Alyssa and Dan
Coastal Creative
“I would describe our wedding design inspiration as disco meets dive bar. We wanted a lot of color and an environment that made guests want to let loose and party. We love music and bringing people together. Our biggest wedding fear would have been a stuffy wedding that took itself very seriously.
Our colors were all the colors. Our incredible wedding planner and floral designer put their brilliant brains together and took some album art that we love to come up with a palette that had colors like teal, red, soft yellow, pink, and peach.” -The Bride
FEATURING
Alyssa and Dan’s vibrant St. Petersburg wedding was a colorful February celebration where 104 guests gathered inside a modern event venue transformed with bold florals, dramatic lighting, and playful artistic details. Their ceremony featured a suspended floral arch overflowing with vibrant blooms and cascading ribbon strands in teal, peach, pink, and red that floated above the couple against a dreamy, illuminated backdrop. For the reception, colorful linens, eclectic tablescapes, disco ball accents, and oversized visual displays created a lively party atmosphere that felt artsy, energetic, and reflective of the couple’s personalities.
“We spent a lot of time building our playlists. Music is something that we connected over initially in our relationship and is one of our greatest shared passions,” the bride explained. “It was really fun to set the mood for each portion of the day, from getting ready through the after-party. I used to be a radio DJ and work in live event production, so this really let me relive those days. Dan curated a playlist of funky visuals that played on the big screens throughout our venue that ranged from absolutely gorgeous scenes of horses galloping through ethereal settings to the Creed halftime show, so our media choices definitely ran the gamut of our personalities.”
The Proposal
“Dan proposed during a weekend away. Our favorite thing to do is plan a little getaway around a concert that we want to go to. He proposed in our hotel between a great meal and going out to a concert for one of my favorite artists, Andy Shauf.”
The Details
“We live in St. Petersburg and wanted our friends and family from the Northeast to experience the magic of the city while escaping the cold weather in February. We love the small-business-oriented, tight-knit, and offbeat community and felt that a wedding here suited us perfectly.
The guest list was the most important element of our wedding. It meant so much that almost all of our friends and family were able to travel to Florida to celebrate with us. The vibes were electric, and having the right weather, the right people, and something joyful to celebrate made all of the other details, while absolutely incredible, matter a little less.
Our wedding was unique because we chose to forego many traditions and simply do what felt right for us and our guests. We have overcome a lot of hardship as a couple, and wanted the wedding to be a strictly joyous occasion. We commemorated my late father by inviting his family to let loose on the dance floor to Bruce Springsteen, accommodated all food preferences with thoughtful options, including non alcoholic beverages, and created a celebration that felt inclusive for everyone. The warehouse venue reminded us of the Brooklyn parties our friends attended throughout our 20s, and the space was bursting with color and subtle nods to the music that helped shape who we are.”
The Bach Party & Honeymoon
“We chose to have our bachelor and bachelorette parties together because there is so much overlap in our friend groups. We rented a house in the Poconos because it was convenient for most people to get to, but the house could have been anywhere because the only activity that was important to us was spending quality downtime with the people with whom we wished we could be with more often
We honeymooned in Ireland, which was a lifelong dream for both of us. It was the perfect mix of experiencing pub culture, meeting kind people, and immersing ourselves in nature.”
Most Memorable Moments
“My most memorable moment was during dinner. It was so cool to sit and take everything in and realize that I was in a room with everyone who means the most to me. In the middle of our carefully curated playlist, our DJ went rogue for a minute and threw on Natasha Bedingfield’s Unwritten, and everyone in the room broke out into song. It was incredible to see so much joy on the faces of everyone we love singing at us. I laughed and cried at the same time. It was a moment that I didn’t see coming at all, and now I will think about it every time I feel the rain on my skin.
The most memorable moment for Dan was after our ceremony, when we took some time for ourselves and our immediate families. It was special and exciting to know that the ‘big part’ was over and that it was time to party.”
The Planning
Wilder Mind Events
“I wanted a wedding planner who was going to help us stay within our budget without limiting creative ways to make the wedding unique. It was important that they were easy-going and wanted the experience to be fun. We chose Wilder Mind Events because their past work speaks for itself. You can take a look at a few pictures of weddings that they have done and know that they have a knack for throwing parties that are fun above all else. Delaney Driver was a complete joy from the first phone call, and we never had to consider anyone else for planning.”
The Design
“I would describe our wedding design inspiration as disco meets dive bar. We wanted a lot of color and an environment that made guests want to let loose and party. We love music and bringing people together. Our biggest wedding fear would have been a stuffy wedding that took itself very seriously.
Our colors were all the colors. Our incredible wedding planner, Delaney of Wilder Mind Events, and Floral Designer, Reagan of Arms of Persephone, put their brilliant brains together and took some album art that we love to come up with a palette that had colors like teal, red, soft yellow, pink, and peach.”
From The Planner
“Beyond the design itself, Alyssa and Dan hold a very special place in my heart. I received my breast cancer diagnosis just a few months before their wedding, and instead of reacting with stress or concern for their event, they showed up for me in ways I’ll never forget. They checked on me, brought me food, and became part of my support system during one of the hardest seasons of my life. Being able to ultimately celebrate alongside them on their wedding day made the experience even more meaningful. Their wedding was a beautiful reminder that the best events are rooted in genuine connection, and it will always be one of the most special weddings I’ve ever had the honor of planning.”
-Delaney Driver of Wilder Mind Events
The Rentals
Kate Ryan Event Rentals
“There are so many things I loved about Alyssa and Dan’s wedding, but what stands out most is how fearless they were in trusting the creative process. They chose an unconventional venue with an eclectic personality, which gave us the opportunity to really lean into bold design choices and create something that felt deeply personal to them. From layered textures and mixed tablecloth colors to playful floral moments and unexpected details, every element felt intentional while still maintaining an effortless, cool energy.
One of my favorite aspects was their decision to incorporate food trucks and Bandit pop-up catering instead of a traditional plated dinner. It perfectly matched their laid-back yet elevated aesthetic and created an experience that felt fun, approachable, and incredibly memorable for guests.”
-Delaney Driver of Wilder Mind Events
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Which vendors exceeded your expectations?
Our florist, Arms of Persephone, comes to mind first as a vendor that exceeded expectations because flowers were not important to me before our wedding. I never could have anticipated how it felt to see the magic that Regan and her team created (as well as Petunias Florals, who stepped in while Regan was on maternity leave). The florals were an actual work of art, and we love art! I am not kidding when I say that our floating floral arch is one of the most beautiful things that I have ever seen, and we felt so lucky that it was a part of our day. Our DJ, Rich Kenny, exceeded our expectations. He did an incredible job of keeping the dance floor full and mixing in our extremely eclectic music preferences in a crowd-pleasing way. Our photographer, Leo, of Rad Red Creative, exceeded expectations. We already knew that his work was incredible; that’s why we chose him! But we couldn’t have anticipated how much we enjoyed being around Leo. We spent a lot of time with him that day, and we wouldn’t have had it any other way.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Say no to anything that doesn’t feel right for them. You may encounter people who have opinions about how your day should go, but the details won’t matter to anyone but you when the day rolls around. Tap into the incredible network of talented folks in the area and trust them to do their jobs.
