Stephanie and James’ modern Ybor City wedding embraced timeless elegance with a bold twist, reflecting their personal style and love story through an elegant and moody color palette, romantic florals, and thoughtful details.

“I would describe our wedding theme as classic but with a modern flair. After choosing Hotel Haya, we felt a modern design would fit the venue well, but we also incorporated classic elements like pearls and bows,” the bride stated. “Our main colors were black, white, and taupe, but our flowers incorporated more warm colors like mauves and magentas. I chose neutral, warm colors because I wanted it to be elegant and moody, but not just black and white.”

The Tampa bride and groom hosted their October wedding in the city where their romance blossomed. Despite some unforeseen weather, the pair were still able to tie the knot due to fortuitous timing.

“We live in Tampa and chose Ybor City for our wedding because it was not only convenient for most of our guests, but it’s also where our love story began—and we just really love Ybor,” the bride beamed. “Being a hurricane season bride is hella stressful! Our wedding fell between two major hurricanes, but we were so blessed to still have ours.”

The newlyweds kicked off the celebration with a rooftop rehearsal dinner at Casa Santo Stefano, offering a contrasting vibe and cuisine from their wedding day, while giving guests a memorable start to the weekend.

“I wanted a private space with an outdoor area since our wedding was mostly indoors aside from cocktail hour,” the bride explained. “I also wanted a different cuisine than what we were serving at the wedding. Casa Santo Stefano was perfect. We had the rooftop to ourselves, and they even had live music, which we didn’t have to pay for. I worked with them for months beforehand, and they were so responsive and accommodating. The food and service were amazing, and it was very reasonably priced for the number of people we had. I highly recommend them.”

The couple chose Hotel Haya for their 170-guest celebration because it offered a stylish backdrop with cultural roots that felt like home. The venue’s indoor spaces were a major draw, providing peace of mind during hurricane season and allowing for a seamless event regardless of the weather. From the modern ceremony setting with exposed brick and stained-glass windows to the romantic reception adorned with soft draping and candlelight, Hotel Haya delivered both style and sentiment.

“Knowing we had to get married during hurricane season, we wanted an indoor ceremony and reception space. We ultimately chose Hotel Haya because it checked all of our boxes and more: indoor venue, great food and drinks, nice hotel, and walkable to other bars and restaurants for out-of-town guests,” the bride detailed. “Also, my father’s side of the family is Cuban, so the Cuban flare of the hotel felt right. James and I have also always loved Ybor. Coincidentally, both of our offices are in Ybor, so we spend a good amount of time there!”

Stephanie turned to trusted resources throughout her planning process, including Marry Me Tampa Bay, where she discovered Femme Akoi Beauty Studio for her bridal party’s hair and makeup.

“I used Marry Me Tampa Bay’s Instagram page a lot for ideas and inspiration,” Stephanie recalled.

To bring their vision to life, Stephanie teamed up with Amanda Biery of The Olive Tree Weddings, a planner with extensive experience at Hotel Haya and a design-forward eye that perfectly aligned with her style.

“I was looking for a planner who shared my vision and knew the venue well. Hotel Haya recommended The Olive Tree Weddings and after checking out their Instagram, it was apparent they work often at the venue. After speaking with Amanda once and hearing her excitement for my vision, I knew she was the perfect fit,” the bride gushed. “Their service was great, and it was a huge help to have Amanda answer all of my questions at any hour of the day or night. She was super helpful, organized, and responsive.”

“Everything about this wedding was chef’s kiss, down to every single detail. From the draping to the menus to the stunning florals, it was meticulously planned and really showed. I loved all the details of this wedding,” the planner gushed. “The chargers were the perfect taupe, the florals were really just breathtakingly beautiful, and the draping really tied everything together to make a statement piece for the sweetheart table. I also really loved all the little bow details.”

Music was one of the couple’s top priorities, and they found their perfect match in DJ Cory Baron of Tampa Bay DJ Company. Cory exceeded every expectation—from the dance floor energy to the extra surprises he brought along.

“Music was important to us, so we wanted a tenured, professional DJ. A friend of ours recommended DJ Cory Baron, who owns Tampa Bay DJ Company. After speaking to him once, we knew he’d be a great fit,” the bride shared. “Cory did an amazing job as DJ and MC, and the lighting he provided was perfect. He went over the top and even threw in extra stuff for us, like the C02 gun, which was a fun surprise. A few of our guests told us it was the best music they’ve ever heard at a wedding, so that was a plus!”

The couple’s wedding was a vibrant reflection of their personalities and priorities, blending playful moments, lively entertainment, and unique details that made the day truly unforgettable.

“The whole day was memorable, and it was such a great day,” the bride reminisced. “If I had to pick, my top three moments were walking down the aisle, our first dance, and sitting down to have dinner together and take it all in.”

What did you look for in a rehearsal dinner space?
I wanted a private space with an outdoor area since our wedding was mostly indoors aside from cocktail hour. I also wanted a different cuisine than what we were serving at the wedding. Casa Santo Stefano was perfect. We had the rooftop to ourselves, and they even had live music, which we didn’t have to pay for. I worked with them for months beforehand, and they were so responsive and accommodating. The food and service were amazing, and it was very reasonably priced for the number of people we had. I highly recommend them.

The Proposal: 
James proposed on our first night in Venice, Italy. It was after dinner on a rooftop. He asked a hostess to take our photo and then popped the question during it.

What did you look for in a wedding venue? 
Knowing we had to get married during hurricane season, we wanted an indoor ceremony and reception space. We ultimately chose Hotel Haya because it checked all of our boxes and more: indoor venue, great food and drinks, nice hotel, and walkable to other bars and restaurants for out-of-town guests. Also, my father’s side of the family is Cuban, so the Cuban flare of the hotel felt right. James and I have also always loved Ybor. Coincidentally, both of our offices are in Ybor, so we spend a good amount of time there!

What did you look for in a wedding planner?
I was looking for a planner who shared my vision and knew the venue well. Hotel Haya recommended The Olive Tree Weddings and after checking out their Instagram, it was apparent they work often at the venue. After speaking with Amanda once and hearing her excitement for my vision, I knew she was the perfect fit. Their service was great, and it was a huge help to have Amanda answer all of my questions at any hour of the day or night. She was super helpful, organized, and responsive.

What did you look for in a wedding DJ? 
Music was important to us, so we wanted a tenured, professional DJ. A friend of ours recommended DJ Cory Barrn, who owns Tampa Bay DJ Company. After speaking to him once, we knew he’d be a great fit. Cory did an amazing job as DJ and MC, and the lighting he provided was perfect. He went over the top and even threw in extra stuff for us, like the C02 gun, which was a fun surprise. A few of our guests told us it was the best music they’ve ever heard at a wedding, so that was a plus!