Courtney and Justin
Bishop Museum of Science and Nature
“Our theme and wedding design inspiration was bookish, cozy, and vintage. We were drawn to vintage details such as brass candle holders, antique books, gold frames, warm lighting, and soft colors, which felt like a good representation of our combined personalities and styles. Our wedding colors were dusty rose, blush, ivory, and dark green. We chose these colors because they are light yet warm, helping create the cozy atmosphere we envisioned for our wedding day.” -The Bride
FEATURING
Courtney and Justin’s vintage Bradenton wedding unfolded before 130 guests gathered in a cobblestone courtyard beneath lanterns, hanging lights, and a centuries-old fountain. The St. Pete bride and groom exchanged vows in February beneath a freestanding floral arch in soft dusty rose and blush blooms framing the fountain, then danced the night away to a live saxophonist and drummer woven into the DJ’s set.
“The most important element of our wedding was creating an experience our guests would enjoy just as much as we would, so we considered everything from travel logistics and nearby lodging to entertainment, food, and music,” the bride shared. “We incorporated our personalities throughout the celebration by highlighting our love of books and our three cats. Antique books sourced from a used bookstore, some more than 100 years old, were incorporated into the centerpieces; the seating chart featured open books representing each table, and guests received bookmark favors. Since our cats couldn’t be there in person, we honored them with signature cocktails inspired by their names and personalities, along with framed photos displayed on each table.”
The Bach Party & Honeymoon
“I hosted my bachelorette party in Orlando, FL. It was a good central spot for all of my friends attending the bachelorette party. The theme was ‘Traveling from Miss to Mrs,’ so we spent a day at Epcot traveling around the world!
We spent our honeymoon in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We wanted somewhere we could relax completely and that we had never been to. We stayed at Couples Sans Souci, and it was the perfect honeymoon.”
The Hair and Makeup
Femme Akoi Beauty Studio
“My beauty inspiration was a soft glam and a half-up, half-down hair look. We hired Femme Akoi Beauty Studio because of our wedding planner’s recommendation. They exceeded my expectations! I was nervous about choosing a hair and makeup artist because I wanted someone who could work with curly hair.
Ayla from Femme Akoi did an amazing job with my curls and a flawless job on my soft glam makeup. The entire team did a wonderful job with the mothers and the ten bridesmaids. Not only did everyone look beautiful, but they were very organized and finished everyone’s services well before the projected end time!”
The Florals
Save the Date Florida
“Our wedding floral inspiration was not necessarily the traditional go-to wedding flowers. I wanted flowers like ranunculus, lisianthus, and quicksand roses. I wanted something that fit the wedding’s vintage-looking theme.
We hired Save the Date Florida after our planner recommended them, and they truly delivered! I had a very specific vision in mind, and they understood my odd descriptions and requests. On the day of the wedding, when I saw our ceremony archway for the first time, I was speechless!”
Researching Wedding Vendors
“Marry Me Tampa Bay was very helpful in getting me connected with our wedding planner, B Eventful. I also frequently consulted the blog posts and email newsletters for all the wedding advice.”
The Proposal
“On August 25th, our parents were slated to be in Tampa at the same time, and Justin took this opportunity to plan a proposal. He arranged a lunch at the St. Pete Pier. As soon as the group arrived at the table, Justin got down on one knee, proposed, and I said ‘Yes!’ The rest is history.”
From The Florist
“We really enjoyed creating the freestanding floral arch for Courtney and Justin. It created a beautiful picture frame in front of the Bishop Museum’s iconic fountain.”
-Danielle Zechmann, Save the Date Florida Wedding and Event Floral Design
The Planning
B Eventful
“We looked for someone who was fun to work with, organized, and who understood our personalities and wants.
We chose B Eventful because I had been following them on Instagram before getting engaged, and I was always impressed with the weddings they coordinated. Many of the weddings they coordinated matched the type of wedding I wanted. They looked fun and polished, with thoughtful touches. Our expectations for B Eventful were exceeded and then some. They were wonderful to work with, attentive, good listeners, and they anticipated our needs. They cultivated a team of vendors who worked so well together that they executed the perfect wedding day.”
The Inspiration & Design
“Our theme and wedding design inspiration was bookish, cozy, and vintage. We were drawn to vintage details such as brass candle holders, antique books, gold frames, warm lighting, and soft colors, which felt like a good representation of our combined personalities and styles.
Our wedding colors were dusty rose, blush, ivory, and dark green. We chose these colors because they are light yet warm, helping create the cozy atmosphere we envisioned for our wedding day.
We incorporated our personalities into the wedding by adding touches such as our love of books and our three cats. The centerpieces included a stack of antique books we sourced from a used bookstore, some of which were over 100 years old. Our seating chart consisted of open books, with each book representing a table. We also had bookmark wedding favors. As for our cats, since we couldn’t physically have them there, they had to make an appearance somehow! We chose to honor them by creating a signature cocktail for each cat that reflected their names and personalities. Additionally, each table had a small photograph of one of our cats.”
From The Planner
“We absolutely adored working alongside Courtney and Justin in planning their wedding at the Bishop Museum. From the very beginning, we were inspired by their vision for a refined, library-inspired celebration layered with timeless luxury and intentional detail. It was an honor to thoughtfully curate an exceptional vendor team who flawlessly brought their vision to life, resulting in a wedding experience that felt both sophisticated and deeply personal.”
-Ashley Johnson, B Eventful
The DJ
Graingertainment
“We wanted someone who could combine live instruments with a DJ. Justin is a musician and values live music, so we knew we wanted to incorporate this somehow. We also wanted someone who could capture the very specific music tastes that we envisioned for our wedding.
We chose Graingertainment because of our wedding planner’s recommendation. They were phenomenal! Chris Grainger, our DJ, was very attentive to all of our requests. When we gave him our lengthy ‘do not play’ list, he understood and created a wedding playlist that everyone loved. We were blown away by the live saxophonist and live drummer. They were interactive with the crowd and added such a fun element to the wedding. We still have people talking about dancing with the live saxophonist and how cool that was!”
Most Memorable Moments
“One of the most memorable moments was the ceremony, and that was due in part to our officiant’s excellently crafted ceremony. Another memorable moment was our private vows. We enjoyed the quiet, intimate moment where we did a first look and read our vows to each other before the ceremony, and all eyes were on us for the rest of the night. Another memorable element of the night was celebrating our marriage with all our friends and family on the dance floor, which stayed full and active the entire time.
Our wedding was literally the perfect day. We could not have asked for a better wedding. Everything went smoothly—it was magical, beautiful, romantic, and a day we wish we could relive over and over. Not only was it perfect for us, but we also received compliment after compliment from our guests about how incredible the wedding was, from a guest experience perspective as well!”
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
We can’t say enough good things about Ashley Johnson and B Eventful. The other vendors included Graingertainment, 3C’s Catering, Ruth Terrero Photography, and Weddings by Bonnie. Ruth is not only an incredibly talented photographer who delivered photos we will always cherish, but also so sweet and amazing to work with. She made us feel comfortable, and she had such a calming presence. Bonnie from Weddings by Bonnie wrote and created such a beautiful ceremony.
What advice would you give to other Bradenton couples?
Hire a wedding planner. It is worth the investment!
