Marlo and Danny’s Ybor City wedding was a family-filled celebration that included trendy decor, late-night pizza snacks, and an onstage dance party. Soft pinks and sparkles of gold popped against the white rose and lily floral arrangements, while the greenery-inspired backdrops paired perfectly with the light color palette.
“Everything we chose was a mix of formal, modern, with hints of traditional. I love the greenery wall trend so I knew I definitely wanted to have one for the reception. I didn’t want anything too extreme, and I wanted to avoid mixing too many different flower colors for the centerpieces, so we decided to go with classic white flowers and greenery using blush napkins and table runners for subtle pops of color,” the bride explained. “Our colors were different shades of blush and hints of gold. Blush isn’t too overbearing and it complemented our white flowers and greenery very nicely.”
To discover new wedding trends and local inspiration, Marlo watched the Marry Me Tampa Bay Instagram stories daily and read the real wedding features from the website.
“I got a lot of decor inspiration from Marry Me Tampa Bay’s Instagram stories and blogs,” the bride shared.
While researching local wedding photographers, Marlo loved Carrie Wildes Photography for her relaxed nature and vast experience with large weddings. Knowing she and her groom would need direction for wedding poses, the bride relied on Carrie’s expertise to make them feel comfortable in front of the camera as well as effectively managing the couple’s large families during formal portraits.
“I needed someone with lots of patience who easily made us feel comfortable since we are so awkward with photos. I also wanted someone who has experience photographing large weddings since we were originally planning a 300 guest wedding,” Marlo explained. “The first day I met Carrie, I knew she would be the perfect person to shoot our wedding. I had seen a lot of her work on the Marry Me Tampa Bay webpage, and she shot weddings of several people who I know who recommended her as well, and their photos spoke for themselves. She is so talented and is so easy to feel comfortable around. She truly cares enough to make sure you will have all of the beautiful photos you deserve. At the reception, either she or Joy were always right there for all the special moments and photo-ops without missing a beat. She also taught me how to use the cake-cutting tools before those photos. Aside from her work, she is just an amazing person all-around and made this stressful process so much easier and enjoyable.”
The 300-guest Ybor City wedding was centered around family traditions. To honor the bride’s Spanish heritage, she styled her WToo by Watters dress with jewelry from her mother and aunt’s weddings, along with a custom heirloom.
“My mom had my garter made out of fabric from her wedding dress for my something old. I love that I was able to wear the necklace pearl and sapphire necklace that both my mom and aunt wore for their weddings for my somethings old, borrowed, and blue. I also wore my aunt’s bracelet that matched the necklace as another something borrowed,” Marlo revealed. “My Godfather, Uncle Mark, bought me a beautiful diamond and sapphire ring for something new and blue.”
As the bride relived the excitement of her wedding day, it was an unexpected gust of wind that left her memories light and sweet.
“I will definitely never forget the giant gust of wind that blew my veil off of my head, into a tree, then onto the roof of a building next to the hotel during our first look! Before we even turned to face each other is when the veil flew off so when I turned around he was facing the other way watching it fly off into the tree. I was just in so much shock that I never really processed what actually happened!” the bride revealed. “I was so nervous for the first look though, so one perk of the veil stealing the show is that I didn’t have to redo my makeup. Danny didn’t know how to react; I think he was expecting me to freak out, but once he saw that I was laughing, he said something along the lines of ‘Oh you look great!’ We’ll definitely never forget that moment, and my photographer, Carrie, got the perfect shot of it while also managing to keep me calm.”
The Proposal:
It was my birthday weekend and Danny and I were planning to go to dinner with our parents. I was still pretty fresh into grad school and was in the middle of working a few weeks on dayshift. I’m a nurse and primarily work the night shift, so I was a walking zombie and completely oblivious to anything that didn’t involve school or work.
Earlier in the week Danny picked out the ring and managed to keep the secret. Our nephew was about a month old, so he told me to get ready for dinner early so that we could stop by and see him before. Before we got on the elevator, he told me we have to go up to the roof to take pictures of the party room for one of our sister-in-law’s friends. After my million questions about why we had to go up there and probably driving him to his wit’s end in typical Marlo fashion, we finally got up there.
Danny put a bottle of champagne and flowers on the table in the room, but it went right over my head. Somehow, he lured me to the table, and I noticed the bottle, but I thought he was just doing something sweet for my birthday. Once he got down on one knee my mind blacked out, and all I remember was saying “Wait really?… Of course!”
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
I needed someone with lots of patience who easily made us feel comfortable since we are so awkward with photos. I also wanted someone who has experience photographing large weddings since we were originally planning a 300 guest wedding.
The first day I met Carrie of Carrie Wildes Photography I knew she would be the perfect person to shoot our wedding. I had seen a lot of her work on the Marry Me Tampa Bay webpage, and she shot weddings of several people who I know who recommended her as well, and their photos spoke for themselves. She is so talented and is so easy to feel comfortable around. She is extremely efficient and was able to get through all of our family photos in the short amount of time we had at the church after the ceremony (We both have big families). She truly cares enough to make sure you will have all of the beautiful photos you deserve.
She does not get frazzled when things don’t go exactly as planned, i.e., the gust of wind blowing my veil off my head. She got the perfect shot of it while also managing to keep me calm. After the ceremony, I was really not feeling another photoshoot and just wanted to get our couple photos over with and eat something before our introductions. I’m so glad she talked me into taking our bridal party photos around Ybor; she knew that these would be ones that I would appreciate in the long run, and she was right! At the reception, either she or Joy were always right there for all the special moments and photo-ops without missing a beat. She also taught me how to use the cake-cutting tools before those photos. Cutting through wedding cake is not as easy as it looks. Aside from her work, she is just an amazing person all-around and made this stressful process so much easier and enjoyable.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
We spent my bachelorette party in Nashville.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We spent our honeymoon in Park City, Utah. We were originally supposed to go to Mexico but decided to go skiing instead, and it was the best decision.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We chose was a mix of formal and modern, with hints of traditional. I love the greenery wall trend so I knew I definitely wanted to have one for the reception. When I found the neon light-up sign on Etsy, I knew it would be perfect for behind the bride and groom table. Our amazing wedding coordinator put the wall and sign together and did a great job. I didn’t want anything too extreme, and I wanted to avoid mixing too many different flower colors for the centerpieces, so we decided to go with classic white flowers and greenery using blush napkins and table runners for subtle pops of color.
What were your colors?
Our colors were different shades of blush and hints of gold. Blush isn’t too overbearing and it complemented our white flowers and greenery very nicely.
How did you incorporate your personalities into the wedding?
We are both very laid back and easygoing and love having lazy pizza nights. For our farewell gift to our guests, we gave them personal pizzas to thank them for being a “pizza” our wedding.
Maritza made a groom’s cake for the rehearsal dinner made to look like a bottle of one of Danny’s favorite drinks, Crown Apple. On the cake she wrote, “I guess it’s time to share the crown.” I was queen of the Krewe of the Knights of Sant Yago; I saw the perfect opportunity to be punny and I took it.
Church: Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Reception Venue: Centro Asturiano de Tampa
Photographer: Carrie Wildes Photography *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Videographer: Lucid Productions LLC
Caterer: Catering by the Family
Rentals: Modern Day Events
Cake: Cakes by Maritza
Band: C’Nergy
Officiant: Father Chuck Dornquasty
Transportation: L3Limo
Dress Designer: WToo By Watters
Shoe Designer: Betsey Johnson
Hair: Diane’s Collections & Hair
Makeup: D2Co.
Rehearsal Dinner: Palma Ceia Country Club
Getting Ready Hotel: Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay
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.