Elegant Antique Tampa Bay Rustic Wedding | The Lange Farm

For Stephanie and Gary, food and entertainment topped their list of importance while planning their Dade City wedding day.

“We’re a very silly couple and enjoy playing games and having a good time, so we wanted a wedding that was fun like us. We had outdoor games of horseshoes and corn hole,” the bride shared.

One of the groom’s top priorities was a delicious menu.

“My husband loves Italian food and one major request was to have awesome Italian food at the wedding,” Stephanie explained. “We had a buffet with lasagna and eggplant parmesan and had a pasta station with a chef to make whatever pasta you would like. Amici’s Catered Cuisine was superb! The food was absolutely incredible! Everyone raved about it! We heard from so many couples that they didn’t even get to eat because they were so busy on their wedding day, but Amici’s made sure we were well fed!”

MORE: AMICI’S CATERED CUISINE WEDDINGS 

To capture all of the memorable moments of the day, the couple hired Lifelong Photography Studios who shot beautiful portraits with an antique Rolls Royce car.

Looking back, the bride reminisced about her favorite wedding day moments.

“Our ceremony was so memorable to me! It was so special to say the vows we had written to each other with all of the people we loved surrounding us. Aside from the ceremony, dancing at the reception is also a great memory. We had a small wedding with about 50 guests, and I was worried people wouldn’t dance, but everyone really enjoyed the mix music,” Stephanie reminisced.

The Proposal: 
Gary and I are huge Disney fans, and one of our favorite movies is Up. We were at Magic Kingdom, and Gary wanted us to get a picture in front of Cinderella’s Castle. So we found a photographer, and without me knowing, Gary sneakily gave a note to the photographer that said “I’m going to propose, please take lots of pictures!” Though I didn’t know about the note, looking back on it, the photographer had a huge smile on her face before she took our picture. Gary got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. He proposed to me with the “Ellie Badge” grape soda pin from Up and engraved on the inside it said “Gary loves Stephanie.” It was perfect!

How would you describe your theme?
We went rustic/elegant/antique. The rustic antique barn was beautiful, but we incorporated elegant touches into the décor. I looked at thousands of pictures on Pinterest and pulled from many things that I thought were beautiful and represented us.

What were your colors?
Blush and gold. I love the softness of the blush, and gold complements that perfectly.

What did you look for in a wedding caterer?
My husband loves Italian food and one major request was to have awesome Italian food at the wedding.

We had a buffet with lasagna and eggplant parmesan and had a pasta station with a chef to make whatever pasta you would like. Amici’s Catered Cuisine was superb! The food was absolutely incredible! Everyone raved about it! We heard from so many couples that they didn’t even get to eat because they were so busy on their wedding day, but Amici’s made sure we were well fed!

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay Brides?
Try not to stress too much! People mean it when they say your wedding day goes by so fast! Enjoy every moment of it and don’t sweat the small stuff!

Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Lange Farm | Photographer: Lifelong Photography Studios *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro | Florist: Events in Bloom | Caterer: Amici’s Catered Cuisine *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro | Rentals: Signature Event Rentals  | Cake: Chantilly Cakes | Entertainment: Perfect Harmony and 3 Of A Kind | Officiant: Sensational Ceremonies | Transportation: Danny’s Antique Cars | Dress: Allure Bridal | Hair & Makeup: Destiny and Light

Rustic, Old Florida Wedding | Cross Creek Ranch

Lauren and Matt’s rustic Tampa Bay wedding paid homage to their life in Iowa. The bride and groom, who live on a farm, had their wedding at a local Florida barn, which felt like having a piece of home at their destination wedding.

“Matthew and I are currently buying his grandparents farm in Iowa. He’s a farmer, and we have cattle, so we figured out the best time to get married was the middle of winter; it was a nice break from the snow” the bride shared.

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The couple, whose theme was “Old Florida,” chose a soft color palette and a classic three-tiered white wedding cake.

“When we met with Alessi Bakery for the tasting they made the whole process so much fun,” Lauren gushed. “They recommended the size of the cake and how many cupcakes we should do based on our head count. It turned out perfect. Everyone raved about the all of the desserts!”

MORE: MORE ALESSI BAKERY WEDDINGS

Looking back, the bride’s most cherished wedding day memory occurred as she walked down the aisle.

“My most memorable moment was definitely seeing Matthew when the doors to the chapel opened; he looked so handsome all dressed up in his blues with a giant smile on his face when he saw me. I had two maids of honor and he had two best men; they have been like family, through good times and bad, so having them there to celebrate with us and get up and toast us was also something that meant a lot to both of us,” Lauren reminisced.

What was your theme?
I’ve always loved that “Old Florida” vibe with giant oak trees, moss and ferns. I also like to say we both have old souls, so we wanted everything to feel very classic and timeless.

What were your colors?
We went for softer colors. I knew he and his groomsmen were wearing dress blues, so I went with a sage green bridesmaid dresses that I thought went well with them, but still had a very natural look. For the bouquet and the centerpieces, I went with colors that complemented the sage green dresses with different shade of dusty rose, white, green and accented with dark maroon.

The Proposal: 
Matthew and I were living in Nebraska at the time, and we road-tripped to Florida to see my friends and family. Once we got down there, he asked for my parents permission when I was in another room. The next day we walked around a big lake I’ve always jogged around growing up. About halfway around, we went down by the water, and when I turned, Matthew was on one knee and asked me to marry him!

What was your wedding cake/dessert inspiration?
We wanted something pretty classic and clean, so we went with a white three-tiered cake with big white garden roses staggered around it. For easy eating and lots of options, we also went with five different flavors of cupcakes.

When we met Alessi Bakery for the tasting, they made the whole process so much fun. They recommended the size of the cake and how many cupcakes we should do based on our head count. It turned out perfect. Everyone raved about the all of the desserts!

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Don’t stress out that everything won’t look just like you have it pictured in your head. Pinterest is a wonderful thing, but can also be dangerous. You don’t need to “compete” with other people’s wedding days. It’s very easy to get carried away, and it’s even more important to remind yourself of what this day is really all about. You found the love of your life and you get to celebrate it with the people who mean the most to you. All the other stuff is just a perk.

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Cross Creek Ranch | Photographer: Stacy Paul Photography | Florist: Alta Fleura | Caterer: Catering by Vesh | Cake: Alessi Bakery *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro | DJ: Grant Hemond & Associates – Jody Bower *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro | Officiant: Ron Mincey | Invitations: VistaPrint | Dress Shop and Designer: Albert Griffin Bridal – Stella York | Hair & Makeup: Collective Creations