Classic Timeless Bride and Groom Exchanging Wedding Vows During Ceremony | Wedding Venue Tampa Garden Club

Timeless Black and White New Year’s Eve Wedding | Tampa Garden Club

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Jade and Nick’s South Tampa wedding combined an elegant palette of black and gold, neutral white and greenery flora, and a waterfront New Year’s Eve celebration for their 175 guests.

“We would describe our theme as classic and timeless. When we look back at pictures in the future, we didn’t want to regret any of the design or décor choices that we went with. We wanted to go with wedding details that would never go out of style,” the bride shared. “Our colors were black, white, gold, and green. We still wanted to remain with the classic theme, but since it was New Year’s Eve, we wanted to give it somewhat of a moody and sparkly element, so we added in the black and gold.”

The Charlotte-based bride relied on Marry Me Tampa Bay as a local resource to find wedding inspiration and research potential venues and vendors in the area.

“I stalked Marry Me Tampa Bay even before starting the wedding planning process. Seeing all the different venues in the area was fascinating, but once we actually got engaged and started the planning process it helped even more,” the bride revealed. “We found our venue and my hair and makeup artist through Marry Me Tampa Bay.”

The couple was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida, so hosting a destination wedding in Tampa Bay was a natural choice. They sought a venue with the capacity to accommodate their large guest count along with flexibility and convenience.

“Our original guest count was 250, so it was important that we found a venue that could hold that amount. Additionally, we wanted somewhere that allowed us to bring in our own alcohol. We specifically chose Tampa Garden Club because it could accommodate our large guest count, they allowed us to bring in our own alcohol, and it was in a great centralized location for all our family and friends Their service was amazing!” Jade raved. “It offers a blank canvas, with endless possibilities when it comes to decorating. I used Marry Me Tampa Bay to get a good idea of how other brides decorated the space and to see what vendors had worked there before. Bridget, the coordinator, answered all of our questions and helped us immensely through the planning process.”

The years of anticipation leading up to their nuptials, along with the epic New Year’s Eve bash, made for a truly unique celebration.

“Other than our wedding day falling on New Year’s Eve and being able to ring in the new year as a married couple surrounded by our closest family and friends, what was unique was that we had been together for so long and not only us, but all our family and friends waited so long for this day. For the most part, all of our guests knew each other in some way, and as cheesy as it sounds you could really ‘feel the love that night,” Jade beamed. “It was an equal combination of sentimental meaningful moments and full-out fun party mode.”

To capture the day as it unfolded, the bride and groom decided to include wedding videography to relive their vows and speeches.

“At first, we weren’t sure if we wanted a videographer, as we were already spending a good amount on photography, but after doing some research and seeing examples of wedding videos, we knew we had to include it in our day. When looking for a wedding videographer, we wanted a video that included both upbeat ‘partying’ parts of the day, but also those quieter, sentimental parts of the day like when we read our vows. After seeing J&S Media’s videos on their site, and how they captured every part of the day, we knew we had to book them!” the bride gushed. “The videos on J&S Media‘s website were what got our attention, and then after speaking with them on the phone, we knew they were the right fit! Their videos capture the true emotion of the day, plus they add in all the fun, upbeat parts too! They were extremely easy to work with and so accommodating throughout the entire process. We also loved that they provided add-ons to our package, where we could get videos of the full ceremony and speeches without a lot of edits. They were a dream to work with and we absolutely love our videos!” 

Jade searched for a florist who could guide her through the wedding floral process and provide beautiful arrangements within her budget.

“We knew we wanted flowers at our wedding, but we didn’t know exactly what we wanted and all the little details of what a florist could provide, so we were looking for someone who was patient, could explain the process to us, and give us ideas on what we could have at our wedding while staying within our desired budget. Monarch Events and Design was on the preferred vendor list from our venue, and we also noticed their work on Marry Me Tampa Bay and saw they had a lot of good reviews,” the bride recalled. “After our first call with Jean, we knew we had to book her! She was everything (and more) that we could have asked for in a florist. She was patient, thorough, kind, and organized. She explained the entire process, talked through every little detail, gave us inspiration when we didn’t know exactly what we wanted, and did it all by staying within our budget. Her service was absolutely amazing and exceeded our expectations!”

The bride maintains that the sentimental vows along with the surprise reception entrance created unforgettable memories that she and Nick will forever treasure.

“Our ceremony and reception entrances [were the most memorable aspects]. We are high school sweethearts and had been together for about 11 years before getting married, so we had a lot to say when it came to reading our own vows and a lot of heart was put into it. There wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd,” the bride reminisced. “Also, for our reception entrances, we decided to have all the bridesmaids come out together, the groomsmen come out together, and our flower girls (our grandmas) come out together, each with a short choreographed dance. Lastly, it was our turn to make our grand entrance, and we did a short choreographed dance to Space Jam and that was the first time we had the cold sparklers go off which surprised our guests!”

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What did you look for in a wedding videographer?

At first, we weren’t sure if we wanted a videographer, as we were already spending a good amount on photography, but after doing some research and seeing examples of wedding videos, we knew we had to include it in our day. When looking for a wedding videographer, we wanted a video that included both upbeat ‘partying’ parts of the day, but also those quieter, sentimental parts of the day like when we read our vows.

After seeing J&S Media’s videos on their site, and how they captured every part of the day, we knew we had to book them! The videos on J&S Media‘s website were what got our attention, and then after speaking with them on the phone, we knew they were the right fit! Their videos capture the true emotion of the day, plus they add in all the fun, upbeat parts too! Jennifer and Scott were extremely easy to work with and so accommodating throughout the entire process. They were so calm and organized on the wedding day, and amazing with communication after all the festivities. We also loved that they provided add-ons to our package, where we could get videos of the full ceremony and speeches without a lot of edits. They provided us with more content than we essentially asked for and continuously answered all our questions even after our wedding day. They were a dream to work with and we absolutely love our videos!

Silver Aluminum Foil Bride Balloons
Tampa Bay Bride Taking Selfie with Bridesmaids While Getting Wedding Ready | Tampa Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio
Bride and Bridesmaids in Matching Black Short Pajama Set on Bed with Silver Confetti Poppers and Balloons | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio
Outdoor Wedding Venue Tampa Garden Club
Classic Bride Getting Buttoned Up in Wedding Dress with Mother and Bridesmaid | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio
Classic Bride with Bun Updo Wearing Strapless Sweetheart Neckline Simple Ballgown Wedding Dress Holding White Roses and Greenery Leaves Floral Bouquet | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio | Wedding Florist Monarch Events and Design

What were your wedding hair and makeup inspiration?

For my hair, I wanted the best of both worlds, an updo and hair down. Monica with Femme Akoi gave me just that! The day started with a slicked-back low bun, which later came down during the reception. For makeup, I try to stay natural and don’t wear it too heavy, so I still wanted that natural look, but a little more enhanced.

I saw a lot of great reviews on Marry Me Tampa Bay and Femme Akoi‘s Instagram, and it gave me peace of mind knowing they were experienced in the wedding industry and knew how to keep things going with an organized timeline. Their service was great! Not only did I love them, but so did my whole bridal party, and everything ran smoothly the morning of.

Classic Emotional Bride First Look with Father | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio
Classic Bride with Updo Wearing Strapless Sweetheart Neckline Wedding Dress Holding White Roses and Greenery Leaves Floral Bouquet | Tampa Bay Wedding Florist Monarch Events and Design
Classic Bride with Bridesmaids Wearing Mix and Match Black Dresses | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio | Wedding Florist Monarch Events and Design
Classic and Timeless Bride and Groom Outdoor First Look Wedding Portrait | Wedding Venue Tampa Garden Club | Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio
Classic Timeless Groom Wearing Black Tuxedo and Bow Tie Waiting for Bride First Look Portrait

The Proposal:
We were supposed to go on our first international trip together to Italy, where I later found out Nick would propose, but because of COVID those plans changed. We changed our plans and ended up visiting Nick’s cousin in San Diego, where Nick proposed on top of Sunset Cliffs.

We got lucky to have an area of the cliffs all to ourselves and since the family was around, they were able to snag some great pictures! I love surprises, so although Italy didn’t work out, I would have suspected something coming. Going to San Diego was a spontaneous trip, so I had no idea he would propose then, which made it even more special.

Classic and Timeless Bride Holding White Roses and Greenery Leaves Floral Bouquet and Groom Outdoor First Look Wedding Portrait | Wedding Venue Tampa Garden Club | Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio | Wedding Florist Monarch Events and Designs
Classic and Timeless Bride and Groom Outdoor First Look Wedding Portrait | Wedding Venue Tampa Garden Club | Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio
Groom Holding Brides Hand
Classic Timeless Wedding Party, Bridesmaids Wearing Black Mix and Match Dresses Groomsmen in Black Tuxedos on Steps of Downtown Tampa Historic Wedding Venue Le Meridien | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Femme Akoi Beauty Studio | Wedding Florist Monarch Events and Design

Where did you host your bachelorette party?
Cancun. We went to an all-inclusive resort! I wanted to go somewhere tropical and liked the idea of having everyone in one place. Once we were all there we didn’t have to worry about food, transportation, etc. it was all provided to us, right there.

Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Greece was always a top destination that we wanted to visit, so when we saw good deals on a cruise, we decided to book it! We got to visit two cities in Turkey and four cities in Greece. It truly was the trip of a lifetime.

Classic and Timeless Bride and Groom Tampa Waterfront Sunset Portrait
Classic and Timeless Bride and Groom Tampa Waterfront Sunset Portrait
Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Set Up at Tampa Garden Club

What did you look for in a wedding venue?

Our original guest count was 250, so it was important that we found a venue that could hold that amount. Additionally, we wanted somewhere that allowed us to bring in our own alcohol. 

We specifically chose Tampa Garden Club because it could accommodate our large guest count, they allowed us to bring in our own alcohol, and it was in a great centralized location for all our family and friends Their service was amazing! It offers a blank canvas, with endless possibilities when it comes to decorating.

I used Marry Me Tampa Bay to get a good idea of how other brides decorated the space and to see what vendors had worked there before. Bridget, the coordinator, answered all of our questions and helped us immensely through the planning process.

Classic Timeless Bride and Groom Exchanging Wedding Vows During Ceremony | Wedding Venue Tampa Garden Club
Classic Timeless Bride and Groom Exchanging Wedding Vows During Ceremony | Wedding Venue Tampa Garden Club

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Classic and timeless. When we look back at pictures in the future, we didn’t want to regret any of the design or décor choices that we went with. We wanted to go with wedding details that would never go out of style

What were your colors?
Our colors were black, white, gold, and green. We still wanted to remain with the classic theme, but since it was New Year’s Eve, we wanted to give it somewhat of a moody and sparkly element, so we added in the black and gold.

Classic Timeless New Years Eve Wedding Reception Decor, Sweetheart Table with Gold Glitter Table Linen, Floating Candles, Lush White Roses and Greenery Leaves Floral Bouquets, Space Jam Movie Inspired Personalized Projection | Tampa Bay Wedding Florist Tampa Garden Club
Gold Black and Greenery Wedding Decor with Gold Chiavari Chairs | NYE Wedding Decor at Tampa Garden Club

What did you look for in a wedding florist?

We knew we wanted flowers at our wedding, but we didn’t know exactly what we wanted and all the little details of what a florist could provide, so we were looking for someone who was patient, could explain the process to us, and give us ideas on what we could have at our wedding while staying within our desired budget.

Monarch Events and Design was on the preferred vendor list from our venue, and we also noticed their work on Marry Me Tampa Bay and saw they had a lot of good reviews. After our first call with Jean, we knew we had to book her! She was everything (and more) that we could have asked for in a florist. She was patient, thorough, kind, and organized. She explained the entire process, talked through every little detail, gave us inspiration, and did it all by staying within our budget. She was beyond organized, and communicative, and helped us with our vision even when we didn’t know what we wanted. Even with all the questions we had and changes we made along the way, she had the best attitude and handled everything with ease. Her service was absolutely amazing and exceeded our expectations!

Gold Black and Greenery Wedding Decor with Floating Candles | NYE Wedding Decor
Classic Timeless Bride and Groom New Years Eve Wedding Reception, Bride and Groom First Dance with Sparklers
Classic and Timeless Bride and Groom Wedding Portrait with Sparklers

Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Although all vendors exceeded our expectations, our photographer, videographer, caterer, and florist really exceeded our expectations, and we couldn’t be happier with their service.

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
During the planning process, we quickly realized it was no longer about “I,” but about “we.” Using the planning time to do things together made the actual wedding day even more special.

Also, hiring the best vendor team is key to having a wedding day that runs smoothly. I can confidently say each and every one of our vendors were amazing and worked hard to make our day exactly how we envisioned it to be.

Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pros

Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros are highly respected by our local wedding community and have been personally vetted by our editor.

Feature Credits

Vendors and venues marked with

are Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros and have been personally vetted by our editor.

Ceremony and ReceptionTampa Garden Club
Rehearsal Dinner VenueAmerican Social
PhotographyClever Disarray
VideographyJ&S Media
RentalsIM Events
SparklersGig Set Go
Florists/DecorYTE Events
Cakes & DessertPublix
DJ/Band & Live EntertainmentFollow the Fiddle
Invitations & StationeryMinted
Limo and Transportationshoop express
Dress and Bridesmaid AttireThe White Closet Bridal Company
Bridesmaids DressesAzazie

About the Author

Anna Coats

Marry Me Tampa Bay editor Anna Coats created Marry Me Tampa Bay in 2012 to showcase the area’s best local weddings and vendors. She has been featured as a wedding expert on the national talk show Daytime, Fox13, ABC Action News, Great Day Tampa Bay, and Bay News 9 (now Spectrum).

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