Maddie and Chase’s waterfront Sarasota wedding was a whimsy-filled event centered around flowers, photos, and music. The garden-inspired affair featured florals suspended from the ceiling, a chic white dance floor, and a surprise gender reveal.
“I would describe our theme as whimsical and romantic. Both myself and Chase are romantics by nature, so we wanted the design of the wedding to match our relationship,” the bride shared. “For our color scheme, we chose dusty blue, gold, and white. Not only is blue both of our favorite colors, but we thought it would tie in beautifully with the water and really bring out the whimsical theme we were going for.”
As Maddie began to plan March event, she turned to wedding planning websites like Marry Me Tampa Bay to guide her in selecting an experienced wedding planner. MDP Events’ repertoire of Sarasota-area soirees made them the ideal choice for her springtime celebration.
“The first thing we did was hire a wedding planner. I really looked for someone who understood my vision for the day and could help me stay organized and on track. I believe your wedding planner should feel like your friend, after all, you will be talking to them nearly every day!” Maddie revealed. “I used both Marry Me Tampa Bay and The Knot and found MDP Events. I knew after one five-minute conversation that I wanted to work with the owner Lauren Gertz. She completely grasped the theme we were going for and added so many amazing ideas that took our day to the next level. We had countless people tell us our wedding was the best they’d ever been to, and honestly, we owe it all to her.”
The reception florals from Botanica International Design Studio took center stage as they draped across the all-white dance floor and head table, bringing in the whimsical atmosphere the couple wanted to create.
“Flowers were one of the most important aspects of creating our romantic/whimsical design, so we spent a lot of time choosing a florist. We wanted a large floral arch for the ceremony, so we looked at the previous work of some recommended florists and fell in love with Botanica International Design Studio,” the bride gushed. “Botanica was amazing to work with. They created a personalized wedding board with all the different blooms they would use to bring our vision to life, and it was a dream.”
To highlight the romantic ambiance, a harpist from Breezin’ Entertainment played during the outdoor ceremony, while their DJ transitioned the evening into a high-energy celebration for the 130 guests.
“We wanted our reception to be a giant party. So of course, music was also at the top of our list. In selecting a DJ, we looked for someone who would keep everyone on the dance floor but who was also a great MC that could keep everything moving according to schedule,” Maddie detailed. “Breezin’ Entertainment was a very easy choice to make. They checked all of our boxes right off the bat. We always knew we wanted a harpist for the ceremony and a DJ for the reception/cocktail hour. Breezin’ had a package that included both, as well as videos of each DJ so you can select which one you feel would be best for your day. We went with DJ Jose, and he was phenomenal!”
The biggest surprise of the night was the gender reveal during the cake cutting. The expecting South Tampa couple celebrated their upcoming special arrival with everyone attending.
“One of the most memorable aspects of the day was our cake cutting, as it was also our gender reveal! We are expecting our first baby, and that is how we found out we are having a baby girl! Doing our gender reveal at the wedding made it quite unique!” the bride beamed. “However, the ceremony holds such a special place in our hearts. That first kiss as husband and wife, and hearing them announce us as Mr. and Mrs. Ierna are moments I will never forget.”
The Proposal:
On May 7th Chase proposed while we were on vacation in Cancun. He planned an incredible dinner where we were seated at a private table over the water and had a 5-course meal. We had musicians playing music just for us and watching fireworks over the water. After dinner, Chase went to “ask for a box” (he was giving the waiter his phone and asking him to record the proposal). He walked back over, sat down, and told me how much he loved me, then got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! It was everything I’d ever dreamed it would be.
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
The first thing we did was hire a wedding planner. I really looked for someone who understood my vision for the day and could help me stay organized and on track. I believe your wedding planner should feel like your friend, after all, you will be talking to them nearly every day!
I used both Marry Me Tampa Bay and The Knot and found MDP Events. I knew after one five-minute conversation that I wanted to work with the owner Lauren Gertz. She completely grasped the theme we were going for and added so many amazing ideas that took our day to the next level. Lauren and I discussed our ideas for the wedding, and she put together a list of recommendations for all other vendors. She provided about 3-6 amazing options for each category, and from there I was able to narrow down and choose. We had countless people tell us our wedding was the best they’d ever been to, and honestly, we owe it all to her.”
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
Because I was expecting, we decided to take a mini-honeymoon locally. We spent the week in St. Augustine and have our big honeymoon planned in Bora Bora.
Where did you go on your bachelorette?
My bridal party planned a post-baby bachelorette party in the Bahamas next year! Atlantis is my favorite vacation spot so they chose to go there.
What was your wedding floral inspiration?
Flowers were one of the most important aspects of creating our romantic/whimsical design, so we spent a lot of time choosing a florist. We wanted a large floral arch for the ceremony, so we looked at the previous work of some recommended florists and fell in love with Botanica International Design Studio. Botanica was amazing to work with. They created a personalized wedding board with all the different blooms they would use to bring our vision to life, and it was a dream.
What was your wedding theme?
Whimsical and romantic. Both myself and Chase are romantics by nature, so we wanted the design of the wedding to match our relationship. The three most important things to me were the flowers, the pictures, and the music. Those were the vendors we focused on first, and I couldn’t have been happier with how all three turned out!
What were your colors?
Dusty blue, gold, and white. Not only is blue both of our favorite colors, but we thought it would tie in beautifully with the water and really bring out the whimsical theme we were going for.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We wanted our reception to be a giant party. So of course, music was also at the top of our list. In selecting a DJ, we looked for someone who would keep everyone on the dance floor but who was also a great MC that could keep everything moving according to schedule.
Breezin’ Entertainment was a very easy choice to make. They checked all of our boxes right off the bat. We always knew we wanted a harpist for the ceremony and a DJ for the reception/cocktail hour. Breezin’ had a package that included both, as well as videos of each DJ so you can select which one you feel would be best for your day. We went with DJ Jose, and he was phenomenal!
Which vendors exceeded your expectation?
We had the most amazing team of vendors. I wouldn’t change one single thing about our wedding day, and I believe each and every person involved was so important in making it perfect. The vendors that stood out the most were our planner Lauren with MDP Events, our beloved photographers, and our florist Botanica International Design Studio.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
My best advice is to just enjoy every moment. It is so easy to get overwhelmed, and there are so many decisions to be made it can feel like a second job, but don’t lose sight of the big picture! At the end of it all, you will be married to the love of your life. Just have fun with it, and plan the wedding of YOUR dreams, no one else’s!
