Rachel and Zach’s South Tampa wedding featured a lavish celebration scaled down for an intimate setting of 11 guests for their post-Valentine’s day wedding. To transform the bride’s family home into a memorable venue, layers of pink and accents of gold popped against the green lawn.
“We wanted to get married somewhere special to us so chose my family home I grew up in,” the bride revealed. “Our theme was feminine, pink glam, and our colors were pink and green. I knew the backyard would look great with them.”
While the Dallas couple initially planned a large-scale event, due to COVID they reevaluated their wedding priorities.
“We’re both extremely close to our families so we wanted our wedding to really be about our two families becoming one. We didn’t make it just about us. We kept it intimate and used the weekend to really connect,” Rachel beamed. “We had a big wedding planned but with the pandemic, we didn’t want to push it back and wait it out. It was the best choice we could have made because it was stress-free, and we were able to really celebrate and connect with our families.”
Rachel turned to Marry Me Tampa Bay to research vendors and gain inspiration for her romantic, at-home affair.
“I used Marry Me Tampa Bay to read reviews and look at pictures, [that’s where] I found our violinist and rentals,” the destination bride shared.
With the stage set at her childhood home, Rachel enlisted the services of Brides N Blooms Wholesale & Designs to add romantic touches to the South Tampa house to create an elegant setting.
“In a wedding florist, I looked for track record and creativity. We saw their work and designs, and we fell in love. The prices were fantastic too, and they were so sweet and easy to work with,” the bride gushed. “Brides N Blooms by far was the best choice we could have ever made. They went above and beyond and made our wedding beautiful. They even redid our table when we had to move it onto the porch for rain. The service was above and beyond!”
To elevate their intimate dinner celebration, the bride added textured pink linens, gold flatware, beveled charges, and gold-rimmed crystal goblets to create an elegant tablescape.
“Outside the Box Event Rentals had a lot of options with glam products that wouldn’t look tacky,” Rachel revealed.
As Rachel looked back on her memorable wedding weekend, the quality time she enjoyed with family mattered the most.
“We had a Sunday brunch where we all just relaxed and played yard games. It was really fun and a nice end to the weekend,” the bride reminisced. “Also, getting ready with my mom was really special.”
The Proposal:
We were on a trip in Broken Bow, OK on a hike. I had no idea Zack was behind me on one knee until our friends had to literally yell, “turn around!” His parents were watching from above, and it was really special. The first thing I said was, “Did you ask my dad?!”
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Feminine pink glam
What were your colors?
Pink and green. They are my favorite colors, and I knew the backyard would look great with them.
How did you incorporate your personalities into the wedding?
We wrote our own vows, and one thing that was really special was instead of walking down the aisle to the typical bridal march, our violinist played our song Speechless by Dan & Shay. I surprised Zack with that.
What did you look for in a wedding florist?
Track record and creativity.
We saw Brides N Blooms Wholesale & Designs work and designs, and we fell in love. The prices were fantastic, and they were so sweet and easy to work with.
Brides N Blooms by far was the best choice we could have ever made. They went above and beyond and made our wedding beautiful. They even redid our table when we had to move it onto the porch for rain. The service was above and beyond!
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Doing a post-wedding bach in Naples.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We are waiting for everything to be open and “normal” before we do a honeymoon. We plan on Hawaii.
What did you look for in a wedding rental company?
Good reviews with glam products that wouldn’t look tacky.
Outside the Box Event Rentals had good reviews and a lot of options.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Have fun! It’s one day so don’t get hung up on the little things.
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Private Residence
Photographer: Marc Edwards Photographs
Florist: Brides N Blooms Designs *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Caterer: New City Catering
Rentals: Outside the Box Event Rentals *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Cake: Publix
Violinist: Leah Diane
Dress: Essense of Australia
Shoe Designer: Kate Spade
Hair & Makeup: db Studio
Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
*Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros are highly respected by our local wedding community and have been personally vetted by our editor.