Kim and Christian's Sarasota wedding was the epitome of romantic garden elegance with sparkling chandeliers, gorgeous lush greenery, and sweet details that included their English Bulldog, Paisley.
“We wanted something really light yet whimsical and romantic,” the bride shared. “Choosing a theme that really complemented our venue was important so we waited to decide on our inspiration until after we picked a location. We incorporated a lot of greenery to bring out the greens in the courtyard, as well as white, gold, grey/blue, and a pop of darker pink.”
MORE: GARDEN WEDDING INSPIRATION
As the bride envisioned her special day, she looked to Marry Me Tampa Bay for inspiration and guidance throughout the planning process. After deciding she needed an extra hand when it came to staying focused and organized, Kim hired one of Sarasota's most experienced wedding planners to keep her on track.
“NK Weddings is the absolute best wedding planner in the area, hands down,” the bride gushed. “Nicole is amazing and kept me at ease for the entire year that I worked with her and the rest of her team. She was always available no matter what time of the day it was, and I never felt like I had to worry about anything. In the end, everything was absolutely perfect, almost better than I could ever imagine.”
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When it came to bridesmaid dresses, the bride wanted a chiffon and flowy look to complement her outdoor soiree.
“Bella Bridesmaids has locations across the country and my bridesmaids were all over (Tampa, NYC, and Philly), so registering for the dresses they could pick and letting them go on their own time to the store in their area made it a lot easier. Plus I could see when they went in and purchased the dresses so I didn't have to bug them about it,” Kim explained. “They also made sure that the dresses were all ordered at the same time once they all went in so they were cut from the same dye.
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Reminiscing on their beautiful day, the bride loved the intimate moments she spent with her groom between events.
“We made sure that between the ceremony and reception that we were able to take some time to walk alone around the reception and just enjoy each other for a few moments before joining our guests again,” the bride gleamed. “It's so special to take a little time to be with your new spouse without any distractions.”
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
I still really wanted to be involved in the planning process as much as possible. I have a really time-consuming job, so I knew I needed a planner to keep me focused and organized. I also wanted someone who was on the same page as me, but also very detail oriented!
I want to learn more about planning from NK Productions.
NK Weddings is the absolute best wedding planner in the area, hands down. Nicole is amazing and kept me at ease for the entire year that I worked with her and the rest of her team. She was always available no matter what time of the day it was, and I never felt like I had to worry about anything. In the end, everything was absolutely perfect, almost better than I could ever imagine.
What was your bridesmaids dress inspiration?
I really wanted the bridesmaids dresses to be chiffon and flowy.
I Want to Learn More about wedding attire from Bella Bridesmaids.
I decided on Bella Bridesmaids because they have locations across the country and my bridesmaids were all over (Tampa, NYC and Philly), so registering for the dresses they could pick and letting them go on their own time to the store in their area made it a lot easier. Plus I could see when they went in and purchased the dresses so I didn't have to bug them about it. They also made sure that the dresses were all ordered at the same time once they all went in so they were cut from the same dye.
The Proposal:
I majorly needed a “mental health” day from work because things were getting pretty stressful. Christian urged me to take a day off, and we grabbed lunch at Jack Dusty. After a big lunch, he suggested we go across the street to the bayfront where we walk our dog Paisley. Once we got to the end of the park near the dolphin statue, he got down on one knee. Secretly, my sister was hiding in the bushes, and my mom was taking pictures from Marina Jack across the way. We still laugh about this because there was a large shirtless man in the background of all the pictures on a bench, but hey, what can ya do?
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We wanted something really light yet whimsical and romantic. Choosing a theme that really complemented our venue was important so we waited to decide on our inspiration until after we picked a location.
What were your colors?
Tons of natural greenery to bring out the greens in venue's courtyard, as well as white, gold, grey, blue, and a pop of darker pink.
What advice would you give to other Sarasota couples?
Make sure you speak up if there's ever anything you don't like or isn't what you're looking for. As hard as it is to be honest out of fear of hurting someone's feelings, a vendor would rather you say something so they can fix it instead of being unhappy when you are the customer!
Also, really make sure you take some time on your wedding to be alone with your new partner! The night flies by and you have so many friends and family there that you don't get to spend as much time with them as you would think. Above all, soak it in! The entire process may seem stressful, but the big day will be here before you know it and it will all be a memory soon.
Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Ringling Museum
Photographer: Justin DeMutiis Photography
Videographer: Current Films
Planner: NK Weddings *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Florist: Victoria Blooms
Caterer: Michael's on East
Lounge Furniture Rentals: Reserve Vintage Rentals
Chairs and Bar Rentals: So Staged
Cake: The Cake Zone
DJ: DJ Fitz Otis
Officiant: Steve Lortz
Invitations: Write on Sarasota
Transportation: SRQ Trolley Sarasota
Dress Shop and Designer: Malindy Elene – Martina Liana
Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: Bella Bridesmaids – Jenny Yoo *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pro
Hair & Makeup: Fresh Salon
