Angelique and John
“When thinking of our wedding design, we wanted something timeless yet modern, something that even 50 years from now will still look beautiful and unforgettable. Our wedding colors were black and white with gold accents. Every time I went on Pinterest to get ideas, my heart melted when I saw black and white weddings, so when I showed John, he felt the same way.” -The Bride
FEATURING
Angelique and John’s timeless Brooksville wedding was a serene and sophisticated affair, where classic charm met modern design. Infused with black and white hues and stunning gold accents, their celebration unfolded across the European-style grounds, providing an ambiance that was both grand and intimately refined.
“When thinking of our wedding design, we wanted something timeless yet modern, something that even 50 years from now will still look beautiful and unforgettable,” the bride shared. “Our wedding colors were black and white with gold accents. Every time I went on Pinterest to get ideas, my heart melted when I saw black and white weddings, so when I showed John, he felt the same way. You can’t go wrong with black and white, and it’ll always stand the test of time.”
When the Lithia couple first began planning their wedding, they sought a hidden gem venue. Their search led them to Marry Me Tampa Bay as a local resource for uncovering unique and stunning locations.
“We found our wedding venue on Marry Me Tampa Bay! My friend saw it on your website. Once I showed it to our wedding planner, Stephanie Voth, we knew we had to go see it,” Angelique beamed.
The 155-guest ceremony took place under a decades-old oak tree that featured a breathtaking altar of baby’s breath and panoramic views. The spacious property created flow for the evening with multiple spaces for guests during the wedding.
“We wanted a beautiful scene for our wedding venue, but also had a lot of space so that we didn’t feel confined to a certain area. We wanted different areas where guests can mingle, such as a fire pit, dance floor, dining space, ceremony in front of that beautiful tree, and plenty of seating near the dance floor and bar too,” Angelique revealed. “Choosing La Hacienda on Snow Hill was by far one of the best decisions we made for our wedding! We couldn’t have picked a better venue to have our wedding! Our guests were in love with it, and we’re still getting messages from guests saying how our wedding was the most beautiful wedding they’d ever been to! La Hacienda had the most amazing staff! They truly made wedding planning and even our wedding day so seamless and stress-free!”
Angelique and John’s classic black and white theme perfectly harmonized with the Italian-style villa, with elevated gold decor and ethereal florals breathing life into the space and making it uniquely theirs. Guests then enjoyed a refined al fresco dining experience on the beautiful travertine terrace for the reception.
“The venue and decorations really made our wedding unique, especially the flowers in the fountain and the beautiful scenery during the reception,” the bride beamed.
A striking plexiglass dance floor directly over the pool served as the centerpiece for the couple’s lively reception, allowing the celebration to continue well into the night.
“We definitely wanted our personalities to show throughout our wedding so during our reception our wedding party had signs as well as, poppers. We had my siblings dress up as sharks during the reception, our drink menu had signature drinks and our favorite shot, late night snacks were pretzels (groom’s German heritage), churros and tacos (bride’s Latin heritage), and our wedding favors were an 8oz bottle of coquito (Puerto Rican eggnog),” the bride detailed.
As Angelique looked back, the moment that her groom surprised her with a custom floral bouquet truly stood out.
“John helped design my wedding bouquet as his first gift to me, and I had no idea until the day of the wedding!” the bride reminisced. “Our daughters were a part of our wedding and gave me away to their dad and stepdad. Our teenage niece sang our first dance song. Also, as the sun was setting as we ate dinner, we saw everyone who we love around us.”
The Proposal:
John planned the best proposal! As we were heading to the airport to go to Rome, Italy, he surprised me by having my parents join us on the team. As we were walking to the Terrazza del Pincio (you can literally see all of Rome from there), he had a photographer (who was pretending to be a tourist) take pictures of the special moment! John, including my parents, meant so much to me, and him asking our daughters, as well as my parents for permission to marry me, I couldn’t have had it any other way!
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Our honeymoon is a bit different than most. We’re having two honeymoons. One will be with our daughters as a familymoon. We’re going to Scotland and Ireland because it’s always been on our bucket list. Then we’re having our official honeymoon to London and Wales. We’ve always been intrigued by the U.K.’s history and the royals, so we wanted to go there and cross another place off our bucket list.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Nashville, Tennessee. I’ve always wanted to go, and it was so special to share my first visit there with all my friends, cousins, my aunt, and my mom. My mom and aunt were the most rambunctious out of all of us!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We wanted a beautiful scene for our wedding venue, but also had a lot of space so that we didn’t feel confined to a certain area. We wanted different areas where guests can mingle, such as a fire pit, dance floor, dining space, ceremony in front of that beautiful tree, and plenty of seating near the dance floor and bar, too.
Choosing La Hacienda on Snow Hill was by far one of the best decisions we made for our wedding! We couldn’t have picked a better venue to have our wedding! Our guests were in love with it, and we’re still getting messages from guests saying how our wedding was the most beautiful wedding they’d ever been to! La Hacienda had the most amazing staff! They truly made wedding planning and even our wedding day so seamless and stress-free.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
When thinking of our wedding design, we wanted something timeless yet modern, something that even 50 years from now will still look beautiful and unforgettable.
What were your colors?
Our wedding colors were black and white with gold accents. Every time I went on Pinterest to get ideas, my heart melted when I saw black and white weddings, so when I showed John, he felt the same way. You can’t go wrong with black and white, and it’ll always stand the test of time.
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
All our vendors truly exceeded our expectations. Stephanie and her team were great wedding planners, and she also created our beautiful florals. She was the best! Our cake designer made the most beautiful yet delicious wedding cake and coquito. She really made my Pinterest wedding cake come to life. Our photographers and videographers were amazing, and I love their work. Also, our DJ was the best! Our guests were on the dance floor the whole time!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Really enjoy the moment but also don’t lose sight of the reason why you’re getting married in the first place because of love. Yes, you’re stressed beyond belief wanting to make sure the day is perfect and everything you dreamed of, but enjoy every minute of it: the stress, the excitement, the tears of missing loved ones who are no longer here. You’re a team, and no matter what whirlwind of emotions and tribulations you’re going through, you’re doing it together and love really does conquer all.
