Katie and Nick’s elegant Sarasota area wedding complemented their historic venue perfectly with sweet personal touches and sparkling views of Manatee River. With signature cocktails and a late night delivery from Chick-fil a, this romantic celebration was everything the bride and groom had envisioned.

“Our wedding theme included warm, romantic, earthy tones with pops of gold details. This was especially prevalent in our floral selection,” the bride explained. “We always imagined getting married at a bed and breakfast on the water with our closest family and friends, and we did just that!”

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Planning their Sarasota destination wedding from Michigan, the bride and groom turned to Marry Me Tampa Bay to help guide them through the planning process.

“I used Marry Me Tampa Bay to help find local wedding vendors and give me some extra inspiration when it came to making our decor sparkle,” the bride shared. “It really was a great outlet for planning the different stages of our wedding, especially since we were so far during the process.”

With fresh florals being an important aspect of making their vision come to life, the couple chose a St. Pete wedding florist who had an eye for beautiful blooms.

“Elaina from Cotton & Magnolia was such a pleasure to work with. She was able to take our vision and make it into a reality, which was especially difficult planning everything virtually,” the bride gushed. “Not only was she super knowledgable on a wide variety of flowers, but she made the planning process fun, exciting and stress-free! I would highly recommend her!”

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Looking back on their wedding day, Katie cherished her first dance with her dad and seeing Nick at the ceremony.

“My husband and I have been together for 11 years, so finally being able to call each other man and wife was pretty surreal,” the bride reminisced. “Also, the father-daughter dance was a moment I will never forget as I have always been my daddy’s little girl.”

The Proposal:
We just celebrated our first year living in our new house when Nick surprised me with a bonfire to roast marshmallows in our backyard. While we were roasting marshmallows, he started talking about our journey and how happy he was, then he asked me to be his wife!

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Warm, romantic, earthy tones with pops of gold details. This was especially prevalent in our floral selection. We always imagined getting married at a bed and breakfast on the water with our closest family and friends, and we did just that!

What were your colors?
Blush, gold, gray, white and green. We gravitated towards the warm and inviting tones to create an elegant yet romantic feel.

What did you look for in a wedding florist?
Local, great attention to detail, positive reviews, knowledge on a wide variety of flowers, availability, and personality.

Elaina from Cotton & Magnolia was such a pleasure to work with! She was able to take our vision and make it into a reality, which was especially difficult planning everything virtually. Not only was she super knowledgable on a wide variety of flowers, but she made the planning process fun, exciting and stress-free! I would highly recommend her!

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Start the planning process as soon as you can! We realistically had everything planned in the first three months of being engaged. Getting everything done early and out of the way allows you to be able to get the vendors you want to make your day perfect, and the time to enjoy being an engaged couple.

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Palmetto Riverside Bed and Breakfast
Photographer: Everence Photography
Florist: Cotton & Magnolia *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Caterer and Rentals: Puff ‘n Stuff Catering
Cake: Publix Bakery
DJ: DJ Jason & Associates
Officiant: Becca Mansfield
Invitations: Minted.com
Dress Shop and Designer: Watters
Bridesmaid Dress Shop: Nordstrom
Hair & Makeup: Bar Salon