Michelle and Rob's romantic Bradenton destination wedding was an ethereal evening on the greens of a 520-acre Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course featuring 150-foot pine trees and 200-year-old oaks. After the exchange of vows overlooking the lake, guests dined and danced under a tent adorned with string lights and a plethora of classic white blooms.
“We really wanted to have a classic, timeless wedding, so we focused on modern simplicity and went for a clean look. I have always loved sailcloth tents and wanted to have a tented outdoor wedding, so everything really fell into place from there. We wanted to be able to look back on our wedding years later and still love our design choices,” the bride shared. “Our colors were white and more white! We went with a white color scheme because we felt like it fit in with our focus on a classic and clean aesthetic. My bridesmaids wore white, and all of our florals were white as well. We also had a black and white checkered dance floor to go along with that classic vibe.”
The Dallas-based bride turned to Marry Me Tampa Bay to help envision the ceremony and reception space potential based on the real wedding features and inspirational images showcasing their venue.
“We used the website to look at sample wedding pictures of The Concession to visualize what a wedding there could look like,” Michelle detailed.
When deciding to host a destination wedding in the bride's hometown of Bradenton, the couple sought a space that offered a picturesque Florida backdrop, ample room for their 170 guests, classic details, and attentive service to make their long-distance planning even easier.
“I always wanted a true Florida wedding and felt like it was really special to get married in my hometown. We wanted a wedding venue that would look great in photos as well as one that would have great service. Above all else, we wanted somewhere that looked beautiful, would photograph well, and, ideally, was somewhat unique! The Concession Golf Club was the first venue we toured in Florida, and it immediately stood out to us. It's stunning and exactly what we were looking for in a venue,” the bride raved. “We toured a few other venues but ultimately decided that The Concession was our favorite of them all. We loved the architecture and landscaping, and it was extra special because Rob loves to golf. Their service was truly outstanding, and we wholeheartedly recommend The Concession to anyone looking for a wedding venue. The food was amazing, and they worked with us during our tasting to create the perfect menu for us. Josh and his team went above and beyond to make our day perfect for us, and we can't thank them enough!”
The bride and groom focused their planning efforts on the overall guest experience, paying particular attention to the menu and music to ensure everyone would eat, drink, and dance to their heart's content.
“Our biggest priority in planning our wedding was to make sure that it was a fun party for all of our friends and family, so we wanted to focus on the elements of the wedding that would contribute to that,” Michelle articulated. “We knew from the very beginning that we wanted to have a band that would have everyone on the dance floor all night. Food and drinks were also a priority for us, so we worked with the team at The Concession Golf Club to create our ideal menu. Additionally, photography was a huge priority as we wanted to perfectly capture the joy and fun of the day.”
Michelle loved the idea of coordinating her wedding dress along with the bridesmaids, so she bucked tradition and selected white gowns for her bride tribe. She relied on Bella Bridesmaids for their extensive selection and convenient locations since her bridesmaids were located all across the U.S.
“I wanted simple and timeless bridesmaid dresses. I saw a photo of a friend’s wedding and loved her bridesmaids' dresses, and I actually ended up going with the same exact dress in a different color. It was a flattering silhouette for everyone as well! I wanted to go with white because I love the look of the bride and bridesmaids in white paired with the groom and groomsmen in their black tuxes. I also love that it’s a little different than the tradition of the bride being the only one in white and love that I got to match with my best friends!” the bride beamed. “I went with Bella Bridesmaids because they have a wide selection and are available in different cities, so it was easier for my bridesmaids who live outside of Dallas. They were really helpful, and I loved that we could go to their showroom and try on all of the different options!”
In typical Florida fashion, a summer shower threatened the impending ceremony but was kept at bay just long enough for the couple to exchange vows and enjoy the outdoor ceremony of their dreams. Their talented team of event professionals helped save the day by shifting the cocktail hour plans during the rain, resulting in a truly unforgettable celebration.
“The most memorable moments of the wedding came about because of the weather. We knew how risky it was to have an outdoor wedding in Florida in August and were praying for good weather but ultimately ended up with a huge thunderstorm! It was sunny and beautiful all day, but a storm decided to roll in just in time for the ceremony. Right as my dad and I started to walk down the aisle, the lightning siren sounded,” the bride recalled. “We kept walking, and luckily the all-clear siren rang out shortly after, so we were able to continue with the ceremony. Our pastor moved quickly, and we were able to finish the ceremony and get married without any rain! The huge thunderstorm started right at the beginning of the cocktail hour, so everyone had to move inside. Luckily the weather cleared up, and we were all able to celebrate together as planned in the tent. While a storm wasn't in our plans, we were able to roll with it because of such an incredible vendor team and awesome friends and family that were willing to be flexible. All in it makes for such a fun memory for us that we'll never forget!”
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
My bachelorette party was at my best friend's parents' home in Palmetto Bluff, SC, and it was absolutely perfect! Her parents were generous enough to offer to host us, so it was great to have a place to stay. I had wanted to go to Palmetto Bluff for a while, and I instantly fell in love. It's so gorgeous and was the best location for a fun girls' trip! We rode bikes, went to the pool, and drank wine on a Duffy boat. It was relaxing and so much fun!
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We went to Greece! We wanted to go to Europe, and both have always loved Greece. We felt like it was a good mix of adventure and relaxation, and it was fun to get to travel between Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini. It was such a fun trip, and we highly recommend Greece as a honeymoon destination!
What inspired your bridesmaid dress selection?
I wanted simple and timeless bridesmaid dresses. I saw a photo of a friend’s wedding and loved her bridesmaids' dresses, and I actually ended up going with the same exact dress in a different color. I felt like it was a flattering silhouette for everyone as well! I wanted to go with white because I love the look of the bride and bridesmaids in white paired with the groom and groomsmen in their black tuxes. I also love that it’s a little different than the tradition of the bride being the only one in white, and I love that I got to match with my best friends!
I went with Bella Bridesmaids because they have a wide selection and are available in different cities, so it was easier for my bridesmaids who live outside of Dallas. They were really helpful, and I loved that we could go to their showroom and try on all of the different options!
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
I always wanted a true Florida wedding and felt like it was really special to get married in my hometown. We wanted a wedding venue that would look great in photos as well as one that would have great service. I was really hoping to have an outdoor wedding with a sailcloth tent, so that was also a consideration. Above all else, we wanted somewhere that looked beautiful, would photograph well, and, ideally, was somewhat unique!
The Concession Golf Club was the first venue we toured in Florida, and it immediately stood out to us. It's stunning and exactly what we were looking for in a venue. We toured a few other venues but ultimately decided that The Concession was our favorite of them all.
We loved the architecture and landscaping, and it was extra special because Rob loves to golf. Their service was truly outstanding, and we wholeheartedly recommend The Concession to anyone looking for a wedding venue. The food was amazing, and they worked with us during our tasting to create the perfect menu for us. Josh and his team went above and beyond to make our day perfect for us, and we can't thank them enough!
The Proposal:
Rob proposed at Perkins Chapel on Southern Methodist University's campus in Dallas. We met at SMU as undergrads, so Rob wanted to incorporate SMU into his proposal plans. My mom was in town for the weekend, and my friend convinced me to run an errand for her at Perkins on our way to dinner. Little did I know that Rob was waiting inside at the end of the aisle for me.
When I walked in and saw him standing there, I started crying. When I got to the end of the aisle, he got down on one knee and asked me, “How's forever sound?” My mom, Rob, and I went to dinner, only for me to be surprised at both of our families waiting for us at the table! We had such a special family dinner with both of our families and then afterward, I was surprised again with a rooftop engagement party with all of our closest friends. It was truly the perfect night and the perfect proposal.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We really wanted to have a classic, timeless wedding, so we focused on modern simplicity and went for a clean look. I have always loved sailcloth tents and wanted to have a tented outdoor wedding, so everything really fell into place from there. We wanted to be able to look back on our wedding years later and still love our design choices!
What were your colors?
White and more white! We went with a white color scheme because we felt like it fit in with our focus on a classic and clean aesthetic. My bridesmaids wore white, and all of our florals were white as well. We also had a black and white checkered dance floor to go along with that classic vibe.
“I always wanted a true Florida wedding and felt like it was really special to get married in my hometown. We wanted a wedding venue that would look great in photos as well as one that would have great service. Above all else, we wanted somewhere that looked beautiful, would photograph well, and, ideally, was somewhat unique! The Concession Golf Club is stunning and exactly what we were looking for in a venue. We loved the architecture and landscaping, and it was extra special because Rob loves to golf. Their service was truly outstanding, and we wholeheartedly recommend The Concession to anyone looking for a wedding venue. The food was amazing, and they worked with us during our tasting to create the perfect menu for us.”
-The Bride
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
All of our vendors were amazing! The team at The Concession Golf Club exceeded our expectations by going above and beyond to make our wedding day better than we could have imagined. Our photographer was absolutely amazing to work with during both our engagement photos and wedding day. She truly captured how happy, fun, and perfect the day was, and it was such a joy to work with her. We also were blown away by our florist. She was so kind and patient as I changed my mind many times with our floral design and made great suggestions that we really appreciated. I can't express how truly amazing our wedding planning team was! Our lead planner worked with us throughout the whole planning process to make our vision come to life.
What advice would you give to other Sarasota couples?
The best thing you can do is to hire a wedding planner that you trust. They take the stress out of planning and make it such a fun experience, which is what it should be. It really lets you relax and enjoy your day!
