Romantic, Outdoor Tampa Bay Wedding | Cross Creek Ranch Wedding
Samantha and Chris' outdoor, vintage Tampa Bay wedding featured a rich, fall inspired color palette.
“Romantic was the word that just kept popping into my head when making all of the planning and design decisions. From our colors, to candles, to my bridesmaids dresses, that was what I was going for,” the bride explained. “Having our wedding in the fall, I knew adding a deep, rich pop of color to the mix would make it look and feel really romantic, so we chose marsala for the primary color.”
MORE: FALL TAMPA BAY WEDDING INSPIRATION
The Atlanta couple knew that a destination wedding in Tampa, where they are originally from, made sense to them both.
“When we initially started wedding planning, moving to Atlanta wasn’t even on the table yet, so getting married in Tampa was our plan all along,” the bride shared. “All of our friends and family live in Tampa, so we really wouldn’t have wanted it anywhere else. Luckily for us, FaceTime made it so incredibly easy to plan a wedding out-of-state.”
With music and photography as a priority for the bride and groom, they knew that it was important to hire an experienced Tampa Bay wedding photographer who made them both feel comfortable in front of the camera.
“For us, the choice was an easy one as I knew right away we had to hire Rad Red Creative. They definitely stand out from other wedding photographers in the Tampa Bay area!” Samantha gushed. “I don’t think we could ever say enough wonderful things about Brittany and Leo. You can tell that they really love what they do and truly care about your photos just as much as you do. We cannot thank them enough and are forever grateful. We could not have made a better decision!”
Looking back, the bride's most memorable moment was seeing her groom as she walked down the aisle.
“We chose to do a first touch instead of a first look before the ceremony. We both loved the idea of being able to speak to each other and pray together before the ceremony, but that meant we didn’t see each other until I walked down the aisle. I was such a nervous wreck; however, as soon as I turned the corner and saw my husband for the first time, everything else just faded away and I felt calm. The look on Chris’ face the moment we first locked eyes is something that I will never forget,” the bride reminisced.
How would you describe your theme?
Vintage and romantic. Romantic was the word that just kept popping into my head when making all of the planning and design decisions. From our colors, to candles, to my bridesmaids dresses, that was what I was going for.
What were your colors?
Marsala, deep burgundy, with white and blush tones. Having our wedding in the fall, I knew adding a deep, rich pop of color to the mix would make it look and feel really romantic.
The Proposal:
Chris and I took a trip to Europe with his family, and our last stop was Paris. After a long train ride into the city, everyone wanted to immediately visit the Eiffel Tower. Once we reached the top, we were taking pictures in front of the city view, and Chris began to say the sweetest things to me. I was a little confused, since his mother was, what I thought, trying to take our picture, but then he got down on one knee, and I knew. Everyone around us stopped to watch and then eventually cheer. Being proposed to on top of the Eiffel Tower, it was a dream come true!
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
Photos are so important on your wedding day, so we really wanted someone experienced that we would feel comfortable with.
For us, the choice was an easy one as I knew right away we had to hire Rad Red Creative. They definitely stand out from other wedding photographers in the Tampa Bay area. I don’t think we could ever say enough wonderful things about Brittany and Leo. You can tell that they really love what they do, and truly care about your photos just as much as you do. They were with us the entire day of the wedding and made sure to get all of the shots that we wanted, and more! We are so, so pleased with how everything turned out! We cannot thank them enough and are forever grateful.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Don't stress over every little detail of the day. I know that it is much easier said than done, but try your hardest. As important as the day is, it is still just one day out of a beautiful life, and your wedding guests will be so swept up in the love the two of you share, that they will absolutely not notice if one little thing isn’t perfect; to them it is! The day that you have been planning for, what feels like forever, will fly by. Enjoy every single moment! When I was told how fast the day will go by, it didn’t quite sink in for me how true that is. Make sure to remain present and soak in every moment. For me, five hours felt like five minutes. And…hire a wedding planner!
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Cross Creek Ranch
Photographer: Rad Red Creative
Florist: Alta Fleura
Caterer: Hungry Harry’s BBQ
Cake: Alessi Bakeries *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
DJ: Grant Hemond & Associates – Robert Araya *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Officiant: Donnie Mainellis
Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas
Dress Shop: Truly Forever Bridal *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Bridesmaid Dress Shop: Bella Bridesmaid *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Hair & Makeup: Swank Hair Lounge
