Megan and Zach's rustic Dade City wedding combined romantic hues of blush and ivory accented with natural greenery and wood furnishings amongst a canopy of oak trees and a pine-clad barn. Guests enjoyed lakefront views, dined under strands of bistro lights, and even sipped on Kentucky mule cocktails named after the couple's cat.
“I wanted soft romance with our colors, candles, and natural wood everywhere and letting the natural beauty of the venue shine through,” the bride revealed. “My dream color palette was always blush pink, light grey, and greenery, with romance everywhere. I am obsessed with pink, and they felt so natural and romantic and truly just spoke to me.”
While planning her destination wedding, theFort Lauderdale bride relied on Marry Me Tampa Bay for local wedding inspiration and advice.
“I loved reading the articles and seeing all other brides in the Tampa area, plus seeing their recommendations was super helpful!” Megan raved. “The most important thing for our wedding was our vows and our ceremony. Zach and I have been together since we were 16, and we both have been through many tests and trials in our seven year relationship. We both had been dreaming of this day, so just truly having a ceremony where the love was a present was all we could ever dream for.”
TheSouth Florida couple was unable to find the ideal barn venue they envisioned, so they expanded their search to the Tampa Bay area and immediately fell in love with Covington Farm for its breathtaking setting and attentive service.
“We looked specifically for a barn wedding venue that felt like you were transported out of Florida! Covington Farm was love at first sight and truly felt as if I was a part of the family,” Megan beamed. “The venue already provided so much of the décor without us doing much! They went above and beyond in everything they did with our wedding process; any question we had they were there to help! Barbara, the owner, truly has the kindest heart and just wanted to make sure everything was perfect for us. By the end of our wedding, we were calling them family.”
The bride and groom incorporated special touches and personal details throughout their celebration to provide a unique experience for their 200 guests who were traveling to the Tampa Bay area for their rustic wedding.
“The whole experience of the wedding was very unique, not many of my friends or family had ever been to a barn wedding,” Megan shared. “We incorporated our personalities into our wedding with small details everywhere you looked. We wanted our guests to be reminded. ‘Oh hey, we're at Zach and Megan's wedding!' Our signature drink was named after our cat, ‘The Jameson.' We also had signature cocktail cups and koozies. We incorporated a wine ritual into our ceremony since we are both winos! We tried to incorporate little details everywhere from being greeted by a champagne wall the moment guests got off the bus to #knechted hashtag signs (a play on our last name) on display.”
Megan recalled her walk down the aisle as her favorite memory of the day as their seven-year relationship flashed before her eyes, making her realize the profoundness of that moment.
“Our most memorable moment was when the doors opened, and I first got to see Zach. It felt like it was just the two of us on that long walk and the world just stopped,” the bride reminisced. “It reminded me of the first time I saw him when I was 16, and the fact that we really made it here to today; through high school and long-distance, we made it here.”
“We discovered Covington Farms, and it was absolute love at first sight. It truly makes you feel you are not in Florida and have been transported to this beautiful, elegant, breathtaking venue. There was truly nowhere else I would get married.
Covington Farm went above and beyond in everything they did with our wedding process; any question we had they were there to help! Barbara, the owner, truly has the kindest heart and just wanted to make sure everything was perfect for us. By the end of our wedding, we were calling them family.”
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We looked specifically for a barn wedding venue that felt like you were transported out of Florida! We currently live in Fort Lauderdale, FL but we both have always dreamed about having a dream barn wedding. No matter where we looked in South Florida we never found something we truly fell in love with.
The Proposal:
Our proposal was actually a very funny story! We were still dating long distance at the time and wanted to have a special date night. We got dressed up and wanted to go to a fancy restaurant since we don't get to do that very often. Well, we got dressed up and drove all the way to dinner just for us both to not have our wallets. Turns out it was all a part of his plan. We missed our whole reservation so all I wanted to do was just go home and get pizza. Turns out when we got home I opened the door and the hallway was lit up with rose petals candles and our song was playing – it was stunning!
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We spent our honeymoon in Wyoming! We wanted something different. We didn't want to go somewhere tropical because we grew up in South Florida! We wanted somewhere we could go hiking, white water rafting, ride horses, etc. – things we can not do on a daily routine. It was the most amazing, romantic trip of our life and we highly recommend everyone visit Wyoming.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
My bachelorette party was in Nashville which was the best time ever. We decided to go there because it's the capital city of all bachelorette parties.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
My dream color palette was always blush pink, light grey, and greenery, with romance everywhere. Covington Farm already provided so much of the décor without us doing much! I really just wanted soft romance with our colors, candles, and the natural wood everywhere and letting the natural beauty of the venue shine through.
What were your colors?
blush pink, light grey, and greenery, white. I chose these colors because I am obsessed with pink, and they felt so natural and romantic and truly just spoke to me.
“We discovered Covington Farms, and it was absolute love at first sight. It truly makes you feel you are not in Florida and have been transported to this beautiful, elegant, breathtaking venue. There was truly nowhere else I would get married.”
-The Bride
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations
I truly loved all of my vendors. They were incredible! Our videographers made the most insane/amazing wedding video, it felt like a movie! Our photographer felt like she was my right-hand man and was there to help with any of our needs/questions and take the most breathtaking photos! Our officiant made it feel like he knew us our whole life and made our love story come to life; people were raving to me about him being the best rev that they have ever seen/ heard speak.
“I loved reading the Marry Me Tampa Bay articles and seeing all other brides in Tampa area and seeing recommendations; it was super helpful!”
-The Bride
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Enjoy every moment because it will all fly by in a blink of an eye. People will try to control your day and tell you their opinions but do not let them steer you from your vision and your dream day.
