Katie and Ryan’s spring-inspired, Palm Harbor brunch wedding featured a clean and cheerful palette of blue and yellow, citrus details, whimsical florals, and a pancake wedding dessert. It was proof that brunch weddings can be just as magical as evening affairs.

“We wanted a brunch wedding. We both have a fondness for the mornings and wanted to embrace it,” the bride beamed. “Our planner helped us with colors; she had the perfect vision.”

The couple exchanged vows on the outdoor terrace, bathed in morning light, beneath a ceremony arch adorned with delicate yellow blooms and cascading greenery. Planning their fall wedding, Katie and Ryan selected Staci Mandikas, owner and planner of UNIQUE Weddings + Events, to guide them through the design process and bring their cheerful vision to life.

“We needed someone who knew the venue and was easy to communicate with. Staci is amazing! She had incredible communication throughout the entire process. It truly felt like having a friend by my side the whole time,” Katie raved. “Staci and her team handled every challenge with such grace. You are never alone if you hire Staci and her team for your wedding. She can turn your dreams into reality, and I’m so thankful for her.”

While Katie and Ryan initially envisioned a darker, jewel-toned palette, Staci recognized that it might not translate well for a daytime celebration. She offered fresh, alternative concepts that helped reshape the entire look of the day.

“This couple loves breakfast, so they naturally gravitated to the idea of doing a brunch wedding. They were originally thinking of jewel tones and candlelight, but with all the natural sunlight coming into the space, I suggested a brighter and fresher palette. I proposed two options—one citrus-inspired and one with blue, white, and yellow. They instantly gravitated to the classy blue, white, and yellow, and thanked me for my candor when it came to their design,” the planner revealed. “I kept the idea of a garden party in my head with waxy greens, garden blooms, and white latticework. Patterned blue and white is such a classy and timeless look, so we incorporated that through linens, chinoiserie vases, and stationery. When it came to the flowers, I wanted everything to feel stemmy and whimsical. Lemons were the easiest way to add a bright, fresh pop, and they made the whole room smell amazing.”

To define the soft and cheerful ambiance of their brunch celebration, the couple selected the Blue Garden Roses specialty linen from Over the Top Rental Linens, which brought a blue and white palette into the space and subtly accented their menu design. Their rentals from A Chair Affair played a key role in elevating the overall look, including gold flatware, glassware, and head tables. These pieces added a layer of refinement to the design and created a cohesive and polished tablescape that tied into the overall garden-inspired theme.

The reception space looked especially inviting, with round woven chargers topped with crisp white napkins and custom menu cards. Each table featured a yellow floral centerpiece in a blue and white vase, and real lemons were used as place cards, each with each guest’s name for a bright, personal touch that brought in a playful citrus element.

From the very beginning, the couple had a few non-negotiables that helped shape their wedding day, and the wedding planner’s approach focused on creating a fresh, inviting design that reflected the couple’s joyful morning celebration.

“The Bloody Mary bar and pancake cake were two of the most important details for us,” Katie explained. “If we were doing brunch, they had to be perfect.”

“One of my favorite details was the newspaper programs, complete with a ‘fun facts about the couple’ crossword puzzle,” the planner beamed. “Another favorite was the create-your-own Bloody Mary bar. As a New Orleans native, I love a spicy Bloody Mary, so having nearly twenty garnish options definitely spoke to my heart. And, of course, the pancake wedding cake. We challenged the venue, and they delivered. It was so darn cute.”

What did you look for in a wedding planner?
We needed someone who knew the venue and was easy to communicate with. Staci Mandikas of UNIQUE Weddings + Events is amazing! She had incredible communication throughout the entire process. It truly felt like having a friend by my side the whole time. Staci and her team handled every challenge with such grace. You are never alone if you hire Staci and her team for your wedding. She can turn your dreams into reality, and I’m so thankful for her.

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We wanted a brunch wedding. We both have a fondness for the mornings and wanted to embrace it. Our planner helped us with colors; she had the perfect vision.

What was the design inspiration behind a brunch themed wedding?
This couple loves breakfast, so they naturally gravitated to the idea of doing a brunch wedding. They were originally thinking of jewel tones and candlelight, but with all the natural sunlight coming into the space, I suggested a brighter and fresher palette. I proposed two options—one citrus-inspired and one with blue, white, and yellow. They instantly gravitated to the classy blue, white, and yellow, and thanked me for my candor when it came to their design. -Staci Mandikas, owner and planner of UNIQUE Weddings + Events

What design elements/rentals did you bring in to tie everything together? 
I kept the idea of a garden party in my head with waxy greens, garden blooms, and white latticework. Patterned blue and white is such a classy and timeless look, so we incorporated that through linens, chinoiserie vases, and stationery. When it came to the flowers, I wanted everything to feel stemmy and whimsical. Lemons were the easiest way to add a bright, fresh pop, and they made the whole room smell amazing. -Staci Mandikas, owner and planner of UNIQUE Weddings + Events

What were some of your favorite details?
One of my favorite details was the newspaper programs, complete with a ‘fun facts about the couple’ crossword puzzle. Another favorite was the create-your-own Bloody Mary bar. As a New Orleans native, I love a spicy Bloody Mary, so having nearly twenty garnish options definitely spoke to my heart. And, of course, the pancake wedding cake. We challenged the venue, and they delivered. It was so darn cute. -Staci Mandikas, owner and planner of UNIQUE Weddings + Events