Allison and Matt's waterfront Tampa wedding combined a classic white and black color palette with tropical greenery and pops of metallic gold. Guests dined and danced in the waterfront hotel ballroom overlooking Tampa Bay following a traditional Catholic wedding ceremony.
“Our design was simplistic elegance with a tropical twist. We wanted a classic, timeless look that would feel welcoming and intimate for our guests,” the bride shared. “We chose white, champagne, and pink with tropical greenery, and black tuxes for the men. I've always enjoyed neutral color palettes and thought it'd be the perfect pair for February.”
The local couple utilized Marry Me Tampa Bay as a resource while finding reputable and experienced wedding locations and professionals.
“I used the website as a starting point to look at local venues and vendors and research them,” Allison revealed. “I would make lists of the vendors, then go to each of their websites and reach out to inquire about more information, pricing, and availability.”
The bride donned a traditional lace gown with a plunging neckline and low back and envisioned a timeless hair and makeup style that would enhance her dress and long cathedral veil.
“I was inspired by Jessica Alba! I love her, and she often has her hair down with soft curls and pulled half back on one side. I also didn't want any bobby pins in my hair as I often end up taking them out mid-way through the night, so I thought soft elegant curls with one side pulled back and a barrette would be perfect and go with my dress,” Allison explained. “When I went for my consultation, I felt very calm and at ease. I felt like the artists at Femme Akoi Beauty Studio listened to my needs and wants, and they executed them perfectly. Their customer service was impeccable and their overall communication was prompt and professional. I felt like I was in great hands.”
To complement their color palette, the couple chose a black and white dance floor from Kate Ryan Event Rentals to define the reception space and provide a dramatic focal point in the room. For a touch of champagne elegance, they rented gold chiavari chairs and charger plates to elevate their reception tables and place settings.
The bride and groom sought an entertainment company that could create an all-inclusive party environment for their 102 guests during the reception, including a photo booth, lighting for added ambiance, and great music that would get everyone on the dance floor.
“I had researched online and had narrowed it down to Grant Hemond & Associates and a live band. I was torn between the live band and DJ but after connecting with our planner it made more sense for us to have a DJ, and boy am I glad we did! Our guests are still talking about how amazing our DJ, Jody, was with the introductions, the flow and order of the night, and choice of music,” the bride raved. “It also helped that our planner had worked with our DJ company several times, and she was able to give her honest feedback on their experiences with them which made us feel confident in selecting Grant Hemond.”
Being surrounded by their closest friends and family made for an unforgettable ceremony moment as the couple recessed down the aisle.
“The most memorable moment was turning around after our ceremony to see all of our guests,” Allison reminisced. “There was so much love in the room!”
What were your wedding hair and makeup inspiration?
I was inspired by Jessica Alba! I love her, and she often has her hair down with soft curls and pulled half back on one side. I also didn't want any bobby pins in my hair as I often end up taking them out mid-way through the night, so I thought soft elegant curls with one side pulled back and a barrette would be perfect and go with my dress
When I went for my consultation, I felt very calm and at ease. I felt like the artists at Femme Akoi Beauty Studio listened to my needs and wants, and they executed them perfectly. Their customer service was impeccable and their overall communication (via email, phone, text) was prompt and professional. I felt like I was in great hands.
What elements of your wedding were the most important?
The ceremony was most important to us; we absolutely adore Father Bill. Matt wanting to walk his grandmother down the aisle was very important to him.
Being in the moment was important to both of us. I think that's why we didn't have a hashtag. We wanted everyone there to want to be in the moment and not be on their phones (without having to be asked to not be on their phones). We wanted an intimate safe space for our guests to celebrate, drink, dance, and be together.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
We went to Phoenix, AZ, and rented an Airbnb to keep it low-key because of COVID.
The Proposal:
Matt proposed on the Courtney Campbell Causeway at sunset!
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We haven’t gone on one yet but would love to go somewhere with snow and mountains.
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
All of them, I honestly do not think I could have had a better set of vendors. Communication was the most important thing for me. They all responded in a very timely manner, with professionalism, help, and understanding. When speaking to one and bringing up another vendor (i.e. Grant Hemond & Associates and mentioning Kate Ryan Event Rentals was our rental vendor) they all spoke very highly and had worked together in the past which put me at ease. The CURRENT was amazing and went above and beyond to make all of our vendors and guests feel welcome as well.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our design was simplistic elegance with a tropical twist. We wanted a classic, timeless look that would feel welcoming and intimate for our guests.
What were your colors?
We chose white, champagne, and pink with tropical greenery, and black tuxes for the men. I've always enjoyed neutral color palettes and thought it'd be the perfect pair for February.
How did your rentals enhance the ambiance of your event?
We rented our dance floor, gold chairs with cushions, and gold chargers from Kate Ryan Event Rentals.
I loved the black and white checkered dance floor! It helped to create a true dance floor for guests in the middle of the room. The gold chiavari chairs and chargers allowed us to continue our color scheme of the white, champagne, and blush color palette.
What was your wedding cake inspiration?
I wanted a simple, classic, timeless four-tier cake with just a few speckles/beads of gold to tie into our color scheme and a few flowers to tie into our florals. I found a picture of a cake on Instagram, and our cake turned out to be even better than the inspiration picture we provided!
We chose The Artistic Whisk because they were a preferred vendor with the hotel and with Marry Me Tampa Bay, but also they were able to do a gluten-free tier as I have a gluten intolerance. I had reached out to several other vendors who would be able to create a gluten-free cake, but the entire thing would have to be gluten-free, and we did not want that. We chose lemon and red velvet for our flavors. They are a preferred vendor of The Current, Marry Me Tampa Bay, and recommended by my coordinator!
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
We wanted someone that would be professional, up to date with music selections, able to have a great flow of the night, include light options in the package & if possible, have a photo booth.
I had researched online and had narrowed it down to Grant Hemond & Associates and a live band. I was torn between the live band and DJ but after connecting with our planner it made more sense for us to have a DJ, and boy am I glad we did! Our guests are still talking about how amazing our DJ, Jody, was with the introductions, the flow and order of the night, and choice of music. It also helped that our planner had worked with our DJ company several times, and she was able to give her honest feedback on their experiences with them which made us feel confident in selecting them.Michelle, from Grant Hemond, was amazing! Her communication, responsiveness to emails, and professionalism were outstanding.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Get a wedding coordinator and utilize Marry Me Tampa Bay’s amazing site!
Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
*Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros are highly respected by our local wedding community and have been personally vetted by our editor.
