Victoria and Carson
The Don CeSar
“I am an interior designer, so I love decorating and designing with color, beautiful accessories, and personal touches. This was a theme throughout. I wanted a warm, colorful, floral, and tropical wedding. We selected vibrant tropical colors – pinks, yellows, oranges, etc. I wanted everything to feel vibrant and lively and joyous.” -The Bride
FEATURING
Victoria and Carson’s vibrant St. Pete Beach wedding was a colorful January celebration combining tropical flora, bright hues of fuchsia and coral, and elegant decor that elevated the space with chic sophistication. The bride and groom exchanged vows in an intimate outdoor courtyard before dining and dancing with their 178 closest friends and family in a luxurious ballroom setting.
“We live in New York, and my parents have retired to Florida, so I wanted a Spring wedding, but I didn’t want a cold wedding. I wanted to be in Florida, where it was warm. We planned an entire destination weekend, including a very fun welcome party the night prior, since so many guests traveled from out of town. We had custom cigar rollers and a steel drummer on the rooftop terrace; it was beautiful,” the bride reminisced. “The most memorable moment was walking down the aisle. The Don CeSar courtyard is stunning beyond belief. The weather was perfect, and the hotel was pink and perfect! We had so many guests, and the aisles were full of all of our family and friends. The florals were beautiful and so was the music. It was a moment in time I will cherish forever.”
The Hair and Makeup
Femme Akoi Beauty Studio
“I wanted glamorous and natural. Femme Akoi Beauty Studio had the best Instagram portfolio with the most inspirational images that matched what I was looking for. The makeup they did was incredible.”
The Bach Party & Honeymoon
“We went to Newport, Rhode Island, for the bachelorette party. Newport is beautiful in the fall and not as crazy busy as in the summer. We went on a sailboat ride, had a private lobster boil dinner at Castle Hill Inn, went to the Breakers and toured the museum, and we went to Dueling Pianos. It was the perfect bachelorette with lots of good food and shopping.
For the honeymoon, we selected the Four Seasons Anguilla. Since it was January, we wanted to go somewhere even warmer than Florida, and we just wanted to relax after all of the wedding.”
The Proposal
“We were on a big, 10-day trip to South Korea and Tokyo. On our flight to Korea, en route to Asia, Carson fainted and fell on the airplane. He was fine, thank goodness. We were then in South Korea for the first leg of the trip for a friend’s wedding. Then we flew to Tokyo for the last four days of the trip, and Carson proposed on the second-to-last day.
We had special cocktails at a famous bar named ‘Star Bar,’ and then we started walking to a special omakase dinner. On the way to dinner, Carson acted like he was feeling faint again! He said he had to sit down, but quickly fell to one knee on the sidewalk and proposed in Tokyo. It was perfect!”
The Planning
Coastal Coordinating
“I was seeking guidance and help with vendors, since I was based in New York, and I didn’t know much about local vendors. Chloe, our planner, was very helpful and responsive.
Coastal Coordinating had numerous packages to choose from, and they had the best in-between package for me since I also wanted to do a lot of the designing myself. They were able to provide help with vendors and make sure everything was booked and on track. Chloe made sure I made decisions as needed. They also had a great four-person team for us on the day of the wedding.”
The Photography
Lifelong Photography Studios
“I wanted colorful and happy photos to reflect the vibrancy and color of our wedding theme and venue.
Of all of the photographers, Lifelong Photography Studio’s sample portfolio most embodied the spirit and aesthetic of what I was looking for. They captured beautiful smiles and moments. Their photos had a beautiful energy to them – you could feel the love and enthusiasm in their photos. I also wanted beautiful imagery of our invitations, the florals, the décor, etc., and they did all of that so incredibly.”
The Inspiration
“I am an interior designer, so I love decorating and designing with color, beautiful accessories, and personal touches. This was a theme throughout. Carson is very lighthearted and fun, so he definitely wanted a live band for dancing; he also loved the vibrant colors throughout.
Our wedding style was very tropical! I wanted a warm, colorful, floral, and tropical wedding. Most of our guests were coming from the colder Northeast, so we wanted Florida to feel vibrant and fun. We selected vibrant tropical colors – pinks, yellows, oranges, etc. I wanted everything to feel vibrant and lively and joyous.
Florals were extremely important, along with special, unique touches like the coconut stand. It was also super important to have delicious food, and the Don CeSar had incredible food.”
The Decor Rentals
Kate Ryan Event Rentals
“Kate Ryan Event Rentals enhanced the ambiance of our event with all of the table decor and place settings. We chose their white satin tablecloths, rattan round placemats, gold bamboo cutlery, and beautiful glassware with gold trim. It’s the extra touches from these items that really added extra glamour.”
The Flowers
Beneva Weddings
“I wanted our flowers to be tropical and colorful. We had previously worked with Beneva and always thought the arrangements we ordered from them were absolutely stunning. We were longtime clients and fans of their work, and I’m so happy with how all of the florals turned out.
The florals were so important, and I wanted them to feel super tropical and special. Each person had a placecard that was a mini bud vase with flowers and their name in colorful calligraphy – I loved that touch.”
“Our floral inspiration was rooted in tropical warmth and colorful comfort. The design embraced that unmistakable Florida energy, sun-kissed, vibrant, and effortlessly captivating. We wanted the florals to celebrate Florida’s natural beauty while showcasing exotic blooms worthy of a day as special as the wedding itself.”
-Anna Griffiths, Marketing Director, Beneva
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Our custom coconut stand from The Surfing Coconut was amazing, and people loved it! The Bay Kings Band was also incredible!
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Take advantage of the great vendors and locations.
