“We mostly used Marry Me Tampa Bay in the beginning of our wedding planning process to see different venues in the area and for inspiration on how different weddings looked in different spaces. I found my planner through Marry Me Tampa Bay and Instagram.

Our families had already narrowed down that we definitely wanted the wedding to be held at The Vinoy, but we were having trouble viewing full wedding galleries in The Vinoy ballrooms until we came across Marry Me Tampa Bay. When we looked through the posts for weddings done at The Vinoy, it was clear to us that Parties A’ La Carte was who we wanted to have as our planner.”

“Jared proposed over Mother’s Day weekend in a huge sunflower field. To keep it a surprise, he told me we were stopping there to pick up flowers and fresh fruit to bring to his mom and nana since we were heading to South Florida to see them that day. Once we got to the sunflower field, he walked right past the sunflower maze, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. The moment I said yes, both of our parents came out from hiding—it turned out we were never actually going to see his mom because she had been there the whole time! We spent the rest of the day soaking in all the excitement with our families. It felt special because him proposing in a field of flowers just shows how well he knows me.”

“Jared and I exchanged cards and small gifts first thing in the morning, before everyone got to our suite to start hair and makeup. Part of my wedding gift to Jared was a small locket with photos of him and his two grandpas who have since passed on and couldn’t physically be with us for the day. It caught him by surprise, and we both sobbed when I gave it to him. It meant a lot to him knowing that, in a sense, they still walked down the aisle with him.

Reciting our vows to each other and looking out to see so many guests with tissues or wiping their eyes touched us—it meant everyone could feel the love in that moment. Another memorable moment was Jared breaking the glass after we were pronounced husband and wife under the chuppah to honor his Jewish traditions, with butterflies released at that moment as well. We felt like we were on cloud nine.

And being on the dance floor all night long with all of our friends and family— even Swag Surfin’ with a full dance floor—was something we will never forget.”

“Designing Elanna and Jared’s wedding was a deeply meaningful experience, shaped by their desire to create an immersive garden celebration. The jewel-toned palette provided a rich, expressive foundation for romantic blooms in shades of lavender, purple, deep pink, and green. Amaranthus, hydrangea, roses, spray roses, stock, allium, lisianthus, larkspur, bells of Ireland, sweet peas, garden roses, clematis, tulips, and ranunculus added depth, movement, and a sense of flourishing abundance that echoed the love of gardening their mothers shared.

It is always a florist’s dream to design for a couple who truly prioritize flowers, and seeing their expressions in the photos was profoundly rewarding because you could feel how much the florals meant to them. The entire experience felt thoughtful and seamless, and it was a privilege to bring their vision to life with intention, artistry, and heart. And as always, working with an incredible team made this wedding joyful and unforgettable.”

-John Elice, Bruce Wayne Florals

“The guest experience was probably the most important thing to us. We wanted all of our guests to feel like the day went seamlessly and that they had an enjoyable time, especially since a majority of our guests were from out of town. Late-night snacks, an espresso martini power hour, strolling tiramisu, a high-quality photo booth, and an amazing DJ + live music combo were just a few things we included to ensure our guests knew we wanted them to have fun and celebrate to the fullest.

We both love EDM music and knew we didn’t want a traditional slow song for our first dance, so we started with Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran and transitioned to a fun, upbeat dance to For Life by Kygo, Zak Abel, and Nile Rodgers. It really took our guests by surprise.

Jared and I weren’t afraid to choose what we wanted and go all in. Jared has always been a huge espresso lover and got me into it when we started dating, so we had a power hour of espresso martinis to make sure everyone had enough energy to keep the dance floor going all night long! We also love our maltipoo Nemo and had to incorporate him into the day—we worked with our planners and URBANcoast to design the cutest napkins of Nemo holding a cocktail that said ‘Cheers to Fur-Ever!’”

“It was such a joy to be part of Elanna and Jared’s wedding journey and to see their vision evolve into a celebration that felt so authentically them. From the beginning, our goal was to create an experience that balanced thoughtful design with ease—making space for every meaningful detail while ensuring they could stay present and truly enjoy the day. Their trust, creativity, and openness throughout the planning process made it especially rewarding for our entire Parties A’ La Carte team. We are so grateful to have been chosen to bring their celebration to life, and we will always cherish the opportunity to have worked with such a wonderful couple.”

-Jessica Ralph, Parties A’ La Carte