Moroccan Ethnic Downtown St. Pete Wedding | NOVA 535 Wedding
Brandi and Imad’s downtown St. Pete wedding reflected the groom’s culture through the music, food and bright color palette,
“Our wedding had an elegant Moroccan-inspired theme with rich colors, Arabic music and subtle hints of Moroccan cuisine,” the bride shared. “Imad is from Morocco, and I have always been a fan of Moroccan décor and colors.”
The Hudson couple searched for unique Tampa Bay wedding venues and honed in on downtown St. Pete.
“We looked for something different than the typical banquet space or ballroom. We love the downtown St. Pete area and specifically fell in love with the uniqueness and warmth of our venue,” Brandi explained. “We chose NOVA 535 because the venue was so warm and inviting during our initial visit. We fell in love with the bamboo courtyard with all of the lights and knew it would be a perfect location for our ceremony. For the reception space, we loved the warmth of the exposed brick and wood flooring. It was the perfect venue for us.”
To keep their big day stress-free, the bride and groom hired St. Petersburg wedding planner Exquisite Events.
“We looked for [a wedding planner] who would allow us to focus on enjoying our wedding, instead of stressing about making sure things would run smoothly. We also looked for someone who could help us finish the final details of our wedding and pull it all together in the end,” the bride explained. “From the first phone conversation, we knew Ashley [of Exquisite Events] would be the perfect fit for our wedding and that we would work well together. She exceeded all of our expectations, and I would have to say choosing Exquisite Events was one of the best decisions we made because she and her “day of” assistant were awesome!”
To execute their Moroccan-inspired theme, the pair hired trusted St. Petersburg wedding florist Iza’s Flowers.
“We wanted someone who we trusted could pull off the vision we had for our flowers and overall wedding design, as well as someone was professional, friendly and easy to work with,” Brandi said. “When picking a florist we always had Iza’s Flowers as our number one choice specifically because Imad has been friends with her for many years. Most importantly, we love her as a person, and she exceeded all of our expectations and made our day so perfect and special. She created the vision we had for our wedding perfectly.”
Looking back, one of the bride and groom’s most cherished memories came at the start of their ceremony.
“The most memorable moment for our wedding was seeing each other for the first time at the ceremony. We chose to not do a first look because we wanted the first time we saw each other to be when the doors opened, and we were on other side of the aisle. That moment was priceless,” Brandi reminisced.
What was your wedding day hair and makeup inspiration?
I wanted something classic and timeless for my hairstyle. I wanted a bold but bridal look for my makeup.
From the initial point of correspondence, Michele Renee the Studio was so easy to work with and accommodating. After my hair and makeup trial run with Darlene, I didn’t need to look anywhere else for someone to create a more perfect look for our wedding. She was amazing and such a fun person to work with. The look she created on my wedding day was beyond my expectations, and I have already recommended Michele Renee The Studio to a friend for her wedding day!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We looked for something different than the typical banquet space or ballroom. We wanted a venue that was warm and inviting. We also wanted to be close enough to where we, and most of our guests, live. We love the downtown St. Pete area and specifically fell in love with the uniqueness and warmth of our venue.
We chose NOVA 535 because the venue was so warm and inviting during our initial visit. We also fell in love with the bamboo courtyard with all of the lights and knew it would be a perfect location for our ceremony. For the reception space, we loved the warmth of the exposed brick and wood flooring. It was the perfect venue for us. Their service was phenomenal leading up to our wedding and especially on our wedding day. I cannot say enough amazing things about NOVA 535 and the service they provided.
What did you look for in a wedding rental company?
We looked for quality rentals and on-time delivery. Signature Event Rentals came highly recommended, and they did not disappoint. The rentals were in perfect condition and everything went off without a hitch. They provided great service and were wonderful to work with.
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
We looked for someone who would allow us to focus on enjoying our wedding, instead of stressing about making sure things would run smoothly. We also looked for someone who could help us finish the final details of our wedding and pull it all together in the end.
Ashley [of Exquisite Events] was highly recommended by one of our vendors who we trusted the opinion of highly, and she couldn’t have been more right! From the first phone conversation, we knew she would be the perfect fit for our wedding and that we would work well together. She exceeded all of our expectations, and I would have to say choosing Exquisite Events was one of the best decisions we made because she and her day of assistant were awesome!
The Proposal:
Imad proposed where our relationship all began. We took a short weekend cruise with friends, and on our last evening we decided to take pictures in an area that was recreated to look like Central Park. He dropped to one knee and asked me to be his wife while surrounded by friends. It was the best place for a proposal since we initially met on a cruise eight years prior. It was perfect!
How would you describe your theme?
Our wedding had an elegant Moroccan-inspired theme with rich colors, Arabic music, and subtle hints of Moroccan cuisine. We wanted to incorporate part of the groom’s culture into our wedding since he is from Morocco, and I have always been a fan of Moroccan décor and colors.
What were your colors?
We chose rich vibrant jeweled colors such as purples, magentas, oranges, and turquoise. In typical Moroccan fashion, the rich colors were accented with gold. Purple was our main color because it is my favorite color and played into the Moroccan theme perfectly. We wanted bright colors to offset the venue’s wood flooring and brick floors.
What did you look for in a wedding florist?
We wanted someone who we trusted could pull off the vision we had for our flowers and overall wedding design, as well as someone who was professional, friendly and easy to work with.
When picking a florist we always had Iza’s Flowers as our number one choice specifically because the groom has been friends with her for many years. We love her work and professionalism. Most importantly, we love her as a person, and she exceeded all of our expectations and made our day so perfect and special. She created the vision we had for our wedding perfectly.
What did you look for in a wedding caterer?
When searching for a wedding caterer we looked for someone who would work with us to create a menu that would be able to incorporate a touch of Moroccan cuisine and execute it well. Most importantly, we wanted great tasting food that was not your typical wedding catering.
Sherri [of Olympia Catering] worked with us to help create the perfect menu for our special day. We love great food and after our tasting we realized that we did not need to look anywhere else. The entire experience with Olympia was phenomenal from the start to the amazing service provided for our guests at our wedding. All of our guests talked about how wonderful the food and service were at our wedding.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Try to enjoy the entire process even though the planning can be very stressful. I highly recommend hiring a wedding coordinator early in the planning process in order to relieve some unnecessary stress. Research vendors thoroughly and get referrals from vendors you hirer along the way; they can be a wealth of knowledge.
Ceremony and Reception Venue: NOVA 535 *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Venue
Photographer: Jonathan Fanning Studio and Gallery
Videographer: Trinity Wedding Cinema
Planner: Exquisite Events – Ashley Radtke
Caterer: Olympia Catering *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Chair Rentals: Signature Event Rentals
Linen Rentals: Connie Duglin Linens
Cake: Sweet Tweets Cakery
DJ: DJ Jaey
Officiant: Sensational Ceremonies
Invitations: Etsy
Dress Shop and Designer: Something New Bridal Boutique – Narin Moda (ceremony); The White Magnolia – Mikaella Bridal (reception)
Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: Dessy Collection
Hair & Makeup: Michele Renee The Studio *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
