Kelsie and Ryan’s Dunedin waterfront wedding was a charming combination of traditional elements and modern touches to illustrate the couple’s lighthearted personalities. To incorporate their winter wedding theme with the natural beauty of the Florida coast, the bride and groom chose vibrant pops of purple with silver accents to create a special look.

“We were definitely not afraid to make choices that were unique to us as a couple. I dyed my hair purple, and when Ryan grew his beard out for the Lightning playoffs, he liked it so much he decided to keep it for the wedding,” Kelsie gushed. “What made our wedding unique was that we mixed traditional wedding elements, like having a full Catholic mass, but also skipped traditions that didn’t fit us as a couple like the bouquet toss. We just focused on planning a wedding that Ryan and I would enjoy and that our closest friends and families would enjoy as well.”

MORE: PURPLE WEDDING INSPIRATION 

The Lutz couple searched for a waterfront Dunedin wedding venue that would feel like a vacation for their out-of-town guests while complementing their winter wedding. To help plan for their perfect day, the bride turned to Marry Me Tampa Bay for local wedding inspiration.

“I had found a blog post about a photoshoot at Beso Del Sol on Marry Me Tampa Bay. I loved it from the first time I saw it! At first I wasn’t sure at first if the split floor-plan would work. However, once I saw the room set up with tables and chairs in it for a tasting event, Ryan and I made our decision pretty quickly. It was in such a beautiful place and conveniently located near our church and downtown Dunedin,” the bride beamed. “I loved that Beso isn’t a giant hotel that does five or six weddings every weekend, and I really appreciated the personal touches of having our wedding at a smaller hotel.”

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To curate an evening of fun and fellowship, the couple carefully chose all of the details for their Dunedin wedding day. As a local cake decorator, it was important to Kelsie that the cake be an expression of her personality.

“The entire day was so much fun, and I think that really had a lot to do with our personalities. We’re both goofy and not too serious so that was the tone we set for the wedding. We also chose music and readings during mass that were meaningful to us and our families,” the bride explained. “The cake was a very important part of the wedding and definitely an expression of my personality since I’m a cake decorator.”

As the couple reminisced on their magical day, the subtle occurrences brought the sweetest memories.

“Some of the best moments weren’t things that were planned. I loved dancing with my brothers to one of our favorite songs and when my Papa and I danced at the end of the night.  The clouds had also finally parted at sunset when Ryan and I went out to the dock to take some gorgeous photos,” Kelsie reminisced. “Another memorable moment was when my dad brought all the flowers to the room where we were getting ready and I finally got my hands on my bouquet. I couldn’t stop looking at them! I asked the florists to include some ribbon from my grandma’s bouquet when she got married over 60 years ago. She passed away last summer, and our wedding was on her birthday so it was so meaningful to remember her.”

What were your colors?
Purple and silver. Purple is a favorite color for both of us, and the silver accents were perfect for a winter wedding. We also got married during the advent season, so the church was draped in purple to represent the season. Plus, I knew I could keep my purple hair if we incorporated the color into the wedding!

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our inspiration was to have a fun, but meaningful wedding. We wanted something laid back and not too over the top, with a focus on the details that were important to us, like having an awesome cake and a rocking playlist. For design, we wanted to keep things simple, but include statement pieces like the cake, the dress, and the flowers. Our venue was naturally beautiful, and I didn’t want our decorations to compete with that.

The Proposal:
Sometime in early 2017, I began to think about proposing to Kelsie. We had a trip planned to Paris, and it had crossed my mind to pop the question somewhere in the city of lights. However under further consideration, I realized that would be setting the bar way too high for future romantic gestures, so I decided against it. Better to keep the bar low, so she would never be disappointed.

I still wanted the moment to be at least a little bit romantic, and my perfect chance came in December on a week-long cruise through the Caribbean. I decided that I wanted to propose early in the trip so that we could spend the rest of the trip celebrating. Our first full day at sea, I took Kelsie to the fourth nicest restaurant on the ship, and we had an excellent dinner. Afterward, we wandered around the ship, as I looked for the perfect spot to get down on one knee.

After unsuccessfully and awkwardly searching for a romantic and private spot for about 20 minutes (they pack way too many people onto those ships), Kelsie had started to complain that the wind on the deck was messing up her hair and that her heels were really killing her feet. I still wanted to propose that night, but I reluctantly agreed to head back to the cabin.

We got back to the cabin and sat at the foot of the bed.

Kelsie asked me, “So what do you want to do tonight?”

After a long pause, I replied, “I want to do this.”

I proposed right there in the room, no colorful sunset, no picturesque ocean horizon, and definitely no Eiffel Tower. It was clear afterward that none of that would have mattered, because the one thing I’ll never forget is Kelsie answering, “Of course!”

What did you look for in a wedding venue?
For our reception, we wanted an indoor venue that was waterfront with a great view. We wanted a location that wasn’t too busy or crowded, near lots of amenities for our guests, and that didn’t need too much decorating.

I loved Beso Del Sol from the first time I saw it! At first if the split floor-plan would work, however, once I saw the room set up with tables and chairs in it for a tasting event, Ryan and I made our decision pretty quickly. It was in such a beautiful place and conveniently located near our church and downtown Dunedin. All of the staff I had met were so friendly and attentive. Pam was incredibly helpful throughout the process answering all of my questions. I’ve never planned a wedding before so I asked a lot of things that were probably obvious to someone who does weddings for a living! I loved that Beso isn’t a giant hotel that does five or six weddings every weekend, and I really appreciated the personal touches of having our wedding at a smaller hotel

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Have fun with the process! It’s such a big event and can definitely be stressful but we leaned on each other a lot and tried not to take things too seriously. Some things might go wrong (maybe it will rain on your wedding day), but we just always tried to laugh about it and have fun. If it does rain, take some awesome pictures with our photographer’s clear umbrella! Also, indoor venues are underrated in Florida!

Ceremony Venue: Our Lady of Lourdes
Reception Venue: Beso Del Sol Resort *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Venue
Photographer: K&K Photography
Planner: Days Remembered
Florist: Jennie’s Florist
Caterer: Delectables Fine Catering
Cake: Hands on Sweets
DJ: Adam Goldstein
Officiant: Fr. Gary Dowsey
Transportation: Jolley Trolley
Dress Shop: The White Closet Bridal
Bridesmaid Dress Shop: David’s Bridal
Makeup: Courtney Dover
Hair: Moda Milano Salon (Style) and Noir Beauty Bar (Color)