Elizabeth and Shawn's outdoor St. Pete wedding combined lush greenery, a glowing canopy of string lights, and a soft color palette of pink and gold for their laid back garden wedding. Playing off of their outdoor wedding style, the bride and groom found subtle ways to mix in their personalities by incorporating a gelato cart and photo booth.
“After we chose our venue, the outdoor plant theme came along with it. We really wanted to make sure that the environment stayed comfortable, yet beautiful for our guests,” the bride shared. “I never thought I would get married outside, but something about being surrounded by natural, living, growing things made me change my mind!”
MORE: GARDEN WEDDING INSPIRATION
In agreement that they needed a traditional Florida meal to really impress their guest list of 100, the Missouri couple enlisted the help of St. Pete wedding caterer Olympia Catering.
“Shawn loves to cook and was very impressed by the options offered by Olympia,” the bride beamed. “Everything was fantastic, and we got a lot of compliments about how the filet was cooked to perfection. Also, the staff was incredibly friendly and respectful!”
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Searching for a St. Pete wedding DJ who was open to performing a non-traditional reception with song requests from the couple, the couple chose Graingertainment.
“I hired Chris with Graingertainment after a phone interview where he told me, that ‘I was the boss,' and he wanted our day to be everything we wanted and more,” the bride joked. “He did a great job of seamlessly combining the many genres of music we like together. Months after the wedding, people still tell us how fun the DJ was! Another huge benefit of Graingertainment was the photo booth rental, which was a necessity for us! We truly couldn't have asked for a better DJ, Chris did an amazing job!”
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Putting the final touches on their wedding design, Elizabeth and Shawn relied on decor rental company Gabro Event Services for recommendations on chairs that would complement the ambiance of an outdoor garden ceremony.
“Gabro provided two Chiavari chair color options with different cushions for our ceremony. The addition of these chairs completed the picture that we had in mind,” Elizabeth gushed. “I was so happy with them!”
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Looking back on their special day, the bride will never forget the moment that brought everyone to their feet.
“One of the most memorable moments was when the last song of the night came on. As Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey blasted through the speakers, the best man got up and started air-guitaring the entire song! It was classic!” Elizabeth reminisced.
What rentals did you use for your wedding day?
Gabro Event Services provided two Chiavari chair color options with different cushions for our ceremony. The addition of these chairs completed the picture that we had in mind. I was so happy with them!
I want to learn more about decor and draping from Gabro Event Services
The Proposal:
Shawn proposed very privately in our kitchen on a random Thursday night. He had many ideas of when and where to ask me before the kitchen proposal, but according to him, I always came up with better things to do instead.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
Someone who was open to performing a non-traditional reception, and who would honor our requests list.
I want to learn more about DJ & Lighting from Graingertainment.
I hired Chris with Graingertainment after a phone interview where he told me, that ‘I was the boss,' and he wanted our day to be everything we wanted and more. He did a great job of seamlessly combining the many genres of music we like together. Months after the wedding, people still tell us how fun the DJ was! Another huge benefit of Graingertainment was the photo booth rental, which was a necessity for us! We truly couldn't have asked for better. Chris did an amazing job! One of the most memorable moments was when the last song of the night came on. As Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey blasted through the speakers, the best man got up and started air-guitaring the entire song! It was classic!
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
After we chose our venue, the outdoor plant theme kind of just came with it. We really wanted to make sure that the environment stayed comfortable, yet beautiful for our guests. I never thought I would get married outside, but something about being surrounded by natural, living, growing things made me change my mind.
What were your colors?
We chose pink and golds, to go along with the green that was all around us, creating a classic look.
What was your wedding menu inspiration?
We knew we wanted something on the menu that gave our guests a taste of Florida. With that in mind, we added the grouper as one of our options.
I want to learn more about weddings and events at NOVA 535.
Shawn loves to cook and was very impressed by the options offered by Olympia Catering. Everything was fantastic, and we got a lot of compliments about how the filet was cooked to perfection. Also, the staff was incredibly friendly and respectful!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Let the experts guide you!
Venue: Sunken Gardens
Photographer: Tiffani Jones Photography
Planner: Kimberly Hensley Events
Florist: Iza’s Flowers
Caterer: Olympia Catering *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Rentals: Gabro Event Services *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Cake: Wandering Whisk
DJ and Photo Booth: Graingertainment *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Officiant: Family Member
Invitations: Minted
Transportation: Ambassador Limo
Bridesmaid Dress Shop: Azazie
Hair & Makeup: Femme Akoi *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
