Tropical Garden Bride and Groom Exchanging Wedding Vows During Outdoor Wedding Ceremony | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn
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Organic St. Pete Beach Destination Garden Wedding | Postcard Inn

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Lindsay and John’s destination St. Pete Beach wedding featured an outdoor garden ceremony with a geometric wooden arch, a white reception with dinner under the stars, and some fashionable accessories including black leather jacket and matching hats.

“I really liked the idea of a warm-weather beachy wedding but I didn’t want the wind and the sand. I wanted warm evening lights to set the vibe, a beautiful garden feel with plenty of fresh flowers, and fabulous food and drinks with our closest friends and family,” the bride shared. “I used mostly organic garden colors like olive greens, blushed hues like blue, pink, and gold, and dark navy to balance out John’s outfit.”

After attending a friend’s Tampa Bay destination wedding, the North Dakota bride fell in love with the Florida area and decided to host a St. Pete Beach wedding. Lindsay planned her wedding completely through Instagram, using Marry Me Tampa Bay as her guide in locating the most sought-after and trustworthy vendors.

“I browsed through venues and vendors and different styles to get ideas. I loved when I saw my venue worked with Marry Me Tampa Bay, so I knew I was in the right spot for planning a destination wedding,” the bride explained. “I did follow Marry Me Tampa Bay and possibly a few other wedding planning Instagrams and went through their followers as well and just typed in specifically what I was looking for, so if they had ‘flower’ in the handle or ‘photography’ it made it so easy! I think it’s a fantastic way to find businesses that are smaller which I am a huge fan of!”

Seeking the ideal blend of Florida beaches with Tampa Bay tropics for her venue, Lindsey found the perfect combination of beachy vibes and outdoor beauty.

“I wanted the garden vibe near the beach, and I wanted it a bit eclectic, unique, and not just cookie-cutter,” the bride revealed. “I was looking for garden venues and when I saw that the Postcard Inn had a unique mix of all three I dreamed up my own inspiration.”

Planning from nearly 2,000 miles away, Lindsay relied on online tours and thorough communication from the PCI wedding team to design an unforgettable wedding day.

“The Postcard Inn made it so easy to pick online via their packet. We printed it out, picked out packages, emailed PCI, and set everything up!” the bride gushed. “Every time I opened an email too coordinate with the staff it was like Christmas. They were very helpful, knowledgeable, and worked so well with us. Even during the pandemic when we were trying to decide to postpone or not, they were accommodating and wonderful to work with.”

Originally set for May 18th, and then postponed to November 30th because of the pandemic, Lindsay and John’s wedding ran into several obstacles, but a positive attitude kept the bride calm amidst all the chaos.

“The week before was probably one of the most stressful weeks of my life. All of our flights were canceled, my great uncle passed away, a dozen people decided not to attend last minute, and our pastor decided not to travel due to COVID,” the bride revealed. “At that point I just let every expectation go and trusted that if we could just get there everything would work out and it really did. Planning a wedding during a pandemic is no joke and can give the calmest of brides stress and anxiety. Every single vendor worked seamlessly with us when we were trying to figure out the next step. In the end, everything exceeded my expectations!”

With an emphasis on bringing their closes friends and family to Florida for fun in the sun, the couple found creative ways to incorporate the Sunshine State into their wedding weekend.

“I worked with a designer out of Nashville to design a tote bag with our story to gift our guests as goodie bags. I put wrapped sage with lavender and rose petals that I handmade, personalized matchbooks, clementines with a little flag that said ‘Welcome to Florida’ as well as waters, bamboo reusable straws for the weekend, and luggage tags. I also had customized coffee sleeves that said, ‘The perfect blend Lindsay + John’ for guests to use for their coffee!” the bride beamed.

The couple wanted to ensure that once their guests traveled to Florida for the wedding, everyone would have a blast during the celebration.

“We wanted a DJ who would keep the party going and everyone dancing the whole night. Because we had a varied age range from parents to aunts and uncles to friends our age, we needed a good blend. We used my friend’s DJ from her wedding, Grant Hemond & Associates, and they were the easiest ever to deal with. We got a discount for booking a Monday wedding. Michelle was our contact, and she was prompt and took care of us! DJ Eric kept us dancing from the first dance until the very end!” Lindsay recalled.

To end the evening, the bride styled her deep v-neck fit-and-flare wedding dress with an ivory Monroe Rancher hat and chic leather jacket for their magical sparkler exit.

Custom Tote Bag, Wooden Bamboo Straws, Clementine Wedding Favor
Clementine Orange Fruit with Welcome to Florida Flag
Black Leather Personalized Embroidered "Wife of the Party" Bride Jacket Hanging Next to Neutral Cowboy Hat Wedding Accessories
Sam Edelman White Strap Block Heel Bridal Wedding Shoes
Romantic Fitted Wedding Dress Plunging V Neckline with Lace and Illusion Bodice
Tampa Bride Holding Wild Greenery Eucalyptus with Purple Flowers Wedding Bouquet

Where did you host your bachelorette party?
My bachelorette party was originally scheduled to be in uptown Minneapolis! However, everything was shut down in April so we postponed it to July at an Airbnb on Cormorant Lake in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. We had a blast getting food catered in by my best friend’s mother-in-law, who owns a catering company, hanging out on the lake, pontooning, and we even crashed a private birthday party that had a local live band. It was better than I could have imagined!

Tampa Bay Bride and Groom in Emerald Green Tuxedo Jacket and Bowtie First Look Photo | St. Pete Beach Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach
Tampa Bay Bride and Groom in Emerald Green Tuxedo Jacket and Bowtie First Look Photo | St. Pete Beach Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach

The Proposal:
John had just graduated from North Dakota State University, and we took a trip to celebrate. We went to Nashville with nine of our friends for a long weekend, and he proposed on the pedestrian bridge downtown!

Tampa Bay Bride Holding Wild Floral Bouquet with Greenery Eucalyptus, Pink and Purple Flowers, Groom Kissing Bride's Forehead
Romantic Tampa Bride and Groom Sunset Waterfront Wedding Photos | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach
Tropical Boho Garden Wedding Ceremony Decor, Triangular Wooden Arch with Lush Floral Arrangements | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach
Tropical Boho Garden Wedding Ceremony Decor, Triangular Wooden Arch with Lush Floral Arrangements | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
I really liked the idea of a warm-weather beachy wedding but I didn’t want the wind and the sand. I wanted warm evening lights to set the vibe, a beautiful garden feel with plenty of fresh flowers, and fabulous food and drinks with our closest friends and family.

What were your colors? 
I mostly used organic garden colors like olive greens, blushed hues like blue, pink, and gold, and then dark navy to balance out John’s outfit.   

Florida Bride and Father Walking Down the Wedding Ceremony Aisle | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach
Tropical Garden Bride and Groom Exchanging Wedding Vows During Outdoor Wedding Ceremony | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn
Tropical Garden Bride and Groom Exchanging Wedding Vows During Outdoor Wedding Ceremony | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn
Tropical Garden Bride and Groom Exiting Wedding Ceremony | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn

What did you look for in a wedding venue?
I wanted a garden vibe near the beach, and I wanted it a bit eclectic and unique and not just cookie cutter. 

My girlfriend was in town visiting family so I casually mentioned if they were nearby to check out the Postcard Inn on the Beach which I had found on Instagram. She Snapchatted an entire tour of it. She knew my style and said this was the place where I had to get married! I trusted her opinion, looked it up, and PCI made it so easy to pick online via their packet.

We printed it out, picked out packages, emailed PCI, and set everything up! Every time I opened an email to coordination with the staff it was like Christmas. They were very helpful, knowledgeable, and worked so well with us. Even during the pandemic when we were trying to decide to postpone or not, they were accommodating and wonderful to work with.

Florida Bride and Groom Walking on the Sandy Beaches | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach
Florida Bride in Fitted Lace and Illusion Plunging V Open Back Wedding Dress and Full Length Veil Holding Wild Greenery Eucalyptus with Pink and Purple Floral Bouquet, Groom in Emerald Green Tuxedo Jacket and Bowtie | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach
Florida Bride in Fitted Lace and Illusion Plunging V Open Back Wedding Dress and Full Length Veil Holding Wild Greenery Eucalyptus with Pink and Purple Floral Bouquet, Groom in Emerald Green Tuxedo Jacket and Bowtie | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach
Florida Bride in Fitted Lace and Illusion Plunging V Open Back Wedding Dress and Full Length Veil Holding Wild Greenery Eucalyptus with Pink and Purple Floral Bouquet, Groom in Emerald Green Tuxedo Jacket and Bowtie | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach
Florida Bride in Fitted Lace and Illusion Plunging V Open Back Wedding Dress and Full Length Veil Holding Wild Greenery Eucalyptus with Pink and Purple Floral Bouquet, Groom in Emerald Green Tuxedo Jacket and Bowtie | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach
Florida Bride and Groom Sitting on Bench of Sandy Beach | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach

Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We flew down to the Florida Keys to Key West because we forgot to plan until super last minute (mainly because of COVID). John booked our flights and hotel at the Gates Hotel; we just wanted something relaxing so we didn’t need to think too much about the honeymoon or restrictions!

Garden Tropical Wedding Reception Decor, Long Feasting Table with White Linens, Greenery Floral Centerpieces, Candlesticks | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach
Garden Wedding Reception Decor, Gold Geometric Candle Holder with Greenery
Garden Tropical Wedding Reception Decor, Long Feasting Table with White Linens, Greenery Floral Centerpieces, Candlesticks | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach
Garden Wedding Reception Decor, Gold Geometric Candle Holder with Greenery
Garden Wedding Reception Decor, Unique Clear Acrylic with Green Leaf Name Place Card Signage
Garden Wedding Reception Decor, Geometric Gold Pyrimid with Single Blush Pink Rose
Romantic Bride Wearing Plunging Open Back Wedding Dress and Cowboy Monroe Rancher Hat, Groom in Emerald Green Tuxedo Jacket and Fedora Hat | St. Pete Wedding Venue Postcard Inn on the Beach | Wedding DJ Grant Hemond and Associates

What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We wanted a DJ who would keep the party going and everyone dancing the whole night. Because we had a varied age range from parents to aunts and uncles to friends our age, we needed a good blend.

We used my friend’s DJ from her wedding, Grant Hemond & Associates, and they were the easiest ever to deal with. We got a discount for booking a Monday wedding. Michelle was our contact, and she was prompt and took care of us! DJ Eric kept us dancing from the first dance until the very end!

Fun Bride Wearing Black Leather Embroidered "Wife of the Party" Jacket Over Wedding Dress and Cowboy Monroe Rancher Hat

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Use your trusted resources! Via a planner or planning company if it’s in your budget or getting creative with looking online or using your social media platforms.

Ceremony, Reception, and Caterer: Postcard Inn on the Beach *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Photographer: Kartsie Photography
Florist and Rentals: Leaf it To Us
Cake: Cassis Bakery Macaroons
DJ: Grant Hemond & Associates *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Officiant: Father of the Bride
Invitations: Basic Invite
Transportation: Affari Transportation
Dress Shop and Designer: Posh Bridal Couture (Minnesota) – Erin Cole Bridal
Shoe Designer: Sam Edelman
Hair & Makeup: Fargo Blonde
Wedding Rings, Jewelry, and Hat: Your Day by Nicole, Gigi Pip – Monroe
Groom’s Attire: Halberstadt’s On Broadway (North Dakota)
Rehearsal Dinner: Rick’s Reef
Morning of Yoga: Wendy Buck Yoga
Welcome Bags:
Laurel Ellsworth Designs

Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

*Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros are highly respected by our local wedding community and have been personally vetted by our editor.

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About the Author

Anna Coats

Marry Me Tampa Bay editor Anna Coats created Marry Me Tampa Bay in 2012 to showcase the area’s best local weddings and vendors. She has been featured as a wedding expert on the national talk show Daytime, Fox13, ABC Action News, Great Day Tampa Bay, and Bay News 9 (now Spectrum).

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