Melissa and Paul’s South Tampa wedding ensured their celebration perfectly captured the city where they fell in love. With pops of green and a lighthearted appearance from their two pups, the Tampa couple couldn’t have asked for a more romantic wedding day.
“We wanted our theme to embody classic elegance with some rustic details and an overall simplistic ambiance. Our color palette of green and white with gold accents really brought together our vision of something that was tasteful yet still us,” the bride shared. “I used Marry Me Tampa Bay for online research and to find some creative inspiration for our wedding photos.”
Searching for a South Tampa wedding venue with excellent service and that was pet-friendly, Melissa and Paul chose boutique hotel The Epicurean for their 120 guests.
“We wanted a venue that was modern and open to working with us, to embrace our creative ideas and vision. We also wanted a location where all of our out of town guests could stay and truly get a taste of Tampa. The Epicurean is clean and classy with a hip vibe and really gave us the freedom to be creative and fun with our wedding. Anyone who knows us knows we absolutely love our two golden retrievers and The Epicurean let us have them in our ceremony which was so special and a huge crowd-pleaser,” the bride gushed. “We can’t say enough good things about the service at The Epicurean. From day one, the team accommodated all of our requests and completely exceeded our expectations. They made our whole wedding weekend incredible. From loads of questions to meetings to emails, they made sure we had exactly what we wanted.”
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EPICUREAN | EMAIL
Sharing their love story with an abundance of personal details was important to the couple, and they made sure that it was represented throughout their day.
“Having our dogs, Duke and Duchess, join us for the ceremony was something we’ll never forget” Melissa beamed. “We also thought a lot about all our guests individually, not just the group as a whole. Each person attending was special to us, and we wanted them to feel that during our wedding!”
The dance floor is nothing without a good DJ and when the bride and groom hired Grant Hemond & Associates, they knew their guests would be breaking it down all night.
“We wanted really wanted a DJ who could play a mix of music that could appeal to all of our guests,” the bride explained. “After reading a ton of reviews and interviewing several different companies, we would definitely recommend Eric Harding with Grant Hemond & Associates. Eric was fantastic! He kept everyone engaged and threw an awesome dance party!”
LEARN MORE ABOUT GRANT HEMOND & ASSOCIATES | EMAIL
Forever reliving some of their favorite memories from the night they tied the knot, Melissa and Paul agreed that a few stood out the most.
“Finally getting to say ‘I do’ was an incredible moment for both of us. It’s amazing the feeling you get to have with your partner when you realize all of your hard work is finally over,” the bride blushed. “Of course, our other favorite moments included our first dance and all of the beautiful toasts our friends gave. The whole night was truly epic.”
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We wanted our theme to embody classic elegance, with some rustic details and an overall simplistic ambiance.
What were your colors?
Green and white, with gold accents. Our colors really brought together our vision of something that was tasteful, yet still us.
The Proposal:
We flew to Ireland for vacation and went directly to the Cliffs of Moher on Galway Bay. Paul proposed overlooking the cliffs and the water. It was absolutely magical! Then he asked again a second time because he forgot to get on his knee the first time!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We wanted a venue that was modern and open to working with us, to embrace our creative ideas and vision. We also wanted a location where all of our out of town guests could stay and truly get a taste of Tampa.
The Epicurean is clean and classy with a hip vibe, and really gave us the freedom to be creative and fun with our wedding. Anyone who knows us knows we absolutely love our two golden retrievers and the Epicurean let us have them in our ceremony which was so special, and a huge crowd-pleaser. The staff was outstanding and went above and beyond for us and our guests. From day one, the team accommodated all of our requests and completely exceeded our expectations. We can’t say enough good things about the service at The Epicurean. We worked with Nicole Morrison, and we loved her so much that we would do it all over again in a heartbeat! I cannot say enough great things about the physical property, the staff, the management, and the service. They made our whole wedding weekend incredible. From loads of questions to meetings to emails, they made sure we had exactly what we wanted.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We really wanted a DJ that could play a mix of music that could appeal to all of our wedding guests.
After reading a ton of reviews and interviewing several different companies, we would definitely recommend Eric Harding with Grant Hemond & Associates. Eric was fantastic! He kept everyone engaged and threw an awesome dance party!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Get a videographer and hire a wedding planner even if just for day of. Contract with a venue that gives you creative freedom instead of fitting you into a package. Look for a venue that has items such as tables, linens, and chairs you can use for free or a discounted rate so you can potentially save money by not having to hire a rental company!
Ceremony and Reception Venue, Caterer: The Epicurean *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Venue
Photographer: Justin DeMutiis Photography
Florist and Rentals: Events in Bloom
Cake: Cakes by Maritza
DJ: Grant Hemond & Associates – Eric Harding *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Officiant: Pastor Matt Rodan with Grace Family Church
Invitations: Minted
Dress Shop: David’s Bridal
Bridesmaid Dress Shop: Nordstrom
Hair & Makeup: Destiny & Light Hair and Makeup Group
Balloons: Party People Events
