Christa and Mike's garden-inspired outdoor St. Petersburg wedding combined crisp white hues and accents of pink that channeled the climbing bougainvillea hedge wall of their secluded, lush venue. The couple exchanged vows in a verdant paradise before dining and dancing with friends and family under a canopy tent bedecked in strands of greenery and twinkling lights.
“Our inspiration was simple, clean, and elegant, with a little pop of fun and color. We didn't want to detract from the beauty of the garden venue, “the bride shared. “We went pink bougainvillea-inspired to tie into the natural beauty of the venue.”
The North Carolina couple sought a creative St. Pete wedding planner to guide them in planning their dream nuptials with their 80 closest guests. Delaney Driver, owner of Wilder Mind Events, and 2023 Best of the Bay wedding planner, embodied the perfect combination of approachability, thoroughness, and organization.
“I looked for someone down to earth but super into the details. We wanted someone who aligned with our own personalities and understood where we were coming from. We loved working with Wilder Mind Events!” Christa beamed. “Delaney is awesome and did a great job, especially on the day of to ensure our big day went smoothly, despite all the behind-the-scenes chaos that inevitably happens with weddings.”
Not only did the planner assist with organization, but she also made design recommendations as the couple's wedding inspiration evolved.
“Fun fact: the color palette was originally all neutrals and whites. After about a year of planning, Christa saw some inspiration with pink in it, and she joined the colorful side!” Delaney detailed. “We were really focused on adding in those pink tones but not going crazy with the color so that it was complementing the garden and not competing with it. In order to accomplish this, we kept the linens white, and the flowers had shades of pink, some softer and some brighter so that it didn't get too pink. The hanging dance floor install was just breathtaking and was a dramatic piece that truly created a whimsical and magical look.”
As self-proclaimed music lovers, the couple wanted to personalize the wedding experience to reflect their relationship and individual tastes so that their celebration would be authentically ‘them.' Christa and Mike turned to Graingertainment to set the tone for the evening and keep everyone in party mode throughout the reception. Everyone mingled on the dance floor under a stunning colorful display of suspended flora and greenery.
“We incorporated our personalities through music! We love to dance, and our personalities shined through the music we selected from the pre-ceremony all the way to the post-dinner dance floor playlist.” the bride detailed. “We wanted someone who was professional and who would be able to get everyone on the dance floor! DJ Dylan from Graingertainment was awesome!”
While the visual wedding design reflected the couple's personalities, the intimate experience they created for the guests truly matched their personalities.
“No detail was left out, but they kept things simple and focused on what was really important, celebrating their marriage. Their focus wasn't elaborate centerpieces or wild entertainment; it was spending the most quality time they could with the guests that came to support their marriage,” the wedding planner revealed. “The overall design leaned into the intimacy of this wedding day and really put the focus on the couple by keeping things not too distracting and creating a space for people to gather and celebrate love. Christa and Mike are beautiful people inside and out, they are kind-hearted, funny, laid-back, and just a really fun time to be around, so being able to create a classy laid-back space that matched the couple's personality was the ultimate achievement.”
Christa relished the opportunities to be present throughout the wedding day and truly appreciated the experiences, including an unforgettable moment during the pair's garden ceremony.
“The little moments we got to spend together throughout the day to really soak it all in were truly memorable,” the bride recalled. “Having butterflies floating around us while we were reading our private vows was the most unreal and perfect moment.”
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
I looked for someone down to earth but super into the details. We wanted someone who aligned with our own personalities and understood where we were coming from.
We loved working with Wilder Mind Events! Delaney is awesome and did a great job, especially on the day of to ensure our big day went smoothly, despite all the behind-the-scenes chaos that inevitably happens with weddings.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We have planned our honeymoon for Portugal.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our inspiration was simple, clean, and elegant, with a little pop of fun and color. We didn't want to detract from the beauty of the garden venue.
What were your colors?
We went pink bougainvillea-inspired to tie into the natural beauty of the venue.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We incorporated our personalities through music! We love to dance, and our personalities shined through the music we selected from the pre-ceremony all the way to the post-dinner dance floor playlist.
We wanted someone who was professional and who would be able to get everyone on the dance floor! DJ Dylan from Graingertainment was awesome!
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Everyone loved the food, the florals were beautiful, and the venue was great.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Let go of the things that don't really matter at the end of the day. Don't let silly little details take over your mind so that you lose focus on why you're really here!
