Alyssa and Toby's downtown St. Petersburg wedding combined a soft and romantic color palette befitting their historic venue and coastal details to reflect their beach town upbringings, all set against stunning views of Tampa Bay.
“I would describe our wedding as soft, romantic, and Old Florida-inspired. It perfectly aligned with all the romance and history our venue had to offer,” the bride shared. “We chose blush, ivory, and gold colors because they played off our venue's color palette.”
The Tampa bride utilized Marry Me Tampa Bay's online resources while planning their 125-guest celebration. The team of talented wedding pros who came together to produce the couple's celebration included many of the publication's preferred vendors, from the florals and décor to the custom stationery and signage and hair and makeup artists.
“We are so lucky to live in a time where there are so many resources available online. I used Marry Me Tampa Bay to do vendor research and get wedding inspiration,” Alyssa revealed.
In the beginning stages of planning, Alyssa prioritized finding a wedding planner to guide her and provide a stress-free and seamless wedding day experience. She also sought a florist who could translate her vision for a classic, Old-Florida vibe. She was delighted to find both vendors in one seasoned company upon meeting Melanie of Lemon Drops Weddings and Events.
“I didn't intentionally go into my vendor search wanting to combine my planner and florist. I interviewed planners and florists separately. When I interviewed Melanie, the owner of Lemon Drops, I immediately fell in love with her story and felt like she was very down-to-earth and well-educated. It made the most sense financially and logistically to combine vendors so we would have one less vendor to coordinate with,” the bride explained. “As for the arrangements, they spoke for themselves, stunning!”
The waterfront al fresco reception was a unique surprise for many of the guests, who were expecting the typical hotel ballroom reception they had grown accustomed to. Dinner tables were set under strands of twinkling bistro lights and surrounded by greenery hedge walls from Gabro Event Services, and the couple's dog, Ellie, greeted guests and posed for photos with the help of FairyTail Pet Care. The expansive manicured lawn setting overlooking the marina created a truly memorable experience.
“The bistro lighting covered the entire Esplanade allowing for better lighting once the sun went down, along with enhancing the romantic vibe. The hedge walls were used to block off Paul's Landing creating more privacy. On the hedge walls, we hung a large oyster L for Lincoln (our last name) and displayed our engagement photos like a gallery wall. It was a great photo backdrop and installation for guests to look at,” the bride detailed. “I heard from a lot of people and even vendors how unique it was that our reception was on The Esplanade overlooking the bay!”
The celebration was filled with many special memories that included being surrounded by loved ones.
“There are so many moments throughout the weekend that were memorable. If I could narrow it down to three moments, I'd pick our first look, the ceremony, and being on the dance floor with all of our family and friends,” the bride reminisced. “The day of your wedding will be all about celebrating with the people you love most, and that will be what you remember and carry with you forever.”
What was your wedding invitation inspiration?
After spending hours browsing invitation designs on the go-to sites online, I simply could not find a design that felt like it aligned with our wedding theme. I'm a graphic designer and considered multiple times just designing them myself, but I knew it was another project I did not have the bandwidth to take on. When I found A&P Design Co. I loved that I could work directly with the designer and pick and choose elements from their design bar. The design templates that they offered felt a little more classic to me, which was the style we were going for. The owner, Alicia, was terrific! She worked directly with me to pick out a template, gave me options to swap out fonts or design elements, and even recommended verbiage for all of my paper products.
What were your wedding hair and makeup inspiration?
I hired Femme Akoi Beauty Studio because I had several friends who used them for their weddings. I personally do not wear a lot of makeup, so I wanted my makeup to be natural looking. For my hair, I knew I wanted an updo so that it would be out of my face and I wouldn't have to worry about it throughout the day.
The Proposal:
For my 30th birthday, Toby planned an overnight stay at The Don Cesar in St. Pete Beach. During our stay, we took a walk on the beach, and he proposed. Later that evening, we met our families at Pia's Trattoria in Gulfport to celebrate.
What did you look for in a wedding planner and florist?
I didn't intentionally go into my vendor search wanting to combine my planner and florist. I interviewed planners and florists separately. When I interviewed Melanie, the owner of Lemon Drops Weddings and Events, I immediately fell in love with her story and felt like she was very down-to-earth and well-educated. It made the most sense financially and logistically to combine vendors so we would have one less vendor to coordinate with.
As for the arrangements, they spoke for themselves, stunning!
Why did you choose to incorporate your pet into your wedding day?
We look at our golden retriever, Ellie, as if she is our child. It was important to us to have her in photos and be a part of the day in a smaller capacity. FairyTail Pet Care picked Ellie up from where she was staying and brought her for photos and to greet guests into the ceremony. This was a huge plus for our out-of-town guests who were dying to meet her. FairyTail Pet Care was so easy to work with. They made sure Ellie got to and from the venue safely, took her on walks to tire her out, and even fed her and the other dog she was staying with back at home. I highly recommend them!
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Scottsdale, AZ. I wanted to travel somewhere in the U.S. where you could adventure outdoors by day and dance in the club by night. The highlight of the trip was climbing to the top of Camelback Mountain and getting to see all of the stunning views that Arizona has to offer.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Immediately following the wedding weekend, we went on a three-day minimoon to Boca Grande, where we stayed at The Gasparilla Inn. Boca is a beautiful, sleepy little island where you get around by bike or golf cart. This was the perfect location to spend time relaxing on the beach after all of the excitement of the wedding. We plan to do a traditional honeymoon at a later time.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
I would describe our wedding as soft, romantic, and Old Florida-inspired. It perfectly aligned with all the romance and history our venue had to offer.What were your colors?
We chose blush, ivory, and gold colors because they played off our venue's color palette.
How did your rentals enhance the ambiance of your event?
We used Gabro Event Services for our bistro lighting, hedge walls, linens, and napkins. The bistro lighting covered the entire Esplanade allowing for better lighting once the sun went down, along with enhancing the romantic vibe. The hedge walls were used to block off Paul's Landing creating more privacy. On the hedge walls, we hung a large oyster L for Lincoln (our last name) and displayed our engagement photos like a gallery wall. It was a great photo backdrop and installation for guests to look at.
How did you incorporate your personalities into the wedding?
While there were a lot of little details that showcased our personalities, the highlight was the handcrafted oyster shells used to hold the name cards, which I made myself. This was a special project because it was a family effort. My dad and I collected the shells locally after eating them, and Toby's parents collected shells they found on the beach in his hometown in Connecticut. They were the perfect addition to our old Florida theme and great party favor!
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Having your ceremony in the Vinoy's Tea Garden will make you feel like you're in a fairytale, plus it's the perfect romantic spot for photos. The food and service we received were top-notch. Our coordinator, Rainee, was the best of the best. She was patient and did whatever she could to accommodate any of our requests, which typically were always granted. Our photographer is an amazing person and photographer turned friend. She truly loves what she does, and it shows through the care and end product that she delivers. She was professional and extremely clear on directions. Working with our band was seamless from start to finish. They know how to read a room and get and keep people on the dance floor.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
We are so lucky to live in a time when there are so many resources available online. Utilize those resources and talk to your vendors about recommendations. We may have never come across our band if it wasn't for another vendor recommending them to us.
Wedding planning can get stressful at times, so try not to sweat the small stuff. The day of your wedding will be all about celebrating with the people you love most, and that will be what you remember and carry with you forever.
