Amanda and Tyler's Thonotosassa wedding was an enchanted evening filled with cream-colored flowers and natural greenery befitting their destination-inspired setting. The bride and groom exchanged vows in a Spanish-revival-style estate before dining and dancing in a stunning greenhouse-style tent.
“Our theme was simple but elegant. I fell in love with a neutral color palette, incorporating lots of white florals with gold accents. Our venue had wooden farm tables and wooden cross-back chairs that perfectly fit into our design inspiration,” the bride shared. “I chose to keep everything neutral and white: white plates, napkins, menus, and flowers.”
The Tampa couple turned to the planning experts at Blue Skies Weddings & Events to bring their dream wedding to fruition for the 100-guest December nuptials. Their eye for design impressed the pair, and their attentive service and enjoyable process left a lasting impression.
“Heather with Blue Skies Weddings & Events is truly talented when it comes to design and making someone's vision come to life,” Amanda raved. “From the moment I reached out to the team, they went above and beyond to ensure every aspect of our wedding planning journey was seamless and stress-free.”
“My favorite element of Amanda and Tyler's wedding day was their soft, romantic, and elegant design style. The way the venue was transformed with the design into an Italian-inspired dream was absolutely magical! From the moment you stepped into the venue, you couldn't help but feel like you were transported across the globe,” wedding planner Heather Tyler added, “The delicate white florals, the soft bistro lights, and the enchanting ambiance created an atmosphere of pure romance. Every detail was thoughtfully curated so elegantly, expressing their beautiful love story!”
The bride and groom incorporated personal touches throughout the celebration. From a nod to how they met, to their favorite restaurant for date night, and even the bride's love of flowers, each detail was intentional and spoke to their personalities and relationship.
“Our wedding was a combination of what we both wanted, something small and intimate but also incorporating heavy details on decor and catering in a unique way. The most important element was having all our family and friends join us on our special day, along with great food and beautiful flowers. We included our own personal touches, such as having custom cocktail napkins that said, ‘We met at a bar' since we did meet at a bar in SoHo. Ocean Prime is one of our favorite restaurants, and we love how they serve family-style sides, so we incorporated that into the wedding. It was a fun, unique touch that our guests loved,” Amanda detailed. “Florals was another one of my top priorities. We used a lot of bud vases and gold candle sticks with white tapers for an elegant evening.”
“One of the unique design elements that stood out in Amanda and Tyler's wedding was the inclusion of family-style feasting. They wanted to create an intimate and warm atmosphere, just like a family gathering,” Heather shared. “The long tables were beautifully adorned with elegant florals and elegant tableware, inviting guests to come together and share a meal as if they were part of one big family. It was a beautiful way to create a sense of togetherness and foster connections among their loved ones.”
To help bring her vision to life, Amanda relied on the extensive decorative inventory from Kate Ryan Event Rentals to tie together the elegant style, from the linens to the place settings to the furnishings.
“We used Kate Ryan Event Rentals to help our design inspiration come to life,” the bride articulated. “Kate Ryan provided all the gold flatware, gold-rimmed china plates, and gold-rimmed water glasses. They also had a beautiful selection of linen and furniture rentals. We rented the Cambria white linen for the round tables and the matching table runners for the feasting tables. We also added some fun velvet furniture pieces for the barn dance party.”
Having modeled in many styled shoots in the past, Amanda had the pleasure of working with several wedding pros before her big day. The beauty services from Kelcey Yaeger with Adore Bridal Hair & Makeup always left her feeling beautiful and confident, so much so that she didn't even schedule a trial run; she completely trusted the beauty artist would nail her bridal look. And, after working often with Buffy Feldman at Lifelong Photography Studio, Amanda felt completely at ease with her gentle guidance and effortless style, resulting in natural and authentic photos on the wedding day.
“Lifelong Photography Studio, and specifically Buffy, has been alongside our journey for many years,” the bride beamed. “Buffy took our photos for a stylized shoot at the beginning of our relationship. She then made another appearance at my bridal shower and again for our welcome reception. We both felt comfortable being ourselves around her on such an intimate day.”
After hours of dancing with their closest friends and family, thanks to DJ Adam at Grant Hemond & Associates, the pair ended the evening on a sweet note, treating their guests to an assortment of sweets courtesy of one of the bride's talented friends. The beautifully curated confections ended up being the highlight of the evening.
“One of my best friends made all the desserts for our wedding. She put so much thought into every single detail. The three cakes, cake pops, rice krispies, and custom sugar cookies were all so thought out, from flavors to design, and the final reveal of the dessert table was so special to us!” the bride gushed.
What were your wedding hair and makeup inspiration?
I really wanted to keep my hair natural and down, so I provided some photos of loose wavy curls as inspiration. I trusted Adore Bridal Hair and Makeup so much that I chose to skip a trial and let Kelcey work her magic. I trusted her when I said I wanted to feel comfortable and natural. Adore Bridal has done my hair and makeup for a couple of styled shoots, and I didn't even think twice about hiring them for my special day.
The Proposal:
Tyler had a trip planned for Napa, California, in the fall, but his lack of patience got the best of him. He woke up one morning while my parents and best friend were visiting us in Florida and decided today was the day!
He went to Home Depot with my best friend, and in the lumber aisle, he said, “I want to propose to Amanda today.” He decided to propose on the beach that evening, at sunset, with my parents and best friend close by.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
We hosted a co-ed bachelor/bachelorette party in Key West. Key West holds a special place in our hearts, as it's where we vacation often. We wanted to share the experience with some of our closest friends.
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
Heather with Blue Skies Weddings & Events is truly talented when it comes to design and making someone's vision come to life. From the moment I reached out to the team, they went above and beyond to ensure every aspect of our wedding planning journey was seamless and stress-free.
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
Lifelong Photography Studio, and specifically Buffy, has been alongside our journey for many years. Buffy took our photos for a stylized shoot at the beginning of our relationship. She then made another appearance at my bridal shower and again for our welcome reception. We both felt comfortable being ourselves around her on such an intimate day.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our theme was simple but elegant. I fell in love with a neutral color palette, incorporating lots of white florals with gold accents. Our venue had wooden farm tables and wooden cross-back chairs that perfectly fit into our design inspiration.
What were your colors?
I chose to keep everything neutral and white: white plates, napkins, menus, and flowers.
How did the rentals enhance the ambiance of your wedding?
We used Kate Ryan Event Rentals to help our design inspiration come to life. Kate Ryan provided all the gold flatware, gold-rimmed china plates, and gold-rimmed water glasses. They also had a beautiful selection of linen and furniture rentals. We rented the Cambria white linen for the round tables and the matching table runners for the feasting tables. We also added some fun velvet furniture pieces for the barn dance party.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We hired Adam from Grant Hemond & Associates, and wow, we were impressed. We had almost two full hours of dancing the night away on a full dance floor.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Since we got married the week before Christmas, we chose to plan a honeymoon later in the year. We are excited to visit a tropical island and take some time off from our busy lives as a newly married couple.
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
I know everyone always says no one will remember if your wedding food was amazing or not, but I truly believe food was one of the most important vendors for our big day. Our caterer honored all our requests, from our unique serving style to the personalized BBQ sauce bottle for Tyler's special chicken finger entree. The team was always open to our creative ways to serve our guests a delicious meal.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Making your wedding unique and special is exactly why every wedding is different. Each couple has specific ways to make the day meaningful and personal. Couples should always remember it's your special day. Don't feel constricted to what's normal or what's currently trending, or something that doesn't fit your personality.
