Kaley and Tyler
The Don CeSar
“Our wedding could be described as whimsical, airy, and romantic. The types of florals I wanted to incorporate would provide a whimsical vibe, which coupled perfectly with the airy setting of the beachfront resort. We chose pinks, peaches, oranges, and dark greens to complement the Don CeSar venue. I have always loved the whimsical floral look, but I wanted to add a homage to the tropical destination of St. Pete Beach by incorporating some dark green palm fronds into the florals.” -The Bride
FEATURING
Kaley and Tyler’s colorful St. Pete Beach wedding was a vibrant soiree filled with beautiful blooms in tropical shades of dragonfruit, cherry, and lemon, accented with lush green foliage befitting the oceanfront location. Guests enjoyed an outdoor ceremony in the secluded courtyard before ascending to the luxurious ballroom for dining and dancing.
“Our wedding could be described as whimsical, airy, and romantic. The types of florals I wanted to incorporate would provide a whimsical vibe, which coupled perfectly with the airy setting of the beachfront resort,” the bride shared. “We chose pinks, peaches, oranges, and dark greens to complement the Don CeSar venue. I have always loved the whimsical floral look, but I wanted to add a homage to the tropical destination of St. Pete Beach by incorporating some dark green palm fronds into the florals.”
The Tampa couple sought an inclusive wedding venue with extensive amenities and surrounding attractions for their 105-guest February celebration. The iconic Don CeSar resort was the clear favorite, but none could compare to the stunning views of the iconic ‘Pink Palace.’
“We wanted to choose a venue that was in Florida, as most of our friends and family reside here. Although I immediately knew it was the perfect venue to host our wedding, we wanted to keep their options open and toured a handful of venues. However, none of them seemed as perfect as The Don CeSar,” Kaley beamed. “It was important to us to choose a venue that had lodging on-site and a location with activities for guests to enjoy during the wedding weekend. We wanted to have an outdoor ceremony near the beach, but not directly on the beach, so we opted for an outdoor cocktail hour under the string-lit beach pavilion, followed by an indoor ceremony in one of the gorgeous ballrooms overlooking the ocean. The Don CeSar has always been my dream wedding venue! The service was fantastic, and their staff during the wedding itself were very hospitable and attentive. We could not have asked for a better experience.”
A few months into the planning process, Kaley realized the value of having a seasoned wedding planner to guide her decisions and provide insightful ideas and resources. From the first conversation with Lauren Gertz-Bisbee at MDP Events, she felt an instant kinship and knew she was in excellent hands.
“I wanted a wedding planner who would be easy to contact throughout the planning process and one that understood my vision,” the bride detailed. “I liked the connection that I made with Lauren from MDP Events during our first phone consultation. I enjoyed the organization of our wedding plans that she offered as well.”
“There were so many memorable and unique details throughout Kaley and Tyler’s wedding day, but a few favorites stand out as especially magical,” the wedding planner gushed. “Their courtyard ceremony featured a stunning deconstructed floral arch by Flower Smith was an absolute showstopper. The vibrant mix of blush, peach, magenta, and pink blooms against lush dark greenery created a setting that felt like an exotic getaway right in the heart of St. Pete Beach. The cocktail hour under the pavilion brought the same energy, with breezy linens from BBJ La Tavola setting the tone for a relaxed yet elevated vibe. I especially loved how the reception design tied it all together with Louis chairs, citrus-hued napkins, and joyful floral centerpieces created a look that was vibrant yet sophisticated. Plus the champagne tower was a vintage-glam highlight, and the custom neon sign from Making Mialstones behind the photo booth added such a fun and personal touch. Every element felt deeply reflective of Kaley and Tyler’s bold, joyful spirit—which made the entire day truly unforgettable.”
The pair prioritized a colorful palette for a bright and cheerful wedding motif, along with extended quality time with their loved ones over the wedding weekend. The saturated hues were a unique departure from the standard neutral wedding trend, and a post-wedding evening of “bar golf” with friends and family was the perfect way to wrap up the festivities.
“So many brides opt for a neutral color palate with one color pop or all white, which is so elegant, but I have always known I wanted a ton of color on my wedding day,” Kaley revealed. “We also wanted to extend the celebrations after the wedding and opted for a post-wedding brunch overlooking the beach at the pavilion atop of the Don CeSar. Following brunch, we gathered our friends and family for a beach bar crawl, where we handed out handmade custom ‘bar golf’ maps. It was a memorable weekend that lasted beyond the actual wedding day!”
With her love of music at the forefront, the wedding entertainment was a primary focus. The bride turned to DJ Cory Barron at Tampa Bay DJ Company to create the ideal party atmosphere; little did she know that he would also surprise her with a dream-come-true experience that evening.
“I wanted a wedding DJ who would be open to allowing me to make my own music selections, because the music was one of the most important aspects of the wedding to me. We hired Cory Barron, with Tampa Bay DJ Company because of the excellent communication he had. He went above and beyond by having a phone call prior to the wedding to discuss what music we enjoyed and to ensure that he was able to access our curated Spotify playlists. Even on the day of the wedding, we were so surprised at how involved DJ Cory was with communicating with us and making sure we had water and drinks. He made the music flow effortlessly and kept the dance floor moving,” Kaley raved. “One of the highlights of the night was when I got to go behind the DJ booth to live out my dream as a DJ! I have always loved music and can be found frequently acting as DJ at get-togethers, so much so that my friends have nicknamed me ‘DJ KWALT’. DJ Cory surprised us by illuminating DJ KWALT on the DJ booth and gave a shoutout for the music selections for the night that I so carefully picked out.”
It’s no surprise that a favorite memory occurred while on the dance floor that evening. Thanks to months of dance lessons, the couple perfected their first dance, wowing their guests and creating a core memory that they will forever treasure.
“The most memorable moment was our first dance. We took dance lessons for several months leading up to the big day and nailed all the moves on the day of, including the lift! We had so much fun showing off our dance to our friends and family,” Kaley reminisced.
The Proposal:
We got engaged in September on a trip out West. After flying through the Grand Canyon and driving through the Valleys of Nevada, Tyler got down on one knee in the Zion narrows of Utah and popped the question.
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
I wanted a wedding planner who would be easy to contact throughout the planning process and one that understood my vision.
I liked the connection that I made with Lauren Gertz-Bisbee from MDP Events during our first phone consultation. I enjoyed the organization of our wedding plans that she offered as well.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
The Philippines! I would highly recommend it as a destination. We wanted to choose a place as far away as possible since our honeymoon was the perfect excuse to take a lot of time off from work. We knew that we wanted a tropical/beachy destination, however, in February a lot of destinations are in their rainy season. The Philippines had the most perfect weather in February and was the perfect mixture of relaxation and adventure. We went swimming with whale sharks, ATV’d through hilltops, hiked waterfalls, snorkeled through the clear waters during boat island-hopping tours, and stayed at the most beautiful, scenic, unique resorts.
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
I had such a hard time deciding where to host my bachelorette party, but ultimately decided on Nashville! I had never been there before and given that it is one of the most popular bachelorette destinations, I figured this was the perfect time to go. The theme was Classy Nashy, which can be done!
What was your wedding day hair and makeup inspiration?
I knew I wanted to wear my hair down given I had a strapless dress and loved the classic look of Hollywood waves. I used Pinterest and the Femme Akoi Beauty Studio artist’s Instagram for inspiration.
I have had other friends who have used Femme Akoi for their wedding and had a good experience. There were very understanding of my makeup requests and was ultimately able to match me with hair and makeup artist that I really loved.
What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We wanted to choose a venue that was in Florida, as most of our friends and family reside here. Although I immediately knew it was the perfect venue to host our wedding, we wanted to keep their options open and toured a handful of venues. However, none of them seemed as perfect as The Don CeSar.
It was important to us to choose a venue that had lodging on-site and a location with activities for guests to enjoy during the wedding weekend. We wanted to have an outdoor ceremony near the beach, but not directly on the beach, so we opted for an outdoor cocktail hour under the string-lit beach pavilion, followed by an indoor ceremony in one of the gorgeous ballrooms overlooking the ocean. The Don CeSar has always been my dream wedding venue! The service was fantastic, and their staff during the wedding itself were very hospitable and attentive. We could not have asked for a better experience.
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
Our wedding could be described as whimsical, airy, and romantic. The types of florals I wanted to incorporate would provide a whimsical vibe, which coupled perfectly with the airy setting of the beachfront resort.
What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
I wanted a wedding DJ who would be open to allowing me to make my own music selections, because the music was one of the most important aspects of the wedding to me. We hired Cory Barron, with Tampa Bay DJ Company because of the excellent communication he had.
Cory went above and beyond by having a phone call prior to the wedding to discuss what music we enjoyed and to ensure that he was able to access our curated Spotify playlists. Even on the day of the wedding, we were so surprised at how involved DJ Cory was with communicating with us and making sure we had water and drinks. He made the music flow effortlessly and kept the dance floor moving. One of the highlights of the night was when I got to go behind the DJ booth to live out my dream as a DJ! I have always loved music and can be found frequently acting as DJ at get-togethers, so much so that my friends have nicknamed me ‘DJ KWALT’. DJ Cory surprised us by illuminating DJ KWALT on the DJ booth and gave a shoutout for the music selections for the night that I so carefully picked out.
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Ali with Flower Smith, ended up being one of my favorite vendors! She is the sweetest human, and you can tell how passionate she is about her work and the couple’s big day. She arranged several FaceTime meetings prior to the wedding to discuss our floral plans and really tied the whole look together. Even the week of the wedding I sent her an Instagram message to tell her that I liked a particular flower she used for another wedding, and she responded that she had already ordered that exact flower for our wedding! I was obsessed with every unique flower she selected for my bouquet, and it is now pressed and framed on display in our house to cherish.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
After a 1.5-year-long engagement I have so much advice. I started off thinking I would only need a day of coordinator and that I could do much of the planning on my own. After six months of indecisiveness, I knew it was time to invest in a wedding planner. I went with Lauren Gertz-Bisbee with MDP Events, who was so helpful throughout the planning process. In addition to hiring a wedding planner, my next biggest advice would be to base your budget off your chosen venue. The venue is the largest chunk of money and can make a huge difference when it comes to additional costs. Regarding the wedding budget, my last advice would be to prioritize your top two important vendors that you are willing to spend more on and maybe compromise on other aspects of the wedding.
