Lisa and Nate’s downtown St. Pete wedding captured their fun-loving personalities with sweet personal vows, subtle hints of Florida charm and lots of getting down on the dance floor. Sticking to their timeless ambiance, the Seminole couple chose a color palette of green, blue and gold to complement their gold geometric centerpieces with tropical foliage.
“We really wanted something that represented Florida, but was modern and timeless at the same time,” Lisa shared. “Our palm theme perfectly embodied our vision of classic elegance with gold geometric accents, picturesque views of St. Pete, and plenty of unique details! Nate loves fly fishing, so it was really fun for us to incorporate that into our celebration. He tied small flies for each of the groomsmen’s boutonnière and a blue fly for my bouquet!”
MORE: DOWNTOWN ST. PETE WEDDINGS
Envisioning a unique wedding venue that was close to the downtown St. Pete waterfront and easily accessible to their guests, the bride and groom chose The Poynter Institute.
“The Poynter Institute checked every box. The space was beautiful, and there were plenty of bathrooms and parking for all of our guests during the ceremony. We loved the exposed beams and floor to ceiling windows that overlooked our ceremony site. An added bonus was the fact that our reception space was directly across the street from our ceremony! This made it so convenient for our guests,” the bride gushed. “The facility provided tables and set up the room based on our layout the night before. They were also flexible with letting us drop things off in advance.
“The Poynter Institute had so much extra charm,” Lisa added. “We loved the reflection pool in front of the courtyard where we held our cocktail hour and felt like the venue was so fitting because I’m a former journalist. It made it even more special to get married somewhere where the main purpose is to fortify journalism’s role in a free society.”
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In search of vendor recommendations and inspiration, Lisa and Nate turned to Marry Me Tampa Bay for wedding planning advice.
“Marry Me Tampa Bay helped us vet our vendors and feel confident about the choices we were making,” the bride shared. “Most of us are going through the wedding planning process for the first time, and it’s so helpful to have that reassurance from a trusted source. Using Marry Me Tampa Bay was a great way for me to research some of the vendors I chose like Kéra Photography and our hair and makeup artist.”
As the big day approached, Lisa and Nate knew that they wanted a St. Pete wedding photographer who could capture every detail of their fun-loving, quirky personalities.
“We hired Kéra Photography after she showed us an entire portfolio she completed for a couple she had previously worked with. Anyone can select a few amazing pictures for a portfolio, but her work delivered,” the bride gushed. “She was so personable on the phone and really put Nate at ease. That was huge. Kéra was wonderful, and we felt like we gained a friend in the process, along with tons of amazing visual memories!”
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Since their venue allowed outside catering, Lisa and Nate were able to select someone who offered menu customization and top-notch service.
“Lynn’s Catering made our experience amazing by staying within our budget and incorporating vegetarian options. Lynn also worked closely with us on our menu planning and even gave us a private tasting with our specific menu!” the bride beamed.
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Looking back on their waterfront celebration, Lisa will never forget the feeling that overcame her when she finally got to see her groom.
“The most memorable moment was walking down the aisle and finally locking eyes with Nate,” the bride gushed. “I had been feeling anxious all day and just wanted to get things started. There was a bit of confusion with what song I was supposed to walk down the aisle to moments before that had me in a tizzy, but that all melted away when I saw Nate’s beaming smile and tears welling up in his eyes.”
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We went with a palm theme with gold geometric accents. We wanted something that represented Florida, but was modern and timeless.
What were your colors?
Green and blue, with accents of gold to complement our decorations throughout the ceremony and reception.
The Proposal:
We have this theory that we met in the eighth grade. Nate would spend most of his days skateboarding downtown, and I would spend my time looking for cute skater dudes. We have a shared memory of four guys meeting a group of four girls in downtown St. Petersburg on Williams Park Stage. We remain convinced we met that day. Nate took me back to Williams Park under the guise of looking for a rock for our collection, and while I was looking for a rock, Nate offered one of his own and proposed on the same stage we think we met!
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
We wanted a photographer whose product would stand the test of time. We aren’t super serious people, so finding someone who could show what made our relationship special was important. Our personalities are both quirky, fun and funky, and we wanted an aesthetic which reflected that!
I want to learn more about Kéra Photography
We hired Kéra Photography after she showed us an entire portfolio she completed for a couple she had previously worked with (soup to nuts). Anyone can select a few amazing pictures for a portfolio, but her work delivered. She was so personable on the phone and really put Nate at ease. That was huge. Kéra was wonderful, and we felt like we gained a friend in the process, along with tons of amazing visual memories!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We wanted a unique waterfront wedding venue that had not been used by our friends, was close to downtown St. Pete and had parking that was close to our ceremony site or had the ability to house both our ceremony and reception at the same place. We also wanted the freedom to bring in our own vendors and supply our own alcohol.
Send me pricing and availability for the Poynter Institute.
The Poynter Institute checked every box. The space was beautiful, and there was plenty of bathrooms and parking for all of our guests during the ceremony. We loved the exposed beams and floor to ceiling windows that overlooked our ceremony site. The fact that our reception space was directly across the street from our ceremony made it so convenient for guests. The facility provided tables and set up the room based on our layout the night before. They were also flexible with letting us drop things off in advance.
The Poynter Institute had so much extra charm. We loved the reflection pool in front of the courtyard where we held our cocktail hour and felt like the venue was so fitting because I’m a former journalist. It made it even more special to get married somewhere where the main purpose is to fortify journalism’s role in a free society!
What was your wedding menu inspiration?
Lynn’s Catering made our experience amazing by staying within our budget and incorporating vegetarian options. Lynn also worked closely with us on our menu planning and even gave us a private tasting with our specific menu!
I want to learn more about Catering from Lynn’s Catering of Tampa.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
I wish that I didn’t get so in the weeds with planning that I could have enjoyed the process more. Our wedding went off without a hitch, but I wish I was less-stressed in the months leading up to the big day. It’s such a special time in your life, and you only get to do it once, so live it up! Although, it’s easy advice to follow on your actual day, enjoy the little moments as an engaged couple. This could even mean focusing on non-wedding things as well. I loved the book, A Practical Wedding by Meg Keene because it helped me focus on the bigger picture, not the little things no one will notice. At the end of it all, you remember how the day felt more than how it looked. Hold on to that!
Venue: The Poynter Institute *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Photographer: Kera Photography *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Videographer: Labif Filmhouse
Florist: Rose Garden Florist
Caterer: Lynn’s Catering *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Cake: Publix
DJ: Fast Breaks Entertainment
Officiant: Family Friend
Invitations: Shutterfly
Dress Shop and Designer: The Dressing Room – Stella York
Bridesmaid Dress Shop: David’s Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Destiny & Light Hair and Makeup Group
