Alicia and John's tropical Clearwater Beach wedding perfectly captured the bride's childhood vision of a breathtaking oceanside wedding with fun, beach inspired party favors and a teal, coral, and purple color palette.
“Clearwater Beach is so beautiful that we wanted to find a way to truly embrace it and highlight it in our wedding. Finding a way to really showcase the backdrop of the beach during the ceremony was so important to really pull together the theme we were going for,” the bride explained. “We tied in the atmosphere with a beach-inspired wedding cake complete with a starfish bride and groom cake topper, but of course, we made sure to incorporate our New Jersey roots.”
MORE: CLEARWATER BEACH WEDDING INSPIRATION
It was a lifelong dream for Alicia to wed on the beach, which she fulfilled by choosing the Hilton Clearwater Beach for her wedding venue.
“I would always say that one day I would get married on the beach in Clearwater, and I've wanted to be married at the Hilton Clearwater Beach since I was a little girl. When my family use to vacation there, I would try and sneak away to watch the weddings on the beach,” the bride shared. “It just so happened that the resort had everything we wanted for our wedding and guests. They created a great experience, and all of our guests raved about their service and amenities at the hotel.”
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As the bride drew inspiration from other weddings on Marry Me Tampa Bay, she searched for a wedding photographer who could perfectly capture the most cherished memories of the day.
“The most important elements of our special day were our ceremony, photos, and video. We wanted our ceremony to truly capture our love for each other and we made sure that our vows showed that. Photos and videos were also important to us because we wanted to make sure we had something to look back on and remember our beautiful celebration,” the bride shared. “After looking online at some sample photos, taken specifically at our venue, we knew Life Long Photography Studio was the photographer for us! They knew the venue, Clearwater, and how to capture its beauty.”
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Being a fun couple who loves to dance, Alicia and John wanted a DJ who was energetic and ready to keep the guests up and dancing all night.
“After checking out Grant Hemond & Associates‘ reviews, we were sold! Plus, their attention to our wedding throughout the booking process was awesome!” the bride gushed.
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Looking back, a few memories that stood out most from the pair's blissful, beach-inspired celebration included the first time the bride and groom saw one another.
“Our most memorable moments included seeing each other for the first time walking down the aisle and our first dance,” the bride reminisced. “John and I didn't see each other until the ceremony, so when I walked down the aisle it was the best feeling seeing him at the end! For our first dance John and I actually took dance lessons leading up to the wedding. We had so much fun doing this, and it served as a much-needed date night! We couldn’t wait to see everyone's reaction!”
The Proposal:
John took me on a date night to Hoboken, which was the place of our first official date. He had my mom and sister hide while he walked me towards the water overlooking the New York City skyline. He got down on one knee and completely surprised me. Luckily, my sister got it all on video!
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Clearwater Beach is so beautiful that we wanted to find a way to truly embrace it and highlight it in our wedding. Finding a way to really showcase the backdrop of the beach during the ceremony was so important to really pull together the theme we were going for. We tied in the atmosphere with a beach-inspired wedding cake complete with a starfish bride and groom cake topper, but of course, we made sure to incorporate our Jersey roots. We also handed out sunglasses and flip flops to all our guests.
What were your colors?
We used a mix of teal, coral, and purple. Keeping with the beach theme, I selected bridesmaids’ dresses that were floral and light. The print we picked had corals and purples, so we went with that. We incorporated the purple into the groomsmen’s outfits. The teal came into play with our reception colors and cake. We feel these colors were very beachy.
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
The most important elements of our special day were our ceremony, photos, and video. We wanted our ceremony to truly capture our love for each other and we made sure that our vows showed that. Photos and videos were also important to us because we wanted to make sure we had something to look back on and remember our beautiful celebration. We wanted a photographer who had employees who loved what they did. Having been in many weddings, I knew how awkward it could be at times taking photos. We looked for someone who could really make everyone feel comfortable, yet really capture everyone’s personalities.
I want to Learn more about Lifelong Photography Studio
After looking online at some sample photos, taken specifically at our venue, we knew Life Long Photography Studio was the photographer for us! They knew the venue, Clearwater, and how to capture its beauty.
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We wanted a place that could be more than just a wedding to our guests. We wanted them to have an experience. Since most of our family and friends were traveling, we wanted them to experience the best Clearwater Beach had to offer, before, after, and during our wedding.
Send me pricing and availability for the Hilton Clearwater Beach.
I would always say that one day I would get married on the beach in Clearwater, and I've wanted to be married at the Hilton Clearwater Beach since I was a little girl. When my family use to vacation there, I would try and sneak away to watch the weddings on the beach. It just so happened that the resort had everything we wanted for our wedding and guests. They created a great experience, and all of our guests raved about their service and amenities at the hotel.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
Being from New Jersey, our guests love to dance and live for a good DJ! We wanted a DJ who was going to do more than just play songs, but create an environment that would make our guests want to get up, dance, and have a great time!
I want to learn more about DJ/Lighting services from Grant Hemond & Associates.
We made sure to use a great DJ to ensure we would have the best time dancing with all of our guests. We were referred to Grant Hemond and Associates by the Hilton. After checking out reviews, we were sold. Plus, their attention to our wedding throughout the booking process was awesome!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Enjoy every minute of planning and the day of your wedding. Don't stress over the little things because everything will work out in the end! Make sure to take a moment at your reception to look around and really just take it all in. Your wedding day is one of the best days of your life, and you should enjoy every moment!
Ceremony and Reception Venue and Caterer: Hilton Clearwater Beach – Courtney Owens *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Venue
Photographer: Lifelong Photography Studios *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Videographer: Brandon Paul Films
Florist: Iza’s Flowers
Wedding Cake: Sweets by the Bay
DJ: Grant Hemond and Associates – Doug Decker *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Officiant: Sensational Ceremonies
Invitations: Etsy
