Wedding

Pink and White Tropical Clearwater Wedding | Harborside Chapel

Rosie and Casey's Clearwater wedding featured an Asian fusion ceremony followed by an oceanfront reception adorned with tropical greenery, striking white flowers, and subtle shades of pink.

“We used the coined Marie Kondo motto, ‘Does it spark joy?,' and Yes, everything we picked out sparked joy! Growing up in Maryland I was never surrounded by tropical weather. I have been in love with tropical weather for a very long time. When my fiancé and I decided to move to Florida, I decided that the best theme would be tropical, and he loved the idea. We even got palm tree tattoos to celebrate the big day,” Rosie revealed. “We picked white, dusty rose, gold, and nude as our colors.”

Looking for a ceremony space that embodied their new Florida home. The couple booked a tour of Harborside Chapel as soon as they relocated to the area. The bright, light-filled venue was perfect for their May ceremony.

“We wanted a place that accurately portrayed the reason why we moved to Florida in the first place. If we were going to ask our friends and family to travel 500-900 miles away to attend our wedding, it had to be spectacular,” the bride shared. “We saw an ad for Harborside Chapel, and the second day we moved to Florida, we booked an appointment to go see it, and fell in love. The staff was super friendly and helpful, the venue was gorgeous and simple, and the ceremony was lovely.”

Rosie incorporated her Vietnamese background by participating in a traditional tea ceremony during the wedding. The fusion of cultures made for an unforgettable experience for their 110 guests.

“What made the wedding unique is that we incorporated a mini-tea ceremony in the wedding,” the bride reflected. “Typically in Vietnamese culture, there is a tea ceremony that takes place instead of a typical church ceremony. However, we wanted to blend our two backgrounds together by having a tea ceremony and a traditional ceremony.”

The bride prioritized a photography team with years of experience who could capture the events as they unfolded naturally with a timeless portfolio of images.

“We looked for professionalism, editing skills, and flexibility. Our photographers from Lifelong Photography Studios were great,” Rosie raved. “All of our photos look so candid, and that's what we were looking for.”

To complement her Florida beach reception, the bride selected a long flowing hairstyle with a tropical flower tucked behind one ear and a natural makeup style.

Savannah Olivia Beauty Boutique was very helpful and professional. I enjoyed how Savannah did my makeup more than other artists. She and her team did a great job,” the bride raved.

A wardrobe snafu by the groom resulted in one of the most memorable moments shared by the couple.

“My husband had forgotten his tuxedo at home and so he had to borrow an extra suit from one of the groomsmen who accidentally ordered two tuxedos. We spent weeks finding his perfect wedding suit, getting it altered, and then dry-cleaning it, all so he could accidentally leave it back at home!” Rosie exclaimed. “After we had finished walking down the aisle, I took one look at his tuxedo and said, ‘Hey, nice tux.' We both busted out laughing and he finally told me the whole story about why our planner was freaking out. To be fair the suit that he ended up wearing was extraordinarily similar to the actual tuxedo he was supposed to wear, so it wasn't all that noticeable. Shout out to her for keeping me blissfully out of the loop on that whole situation.”

Modern Pink and Gold Wedding Invitations
Sweetheart Neckline Lace Ballgown on Hanger Portrait | Lifelong Photography
Bride with Wedding Dress Getting Ready on Her Wedding Day Portrait | Lifelong Photography
Bride and Bridesmaids Getting Ready in Silk Pink Robes Portraits | Lifelong Photography
Bridal Portrait of Modern Bride with Headpiece | Tampa Hair and Makeup Savannah Olivia Beauty Boutique | Tampa Photographer Lifelong Photography

What was your wedding beauty inspiration?

Honestly, I didn't really have one. I just wanted to look pretty on my big day.

Savannah Olivia Beauty Boutique was very helpful and professional. I enjoyed how Savannah did my makeup more than other artists. She and her team did a great job.

Bridal Portrait of Modern Bride with Headpiece | Tampa Hair and Makeup Savannah Olivia Beauty Boutique | Tampa Photographer Lifelong Photography | Harborside Chapel
Groom Black Shoes and Bow Tie with Chanel Cologne
Groom Getting Ready in Blue Tux Wedding Portrait | Tampa Photographer Lifelong Photography
Florida Church Wedding Tampa Harborside Chapel
Church Wedding Ceremony Tampa Florida Harborside Chapel
Florida Church Wedding Tampa Harborside Chapel

What did you look for in a wedding venue?

We wanted a place that accurately portrayed the reason why we moved to Florida in the first place. If we were going to ask our friends and family to travel 500-900 miles away to attend our wedding, it had to be spectacular.

We saw an ad for Harborside Chapel, and the second day we moved to Florida, we booked an appointment to go see it, and fell in love. The staff was super friendly and helpful, the venue was gorgeous and simple, and the ceremony was lovely.

Bride Walking Down the Aisle with Father of the Bride | Tampa Lifelong Photography
Church Wedding Ceremony Tampa Florida Harborside Chapel
Church Wedding Ceremony Tampa Florida Harborside Chapel
Bride and Groom First Kiss at the Alter | Harborside Chapel Tampa Wedding Venue | Lifelong Photography
Bride and Groom Just Married Wedding Portrait | Harborside Chapel Tampa Wedding Venue | Lifelong Photography
Bride and Groom Alter Wedding Portrait | Harborside Chapel Tampa Wedding Venue | Lifelong Photography
Bride and Groom Alter Wedding Portrait | Harborside Chapel Tampa Wedding Venue | Lifelong Photography
Bride in Classic Glam Hair and Makeup Holding White Calla Lily Bouquet | Tampa Hair and Makeup Artist Savannah Olivia Beauty Boutique

The Proposal:
We were traveling in Vietnam, and Casey rented out the pool deck of the hotel we were staying at. At night we went up to the roof and had drinks, then he proposed over the skyline. The only thing is that the ring that he had custom-made was not shipped in time, so when we got home, he proposed again with the ring.

Bride and Bridesmaids in Pale Pink Wedding Portrait | Lifelong Photography

Where did you host your bachelorette party?
St. Pete Beach. My friends are all from Maryland and this was a great place for them to come and visit. We rented an Airbnb and had a fantastic time going to Tampa, downtown St. Pete, and the beach.

Bride and Groom Intimate Wedding Portrait | Tampa Florida Wedding Photographer Lifelong Photography
Bride and Groom Intimate Wedding Portrait | Tampa Florida Wedding Photographer Lifelong Photography
Bride and Groom Intimate Wedding Portrait | Tampa Florida Wedding Photographer Lifelong Photography
Bride and Groom Beach Wedding Portrait | Florida Wedding Photographer Lifelong Photography

What did you look for in a wedding photographer?

We looked for professionalism, editing skills, and flexibility.

Our photographers from Lifelong Photography Studios were great. All of our photos look so candid, and that's what we were looking for.

Bride and Groom Beach Wedding Portrait | Florida Wedding Photographer Lifelong Photography
Bride and Groom Beach Wedding Portrait | Florida Wedding Photographer Lifelong Photography
Bride and Groom Beach Wedding Portrait | Florida Wedding Photographer Lifelong Photography
Creative and Modern Wedding Seating Chart
Sweetheart Table with Greenery Wall, White Linen, and Initials Signs | Tampa Wedding Rentals Gabro Event Services
Modern Tablescape with Tall Gold Centerpieces with Greenery and White Flowers and Woven Chargers
Woven Charger with Gold Flatware with Asian Inspired Fans | Gabro Event Services
Monogramed Fan Party Favor for Wedding Guest
Modern Tablescape and Table Numbers with Tall Gold Centerpieces with Greenery and White Flowers and Woven Chargers

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?

We used the coined Marie Kondo motto, “Does it spark joy?,” and Yes, everything we picked out sparked joy!

Growing up in Maryland I was never surrounded by tropical weather. I have been in love with tropical weather for a very long time. When my fiancé and I decided to move to Florida, I decided that the best theme would be tropical, and he loved the idea. We even got palm tree tattoos to celebrate the big day.'

What were your colors?

White, dusty rose, gold, and nude.

Modern Tablescape and Table Numbers with Tall Gold Centerpieces with Greenery and White Flowers and Woven Chargers
Woven Charger with Gold Flatware with Asian Inspired Fans | Gabro Event Services

What did you look for in a wedding DJ? 
We wanted someone who could read the room very well and play appropriate music to enhance the mood. Our families have a mix of older adults as well as children and so we made sure to have our DJ from Grant Hemond & Associates play the music that was appropriate for all age groups.

Classic and Elegant Two Tier Wedding Cake with Calla Lily on Top

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Make sure you hire a planner. They are so worth the money.

Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

Vendor Credits

 

Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pros

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