from another state was difficult at times, but Ashely always took the time to listen to our concerns and find a solution while also making us feel at ease.
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We chose Paradise Spring for many reasons. The beautiful villa first grabbed our attention as it reminded us of our travels in Europe. It had such a peaceful setting with all the acreage surrounding it with the gorgeous trees and greenery. We also loved the fact that we had flexibility with what we wanted to do to make our vision a reality. It was so easy to envision ourselves and all our family and friends there, enjoying our special day! The layout of the venue is extremely thought out as it allows for each moment throughout the day to look and feel a bit different and unique. We loved this venue so much, it felt like it was truly ours for the weekend!
Send me pricing and availability for Paradise Spring.
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
We were looking for someone who really knew how to carry themselves professionally, but also someone that made us feel comfortable in front of the camera.
I want to Learn more about Lifelong Photography Studio
Gaby from Lifelong Photography Studio was exactly that! She was so wonderful to work with, and her style was exactly what we were looking for. There were 100% focused on perfection from the moment they stepped on the property to the moment we said our goodbyes to them at the end of the night. Gaby went above and beyond our expectations, all with a smile on her face and such a loving way of telling us exactly what to do and where to stand. We really appreciated her knowing the right moment when to take charge to capture the best photo and when to let us be us. We wanted our photos to capture the raw feelings and special moments of that day so that far in the future we will be able to look back and relive those feelings time and time again.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration and colors?
We really wanted our special day to embody an organic outdoor chic vibe. One of the reasons we loved The Secret Garden at Paradise Spring so much was the nature aspect of the venue and property. We envisioned our day as timeless, but with with a few modern twists on traditional wedding touch points. For us, it was very important to make the whole day feel like a celebration of love surrounded by the true beauty of nature. Our color palette of white, greens and dusty rose all perfectly tied together the ambiance we were going for.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We looked for a personable DJ who was able to listen to our requests and connect with the crowd based off what music to play at the right time.
I want to learn more about DJ/Lighting services from Grant Hemond & Associates.
Grant Hemond & Associates was the most recommended DJ service company. After speaking with them in regards to our wedding, we felt Jason understood exactly the type of vibe we wanted of for our big day. Jason was always there to answer any questions, and he always left us feeling extra loved and cared for! He did a great job and made us and all of our guests feel extra special. He was extremely professional and polite in everything that he did.
What was your wedding menu inspiration?
We are huge foodies and felt as though our menu should be a reflection of all our favorite places we have been to. We had North Carolina inspired items, dishes we came to love in Barcelona, and different Italian dishes. We put a lot of thought into each dish to ensure all of our guests would it enjoy them just as much as we did.
I Want to Learn More about Preferred Wedding Caterers
After shopping around for a caterer that could help us put together a cohesive menu, we found Tastes of Tampa Bay. The last thing we wanted was something traditional, and after working with the team at Tastes of Tampa Bay we were able to take our menu to the next level. We really enjoyed working with Casey! She had some great ideas and her food presentation and creativity was outstanding!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
It was so special for us to customize our wedding to reflect who we are individually, and as a couple at our wedding. Whether it’s through your food, cocktails, decor or games, the most important thing is that you make your dreams come true. Remember to create memories you’ll never forget and have great vendors that truly care about making your day special. Some may think that lighting, rentals or videography are not necessary vendors and can be skipped to save money, but we promise it’s worth looking into to create the story of your day.
Do your research when finding the perfect vendors. It’s so important that you pick the right vendors for you that pair perfectly with your style, vision, and personality. We found the majority of our vendors through Marry Me Tampa Bay, and we couldn’t be happier. Not only did they exceed our expectations and give us excellent service, but many of them have worked with one another several times, which made things run even more smoothly. Once your wedding day comes, trust that your vendor team will take care of everything and just enjoy your big day and the start to a beautiful life together!
Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Secret Garden at Paradise Spring *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Venue
Photographer: Lifelong Photography Studio *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Videographer: SkyHelm Weddings
Planner: Love Lee Lane – Ashley Moody *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Florist: Ever After Vintage Weddings
Caterer: Tastes of Tampa Bay *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Rentals: Elite Events and Rentals
Cake: Alessi Bakeries *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
DJ: Grant Hemond & Associates – Jason Tally *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Officiant: Bride’s Father
Invitations: Zazzle
Dress Shop and Designer: New York Bride and Groom
Katie’s Dress Designer: Morilee by Madeline Gardner
Alex’s Dress Designer: Maggie Sottero
Hair & Makeup: Lasting Luxe Artistry
Bar: HubTap