Janessa and Ryan’s downtown St. Pete wedding combined natural greenery and wood elements with fiery copper details that complemented the open-air balcony and exposed brick walls of their historic venue.
“We chose a slightly rustic, farmhouse yet minimalistic design to make guests pay more attention to those around them,” the bride shared. “I picked shades of grey, green, and a hint of blue and orange. It helped keep the rustic farmhouse feel we were going for.”
The Tampa couple wanted an economical venue that provided a combination of style and comfort for their 80 guests. They chose a historic location in the heart of downtown St. Pete, near where the pair got engaged.
“Value was very important to us as we didn’t have a lot of money to spend. Red Mesa Events provided excellent cost-to-value by providing not only a beautiful downtown space for a ceremony but a convenient and air-conditioned reception area as well,” Janessa raved.
Janessa and Ryan chose to hire an experienced St. Pete wedding planner to help coordinate all of the details and logistics so that they could enjoy their day without additional stress.
“We wanted a wedding planner with a strong ability to multitask and to manage our family for us so we did not have to worry! Perfecting the Plan‘s service was fantastic and definitely took a lot of weight off of our shoulders during the wedding,” Janessa beamed.
Guests signed a custom-painted piece of art in lieu of a typical guest book. Janessa felt that their non-traditional wedding style made their celebration a one-of-a-kind experience.
“Not having the traditional ‘wedding things’ such as a guest book and bouquet toss and not feeling pressured to play by anyone else’s rules [made our wedding unique],” the bride revealed.
As with any wedding, there were little things that didn’t go according to plan, but the couple took it in stride. The bride says one of the most memorable moments was actually a hiccup that occurred while they exchanged vows.
“The most memorable parts of the wedding were the parts we couldn’t plan for,” Janessa recalled. “Our officiant had a typo in her speech and implied I was a man! She said ‘Ryan, do you take Janessa as your husband…’ Everyone had a good laugh!”
The Proposal:
Ryan took me out for a regular date night; just the two of us enjoying the evening. After our dinner, we walked around downtown and ended up at the St. Pete Pier for the first time. We walked all the way to the end and stopped to enjoy the beautiful breezy night. We talked about how nice it was that night, then got nostalgic and remembered all of our shared experiences. Ryan tried to find the right words and eventually said he wanted to spend the rest of his life together and asked, “Will you marry me?”
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We chose a slightly rustic, farmhouse yet minimalistic design to make guests pay more attention to those around them.
What were your colors?
I picked shades of grey, green, and a hint of blue and orange. It helped keep the rustic, farmhouse feel we were going for.
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
We wanted someone with a strong ability to multitask and the ability to manage our family for us so we did not have to worry!
Perfecting the Plan‘s service was fantastic and definitely took a lot of weight off of our shoulders during the wedding.
What elements of your wedding were the most important?
Photography was our most important; we wanted to make sure we could have photographs that would capture our lasting memories.
Also, it was important for us to have a bit of alone time after the ceremony during the cocktail hour, away from everyone while we prepared ourselves for the reception.
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
Value was very important to us as we didn’t have a lot of money to spend.
Red Mesa Events provided excellent cost-to-value by providing not only a beautiful downtown space for a ceremony but a convenient and air-conditioned reception area as well.
How did you incorporate your personalities into the wedding?
We put a lot of emphasis on songs that were important to us over the years for the most important moments of the wedding to help personalize our event.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Be kind to each other, communicate often, and find ways to be calmed by each other’s presence so you can enjoy the day.
Venue, Caterer, Rentals: Red Mesa Events *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Venue
Photographer: FotoBohemia
Planner: Perfecting the Plan *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Florist: Fern & Curl Designs
DJ: Complete Weddings and Events
Officiant: Personal friend
Invitations: Zola
Dress: Nikki’s Glitz and Glam Bridal Boutique
Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Destiny & Light Hair and Makeup Group
Rehearsal Dinner: Bella Brava
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.
