Jordan and Matt's elegant Sarasota wedding was a breathtaking evening carefully curated to reflect their love story. The Tampa couple hosted 80 of their friends and family for an outdoor tented waterfront reception at a sprawling historic estate.
“We live in Tampa, but we love Sarasota and actually almost moved there instead of Tampa. We wanted a place where all of our guests could easily get Airbnbs and explore a cool town. Most people rented houses on Siesta Key and were walking distance to the beach and their Main Street. It was a blast!” the bride beamed. “We wanted a classic and timeless wedding. We didn't want to look back on photos in twenty-five or fifty years and see outdated trends. Our colors were white with gold accents. We wanted something that wouldn’t go out of style. It was simple and elegant.”
As a local influencer and podcast host, the photography and videography aesthetic played a significant role in selecting the style of editing. Mars and the Moon Films‘ energetic personalities and artistic style were the perfect fit.
“We wanted a dark and moody vibe and less of the typical bright and airy wedding photos and videos you see. We also wanted people who had great personalities,” Jordan revealed. “Bonnie and Jon of Mars and the Moon Films are so much fun! They are some of the coolest people we have ever met and are extremely talented. They are very transparent with setting expectations for the services they provide. We wanted REAL, and they captured Matt and I perfectly.”
It was important that the bride be able to enjoy every aspect of the March day, so she hired Kelly Kennedy Weddings and Events to assist her in the wedding planning journey so that she wouldn't need to worry about a thing.
“We really wanted someone who wasn't uptight. We had spoken with two planners before we chose Kelly Kennedy Weddings and Events, and the connection wasn't there. They were pretty snooty, and we wanted someone who was excited as we were and understood our vision. Wedding planning should be fun and stress-free, so choosing the perfect planner is crucial,” the bride articulated. “We just connected with Kelly right away. She understood our humor and vision. She was super excited and had a lot of experience. She checked all of our boxes.”
Delicate baby's breath decorated the aisles and the asymmetrical floral arch for the romantic indoor ceremony. The simplistic yet timeless florals extended into the reception, where Kate Ryan Event Rental’s gold flatware and chargers complemented the tablescape and the black and white dance floor elevated the evening.
“We wanted everyone to have fun and celebrate with us. I was told many times I was such a ‘chill bride;' I never had a bridezilla moment. We knew it was going to be beautiful no matter what, so the details were less important than having everyone we love in our favorite place,” Jordan recalled. “One detail I needed was the black and white dance floor. I was obsessed with having one.”
Having the wedding reflect their personalities was a priority for the fun-loving bride and groom, which they did through their culinary selections.
“We didn’t have your typical ceremony; it was full of laughs and stories and our favorite memories of each other, including making fun of each other's drink choices. Matt always gets a fruity drink in a fun cocktail glass, and I always get a beer, usually Mich Ultra. That was the inside joke of the night, and yes, I drank Mich Ultra all night and Matt drank his fruity cocktails,” the bride joked. “Coming into the ceremony, we had champagne with edible glitter; I love glitter, so that was so me. Matt is a food guy, so he chose most of the food, which meant we had chicken and waffles as a passed hors’ d'oeuvres.”
Seeing the day unfold before her eyes, Jordan was grateful to have soaked in every moment and enjoyed the memories.
“On the actual day, watching everyone around us go above and beyond to make sure we did not stress about a thing and making sure everything was perfect. We took a moment to just look around, and the amount of love our relationship has was just so heartwarming to see,” the bride reminisced.
The Proposal:
For years, I joked about how I would take a ring pop because the ring isn't why I wanted to be married. So about a month before the proposal, Matt asked me one night, “Aren't you craving ring pops?” Thinking nothing of it, I said, “OMG yes, we should get some.”
So a few weeks later after, we had gone out to dinner, and when we got home, Matt just ripped out this giant bag of fifty ring pops, and I started laughing. Like why on earth did he buy this many? He tells me the bag has every flavor and to pick one. I picked the first one I saw, and he said, “No, not that one.” At this point, I still didn't have the slightest clue. When I picked the “right” one and opened the bag, not only did I see the ring pop, but I saw a shiny ring. The rest is history.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We wanted classic and timeless. We didn't want to look back on photos in twenty-five or fifty years and see outdated trends.
What were your colors?
White with gold accents. We wanted something that wouldn’t go out of style. It was simple and elegant.
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
We wanted someone who wasn't uptight. We had spoken with two planners before we chose Kelly Kennedy Weddings and Events, and the connection wasn't there. They were pretty snooty, and we wanted someone who was excited as we were and understood our vision.
Wedding planning should be fun and stress-free, so choosing the perfect planner is crucial. We just connected with Kelly right away. She understood our humor and vision. She was super excited and had a lot of experience. She checked all of our boxes.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
For my bachelorette party, we had a pool party at our Airbnb and then went out to the Beach Club in Siesta Key. We did it the “old fashioned” way and had the bach party a few days before the wedding. All of our guests, family, and the wedding party had to travel, so it was easiest for everyone to come in for the week. Matt, myself, and our entire wedding party rented an Airbnb for a week, and it was the best time ever!
What did you look for in a wedding photo/video team?
We wanted a dark and moody vibe and less of the typical bright and airy wedding photos and videos you see. We also wanted people that had great personalities.
Bonnie and Jon of Mars and the Moon Films are so much fun! They are some of the coolest people we have ever met and are extremely talented. They are very transparent with setting expectations for the services they provide. We wanted REAL, and they captured Matt and I perfectly.
How did the rentals enhance the ambiance of your event?
We used the black & white dance floor, chargers, silverware, and chairs from Kate Ryan Event Rentals.
One detail I needed was the black and white dance floor. I was obsessed with having one.
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
All of my vendors were beyond amazing. To this day, people are still talking about how good the food was and how amazing the music was. Our wedding planner, Kelly Kennedy, did such a great job! She was with us for every step of planning, knew exactly what we wanted, and ran around (literally) to make sure every detail was perfect.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
I think this goes for all couples: this is your day, don’t forget that. This is a time to be selfish and do exactly what YOU want. If something will make you happy, just do it and don’t listen to other people’s opinions.
Also, don’t forget to take in the whole process of wedding planning. It really does go by so fast. All of the important people in your life are in one room, so just take a moment day of, and take in all the love and support you have.
