Brie and Ismael
“I absolutely love flowers so I chose ‘garden party’ as our theme. I am a very detail-oriented person, and I knew the little things were going to matter to me. I enjoyed picking out décor that would bring my garden party vision together. My favorite color is pink, so I chose a pastel color palette.” -The Bride
FEATURING
Brie and Ismael’s romantic garden Tampa wedding came to life with an abundance of colorful pastel flowers, numerous candles, and beautiful uplighting. The combination of these elements with the exposed brick and natural beauty of their historic venue created a visually stunning atmosphere.
“I absolutely love flowers, so I chose ‘garden party’ as our theme,” the bride beamed. “I am a very detail-oriented person and I knew the little things were going to matter to me. I enjoyed picking out décor that would bring my garden party vision together. My favorite color is pink, so I chose a pastel color palette.”
The October ceremony and reception were held in the historic two-story ballroom at the Hotel Haya, adorned with blown glass chandeliers and abundant florals, in front of 74 friends and family members. The Orlando couple selected the boutique hotel because it exceeded all their requirements with its appearance and service.
“We wanted something that was indoors and somewhat of a blank canvas so we could really customize our wedding with décor. It was extremely important to have a venue that makes the food onsite that had a good menu that wasn’t your typical ‘wedding food,’” the bride explained. “We only toured one other venue, but we knew before stepping into Hotel Haya that it was going to be our venue! I fell in love with everything about it! The ballroom is absolutely breathtaking. I love that they preserved its history by keeping the brick walls and not making it feel industrial. We felt the venue represented both of us with its modern charm. The service was phenomenal, and I recommend Hotel Haya to all of my brides! I always hear couples say they didn’t get to eat on their wedding day, so I especially appreciated the catering manager personally taking care of us to make sure we ate and were well taken care of throughout dinner. “
As a bridal shop owner, Brie already had connections with some of the vendors she chose for her wedding. She also utilized the Marry Me Tampa Bay website for venue-specific inspiration.
“I receive all the emails from Marry Me Tampa Bay and love reading other couples’ love stories and seeing their wedding vision come together,” the bride shared. “I loved seeing other couples that got married at Hotel Haya and seeing how they made their wedding special for them.”
It was important to the couple to include their beloved pets in the wedding. With a personal connection to Fairytail Pet Care, the bride felt confident that her fur babies would be well taken care of.
“We wanted someone who could be trusted with our girls. Emma, our Basset Hound, is quite the escape artist, and with our venue being on a busy road, we wanted them to be safe,” the bride revealed. “I personally know Ilana and knew my girls would be in good hands with her and her team at Fairytail Pet Care. Emma and Zoe had the best time with them and probably would have gone home with them if we let them! Our pictures with Emma and Zoe are phenomenal because they were able to get their attention and pose all of us (something I have never been able to do with them).”
The bride wore a stunning long-sleeve off-the-shoulder gown by Maggie Sottero and styled her hair in a romantic updo with soft tendrils cascading down. She wore enchanting sandals featuring a snow globe heel with a wedding cake inside, designed by Kate Spade.
Brie and Ismael incorporated several unique elements into their wedding to make it more personalized.
“We first met on a Carnival cruise and got married exactly ten years later,” the bride beamed. “We displayed a life-size print of the very first photo we took together on that cruise at our wedding. We also had our cocktail hour in a coffee shop. Our guests know we are big coffee drinkers and visiting different local shops is our thing. We made little gift bags of coffee beans for our guests to take home. I made a short video that included videos from when we first started dating up until the proposal that was played on a projector right before we were introduced for the reception.”
In the quiet, intimate moments before the ceremony, Brie’s mother lovingly helped her into her gown, a sacred moment filled with emotion and significance, which became a cherished memory for the bride.
“The most memorable moment for me was when I got in my dress with my mom,” the bride reminisced. “It was such an emotional moment, and I’m forever grateful that it was shared just between the two of us.”
What did you look for in a wedding pet care service?
We wanted someone who could be trusted with our girls. Emma, our Basset Hound, is quite the escape artist, and with our venue being on a busy road, we wanted them to be safe. I personally know Ilana and knew my girls would be in good hands with her and her team at Fairytail Pet Care.
Emma and Zoe had the best time with them and probably would have gone home with them if we let them! Our pictures with Emma and Zoe are phenomenal because they were able to get their attention and pose all of us (something I have never been able to do with them).
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We are actually taking our honeymoon in May! We are visiting Italy and Amsterdam. We have been to both countries and loved them both but went during their winter, so we are going back for warmer weather!
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
We went to New York City! I knew there would be so many things to do and good food!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We wanted something that was indoors and somewhat of a blank canvas so we could really customize our wedding with décor. It was extremely important to have a venue that makes the food onsite that had a good menu that wasn’t your typical ‘wedding food.’
We only toured one other venue, but we knew before stepping into Hotel Haya that it was going to be our venue! I fell in love with everything about it! The ballroom is absolutely breathtaking. I love that they preserved its history by keeping the brick walls and not making it feel industrial. We felt the venue represented both of us with its modern charm. The service was phenomenal, and I recommend Hotel Haya to all of my brides! I always hear couples say they didn’t get to eat on their wedding day, so I especially appreciated the catering manager personally taking care of us to make sure we ate and were well taken care of throughout dinner.
The Proposal:
Ismael completely caught me (and our entire family) off guard by proposing at home on Christmas. It was my idea to get a family picture (me, him, Zoe, and Emma), and when we finished taking pictures, he got down on one knee. No one knew he would be proposing that day, so it was just as surprising to our friends and family as it was to me.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
I absolutely love flowers so I chose ‘garden party’ as our theme. I am a very detail-oriented person, and I knew the little things were going to matter to me. I enjoyed picking out décor that would bring my garden party vision together.
What were your colors?
My favorite color is pink, so I chose a pastel color palette.
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Our florist! I knew the florals would be beautiful, but I wasn’t prepared for how stunning the arrangements would be! Johnny helped me design the entire wedding, down to the linens. Our day would not have been the same without his guidance and design expertise.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Trust the vendors you hire! They are passionate about what they do and understand your vision. Let them take care of the rest, and don’t stress the small stuff.
