Jade and Francisco's romantic South Tampa wedding featured soft pastel shades of pink and green, befitting a springtime affair. Guests dined and danced in an elegant historic venue setting, enjoying eclectic cuisine and vibrant music as a nod to the couple's heritage.
“Our wedding design was classic and unique. We really wanted our wedding to be a reflection of ourselves,” the bride shared. “Our colors were blush pink, sage green, and beige. Pink and green are actually our favorite colors, so we agreed on those colors together pretty quickly!”
The bride leaned on Marry Me Tampa Bay to aid her in finding her dream wedding venue and to research reputable vendors.
“I knew very little about planning a wedding when we first got engaged. Marry Me Tampa Bay is where I did most of my research to help familiarize myself with the process and to find vendors. I was looking for vendors who I knew would be reliable and professional,” Jade revealed. “A majority of my wedding vendors I found as recommendations by Marry Me Tampa Bay. I looked through all the resources Marry Me Tampa Bay had to offer to book my vendors.”
The South Florida natives fell in love with the Tampa area during their college years and knew they wanted to host their nuptials in the city. They sought an experienced photographer who would make them feel comfortable in front of the camera, help them enjoy their day, and preserve their special memories in a timeless fashion.
“I looked for a photographer with a light and airy style who could provide timeless wedding photos. Mary Anna Photography was amazing, and we couldn’t have asked for a better photographer. You spend most of your day with your photographers, so it's really important to choose a photographer who you feel comfortable around. Mary and her husband were so wonderful to work with, and she took such amazing photos. They have the gift of finding the perfect shot and making every photo so unique and special,” the bride gushed. “Her photography style matched exactly what we were looking for. Mary is extremely talented and really captured our day perfectly! She provided us with our engagement pictures to ease us into the process, which was really helpful for my husband and me as we were both a bit nervous about posing for pictures. They really went out of their way to make the day special, not just for us but for our friends and family as well.”
The couple's multicultural heritages were reflected throughout the details of the day, and the personalized music, menu offerings, and favors all contributed to their unique and memorable celebration.
“We believe our heritage really made our wedding unique. We are Jamaican-Chinese, Colombian, Venezuelan, and Italian. From playing different Jamaican and Latin hits on the dance floor, and serving some Asian and South American appetizers, to our take-home Italian confetti party favors, we believe all that played a part in making it a unique wedding,” the bride beamed. “We had a La Hora Loca, which is a Venezuelan tradition where we pass around different neon props for everyone to dance with. We capped the night with a late snack of tequeños, a cheese-filled Venezuelan pastry.”
Since culturally-reflective cuisine was a priority, Jade and Francisco prioritized finding a wedding caterer who could create a customized menu to suit their tastes. Elite Events Catering‘s reputation for creative cuisine and detail-oriented service was the ideal choice for their reception and exceeded all expectations.
“We looked for a caterer who could create a menu that reflected our culture. Elite Events Catering was recommended by our good friends, whose wedding we had attended prior. We loved all the food we tasted at their wedding, and they were at the top of our list of most wanted vendors while planning our own wedding,” Jade gushed. “Our wedding menu inspiration was to incorporate as much of our culture as we could into the food. My mother is Colombian, my dad is Jamaican/Chinese, and the groom is Italian/Venezuelan, so this was no easy task. Some of the food highlights were the mini Jamaican jerk tacos and the late-night tequeños! Elite also amazed us with how delicious all of the food came out. They perfectly drafted up menus based on our cultures, prepared all the food amazingly, and had great bar servers that made such delicious signature cocktails.”
The pair paid homage to their long-term relationship through their centerpieces, and incorporated their furbaby into the bar menu.
“We wanted our wedding to be a reflection of ourselves and our life together. We are high school sweethearts and have been together for over ten years. We designed each table number with a corresponding anniversary picture of us,” the bride revealed. “We also had to make sure our dog Peppa was included, so we featured her in our cocktail napkins. Our signature cocktails catered to our favorite drinks. I had a Paloma named ‘Peppaloma' after our dog, and he had ‘FranciscOld Fashioned’ as his signature drink.”
The pair exchanged vows during a customized ceremony led by a family member, creating an unforgettable memory. Later in the reception, they were surrounded by their closest friends and family on the dance floor. Dancing the night away and enjoying Jamaican and Latin-infusion music is something the bride and groom will remember forever.
“The ceremony had to be one of the most memorable moments of the day. We had the pleasure of being married by Francisco’s older sister. She surprised us with a beautifully written ceremony that had elements of each of us in it. Seeing everyone at the ceremony, so eager and happy to celebrate our love together, is something we will forever cherish,” Jade reminisced. “We will always remember the dancing and how there was never a lull. From the moment we got everyone on the dance floor until our last dance, the dance floor was never empty.”
What were your wedding hair and makeup inspiration?
I wanted my wedding glam to be a more elevated look of myself. I wanted my hair to be down but in a style that would hold even through a night of dancing.
After researching Femme Akoi Beauty Studio and going through the gallery of previous brides they have worked with, I knew I could trust them. I had nine girls and two flower girls needing hair and makeup done, and the team from Femme Akoi did an amazing job! They matched our energy while getting ready that morning and were extremely efficient in getting everyone ready!
The Proposal:
My friend sent me an invitation to a family reunion picnic on Davis Island. When we arrived at the park, I kept looking around for our friends, and I thought we had just gotten there extremely early. Little did I know that Francisco had set up a private picnic for the two of us on the water. He also planned a small rooftop engagement party afterwords with our immediate family and friends.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our wedding design was classic and unique. We really wanted our wedding to be a reflection of ourselves.
What were your colors?
Our wedding colors were blush pink, sage green, and beige. Pink and green are our favorite colors, so we agreed on those colors together pretty quickly!
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
I looked for a photographer with a light and airy style who could provide timeless wedding photos. Mary Anna Photography was amazing, and we couldn’t have asked for a better photographer. You spend most of your day with your photographers, so it's really important to choose a photographer who you feel comfortable around. Mary and her husband were so wonderful to work with, and she took such amazing photos. They have the gift of finding the perfect shot and making every photo so unique and special.
Her photography style matched exactly what we were looking for. Mary is extremely talented and really captured our day perfectly! She provided us with our engagement pictures to ease us into the process, which was really helpful for my husband and me as we were both a bit nervous about posing for pictures. They really went out of their way to make the day special, not just for us but for our friends and family as well.
“I looked for a photographer with a light and airy style who could provide timeless wedding photos. Mary Anna Photography was amazing, and we couldn’t have asked for a better photographer. They have the gift of finding the perfect shot and making every photo so unique and special.”
-The Bride
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Scottsdale, Arizona. My theme was Barbie Bach Party, and Scottsdale perfectly encapsulated that. I stayed in an all-pink Airbnb that accommodated my large party and even took a day trip to Sedona for the Pink Jeep Tour.
Francisco chose to have his bachelor party in Asheville, North Carolina, due to the brewery and hiking scene.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Sandals Royal Bahamian. After spending the majority of our time planning the wedding, we wanted to choose an all-inclusive resort where we could relax and spend time on the beach.
What did you look for in a wedding caterer?
We looked for a caterer who could create a menu that reflected our culture. My mother is Colombian, my dad is Jamaican/Chinese, and the groom is Italian/Venezuelan, so this was no easy task.
Elite Events Catering was recommended by our good friends, whose wedding we had attended prior. We loved all the food we tasted at their wedding, and they were at the top of our list of most wanted vendors while planning our own wedding. Our wedding menu inspiration was to incorporate as much of our culture as we could into the food. Some of the food highlights were the mini Jamaican jerk tacos and the late-night tequeños! Elite also amazed us with how delicious all of the food came out. They perfectly drafted up menus based on our cultures, prepared all the food amazingly, and had great bar servers that made such delicious signature cocktails.
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Mary Anna Photography was amazing, and we couldn’t have asked for a better photographer. She and her husband were so wonderful to work with, and she took such amazing photos. They have the gift of finding the perfect shot, making every photo so unique and special.
Our videographer knew exactly what we wanted in our video. He was extremely charismatic, took videos of all the right moments, and was able to somehow be everywhere at once to take all the perfect videos of our special day.
Elite Events Catering amazed us with how delicious all of the food came out. They perfectly drafted up menus based on our cultures, prepared all the food amazingly, and had great bar servers that made such delicious signature cocktails.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Give yourselves time to plan and be patient with each other. We were extremely lucky to have a friend who is a wedding planner who helped us get on the right track and plan this wedding. We also recommend using a credit card with a good travel points program to help with paying for the honeymoon!
