Wedding

Romantic Pink and Burgundy Sarasota Destination Wedding | Powel Crosley Estate

Tampa Bay Wedding Planning Advice Group

Chevonne and Vaughn's destination Sarasota wedding was a magical evening that brought the couple's family and friends to a private estate decorated in sparkling lights and romantic florals.

Our wedding design and colors were inspired by a beautiful bouquet I'd seen online. That bouquet became the foundation for our color and floral design. I chose it because the mix of colors was very appealing!” the bride beamed. “Our wedding colors were mauve, soft pink, rose gold, purple, burgundy, gold, grey, and touches of boysenberry.”

MORE: PINK WEDDING INSPIRATION

To help find their dream wedding venue, for their 110 guests, the Tallahassee couple searched Marry Me Tampa Bay to plan their destination wedding and vet their chosen wedding pros.

“We used Marry Me Tampa Bay when searching for venues in the Tampa Bay Area, which is how we discovered the Powel Crosley Estate,” Chevonne revealed. “Once we narrowed down our other vendors, we cross-referenced the weddings they were previously involved with as well as any feature pages they may have had on Marry Me Tampa Bay so we could confirm whether we were making the right decision to move forward with that particular vendor.”

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After hiring a wedding planner whom she didn't initially click with, Chevonne refined her search and chose Special Moments Event Planning.

“I initially worked with a different wedding planner who I was completely unhappy with. She was talented and had managed a sizable number of weddings, but didn't seem to want any input from me regarding my own wedding, which was terribly off-putting,” the bride shared. “We were looking for someone who understood our personalities, style, and vision. We wanted someone who had a great deal of wedding planning experience, who was accustomed to working with a diverse clientele and who had planned weddings at our wedding venue before. We hired Special Moments Event Planning because not only were Tammy and her team inviting, confident, and incredibly knowledgeable, they had planned weddings at our venue a number of times.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT SPECIAL MOMENTS EVENT PLANNING | EMAIL

Finding a Sarasota wedding photographer with a photo-journalistic style and pleasant demeanor was at the top of the couple's list, and they found all of that at more with Kéra Photography.

“We wanted someone who would understand who we were as a couple as well as our individual personalities. Most importantly, we wanted someone who could truly capture candid, real moments rather than forcing unnatural, posed photos,” the bride explained. “We understood these photographs would serve as memories for a lifetime, and we really wanted to capture exactly how we were feeling in those moments. We chose Kéra Photography as our engagement and wedding photographer because she checked all the boxes we were seeking in a photographer. Kéra was an awesome photographer. We absolutely love our engagement and wedding photos!”

LEARN MORE ABOUT KÉRA PHOTOGRAPHY | EMAIL

The couple incorporated lush red, pink, and ivory florals inspired by Chevonne's bridal bouquet, which featured two stunning King Proteas surrounded by an ombre of roses. To add to the romantic ambiance, the courtyard ceremony was elegantly decorated with a crystal chandelier and gold chivari chairs from Gabro Event Services.

“The elements of our wedding that were the most important were the ceremony and the overall ambiance. We wanted to write our own vows to really express how our thoughts about each other after ten years of being together. We also wanted to make sure that the ambiance was fun and exciting,” the bride gushed. “Our rentals enhanced the look and feel of our wedding because it added to the existing ambiance. The estate is already stunning, so we just added a few items to individualize our wedding a bit.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT GABRO EVENT SERVICES | EMAIL

As the couple reminisced back on their destination wedding weekend, it was the intimate moments that brought the fondest memories.

“The most memorable moments were giving our mothers flowers to include and honor them in our ceremony in a special way and to show them just how much we appreciate all that they have done for us. I know it's cliché, but truly, without them, there'd be no us,” Chevonne reminisced. “We spoke from the heart to each other for our vows. It was our moment to show how we felt after ten years of loving one another, in about ten minutes, but it still meant so much.”

Romantic Lace Wedding Dress Hanging in Historic Powel Crosley Estate in Sarasota | Florida Wedding Photographer Kera Photography
Romantic Florida Bridal Bouquet with Dark Red Roses, Magenta Flowers, Blush Pink King Protea, Magenta Flowers, Boysenberry Accents, with Eucalyptus Leaf Greenery | Sarasota Wedding Photographer Kera Photography
Romantic Florida Bride Holding Luxurious Bridal Bouquet, Bride Wearing Form Fitting Lace Wedding Dress, Holding Red, Pink, Ivory and White Floral Bouquet with Burgundy Ribbon, Inside Historic Powel Crosley Estate in Sarasota | Florida Wedding Photographer Kera Photography
Romantic Florida Bridal Party, Bridesmaids Wearing Mix and Match Pink Color Palette, Holding Luxurious Bridal Bouquet with King Protea, Roses and Eucalyptus Leafs, Bride Wearing Form Fitting Lace Wedding Dress, Holding Red, Pink, Ivory and White Floral Bouquet with Burgundy Ribbon, Inside Historic Powel Crosley Estate in Sarasota | Florida Wedding Photographer Kera Photography
Sarasota Bride and Groom No Peaking, Holding Hands Behind the Door Before Wedding Ceremony | Florida Wedding Photographer Kera Photography | First Touch Wedding Portrait

The Proposal:
I went out to eat on a Friday night with a girlfriend after work. I called Vaughn to explain I'd be getting home a little later as a result. He told me he'd likely be working late that night. I arrived home later that night, and his car was gone, so I figured he was still at work. When I walked into our house, all the lights were off, which was typical. Then I opened our bedroom door, and there were candles, rose petals, and balloons all throughout our bedroom. Vaughn was on one knee and with tears in his eyes and asked me to be his wife. I cried. He cried. He put the ring on my finger, and we hugged. It was just incredible. It was absolutely one of the best moments of my entire life! I thank God every day for having such an incredible man in my life.

Sarasota Bride and Groom, Holding Hands Behind the Door Before Wedding Ceremony, Bride Wearing Fitted White Lace Dress | Florida Wedding Photographer Kera Photography | First Touch Wedding Portrait
Sarasota Bride and Groom, Holding Hands Behind the Door Before Wedding Ceremony, Bride Wearing Fitted White Lace Dress | Florida Wedding Photographer Kera Photography | First Touch Wedding Portrait
Outdoor Sarasota Waterfront Venue Powel Crosley Estate | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Special Moments Event Planning | Gold Chiavari Chair Rental Gabro Event Services | Florida Wedding Photographer Kera Photography
Outdoor Sarasota Waterfront Venue Powel Crosley Estate | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Special Moments Event Planning | Gold Chiavari Chair Rental Gabro Event Services | Florida Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

How did your rentals enhance the ambiance of your event?
Our rentals enhanced the look and feel of our wedding because it added to the existing ambiance. The estate is already stunning, so we just added a few items to individualize our wedding a bit.

 

Sarasota Bride Walking Down the Aisle in Outdoor Wedding Processional, Outdoor Sarasota Waterfront Venue Powel Crosley Estate | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Special Moments Event Planning | Florida Wedding Photographer Kera Photography
Florida Groom First Look at Bride Coming Down the Aisle, Standing In Front of Lush Floral Ceremony Decor, with Blush Pink King Protea, Ivory Flowers, Burgundy Roses, Red Flowers and Greenery | Sarasota Wedding Photographer Kera Photography | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Special Moments Events Planning
Florida Bride and Groom Exchange Vows in Courtyard Wedding Ceremony at Historic Powel Crosley Estate | Tampa Bay Destination Wedding Planner Special Moments Event Planning | Gold Chiavari Chair Rentals Gabro Event Services | Florida Wedding Photographer Kera Photography
Florida Bride and Groom Kiss in Courtyard Wedding Ceremony at Historic Powel Crosley Estate, Decoarted with mauve, soft pink, rose gold, purple, burgundy floral decor with Greenery, Groom in Grey Suit, Bride in Lace Form Fitting Wedding Dress | Tampa Bay Destination Wedding Planner Special Moments Event Planning | Crystal Chandelier Lighting Rentals Gabro Event Services | Florida Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

What did you look for in a wedding planner?
We were looking for someone who understood our personalities, style, and vision. We wanted someone who had a great deal of wedding planning experience, who was accustomed to working with a diverse clientele, and who had planned weddings at our wedding venue before.

We hired Special Moments Event Planning because not only were Tammy and her team inviting, confident, and incredibly knowledgeable, they had planned weddings at our venue a number of times.

 

Florida Bride and Groom Wedding Portrait Outside Historic Powel Crosley Estate in Sarasota, Bride Holding Romantic Bridal Bouquet with Blush Pink King Protea, Red Roses, Burgundy Bow, | Tampa Bay Wedding Photographer Kera Photography
Romantic Florida Bride Wedding Portrait Outside Historic Powel Crosley Estate in Sarasota, Bride Holding Romantic Bridal Bouquet with Blush Pink King Protea, Red Roses, Burgundy Bow, Eucalyptus Leaf Greenery and Boysenberry, Wearing Fitted Halter Lace Wedding Dress | Tampa Bay Wedding Photographer Kera Photography
Florida Bride and Groom Intimate Exchange Wedding Portrait in Front of Tropical Backdrop | Florida Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
For our wedding photographer, we wanted someone who would understand who we were as a couple as well as our individual personalities. Most importantly, we wanted someone who could truly capture candid, real moments rather than forcing unnatural, posed photos. We understood these photographs would serve as memories for a lifetime, and we really wanted to capture exactly how we were feeling in those moments.

We chose Kéra Photography as our engagement and wedding photographer because Kéra checked all the boxes we were seeking in a photographer. She was awesome! We absolutely love our engagement and wedding photos!

 

Romantic Wedding Decor at Reception, Low Floral Centerpiece with Gold Vase, Dark Red Burgundy Roses, Light Pink King Protea, Ivory Flowers, on White Linen Round Table with Gold Chiavari Chairs and Blush Cloth Linens and Gold Napkin Rings and Table Number | Historic Powel Crosley Estate | Tampa Bay Wedding Photographer Kera Photography | Florida Wedding Planner Special Moments Event Planning | Tampa Bay Wedding Rental Gabro Event Services
Romantic Wedding Decor at Reception, Low Floral Centerpiece with Gold Vase, Dark Red Burgundy Roses, Light Pink King Protea, Ivory Flowers, on White Linen Round Table with Gold Chiavari Chairs and Blush Cloth Linens and Gold Napkin Rings and Antique Silver Picture Fram Table Number | Tampa Bay Wedding Photographer Kera Photography | Florida Wedding Planner Special Moments Event Planning | Tampa Bay Wedding Rental Gabro Event Services
Romantic Wedding Decor at Reception, Low Floral Centerpiece with Gold Vase, Dark Red Burgundy Roses, Light Pink King Protea, Ivory Flowers, on White Linen Round Table with Gold Chiavari Chairs and Blush Cloth Linens and Gold Napkin Rings and Table Number | Historic Powel Crosley Estate | Tampa Bay Wedding Photographer Kera Photography | Florida Wedding Planner Special Moments Event Planning | Tampa Bay Wedding Rental Gabro Event Services
Romantic Wedding Cake and Table, Two Tier White Round Cake with Customized Gold Topper, Decorated with Burgundy Dark Red Floral, Blush Pink Roses, Gold Mercury Candles | Florida Wedding Planner Special Moments Event Planning | Sarasota Wedding Photographer Kera Photography
Sarasota Bride and Groom Intimate Embrace on Shores of Gulf Coast | Florida Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We spent two weeks at the Excellence Rivera Cancun Resort for our honeymoon. It was the most relaxing vacation ever. Most importantly, the service at the resort was unmatched. We've never traveled to a resort so elegant. We'd definitely return! We chose that resort based on a recommendation from our vacation planner. She advised us that she'd had a number of clients go there for their honeymoon and really enjoy themselves.

Sarasota Bride and Groom Sparkler Fountain Lighting Wedding Exit Spark Wedding Events | Florida Wedding Photographer Kera Photography | Tampa Bay Wedding Planner Special Moments Event Planning

What advice would you give to other Sarasota couples?
Go with your gut. I initially worked with a different wedding planner who I was completely unhappy with. She was talented and had managed a sizable number of weddings, but didn't seem to want any input from me regarding my own wedding, which was terribly off-putting. I dealt with it, fighting my gut the entire time, until finally speaking up.

After speaking up, I decided to no longer work with her. Looking back, it was the best decision I made during my entire planning process because the additional stress of dealing with a wedding planner who is not compatible with you is incredibly exasperating and not worth it. Remember that you're a paying customer being provided a service.

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Powel Crosley Estate
Photographer: Kéra Photography *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Videographer: VHVideo.COM
Planner: Special Moments Event Planning *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Florist: Ever After Vintage Weddings
Caterer: Delectables Fine Catering
Chairs, Lighting, and Table Rentals: Gabro Event Services *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Cake: Publix
DJ: Shut Down Productions
Invitations: PaperHeartCompany (Etsy)
Transportation: Luxor Transportation
Dress: Something Blue Bridal Boutique
Bridesmaid Dresses: David's Bridal
Hair: Sabrina's Beauty
Makeup: Stenza Beauty
Photobooth: Be Glam Photo Booth
Sparkler Fountain: Spark Wedding Events




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