Emily and Jesse’s downtown Tampa wedding featured romantic eucalyptus greenery, mismatched sage green bridesmaids dresses, and an architecturally interesting modern venue.
“We made sure to choose something that would reflect us as a couple. We wanted a space that didn’t require a lot of added decor, as we would both consider ourselves minimalists when it comes to design. Jesse is a graphic designer and couldn’t have been happier with this direction, since he will argue that ‘you can never have too much white space.’ We chose our venue for its minimalistic and modern vibe, which we felt complemented our theme very well,” the bride beamed. “Our main wedding color was a beautiful sage green which was brought to life by the eucalyptus arrangements and bridesmaid dresses. We also chose a dusty rose, ivory, and a deep shade of navy as complementary colors. This color palette matched the simple design of our wedding while still being elegant and eye-catching.”
The couple planned their May destination wedding from Denver, Colorado but have since relocated back to Tampa, where they both grew up. To make their 130-person wedding a memorable event, Emily and Jesse focused on the guest experience.
“Not only do we share the same birthday, but we also have similar personalities. We are both outgoing, super friendly, and always putting others first. Even though the day was about us, we wanted to make sure that all of our guests really enjoyed themselves, which meant making sure that the music and the food were on point. Since we are both foodies, we took our station menu very seriously. We chose a Tampa Cubano theme which featured an incredibly tasty and authentic Cuban menu,” the bride revealed. “We also love to dance so the reception was truly our time to shine and we were completely in our element.”
The indoor wedding featured a fully draped ceremony backdrop with a gold asymmetrical arch draped in greenery and white and pink roses. The white reception featured clear Chiavari chairs from Kate Ryan Event Rentals adding to the modern surroundings.
Understanding the importance of preserving the memories of their wedding day, the South Tampa couple searched for a wedding videographer who could naturally document all of the moments in a subtle way.
“We wanted someone who would be able to capture the raw moments from our day without being too intrusive or staging us too much. We wanted someone who was not only a talented videographer but most importantly a great storyteller. Additionally, we wanted to work with someone who was friendly, charismatic, and incredibly easy to talk to,” the bride explained. “We could instantly tell that Bonnie of Bonnie Newman Creative was very talented behind the camera, but we chose her because her creativity and passion for her work were evident in each one of her highlight videos. The day we met Bonnie in person it felt like we were reconnecting with an old friend. She was extremely personable and made us feel so comfortable and at ease. Right off the bat, she calmed our nerves the day of as she knew exactly what she was doing and took charge the moment she arrived. We are absolutely in love with our wedding video and can’t thank Bonnie enough for putting her true heart and soul into her work!”
Looking back, Emily shared the entire day was filled with unforgettable moments that she will forever cherish.
“For starters, the weather could not have been more beautiful. We were worried that we’d wake up to a hot and humid day but it was a rare cloudless day in the 70s with absolutely no humidity. It instantly set the stage for a perfect day,” the bride reminisced. “The incredibly meaningful gifts we exchanged, our emotional vows, as well as the speeches during the reception were the most memorable. All of our guests could really feel the love inside of the building.”
What did you look for in a wedding videographer?
We wanted someone who would be able to capture the raw moments from our day without being too intrusive or staging us too much. We wanted someone who was not only a talented videographer but most importantly a great storyteller. Additionally, we wanted to work with someone who was friendly, charismatic, and incredibly easy to talk to.
We could instantly tell that Bonnie of Bonnie Newman Creative was very talented behind the camera, but we chose her because her creativity and passion for her work were evident in each one of her highlight videos. The day we met Bonnie in person it felt like we were reconnecting with an old friend. She was extremely personable and made us feel so comfortable and at ease. Right off the bat, she calmed our nerves the day of as she knew exactly what she was doing and took charge the moment she arrived. We are absolutely in love with our wedding video and can’t thank Bonnie enough for putting her true heart and soul into her work!
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
My bachelorette party was at a private beach house in Anna Maria Island, FL. The main reason for choosing this location was that COVID was still in the early stages, and we wanted to feel safe in our own private space instead of partying in South Beach like we originally planned. Anna Maria also has a special place in my heart since that’s where Jesse proposed.
What was your bridesmaid dress inspiration?
After many hours of Pinterest, I realized I wanted to keep them all very simple. I really liked the idea of letting each of the bridesmaids pick out their own style since I wanted them all to feel comfortable and beautiful in their dresses. I wasn’t really a fan of ruffles or too much detailing so my only ask was for each dress to be floor length
The Proposal:
We had been dating for six years, and Jesse had never been in the Strober family Christmas card since the rule was only fiancés or husbands could be included. In May on a family beach trip to Anna Maria Island, my family decided to take their Christmas card picture on the beach during sunset. As the family lined up Jesse asked one more time if he could be in the picture this year, and as everyone reminded him why the answer was still no, he pulled me aside and proposed as the sun was setting over the ocean. Jesse finally made it in the Christmas card that year!
How did your rentals add to the ambiance of your event?
We rented crystal Chiavari chairs and cushions from Kate Ryan Event Rentals which added an elegant ambiance to our ceremony and reception.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We made sure to choose something that would reflect us as a couple. We wanted a space that didn’t require a lot of added decor, as we would both consider ourselves minimalists when it comes to design. Jesse is a graphic designer and couldn’t have been happier with this direction, since he will argue that ‘you can never have too much white space’. We chose our venue for its minimalistic and modern vibe, which we felt complemented our theme very well.
What were your colors?
Our main wedding color was a beautiful sage green which was brought to life by the eucalyptus arrangements and bridesmaid dresses. We also chose a dusty rose, ivory and a deep shade of navy as complementary colors. This color palette matched the simple design of our wedding while still being elegant and eye-catching.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Focus on what’s really the most important to you and what you want to look back and remember most from your special day. Most of the other “fluff” isn’t worth the stress and as long as you’re surrounded by the people you love, your day will be everything you dreamed of.