Jessica and Alex - A Wine-lovers Wedding

Jessica and Alex - A Wine-lovers Wedding

Alex and Jessica had their first date on November 22, 2011 and they had an instant connection. They elected that same date for their nuptials three years later, and wanted their wedding day to be a celebration of their love with an intimate group of their closest friends and family. Both food and wine lovers, they recalled one of their first romantic getaways together in Sarasota where they attended a food and wine pairing dinner at Michael's on East, and they knew they wanted to treat their guests to that same experience. They exchanged vows in front of the towering Wedding Oak at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens nearby, and during their ceremony they participated in a wine box ceremony where they sealed a box containing wine and love letters to be opened on their anniversary. Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvres while enjoying live piano music in the Michael's wine shop. In a dramatic unveiling, the rolling divider doors of the wine cellar were hoisted at the end of the cocktail hour, revealing the space for dinner. Long feasting tables featuring iron candelabras and grey-washed hedgeboxes of flora were immaculately set with gold beaded glass charger plates and custom printed menus detailing the five course meal with wine pairings. Wine details appeared everywhere from the wine cork table numbers, to the wine bottle guestbook, to the bottle of wine keepsakes the couple sent home with each guest (from their favorite Napa winery, the Mayo family estate).  The chef presented each course, and sommelier explained each wine pairing. It was truly an unforgettable experience for guests! Following the world class meal, guests danced and mingled before savoring the wedding cake and surprise groom's cake the bride ordered for the groom in honor of his alma mater!  When the night came to an end, guests?sent off the couple under a blaze of sparklers.

Brittany and Elliott - A Navy and Coral Nautical Wedding

Brittany and Elliott - A Navy and Coral Nautical Wedding

When Elliott told Brittany that they would be engaged by the end of the year, and the months passed by and suddenly it was December 31st, Brittany was starting to wonder if it was actually going to happen!  She even joked with Elliott, "You know what today is?  It's the last day of the year!" hoping to get a read on him, but he didn't take the bait and he ended up just going fishing with his friends that day like it was any other weekend.  Little did she know that Elliott was thinking about waiting until the year had passed and proposing on January 1st, just to throw her off!  But he decided not to wait any longer, and he proposed as they headed out for a New Year's Eve party so that Brittany could show off her gorgeous new engagement ring to all of her friends and family she would see that night!

The couple chose their venue for the waterfront views that would be perfect for their nautical nuptials, since they love fishing and boating together.  This style direction, along with their coral, navy, and gold color scheme, inspired maritime details such as gold lanterns for décor, rope wrapped cans and jars, painted bottles, anchor stir sticks, and rope knot table numbers.  Most of the decorations were DIY projects, including the flag ribbon boutonnieres, chevron table runners, and the ribbon curtain backdrop for the gazebo.  And what better favor to give guests than custom koozies!?  Each koozie held a mason jar for guests to use at the bar throughout the evening, and they were displayed in rows escort card flags affixed to drinking straws as a fun twist for guests finding their seats!  

Paolette and Josh - A Romantic Peruvian Wedding

Paolette and Josh - A Romantic Peruvian Wedding

Five years after Paolette and Josh felt the lightning strike of love when their paths crossed at a bar one night, they declared their love for each other in front of friends and family at the Davis Islands Garden Club. The bride's color palette of pink and black was accented with pops of yellow, a color that is auspicious in the Peruvian culture.  We also incorporated other cultural elements as a nod to her heritage, such as Peruvian lilies in the floral arrangements, boxed alfajores cookies for favors, and traditions like cake charms for the bridesmaids to pull out of the cake, as well as La Hora Loca (The Crazy Hour) where guests dress in costume and dance to fast-paced festive music for the last hour of the evening.  The couple wanted a fun experience for all of their guests; even their dog stood in as the ring bearer!  They also incorporated some whimsical and romantic elements, such as rows of candles along the veranda wall, storybook love quotes as table names, and heartfelt personal vows exchanged during the ceremony.  Paolette said "The most memorable part of our wedding was when my husband and I said our vows to each other. We wrote our own vows and hearing him say his vows made my day, as he is normally not that verbally expressive." 

Jen and Charlie - A Historic Tampa Wedding

Jen and Charlie - A Historic Tampa Wedding

This couple really loves their city of Tampa; the history, the culture, & the food all inspired their wedding. We started with a palette of sangria, ruby, & saffron. We introduced the wedding style immediately by sending save-the-date postcards printed with a Tampa cigar box motif. The aisle was lined with mason jars filled with roses, orchids, & colorful croton leaves. We incorporated Tampa touches, like the ring-bearer cigar box, & the unity wine ceremony (wherein the couple each combined a varietal of red wine creating a wine blend from which they both sipped.) During the cocktail hour, the waitstaff passed trays of Tampa favorites such as mini empanadas, deviled crabs, & bacon wrapped plantains. And as a surprise to the bride & groom (both beer lovers) we offered samples of local Cigar City Brewery beers – two brews that paired well with robust cigars. And we had to offer a Cigar Bar for the gentlemen, with cigars rolled locally in Ybor city.

Susanna and JJ - A Colorful Chinese-Fusion Wedding

Susanna and JJ - A Colorful Chinese-Fusion Wedding

Susanna and JJ's wedding day was as colorful as their personalities!  Susanna wanted their day to reflect her Asian heritage, while JJ wanted to incorporate great food and music (both are foodies, and the groom is in a break-dancing troop!)  Both red and gold are auspicious colors in the Chinese culture, and they paired beautifully with shades of fuchsia and berry, saturating details from the bridesmaids' attire to the abundant flora!  The couple exchanged vows in the Tea Garden at the Renaissance Vinoy hotel in St. Petersburg Florida (the groom's hometown), in front of their closest friends and family. 

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