Real Wedding: Blaine & Ryan get married in Tampa, FL

Blaine and Ryan recently tied the knot in a front-yard wedding ceremony at a private residence in Tampa, FL. Not only did the beautiful home overlook the bay, the property was covered with gorgeous garden areas and large oak trees. I could not have dreamt of a more perfect setting for a wedding ceremony! The reception was held at the historic Tampa Firefighters Museum, which was just so fitting for a Groom who is a fireman (like Ryan).

For thier overall wedding design, the couple chose to accent the color black with various metallics and soft shades of pink. Along with gold place settings and chiavari chairs, an abundance of Mercury glass was incorporated into each table design. Blaine's bridesmaids wore a dress of their choice, which were all in the champagne/gold "family." I personally LOVE this idea and thought that it looked amazing.

What a FUN wedding this turned out to be! As you can tell from the photos, Blaine and Ryan are ALL ABOUT the laughs....which is right up my alley. Best wishes to this incredible couple!

A special Thank You to all of the vendors who made this day possible:
Ceremony Location- Private Residence, overlooking Tampa Bay
Reception Location- Tampa Firefighters Museum
Photographer- Concept Photography
Wedding Planner- Olivier Events
Florist- Heather Taylor : Taylormade Wedding and Event Flowers
Cake/Groomscake-Chocolate PI
DJ: Howard Entertainment
Linens-Panache Party Rentals
Ceremony Music-Alafia String Quartet
Transportation-VIP Limousine
Make up & Hair-Tribeca Salon
Caterer: Bailey’s Restaurant and Catering
Dress – Lazaro

Thanks again for the amazing images, Concept Photography!!!

Destination Wedding Dresses

We are currently working on another (out of the Country) destination wedding. Love those! One thing that always comes up for these particular brides is "What should I wear?" A majority of destination weddings take place in a Tropical, beach-like location which implies a more casual feel for the event. Of course, the attire should match the setting of the wedding. (Hey, that rhymes)! The weather, specifically the temperature, should also be considered when choosing a wedding gown style...especially if the festivities will be taking place outdoors. Some brides prefer a short gown whereas others prefer a long, yet light-weight gown. Both options are fine. It's all about what you (the bride) feels the most comfortable wearing.

Here are some great destination wedding gowns that are perfect for those warm-weather weddings:

Please let me know if you would like purchasing info for any of these gowns.

Real Wedding: Courtney & Jason wed in Winter Haven, FL

Wedding Coordinator AND Maid-of-Honor? YEP, that was me! I cannot begin to express how honored I was to have played both roles in such a beautiful celebration. Courtney and I were roommates for over 4 years while studying at The University of South Florida and have remained best friends ever since. I couldn't have asked for a better man to have come into my best friends life, than Jason. Like Courtney, Jason had a 5 year old child from a previous relationship. It was definitely meant to be! I am so excited to share with you some of the highlights from their BIG DAY:

The fabulous team of vendors:
Church: First Baptist Church
String Quartet: Imperial Symphony
Reception venue: Lake Ashton Country Club
Florist: The Wild Hare Florist
Rentals: Signature Events
Invitations: Meg Made
Wedding Day stationery: Not from a Box
Linens: Connie Duglin Linens
DJ: A Premier Entertainment
Photography: Brewer Photo & Video, Julie Brewer

Home Weddings and Events can be Expensive

Recently, I read an article on one of my favorite wedding blogs, Preston's Blog (by Preston Bailey) and knew that I had to share it with my readers. Since I have coordinated many home weddings, some of which have been published, I have many couples who come to me seeking help with planning their at-home wedding. Although I LOVE to do them, I always make sure that the couple is aware of what it will take to pull this off.

Preston Bailey explains it perfectly:

I’m always excited when clients want to have their wedding or event at their house. Using a private home for an event is often a dream come true: it’s unique, personal, and often rich with family history. However, many clients assume that hosting an event at home will save them money. The reality, unfortunately, is that home events can actually be more expensive than events at traditional venues. Why? Because, in most cases, you have to create everything from the ground up. A private home is not designed to be an event space.

For example, most venues already have tables, chairs, linens, cutlery, lights, etc…; all of which you need for big events. Private homes don’t have these items on hand, and that means everything has to be purchased or rented. So, the next time clients ask about having an event at their home, remind them about the costs of doing so. I still love home events, but I’m always sorry when clients are disappointed, because they were under the impression they were going to be saving money.

Click HERE to check out the full article on Preston's Blog.

Real Wedding: Angie & Peter

Let me just say that, I LOVE GREEK WEDDINGS....especially this one! Angie and Peter recently said their "I DOs" in a beautiful church ceremony at St. Nicolas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Tarpon Springs, FL. Afterwards, guests enjoyed an evening reception of dinner and dancing at The Renaissance Hotel at International Plaza. A local Greek band kept the festivities going until nearly 2am....definitely my kind of party!!!

Angie and Peter's wedding had the word STUNNING written all over it....starting with the bride and groom. It was so hard for me to choose which photos to blog because each one is just as beautiful as the next. Ian Prosser of Botanica International Design Studio took Angie and Peter's classic color scheme and made it beyond extraordinary. The flowers, the lighting, and the rich, textured linens looked like they were MADE for this ballroom!

If there is any couple who deserved a perfect wedding day, it's Angie and Peter. Hands down! They are both just as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside (I know that is hard to believe, but THEY ARE). What an absolute pleasure it was working with these two..... Congratulations and Best Wishes!

A huge THANK YOU to "the dream team" who made this day possible:
Church: St. Nicolas Greek Orthodox Cathedral
Reception: Renaissance Tampa International Plaza
Wedding Coordinator: Olivier Events
Photographer: Limelight Photography
Videographer: Voila Cinematic
Floral and Decor: Botanica International Design Studio
Hair: Salon/Metro
Make-up: Lena Petridis
Cake: It's Icing on the Cake