Rashida and Ryan’s whimsical downtown Tampa wedding was the embodiment of their personalities with nods to their tastes in music, love of plants, and modern styles. The Channel District couple chose a floral palette featuring an ombre of pink and green shades to reflect the bride’s favorite hues and the fact that she is a renowned “plant lady,” even incorporating some of her favorite houseplants into her bouquet and arrangements.

“If I could title my wedding theme it would be a tie between ‘An Ombre Garden Wedding’ and ‘Ombre and Lush’ to place emphasis on my love of plants with the use of some of my favorite lush tropical greenery and vibrant florals,” the bride explained. “Our wedding colors included ombre shades of pink and green simply because they are my favorite colors. Initially, since I feared these rather vibrant colors weren’t very ‘bridal’ in the traditional sense we began designing the space using deep greens with blush-toned florals. Later in the planning process, I expressed my true desire to incorporate my favorite colors, and my wedding planner agreed this would be a wonderful way to incorporate my personality into the event.”

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Rashida relied on Marry Me Tampa Bay to guide her vendor research and provide invaluable advice throughout the planning process.

“Since I am not a Tampa native, Marry Me Tampa Bay was an amazing resource when searching for venues, wedding dress salons, and rental companies. Additionally, the advice column was most useful as many of the topics were very relevant and provided great guidance,” the bride shared.

When choosing decor and rental items for their 143-guest celebration, the pair wanted to work with a company that was well versed with their venue and that could grasp their progressive vision and help bring it to life. Upon their first meeting at Kate Ryan Event Rentals, they knew they were in good hands.

“When my wedding planner and I met with Kristin at Kate Ryan Event Rentals, it no longer felt like a meeting but rather a conversation between old friends. Very early on, I could tell that Kristin understood and was excited by and genuinely wanted to help execute my non-traditional vision,” Rashida beamed. “As Kristin immediately pulled out her beautiful pieces from inventory, I realized the care she took in preserving her rental items as each table and place setting was in pristine condition. Her team was very knowledgeable about my venue and worked very quickly to flip the space in a very short amount of time.”

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It was some of those special decorative elements that truly helped create a unique event in the bride’s eyes.

“The color palette found in the ombre chair cushion covers, natural wood tones of the farmhouse tables, and vibrant pinks and greens present in the floral arrangements and moss aisle runner, plus the fact that we served pie to our guests instead of cake, made our wedding unique,” Rashida reminisced.

Since their wedding date fell on “Pi Day,” March 14, the couple elected to serve mini sweet potato pies to their guests in observance of the special day. To honor tradition, they also cut and served a small wedding cake. Familiar with the Alessi Bakery reputation, Rashida knew they would be the perfect confectionery option for their wedding.

“We chose Alessi Bakery because we wanted to support local small businesses with history in Tampa. Although I grew up in Tallahassee, I’m all too familiar with Alessi’s baked Easter goods. Despite having placed greater emphasis on serving homemade pies due to the wedding theme, our families encouraged us to cut a small cake for photos and the sake of tradition,” the bride explained. “Our cake designer was absolutely amazing. She was very knowledgeable, personable, and accommodating. We set up a cake tasting appointment for Easter weekend, and although they were super busy, she went through all of the options and even shared her insight to make the cake even more beautiful and to save us quite a bit of money by allowing the florist to provide the florals for the cake. The cake not only tasted amazing, but their prices were reasonable and the service great, too.”

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Ryan’s ear for music helped dictate many of the song selections throughout the day, which resulted in memorable moments for the couple.

“For our ceremony entrance song we incorporated Ryan’s Jamaican culture into our wedding, and we entered the reception to Ding Dong’s Fi Wi Dancehall with a choreographed dance to match. We surprised a lot of people with our moves!” Rashida beamed.

What was your bridesmaid’s dress inspiration?
For my bridesmaids, I was going for a timeless, chic look. Since my girls have a variety of skin tones and are of varying heights and body types, I wanted each to feel beautiful as they walked down the aisle “runway.”

I visited Bella Bridesmaids Tampa and the owner, Timeka was absolutely incredible! Long story short, one of my bridesmaids got pregnant, and she could no longer attend the wedding. Timeka helped me to rush order a dress less than three months before the big day. Additionally, I love that each of my bridesmaids could try on their gown in their respective city at a local Bella Bridesmaids but then the order was placed all together from the same dye lot and delivered to their homes. The virtual dressing room allows your bridesmaids to vote on gowns and allows the bride to secretly absorb all or a portion of the costs. I would definitely recommend Bella Bridesmaids, hands down.

The Proposal:
As we matured in our walk together, we knew God was calling us to a lifetime of commitment to each other. Ryan quickly became an expert in shopping for engagement rings, sweating the details until he found the perfect dazzling emerald-cut diamond. On August 5, we got engaged in the picturesque Canadian Rockies, where Ryan proposed near the summit of Whistlers Peak in Jasper, Alberta.

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
If I could title my wedding theme it would be a tie between “An Ombre Garden Wedding” and “Ombre and Lush” to place emphasis on my love of plants with the use of some of my favorite lush tropical greenery and vibrant florals.

What were your colors?
Our wedding colors included ombre shades of pink and green simply because they are my favorite colors.

Initially, since I feared these rather vibrant colors weren’t very “bridal” in the traditional sense we began designing the space using deep greens with blush-toned florals. Later in the planning process, I expressed my true desire to incorporate my favorite colors and my wedding planner agreed this would be a wonderful way to incorporate my personality into the event.

I think the color palette found in the ombre chair cushion covers, natural wood tones of the farmhouse tables, and vibrant pinks and greens present in the floral arrangements and moss aisle runner, plus the fact that we served pie to our guests instead of cake, made our wedding unique.

How did you incorporate you and your spouse’s personalities into the wedding?
My family and friends commonly refer to me as a “plant lady” because of my extensive collection of houseplants, and the time I spend caring for them. Therefore, it was important to me to have some of my favorite plants and flowers (ivy, moss, birds of paradise leaves, tulips and phalaenopsis orchids) incorporated into our designs. Ryan’s eye for clean lines and his ear for music helped us to refine the overall vision, elevating the event through the incorporation of live music and a pre-ceremony cocktail hour.

What elements of your wedding were the most important?
Our wedding date. Since our wedding fell on pi-day, we served our guest’s mini sweet potato pies in observance of this math holiday.

The experience. Our venue truly embodied the essence of Tampa Heights and both spaces were rich in history which we felt was important for our many out-of-town guests to experience.

Jumping the broom. Ryan and I incorporated the tradition of jumping the broom to signify the start of our new lives together.

Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Due to the travel restrictions implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have put our honeymoon plans on hold until conditions improve.

What did you look for in a wedding rental company?
I wanted to work with a local company with a welcoming and accommodating staff that was familiar with my wedding venue and understood my vision and could bring it to life.

When my wedding planner and I met with Kristin at Kate Ryan Event Rentals, it no longer felt like a meeting but rather a conversation between old friends. Very early on, I could tell that she understood, and was excited by and genuinely wanted to help execute my non-traditional vision. As Kristin immediately pulled out her beautiful pieces from inventory, I realized the care she took in preserving her rental items as each table and place setting was in pristine condition. Her team was very knowledgeable about my venue and worked very quickly to flip the space in a very short amount of time.

What did you look for in a wedding bakery?
We chose Alessi Bakery because we wanted to support local small businesses with history in Tampa. Although I grew up in Tallahassee, I’m all too familiar with Alessi’s baked Easter goods. Despite having placed greater emphasis on serving homemade pies due to the wedding theme, our families encouraged us to cut a small cake for photos and the sake of tradition.

Our cake designer was absolutely amazing. She was very knowledgeable, personable, and accommodating. We set up a cake tasting appointment for Easter weekend, and although they were super busy, she went through all of the options and even shared her insight to make the cake even more beautiful and to save us quite a bit of money by allowing the florist to provide the florals for the cake. The cake not only tasted amazing, but their prices were reasonable and the service great, too.

What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?
Be patient and enjoy the process. It’s a moment to celebrate, but it’s also a moment to cultivate your relationship with each other as you set the stage for a bright future.

Ceremony and Reception Venue: CAVU
Photographer: Joshua Dwain
Videographer: Suzanne Delawar Studios
Planner/Event Design: Jessica Campbell Events
Florist: Royal Events and Services
Caterer: Saltblock Hospitality
Rentals: Kate Ryan Event Rentals *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Rentals: Elite Events & Rentals
Cushion Rentals: Over the Top Rental Linens *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Cake: Alessi Bakery *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
DJ: Bradmasterj Musiq
String Quartet: Julie Paradies
Officiant: Rev. Julius McAllister
Invitations: My Favorite Things
Dress Shop and Designer: Malindy Elene Couture for the Bride and Martina Liana
Shoe Designer: Jimmy Choo
Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: Bella Bridesmaids and Jenny Yoo *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Bride Hair: Janique Hobbs and Amber Mimz
Bride Makeup and Bridal Party Makeup: Nicki McPherson
Bridesmaid Hair: Carmen Mcleod
Groom’s hair: Loc’s of Wisdom
Groom’s shoes: Magnanni
Groom’s attire: Suit Supply
Groomsmen attire: The Black Tux

Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

*Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros are highly respected by our local wedding community and have been personally vetted by our editor.