Cassandra and Jason’s whimsical, garden South Tampa wedding was an enchanted celebration adorned with romantic florals and subtle wine-themed details. The evening enveloped the venue in its unique, artsy charm, creating a beautiful ambiance for guests.

“We didn’t start out with a theme, but once we chose our venue, we leaned into the vibe of the hotel. The Epicurean is an artsy, boutique hotel with a focus on food and wine. As a wine lover, I wanted to incorporate that into my approach. I crafted wine corks into our table numbers, used mini wine bottles as bud vases, and had our guests sign wine bottles for our guest book,” the bride detailed. “We didn’t have a wedding party, and our venue provided neutral linens, so we didn’t really settle on a color palette until we met with our florist. I just knew I wanted lots of color. I shared all my scattered ideas with her, and she somehow brought an even better vision to life! We started with some moody, romantic jewel tones and added an autumn sunset palette to brighten it up.”

Recognizing the importance of a stellar vendor team, the bride relied on Marry Me Tampa Bay to find their photographer, planner, photo booth, officiant, and DJ.

“I actually discovered Marry Me Tampa Bay right after we got engaged. I’m happy to say it helped me through the entire planning process! When we started looking at venues, I would search on Marry Me Tampa Bay to see what other couples had to say about the venue and what their wedding photos looked like. It was extremely helpful to read the real wedding articles and get advice,” the bride raved. “When we were ready to look for our vendor team, I started with the vendors listed on Marry Me Tampa Bay, then headed over to Instagram to see if they matched our style. I found the majority of our wedding vendors on Marry Me Tampa Bay and through vendor recommendations.’

To ensure a smooth, stress-free celebration for their 55-guest wedding, Cassandra knew a day-of coordinator was key and was drawn to Wilder Mind Events‘ unique style. Delaney Driver’s support throughout planning culminated in a flawless wedding day.

“I wanted a day-of coordinator to ensure everything ran smoothly so our friends and family could simply enjoy the day without any added responsibilities. When I came across Wilder Mind Events, I was immediately drawn to their unique style,” the bride stated. “After speaking with Delaney, I knew they would be perfect. She is professional, easy to talk to, and someone you genuinely want to hang out with, the bride beamed. We booked their Wild package, which included month-of and day-of coordination. About 60 days out, we did a venue walkthrough, reviewed our vendor information, and went over all our details. Prior to the wedding, Delaney set up our timeline, confirmed details with our vendors, and ran our rehearsal. On our wedding day, she went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. I highly recommend their service to everyone.”

With many friends and family traveling from out of state, the St. Petersburg couple wanted to ensure a stress-free and enjoyable experience for everyone, leading to their decision not to have a wedding party.

“One of my favorite elements of the day was the absence of a wedding party, which allowed them to spend so much quality time together beforehand,” Delaney Driver, owner of Wilder Mind Events, revealed. “There’s something truly magical about witnessing a couple so deeply connected, with a solid foundation of friendship. It felt incredibly special to see them interact naturally, always by each other’s side, enjoying every moment together.”

For Cassandra, one of the most crucial aspects of their wedding day was finding the perfect photographer to capture every moment, which led her to Sabrina Autumn Photography, whose artistic style and dramatic portraits resonated with the couple.

“My number one wedding priority was having a great photographer. I wanted beautiful pictures to remember our day. I was immediately drawn to Sabrina Autumn Photography‘s style. Sabrina’s photos were rich in color and stood out from the typical wedding photos I had seen before. Since we would be with our photographer and videographer for the entire wedding day, I wanted to make sure we chose people who made us feel comfortable,” Cassandra detailed. “When we met Sabrina and Ryan for coffee, they were super nice and easy to get along with. I loved that their photo package included all-day wedding coverage, video, and an engagement session. On our wedding day, Sabrina and Ryan were amazing. They are true professionals who really know how to capture the day.”

The stunning November tented wedding was brought to life with lush blooms that flowed from the ceiling and cascaded down the columns, creating a romantic and immersive setting. Weddings by Bonnie crafted a personalized ceremony that beautifully reflected Cassandra and Jason’s unique connection.

“We wanted a short ceremony that felt personal, and as soon as we spoke to Weddings by Bonnie, we knew she was the perfect person to marry us. From our first phone call, she was incredibly thorough. She walked us through every detail and option, listened to our ideas, and asked lots of questions. Before our big day, we reviewed the ceremony outline to make sure it was exactly what we wanted. Everyone said our ceremony felt romantic and personal. People couldn’t believe we hadn’t met Bonnie prior to our wedding day.”

The Gala Photobooth added an extra layer of fun and entertainment, making the celebration even more memorable for their guests.

“Once we chose our venue, I knew I wanted a photobooth. It has a hedge wall that is perfect as a photobooth backdrop. When looking at the Gala Photobooth, they seemed professional and sophisticated. I liked their photo props and that each person in the photo got a photo strip as part of their package,” the bride shared. “During the event, the photobooth was so much fun! Everyone had a bunch of fun photos to take home with them.”

Looking back on her wedding day, from their tender first look to the bubble-filled dance floor, Cassandra recalled the fondest memories of celebrating their love.

There were so many favorite moments. Our first look was definitely one of them. I was nervous all morning, but those nerves turned into happy giggles as soon as I saw Jason,” the bride reminisced. “Another was our recessional. We had bubble guns going as we walked down the aisle after being announced as husband and wife, and there were an excessive amount of bubbles. I loved it. And dancing was such a highlight. We kept the bubble guns going all night, and it was so much fun dancing with all our friends and family surrounded by bubbles and glow sticks.”

The Proposal:
We love going to music festivals. After we first met, I took Jason to his very first festival at a resort takeover in Orlando. Fast forward three years and we found ourselves back at the same event. As we were unpacking, Jason asked me to go for a walk. He had set up a gazebo decorated with roses, photos of us, and a sign that read ‘Will you marry me?’ We celebrated the moment by dancing all weekend with our friends.

What did you look for in a wedding planner?
I wanted a day-of coordinator to ensure everything ran smoothly so our friends and family could simply enjoy the day without any added responsibilities. When I came across Wilder Mind Events, I was immediately drawn to their unique style. After speaking with Delaney, I knew they would be perfect. She is professional, easy to talk to, and someone you genuinely want to hang out with.

We booked their Wild package, which included month-of and day-of coordination. About 60 days out, we did a venue walkthrough, reviewed our vendor information, and went over all our details. Prior to the wedding, Delaney set up our timeline, confirmed details with our vendors, and ran our rehearsal. On our wedding day, she went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. I highly recommend their service to everyone.

What did you look for in a wedding officiant?
We wanted a short ceremony that felt personal, and as soon as we spoke to Weddings by Bonnie, we knew she was the perfect person to marry us. From our first phone call, she was incredibly thorough. She walked us through every detail and option, listened to our ideas, and asked lots of questions.

Before our big day, we reviewed the ceremony outline to make sure it was exactly what we wanted. Everyone said our ceremony felt romantic and personal. People couldn’t believe we hadn’t met Bonnie prior to our wedding day.

What did you look for in a wedding photo/video team? 
My number one wedding priority was having a great photographer. I wanted beautiful pictures to remember our day. I was immediately drawn to Sabrina Autumn Photography‘s style. Sabrina’s photos were rich in color and stood out from the typical wedding photos I had seen before. Since we would be with our photographer and videographer for the entire wedding day, I wanted to make sure we chose people who made us feel comfortable.

When we met Sabrina and Ryan for coffee, they were super nice and easy to get along with. I loved that their photo package included all-day wedding coverage, video, and an engagement session. On our wedding day, Sabrina and Ryan were amazing. They are true professionals who really know how to capture the day.

What was your wedding hair and makeup inspiration?
I wanted to feel sleek and glam on my wedding day, and Katlyn from Femme Akoi Beauty Studio took the time to look through all my inspiration photos, offer great advice, and stay open to any changes I wanted.

She was professional, patient, and friendly. It ended up being super hot and humid on our wedding day, and I was extremely thankful I chose a bridal bun for my hair or my hair.

What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
Choosing a wedding DJ was one of the more difficult decisions for us because we love electronic dance music and wanted someone who could blend our style with songs everyone would enjoy.

Grant Hemond & Associates connected us with DJ Adam Hensleigh, and after a call to discuss our vision, he made us feel confident he could deliver. We provided him with multiple playlists for the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing so he could get a sense of our taste. He exceeded our expectations. He played a great mix of classic songs remixed with dance music and had all our guests on the dance floor.

Why did you choose to have a photobooth as part of your wedding?
Once we chose our venue, I knew I wanted a photo booth. It has a hedge wall that is perfect as a photo booth backdrop.

When looking at the Gala Photobooth, they seemed professional and sophisticated. I liked their photo props and that each person in the photo got a photo strip as part of their package. During the event, the photo booth was so much fun! Everyone had a bunch of fun photos to take home with them.