Wedding

Whimsical Green and Lavender Tampa Wedding | Tampa Garden Club

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Garden Themed Tampa Wedding | Tampa Garden Club Wedding

Alexandra and Devin's garden themed Tampa wedding featured a sage green and lavender color palette, elegant ceiling and wall draping and warm uplighting to create romantic atmosphere.

“We went with a soft, garden theme and used lighting and floral arrangements to create an inviting environment,” the bride explained. “We wanted a warm, fun party with all of our families and friends coming together from all over.”

MORE: GARDEN INSPIRED TAMPA BAY WEDDINGS

The Connecticut couple, who grew up in Pinellas County, searched for a South Tampa wedding photographer who could blend into the background and document their special day.

“We wanted someone who could be assertive in corralling our big families for formal family shots, yet capture the intimate moments,” Alexandra said. “From the first time I spoke with Kera of Kera Photography, I could tell that she knew her stuff, had a good amount of experience shooting weddings and that she was warm, friendly and motivated. We loved her energy and were so happy with the final product! Everyone that has seen our pictures has raved about the quality.”

MORE: KERA PHOTOGRAPHY WEDDINGS

In addition to wedding photography, the bride and groom also documented their big day with a Tampa wedding cinematographer.

“At first, we weren’t planning on having a videographer because we were mindful of our budget. I’m so glad we decided to add one, because it’s invaluable to have the memories recorded,” the bride shared. “Brett from Hatfield Productions was willing to work with us to create an experience that fit our budget and was true to his professional style. His vision for our video came together beautifully! I loved that he included aerial shots of Tampa and over the water; it gave it a beautiful Floridian touch. Brett has an amazing eye and is clearly motivated to deliver a fantastic product!”

Looking back, some of Alexandra's most memorable moments occurred during the wedding ceremony.

“Our officiant was a close family friend of the groom, and when her voice shook a couple of times through our vows, we could feel how emotional it was for her to be a part of our ceremony,” the bride reminisced. “The sound of everyone woo-ing and whistling when we had our first kiss as husband and wife was so special.”

What did you look for in a wedding videographer?
At first, we weren’t planning on having a videographer because we were mindful of our budget. I’m so glad we decided to add one, because it’s invaluable to have the memories recorded. When we decided to select a wedding videographer, we looked for someone who would blend into the party and capture all the hidden moments, while also prioritizing videography of the toasts, vows and ceremony. Brett from Hatfield Productions was extremely responsive to our inquiries and was willing to work with us to create an experience that fit our budget and was true to his professional style. He impressed us with his experience and knowledge of wedding videography. His vision for our video came together beautifully! I loved that he included aerial shots of Tampa and over the water; it gave it a beautiful Floridian touch. Brett has an amazing eye and is clearly motivated to deliver a fantastic product!

Garden Theme Wedding Invitation Suite | South Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

Garden Inspired Wedding Bouquet of Flowers with Purple Roses, Buddleia, Veronica, Larkspur and Greenery | South Tampa Wedding Florist Apple Blossoms Floral Design | Photo by Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

Bridal Pale Lilac Open Toed Wedding Shoes with Rhinestone Broach | South Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

Strapless, Sweetheart, Ivory Chiffon and Tulle Ballgown Wedding Dress | South Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

Bridal Wedding Portrait in Strapless Sweetheart Wedding Dress with Button Down Back and Court Length Train | South Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

Downtown Tampa Groom First Look Wedding Portrait | Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

The Proposal:
We’ve been living in Connecticut for about six years and some of our favorite restaurants are in Mystic, CT. We went out to a nice dinner, and Devin suggested getting one more drink before we left. I suggested going out somewhere closer to home because it was snowing (even though it was March, which I was really annoyed about at the time).

Devin drove to a small park near a drawbridge and walked out near the water. After a few beautiful words, he dropped to one knee in the snow and asked me to marry him (and then I was happy that it was snowing because it was magical). He had also rented a room at an inn in downtown Mystic for an engagement stay-cation, so we didn’t need to drive home in the snow!

Bride and Groom First Look Wedding Portrait | Purple and Green Wedding Bouquet by Apple Blossoms Floral Design | Downtown Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

South Tampa Bride and Groom Wedding Day Portrait | Wedding Hair by Michele Renee The Studio | Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

What was your wedding day hair and makeup inspiration?
My inspiration was soft, warm and romantic hair and makeup.

Contact Michele Renee The StudioLili at Michele Renee The Studio was amazing! The team was professional, responsive and delivered beautiful hair and makeup for myself, my maid-of-honor, the mother-of-the-bride and mother-of-the-groom. Everyone looked gorgeous, fresh, romantic, and perfectly done-up for the occasion.

Outdoor Bride and Groom Wedding Day Portrait | South Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography | Wedding Hair and Makeup by Michele Renee The Studio

South Tampa Wedding Venue Tampa Garden Club | Photo by Kera Photography

Purple, Green and White Garden Theme Wedding Ceremony at the Tampa Garden Club with White Chairs and White Tulle Ceiling Draping | South Tampa Wedding Florist Apple Blossoms Floral Design | Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

Garden Inspired Wedding Ceremony Arch with Tulle, Greenery and Ivory and Purple Floral Accents | South Tampa Wedding Florist Apple Blossoms Floral Design | Photo by Kera Photography

Garden Themed Wedding Ceremony Arch with Tulle, Greenery and Ivory and Purple Floral Accents | South Tampa Wedding Florist Apple Blossoms Floral Design | Photo by Kera Photography

Alex and Devin 246

What made your wedding unique?
We chose to include our grandmothers in our bridal party by having them be our flower girls!

Tampa Garden Club Bride and Groom Wedding Ceremony Portrait | Ceiling Draping by Gabro Events | South Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

Bayshore Boulevard Waterfront Bridal Party Wedding Portrait with Green David’s Bridal Bridesmaid Dresses and Ivory, Strapless Chiffon and Soft Tulle Wedding Dress | South Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography | Apple Blossoms Floral Designs Wedding Florist

Bayshore Boulevard Waterfront Bride and Maid of Honor Wedding Day Portrait with Lavender and Green Wedding Bouquet | South Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography | Apple Blossoms Floral Design Wedding Florist

Florida Waterfront Bride and Groom Wedding Portrait | South Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
We wanted someone who was going to blend into the party to get all the candid dancing shots that we love so much. We wanted someone who could be assertive in corralling our big families for formal family shots, yet capture the intimate moments. One of the biggest things for me was that we were able to digitally access all the pictures and could print them later on our own if we wanted to. We also took into account whether they offered an engagement shoot and the option to add a second shooter.

Contact Banner Kera Photography

From the first time I spoke with Kera of Kera Photography, I could tell that she knew her stuff, had a good amount of experience shooting weddings and that she was warm, friendly and motivated. She was extremely responsive via email and phone, which was helpful as I was planning the wedding from far away. She was creative and came up with amazing shots, while also capturing the shots that were really important to us. We loved her energy and were so happy with the final product! Everyone that has seen our pictures has raved about the quality.

Bayshore Boulevard Waterfront Bride and Groom Wedding Portrait | South Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

Bayshore Boulevard Waterfront Bride and Groom Wedding Portrait | Hair by Michele Renee The Studio | South Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

Tall Green Branches with Ivory Hydrangea and Purple Floral Wedding Centerpiece Flowers in Clear Vase | Garden Theme Wedding Décor Ideas | South Tampa Wedding Florist Apple Blossoms Floral Design | Photo by Kera Photography

How would you describe your theme?
Over the past five years, we have been to a ton of weddings, or as I like to call it, “doing research.” We wanted a warm, fun party with all of our families and friends coming together from all over. We went with a soft, garden theme and used lighting and floral arrangements to create an inviting environment that would make our guests feel like they came to a big party at our house.

What were your colors?
Our colors were very whimsical, with mostly sage green and lavender to complement our soft, garden theme.

Green, Purple and Ivory Wedding Centerpieces on Feasting Tables with White Linens and Lilac Napkins | South Tampa Wedding Florist Apple Blossom Floral Design | Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

Garden Theme Wedding Reception Décor with Ivory, Purple and Green Wedding Centerpieces and White Pillar Candles | South Tampa Wedding Flowers by Apple Blossoms Floral Design | Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

What did you look for in a wedding florist?
I wanted someone who would stay within budget and could take my vision and run with it. I also wanted someone who was a perfectionist and could think on their feet if any improvising or substitutions were needed, since I was planning my wedding from out-of-state.

Contact Apple Blossoms Floral Design

Scott from Apple Blossoms Floral Designs was the second florist that I interviewed, and before we were even half way done with our meeting, my mom and I looked at each other and said, “Yep, he’s our florist!” Scott took the time to go through every detail, including details I hadn’t even thought of! We talked about my theme and the feel I was going for, and then he took charge by suggesting flowers that could work just as well or ones that he could get more easily than others. My bouquet was gorgeous, and it was full of lavender so it smelled amazing! Scott and Ron at Apple Blossoms are top notch!

Garden Theme Wedding Reception Décor with Ivory, Purple and Green Wedding Centerpieces on White Linens with Silver Chargers | South Tampa Wedding Flowers by Apple Blossoms Floral Design | Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

Bride and Groom First Dance Wedding Day Portrait | Purple Uplighting by Delite Entertainment | South Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
It was important to us to have smiling faces and a full dance floor. We wanted a fun atmosphere with a mix of soulful oldies and modern music that everyone would dance to. We wanted a DJ who would honor our likes and dislikes and keep the party going all night!

Delite Entertainment was super helpful throughout the planning process. We were extremely happy with Joshua's DJ performance! He did a fantastic job of creating the vibe we wanted and managing the timeline throughout the whole event. He spoke with us for a long time the week of the wedding to ensure he understood how we wanted the party to go and to guarantee everyone was dancing all night! Josh worked with us to make sure everything was to our liking and worked seamlessly with our other vendors to ensure smooth transitions throughout the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and dancing. We also rented the uplighting through Delite which really pulled everything together! So many people have commented on how beautiful the soft purple lighting looked in person and in pictures. Everyone said it was one of the best weddings they've ever been to, and I have a feeling that full, fun dance floor was one of the main reasons.

Bride and Groom Nighttime Wedding Portrait | Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

Bride and Groom Nighttime Wedding Portrait under Spanish Moss in Grey Vest with Ivory Chiffon and Soft Tulle Wedding Dress | South Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

Bride and Groom Nighttime Wedding Portrait Under Spanish Moss | South Tampa Wedding Photographer Kera Photography

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay Brides?
Stay true to you! If a wedding tradition doesn’t hold any meaning for you or your families, then don’t feel obligated to spend time planning it and doing it on the day. Be decisive with your selections so your day is spent the way you want it.

Also, try as hard as possible to plan a few moments with your soon-to-be spouse to reflect on everything, whether that’s the first look or after the ceremony. It’s so easy to get swept up in the schedule; be mindful for a moment about how amazing it feels to be starting this new chapter of your lives together.

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Tampa Garden Club
Photographer: Kera Photography *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Videographer: Hatfield Productions
Planner: Catering by Robert
Florist: Apple Blossoms Floral Designs *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Caterer: Catering by Robert
DJ and Uplighting: Delite Entertainment – DJ Joshua Pockrus 
Ceiling Draping: Gabro Events *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Wall Draping:
Marc Coyle
Cake: JJ Gandy’s Pies (Key Lime Pie), Treat Me Sweet (Macarons)
Cigar Bar/Roller: Cigar Creations
Officiant: Family Friend
Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas
Transportation: Network Limousines
Dress Shop: Athena's Bridal
Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: David's Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Michele Renee The Studio *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro




Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pros

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