Courtney and Hudson’s downtown Tampa wedding was a classic celebration filled with neutral flora, elegant attire, and a monochromatic color scheme. The couple exchanged sacred vows in a historic church before dining and dancing the night away in a formal ballroom reception.

“Our theme was timeless, classic, elegant, historic Tampa vibes. We love the history of our wonderful city, and we wanted to pick a venue that showcased that. We also had quite a few out-of-town guests, so we chose to have our wedding in downtown because of its proximity to so many Tampa must-dos,” the bride shared. “Our colors were neutral tones: grey, beige, blush, and black. We just love these colors and how they uphold the classic elegance we were going for. We added the blush for a pop of color since it was a springtime wedding.”

The Tampa couple planned a traditional ceremony in a Catholic cathedral for their 200 guests and sought a nearby reception space with similar character for the April celebration. The convenience of on-site accommodations and catering, in addition to the newly renovated space and attentive staff, made Hotel Flor an ideal choice.

“We were specifically focused on venues that could hold our estimated guest count, were close to our church, and were aesthetically pleasing. We love the history and charm that Hotel Flor holds. We knew it was going to be newly renovated and adopted by Hilton by our wedding date, and this excited us. We found their ballroom very beautiful and elegant and thought it would be the perfect spot to host our reception. We cannot say enough positive things about their service,” the bride gushed. “Even amidst their Hilton transition and some staffing changes, they were very attentive to our hopes and dreams for the day, very communicative and prompt with our questions, and extremely accommodating and flexible throughout. All of our vendors also spoke highly of how great Hotel Flor was to work with!”

The devout pair prioritized their mutual faith at the center of their nuptials, carefully selecting elements that reflected their shared beliefs. With a formal Catholic ceremony at the heart of the event, the couple chose elegant details for the reception to maintain the traditional look and feel throughout the evening.

“Faith is of the utmost importance to both of us, so we infused many important religious traditions and prayers into our day. We made sure the day was centered around what was most important to us: faith, family, and friends,” Courtney detailed. “We knew that our wedding ceremony, which took place during the Catholic Mass, was the climax of the day, which is why we carefully chose our readings, music, and prayers. It was also important to us to create beauty within the day, so we were detailed with our florals and decor to create an elegant ambiance. We even hired a harpist to elevate the experience of the cocktail hour.”

Courtney envisioned a timeless bridal look for the big day, and chose a classic ballgown from Truly Forever Bridal paired with accessories befitting her ceremony and reception venues; the cathedral-length veil and lace bolero jacket created a stunning look in the church, while detachable spaghetti straps offered an alternate style for the hotel ballroom. Desiring a natural makeup look and chic chignon hairstyle, the bride relied on the stylists at Femme Akoi Beauty Studio to enhance her features in a way that felt elevated yet authentic.

“My wedding dress inspiration was also classic and timeless. I wanted something that matched the theme of our day and would withstand the test of time. I found a gorgeous satin strapless ball gown at Truly Forever Bridal and instantly knew it was the one! They also had a lace bolero that I wanted to add on for the ceremony and then take off for the reception, which was neat because it gave me the chance to have two looks with just one dress,” the bride beamed. “My cathedral veil was also from the shop, so I got to get all three pieces of my dress in one place! Truly Forever was wonderful because they had all their dresses off-the-rack, so I didn’t have to wait for any special ordering. I got to leave with my dress right away and just get alterations to fit it just right to my body. I can’t rave enough about their service and assistance in finding the perfect dress!”

To bring everything together on the day of the event, the couple turned to Karen Cerboni at EventFull Weddings to coordinate all of the logistics and details so they could live in the moment and enjoy the wedding day experience.

“We knew we wanted a day-of coordinator to help make it all happen on the wedding day so we and our immediate families could enjoy and be present. We met Karen from EventFull Weddings at a bridal show and immediately were convinced that she and her team were the perfect infusions of professionalism and personability. We knew she would be detail-oriented and thorough and that she and her team could handle anything that came their way with grace and collectedness,” Courtney raved. “Karen was so good about bringing our vision and all the different pieces of the puzzle together to make for the most perfect and smooth wedding day we could have ever asked for. We hit the jackpot with EventFull Weddings and their coordinating services, and we truly believe they are the best in the business.”

While quality time together was carefully orchestrated between the bride and groom, it was their parent dances that stood out as core memories from the evening.

“We were able to have meaningful moments, like a private meal before the reception began and alone time together after we were officially married. We loved having a private last dance in the ballroom to a meaningful song once all our guests were ushered out. This allowed us to end the night together and have a few special moments in the ballroom before it was time to exit. We also loved our elevator exit and thought that it was unique!” the bride reminisced. “While it was lovely to soak in all the wedding day moments as a couple, our respective parent dances were particularly meaningful, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the ballroom for either dance.”

What was your wedding dress inspiration?
My wedding dress inspiration was also classic and timeless. I wanted something that matched the theme of our day and would withstand the test of time. I found a gorgeous satin strapless ball gown at Truly Forever Bridal and instantly knew it was the one! They also had a lace bolero that I wanted to add on for the ceremony and then take off for the reception, which was neat because it gave me the chance to have two looks with just one dress,” the bride beamed. “My cathedral veil was also from the shop, so I got to get all three pieces of my dress in one place! Truly Forever was wonderful because they had all their dresses off-the-rack, so I didn’t have to wait for any special ordering. I got to leave with my dress right away and just get alterations to fit it just right to my body. I can’t rave enough about their service and assistance in finding the perfect dress!

What were your wedding hair and makeup inspiration?
We wanted classic, simple, and natural for hair and makeup. Something that highlighted our natural features without making us look too different from our everyday selves.

Femme Akoi Beauty Studio was recommended to us by many people, and we knew they had a great rapport with the Tampa wedding industry. Their communication and planning process was very smooth, and I was able to have multiple trials until I loved my bridal hairdo. They were patient and understanding throughout. On the big day, they were prompt and excellent at staying on schedule. All of the bridal party was pleased with how their hair and makeup turned out. As the bride, I was blown away by my look and how lovely it came through in pictures!

The Proposal:
While in Orange Beach, Alabama for the Fourth of July weekend, Hudson had planned a proposal in a beautiful church nearby. We were there with friends, and after some time in prayer together, he expressed his love and went down on his knee in front of a beautiful statue of Mary, the Mother of God. We enjoyed a nice beachside brunch with my family afterward, who surprised us by making the drive all the way up there!

What did you look for in a wedding planner?
We knew we wanted a day-of coordinator to help make it all happen on the wedding day so we and our immediate families could enjoy and be present. 

We met Karen from EventFull Weddings at a bridal show and immediately were convinced that she and her team were the perfect infusions of professionalism and personability. We knew she would be detail-oriented and thorough and that she and her team could handle anything that came their way with grace and collectedness. Karen was so good about bringing our vision and all the different pieces of the puzzle together to make for the most perfect and smooth wedding day we could have ever asked for. We hit the jackpot with EventFull Weddings and their coordinating services, and we truly believe they are the best in the business.

What did you look for in a wedding venue? 
We were specifically focused on venues that could hold our estimated guest count, were close to our church, and were aesthetically pleasing.

We love the history and charm that Hotel Flor holds. We knew it was going to be newly renovated and adopted by Hilton by our wedding date, and this excited us. We found their ballroom very beautiful and elegant and thought it would be the perfect spot to host our reception. We cannot say enough positive things about their service. Even amidst their Hilton transition and some staffing changes, they were very attentive to our hopes and dreams for the day, very communicative and prompt with our questions, and extremely accommodating and flexible throughout. All of our vendors also spoke highly of how great Hotel Flor was to work with!

Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
We were blown away by every one of our vendors, but particularly our photographers really hit it out of the park. They were so easy-going, yet at the same time on top of their shots and our timeline. They captured moments so seamlessly and authentically. We also received our wedding gallery back in record time and the editing is just fantastic. 

How did your rentals enhance the ambiance of your wedding?
Because of how spacious the room was and because we had hired an excellent band, we wanted a stage to elevate the reception. We are so grateful we did because it really enhanced the experience for our guests during the open dancing and filled the room nicely. Kate Ryan Event Rentals was very easy to work with!

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Figure out what matters most to you about your wedding day and keep those priorities in mind throughout the planning process. It will help you stay centered on your vision and what matters most for your big day. Also, take time finding your vendors because they can make or break your experience. We would recommend every vendor we had because they were spectacular in their service and experts in their craft.