Stephanie and Evan love vacationing at Anna Maria Island and that affinity for Florida style translated into their champagne, gold, and ivory destination Sarasota wedding.
“Our wedding would be described as coastal chic. I wanted a classy, romantic, traditional look without losing the feel of being in a tropical setting,” the bride shared. “Some of my favorite parts of our wedding were the bridesmaids' sparkly palm dresses and the pineapple floral centerpieces! The pops of pineapple from our wedding stationery, to the cake, to the centerpieces all tied together so perfectly.”
MORE: TROPICAL WEDDING INSPIRATION
While planning her Florida wedding from New Jersey, Stephanie relied heavily on Marry Me Tampa Bay to help her find local inspiration and advice.
“I loved reading the real brides section and browsing through the wedding planning tools. Marry Me Tampa Bay was a really great resource for me especially since I was planning a destination wedding,” the bride explained. “I was definitely inspired by other real brides during the planning process who got married in the same area with a similar look as me.”
The bride and groom were so enthralled with The Resort at Longboat Key Club upon first seeing the space that they immediately booked their wedding date and canceled all their other site visit appointments that were scheduled during their Florida visit. Stephanie and Evan immediately knew that it was the perfect fit for their big day!
“We wanted all of our friends and family to experience just how fun and beautiful the west coast of Florida is and what better way to do it than to have an outdoor tropical wedding!” the bride beamed. “Ayla immediately made us feel so special and welcomed, and we knew right then and there this was the place we would say I do! The grounds are absolutely beautiful and speak for themselves, and the option to have our ceremony in a tropical setting outside at the Marina followed by a cocktail hour in the Marina Courtyard and a reception at the Harbourside Lawn was exactly what we visioned, being at the beach without the sand in our shoes.”
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RESORT AT LONGBOAT KEY CLUB | EMAIL
When selecting a wedding officiant, the couple immediately connected with Grace, from A Wedding with Grace, who shares a name with the bride's maternal grandmother.
“Grace made a point to get to know Evan and me, and it was genuine that she wanted to learn all about our relationship. She customized our wedding ceremony, incorporated details about us as individuals and as a couple, and made our ceremony unforgettable,” the bride shared.
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Deciding on a live band was one of the most important priorities for Stephanie and Evan who described their guests as “dancing machines.”
“As soon as we heard the Bay Kings Band‘s songs online we were captured by their talent and loved their energy! They have such a cool, fun vibe going on everything! The also had rave reviews which were helpful to read before making a final decision and were a pleasure to work with. They had everyone dancing all night long!” the couple gushed.
LEARN MORE ABOUT BAY KINGS BAND | EMAIL
Stephanie said one of the most unique aspects of their wedding was the fact that it was more than just a single day event; it was a week-long celebration vacation for their 180 guests, and by the end of it, no one wanted to leave!
“We were so fortunate and blessed to have had a full-blown wedding week, renting a gorgeous beachfront home in Anna Maria Island, hosting our wedding guests at our welcome party and our Sunday beach party, and the wedding at The Resort at Longboat Key Club was everything we could have ever dreamed of!” the bride beamed. “The icing on the cake was that the weather was absolutely spectacular all week long; it was truly a fairytale!”
Although their day included so many memorable moments, the bride mentioned that one of her favorites was during the couple's first dance together as husband and wife.
“Evan sang to me, and we held each other so closely; it took every ounce of me to not cry and ruin my makeup!” Stephanie reminisced. “It was so special to have this intimate moment surrounded by all of our family and friends. We were in our own little love bubble!”
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
A beautiful outdoor ceremony and reception space! We decided to have a destination wedding at our most favorite vacation spot, Anna Maria Island. We wanted all of our friends and family to experience just how fun and beautiful the west coast of Florida is and what better way to do it than to have an outdoor tropical wedding! We also felt it would be most convenient to pick a venue that had a ceremony and reception location on the same grounds so our guests could be swiftly transported from one location to the other. Our guests were already traveling so far!
Surprisingly we only looked at The Resort at Longboat Key Club the morning we landed in Florida and actually ended up canceling our afternoon appointments at other venues. We just knew the LBKC was the perfect venue! Ayla immediately made us feel so special and welcomed, and we knew right then and there this was the place we would say I do! The grounds are absolutely beautiful and speak for themselves and the option to have our ceremony in a tropical setting outside at the Marina followed by a cocktail hour in the Marina Courtyard, and a reception at the Harbourside Lawn was exactly what we visioned, being at “the beach” without the sand in our shoes. The palm trees and tropical flowers throughout the venue are gorgeous.
Ayla is the best of the best, always so gracious and kind, even with the smallest of questions (or craziest!) Ayla was always there and would get right back to me. Her professionalism and organization made working with her easy and enjoyable. It’s clear that she really loves what she does, and it shows. I can’t imagine having planned my fairytale wedding with anyone else!
The Proposal:
Evan proposed at our favorite spot on the beach on Long Beach Island at the Jersey Shore on August 11. The proposal was exactly how I’ve always imagined, romantic, thoughtful, and personal, just the two of us at our favorite beach during sunrise on a perfect summer morning! Evan got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. I happily leaped into his arms and that’s the moment when I got a closer look at my engagement ring, and I remember being blown away with how beautiful it was, and that’s when the happy tears really started flowing!
What did you look for in a wedding officiant?
Grace from A Wedding with Grace was highly recommended to us by our venue. My middle name is Grace, after my beloved Grandmother Grace (my mother’s mother), so we immediately had a connection! Grace was an absolute pleasure to work with. She made a point to get to know Evan and me, and it was genuine that she wanted to learn all about our relationship. She customized our wedding ceremony, incorporated details about us as individuals and as a couple, and made our ceremony unforgettable. She just so happens to have the best voice for a wedding ceremony too! Throughout the ceremony(and rehearsal, Grace was poised, calm, and never skipped a beat!
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Coastal chic. When I first met Ayla of The Resort at Longboat Key Club she asked me how I visioned my wedding day. My response was, “I love the tropical feel of Florida without getting sand on my dress!” The inspiration for our wedding came from wedding websites and magazines and other social media platforms. I’ve always had a look in mind and most of my choices were relatable, even years later. I wanted a classy, romantic, traditional look without losing the feel of being in a tropical setting. Some of my favorite parts of our wedding were the bridesmaids' sparkly palm dresses and the pineapple floral centerpieces! The pops of pineapple from our wedding stationery, to the cake, to the centerpieces all tied together so perfectly!
What were your colors?
The color theme of our wedding was soft blush, shimmery golds and champagnes, creamy whites, and eucalyptus greenery. We chose these colors because we loved the natural, romantic, classic look! We didn’t want to take away from the venue which is so beautiful on its own! The palm trees and tropical flowers throughout the venue are gorgeous. We wanted to keep the look clean and classic with natural lighting and a soft color palette.
What did you look for in a wedding band?
A fun, interactive, live band!
As soon as we heard the Bay Kings Band‘s songs online we were captured by their talent and loved their energy! They have such a cool, fun vibe going on everything! The also had rave reviews which were helpful to read before making a final decision and were a pleasure to work with. They had everyone dancing all night long! I would highly recommend them!
What advice would you give to other Sarasota couples?
If you have a gut feeling, go with it! While planning our wedding I was very rarely stressed because all our decisions were made either on the spot or shortly after. We toured one wedding venue and knew it was the one so we booked it. I only tried on three other dresses before I picked my wedding gown! The best advice I received during wedding planning was to not overthink every little thing, you’ll drive yourself crazy! I truly enjoyed the wedding planning process! I am a very organized person so creating spreadsheets and Pinterest boards were fun for me.
Create a strict and honest budget spreadsheet, keep an updated address book of your wedding guests, add your return address label to your wedding envelope stationery, wear comfortable shoes if you can. I wore Kate Spade platform sneakers and was so glad that I did. I was comfortable all day and danced the night away. Check out vendors' social media pages, that’s where I did most of my research for choosing vendors. Listen to your mother and coordinators; they know best. Take a moment to soak it all in, and enjoy every moment!
Ceremony/Reception Venue and Caterer: The Resort at Longboat Key Club *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Venue
Photographer: K&K Photography
Planner/Rentals: Swanky Soiree Events
Florist: Flowers by Fudgie
Cake: Cakes by Ron
Band: Bay Kings Band *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Officiant: A Wedding with Grace *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Invitations: Cartalia Stationery Studio
Transportation: Siesta Key Trolley and All Aboard Charters
Dress Shop and Designer: I do I do, (Morristown, N.J.) – Nicole Spose
Bridesmaid Dresses: Aidan Mattox – Adrianna Papell
Makeup: Lo Mantak N.J. Artist
Hair: Salon Salon Holmes Beach
Luxury Home Rentals: Once Upon a Beach
