3 Mistakes to Avoid When Planning Your Wedding

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Venue: Paradise Cove | Photography: Castaldo Studio

When it comes to planning your wedding mistakes are bound to happen. No matter how big or small it is, there are so many moving parts that you will experience a hiccup at least once or twice along the way (even if you hired the BEST wedding planner).

With that being said, you do have an advantage because there have been plenty of weddings before yours and we can learn from the mistakes that those couples made (thanks for taking one for the team, guys!) Keep reading to learn three of the top mistakes that we have witnessed and ways to avoid them!

Not Having a Rain Plan

Getting married in Florida means sunshine and beaches, right? Well, not exactly… Did you know that Florida is one of the top five rainiest states in the U.S.? Although having an outdoor ceremony with the sunset in the background is ideal for some couples (and totally doable) we encourage you to have a back up plan just in case. The weather here can change in the blink of an eye which means you might have to change your ceremony location rather quickly. This means you should definitely consider the venue’s rain plan before signing the contract because there is a strong chance that you might have to use that instead!

Not Having a Good Understanding of the Area’s Yearly Events

Events happen in the Tampa Bay area almost every week. Although some are bigger than others, we recommend couples to do their research and see if anything is happening near or around your venue on the dates that you’re interested in having your wedding. If a major event is happening on the same day (such as Gasparilla) make sure your guests are aware of the traffic and parking circumstances ahead of time so they can plan their commute accordingly. We also encourage couples to avoid having their wedding during certain busy weekends such as spring break and holidays where hotel and travel prices tend to be inflated.

Trying a New Beauty Routine Right Before

There’s a pretty good chance that the few days before your wedding you are going to be stressed to the max. You may feel tempted to decompress with a little self care (which is encouraged!) but please avoid completely changing up your routine! The last thing you want is to have your skin break out or your hair appear oily in your wedding photos just because you had to try the latest TikTok trend. Instead, we recommend having a two week buffer to try out any new products and see how your body adjusts before implementing them on/around your big day!

At the end of the day, don’t forget the reasoning behind having your wedding in the first place! You and your significant other are committing a lifetime to one another around the people who you love the most. No matter what happens on your special day, that alone is worth celebrating.

Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay Wedding – Katie & Zach

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Katie and Zach met their senior year of high school at a scholarship weekend for Boston College. Katie’s older brother, Ben, hosted Zach during the five day program where Katie found herself spending every possible moment coming up with excuses to tag along. After an immediate connect the couple decided to make their relationship official before parting ways at the end of the event. Although they both were eager to go home and tell their loved ones their news, they knew that they were going to have a challenge due to the distance between them. Even though this hurdle could have made any other teenage couple break up, the couple decided to make the most of it by Katie flying to Boston to attend Zach’s prom and Zach meeting her ENTIRE family after only one month!

The couple continued to date all throughout college and eventually decided to tie the knot in Tampa to be closer to Katie’s parents’ home. Since guests were coming in from all across the country, Katie and Zach decided to throw a big party immediately following the rehearsal dinner the night before. This allowed the attendees an additional opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make some new ones!

Following the traditional theme of their wedding day, Katie and her bridesmaids decided to get ready at her parents’ house while Zach and his groomsmen got dressed at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. The two traveled separately to Sacred Heart Catholic Church where they chose to see each other for the first time during an hour long Catholic Ceremony at 11:00 AM. Similar to Katie’s parents’ wedding, Event Design dressed up the church pews with white satin bows and designed Katie’s bouquet completely out of gardenias (which is what her mother had as well!)

After exchanging vows, the couple shuttled guests from Sacred Heart Catholic Church to the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay for the cocktail hour. During this time Katie and Zach were able to take photographs with each other and their families. Although they ended up missing the majority of their cocktail hour, the couple had the opportunity to be alone together and reflect on the morning’s events.

After the all of the sentimental moments, Katie and Zach were ready to party! The reception took place in the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay’s ballroom. Upon entering the space, all 400 of the couple’s guests were blown away by centerpieces in varying heights as well as the one on the couple’s head/family table that was made of only white roses. Along with the custom made arrangements, the tables were finished off with Event Design’s lace overlays, gold chargers, table numbers, and chiavari chairs!

Immediately following their meal, the couple had their first dance on a cherry rose dance floor with a GOBO projection of their initials displayed across. Eventually the day became even livelier when the wedding party did the classic New Orleans Umbrella Dance and Katie was able to throw away her complimentary toss bouquet (because how could she give up her real one?!)

Floral, Chairs, Uplighting, & Decor: Event Design | Ceremony Venue: Sacred Heart Catholic Church | Reception Venue: Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay | Photography: Your Story By Us | Videography: Life’s Highlights | Makeup: Michele Renee The Studio | Cake: Hands On Sweets | Wedding Dress: Cici’s Bridal | DJ: Eric w/ Grant Hemmond and Associates

Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Wedding – Rebecca & Jason

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Rebecca’s best friend (who later became her Maid of Honor) met Jason during basic training for the army. She immediately realized the similarities between the two and formally introduced them after graduation. After many years of dating, Jason decided to pop the question in the most intimate setting he could imagine – on their patio while listening to their favorite song WITH his grandmother’s ring!

While planning their wedding the couple decided that the surrounding scenery was one of the most significant parts of their day. They decided to get married at the Hyatt Regency on Clearwater Beach so that they could have views of the water during their entire celebration. Praying for good weather (and thank goodness it was perfect!), the couple decided to hold their ceremony on the hotel’s outdoor terrace. To not take away from the beautiful view, Event Design provided a drapery archway as well as chair florals to make the space appear more wedding like.

After exchanging vows and taking pictures, the couple moved their celebration to the Hyatt Regency’s indoor ballroom to hold the reception. Rebecca and Jason wanted to create a very timeless and romantic atmosphere through the use of chiavari chairs, specialty linen, and meaningful centerpieces. Before their delicious meals were served, Rebecca decided to switch into a comfy white jumpsuit so she was able to bust out her favorite dance moves later on!

Rebecca and Jason’s most cherished memory of their wedding day was being able to celebrate it with their family and friends. The couple were originally planning on getting married in April of 2020 but due to COVID they had to go through two postponements.

Following their wedding, Rebecca says that her favorite reason as to why she hired Event Design was because of how easy we were to work with. She said that we were able to “read her mind” when it came to the decor and everything turned out exactly how she envisioned. If she could give one piece of advice to any couple planning their wedding she would recommend not sweating about the little things and enjoying yourself because it goes by quickly!

Floral, Chairs, & Decor: Event Design | Venue: Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa | Photography: Alexis Kline Photography

Don’t Forget to Date Your Fiancé: Our Top 5 Tampa Bay Date Ideas

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Venue: Davis Island Garden Club

Take a minute and think to yourself “when was the last time I went out on a date with my significant other?” We’re not talking about going out to grab a quick bite to eat after a long day of work or heading to the movies because your all time favorite actor has just released their latest film. We mean actually going out and doing something that will make a great memory in the times to come. Are you surprised with your answer to our original question?

Living in the Tampa Bay area gives us the opportunity to travel and do things relatively easily. We are pretty much able to make a day trip out of anywhere due to the interstates and expressways located in the heart of our city. Although we love any opportunity to make it over to the other side of the state, here are our top five date night ideas that are local to our area!

Produce Picking Farms

During season, local farms give you the ability to go inside and pick your own produce. In the spring time strawberries are the most commonly collected but certain ranches allow you to gather in season fruits and vegetables year round. Bonus Tip: Use the collected crops for that night’s dinner!

Tampa Riverwalk

There’s no better way to appreciate our area than taking in the water views at the Tampa Riverwalk. Located in downtown Tampa, this 2.6 mile trail offers plenty of activities including water taxis, parks, and museums. Starting from the north end, you can head over to Armature Works to experience local markets as well as Instagram worthy restaurants. As you make your way down south you’ll eventually arrive to the Channelside District where you can stop off at Sparkman Wharf and experience the night life that you see all of your friends post about.

Fairgrounds St. Pete

Located in the Art District, Fairgrounds St. Pete provides an immersive experience with exhibits designed by artists about Florida’s stories. These interactive displays will have you walking through rooms dedicated to strawberries for one second and the next you’re in an 80’s styled pink room dedicated to flamingos.

Epperson Lagoon

Epperson Lagoon is a MASSIVE (we’re talking 7 acres) manmade lagoon in Wesley Chapel. With the purchase of a day pass, you are able to experience the neighborhood’s crystal clear water and lively atmosphere that creates the perfect setting to lay out and soak up Florida’s sun. If you’re getting too hot feel free to take a seat at the swim up bar and have a cocktail made just for you. Still looking to enhance your experience even more? The Lagoon offers rentals of paddle boards and private cabanas for an additional cost!

Kayaking

Circling back to experiencing Florida’s natural beauty (because it’s definitely something to brag about!), is dedicating some time to go kayaking. With Weeki Wachee Springs only an hour north, you have the opportunity to view the area’s crystal clear water and see local wildlife. If the day trip isn’t in your wheelhouse, there’s also guided tours in St. Pete and Tarpon Springs which offers clear kayaks rentals and warmer water!

Don’t forget that the Tampa Bay area is constantly growing! New activities pop up every other day so if these ideas don’t interest you feel free to resort to Google and find ones that do!

3 Tips for a Great Best Man/Maid of Honor Toast

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Venue: Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay (Armani’s) | Photography: Jon Montis Photography

Did your best friend just ask you to be their right hand on their wedding day? Most likely you instantly said yes only to be hit with a curve ball and find out that they want you to give a speech during the reception. What?! A toast?! You didn’t know that there was going to be public speaking involved before committing to this! Before getting in a frenzy about what you should and shouldn’t say, we’ve made a list of the 3 BEST tips for a great toast!

Write it Ahead of Time

If you take some time out of your days prior to the wedding to write out the speech ahead of time you will be able to gather your thoughts and ensure that the toast is cohesive and easy to follow. This also helps prevent you from going off on tangents and being flustered day of.

Keep Personal Scenarios Private

The main goal of a successful toast is to avoid completely embarrassing the newlyweds. Subtle jokes to poke fun are acceptable (to a degree) but if you think your friend will be upset about a remark afterwards it’s better left unsaid. Additionally, skip the inside jokes (since the majority of the guests won’t understand) and absolutely do not bring up exes!

Keep it Lighthearted

The less serious the toast is the calmer you will be! Typically these speeches are supposed to make the audience laugh and relate to. Bonus Tip: you have a glass of champagne in your hand so feel free to use it if need be ;)

Bottom line, remember that this is an opportunity for you to express your excitement for your friends and their future!

How to Make (and stick to!) Your Wedding Budget

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Photography: Corey Conroy Photography

With the holidays right around the corner it is now officially considered engagement season! During the early stages of your planning process the total cost of your special day probably crosses your mind pretty often. While there’s a ton of different factors that comes into play when figuring out the overall expense, our good friend Britny from Coastal Coordinating has broken down the FIVE best tips to creating your budget and making sure you stick to it!

  1. Have an open and honest conversation with family members (and even friends)about whether or not they would like to contribute something for the wedding. Keep in mind that it is extremely important that you are clear about what you are asking them to do. If you want them to give you the contribution so that you may be the one to place any payments and have your name on the contract so that you work with the vendor directly – say that! If you are okay with them paying the vendor directly but you make all the decisions on the contract – communicate that! OR if you want to be completely hands off and are okay with them paying and communicating with the vendor make sure you let them know that is what you would like to do! 
  2. Set Your Priorities! Talk with your partner and ask them what the top 3 things that are important to them on the day are! This gives you both the opportunity to allocate your budget and can also help your planner cater your day so you can actually experience them! Once you know what is important it allows you to cut your budget in other areas that may be less significant to you.
  3. Only order RSVP cards for those specific guests who may not be tech savvy! More and more individuals (partially because of COVID) use their phones to access menu’s at restaurants, or confirm appointments! Feel free to make your RSVP process virtual and then only order a few actual RSVP cards for grandparents or older family members.
  4. Favors! While these things can be fun or feel necessary to thank your guests for coming…more and more brides are cutting these out because they can become significantly expensive and are often untouched or left behind by guests. A new trend is for guests to be given a glass of champagne before the ceremony or right at the start of cocktail hour in addition to the bar. You can find ways to thank your guests for coming by telling them face to face, giving a “thank you” toast, or sending a thank you card when it is all over with a personal note. Bonus Tip: you can buy thank you cards in bulk from the dollar store!
  5. Guest Sign In! Most of the time you know everyone there! Well at least you should, that’s why you or your partner invited them! Sure, there may be a distant relative who you haven’t met yet but you do not have to have them sign in. Even though there are some really cute and trendy sign ins out there (pizza stones, frames, and signs for your home with your new name on it) they can cost upwards to $300 or more depending on the custom design. If you are looking for a way to slim down the cost but want to know who was there on the big day…have your photographer grab photos of you at each table! OR utilize that hashtag to see the selfies! 

When it comes to planning your wedding the overall budget will always be a significant factor. We always recommend for couples to figure out their ideal price point early on, that way they aren’t left grinding their gears later down the road. Of course, if you’re still unsure of what you should and shouldn’t spend money on, make sure to reach out to the experts in the field, such as Coastal Coordinating, and see what they can do to help you!

3 Tips for Hosting Your First Holiday Together

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Photography: Benjamin Hewitt Photography

Holidays are stressful. If you and your significant other decide to take the plunge and host your families you may feel a little overwhelmed. At first you might have been eager to show off your place but now you’re starting to second guess everything as the date gets closer. You’ve come to realize that designing that perfect tablescape is now the lowest of your worries as you think about the bigger picture. How are you going to be able to create a comfortable atmosphere for your families as well as feed them exactly what they crave?

Ask First

First and foremost, be sure everyone is on board for doing it at your house before even inviting them! Some families tend to stick to a routine and if they typically spend the holiday at someone else’s house they might feel uneasy switching it up. If you do feel eager with taking on the challenge of hosting everyone we recommend reaching out to the previous entertainer first to avoid any offended feelings.

Ask Guests to Bring Dishes

Since your families are now blended, feel free to ask each household to bring their favorite dish! Not only does this alleviate some of the pressure on you making EVERYTHING, but your guests will have the opportunity to try foods prepared differently. This also creates a great excuse to spark up some conversation between the two and share recipes!

Traditions

Traditions can be very emotional for both sides of the family. When households are set in certain ways they may feel insulted if important moments are ignored. We recommend asking each household what custom they would like to see incorporated into the day and try to implement them as best as you can!

Although you might feel exhausted at first, having any kind of excuse to bring your families together can be fun! Don’t forget to avoid sweating about the little things and enjoy your time together as a couple. Remember at the end of the day this is your family and they’re forced to love you anyway ;)

3 Advantages to Hiring a Decor Company for Your Wedding Day

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Venue: Armani’s (Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay)

When it comes down to planning your wedding day the ambiance of the ceremony and reception spaces plays a major roll. Simple touches like Chiavari chairs and floral centerpieces can enhance the room and cater it towards your specific style. Instead of adding one more thing to your plate, we recommend reaching out to companies who specialize in designing weddings. Still not sure if outsourcing this role is necessary? Check out these three advantages to hiring a decor company that will definitely make you change your mind!

Venue: The Vinoy | Photography: Salvador Robles Photography

Create Symmetrical Atmosphere

The limit does not exist when it comes to designing the style and atmosphere of a wedding (if we were tech savvy we’d insert the Mean Girls gif here). Even though you might have a specific style in mind, coming up with ways to achieve it can be a complete headache. Luckily, if you hire a reputable professional in the wedding decor industry, it is literally their job to advise you as to what works and what doesn’t. Whether you’re planning a modern reception or a rustic ceremony, they are there to tell you what elements to use to enhance the ambiance!

Venue: Tampa Yacht & Country Club

You Will Save Your Time and Money

Wedding planning takes up enough of your time as is, so why not put a trusted professional in charge of figuring out all of the decor elements? We often hear couples talk about DIYing some of their own pieces which sounds great in theory but ends up taking A LOT more time than expected. Additionally, buying individual items from different companies can end up costing more than what was originally proposed by renting them through a decor company. On top of all of that, what are you going to do with all of the purchased items once your wedding is over? Unless you plan on getting into the wedding industry, there isn’t really a reason to keep 200 partially used candle votives and glass cylinders.

Venue: CL Space | Photography: Lindsey Vander Wal Photography

Set Up and Tear Down

The last thing that you’re going to want to do on your wedding day is figure out who will be available to set up and tear down rented items. Although it’s nice if your loved ones offer, it can be hard to expect them to when they’re going to want to spend their time getting ready and celebrating with you as well. Luckily, a professional wedding designer can focus on these tasks instead so your friends and family members are able to be apart of the entire wedding day process.

Now that we’ve convinced you that you need to hire a decor company, feel free to reach out to us on our contact page so we can sit down and discuss creating the design of your wedding!

Why You Need a Wedding Planner (and Why Your Venue Coordinator Isn’t the Same)

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Venue: The Vault | Photography: Carrie Wildes Photography

Let’s talk about your day to day life. Generally speaking, you typically wake up, go to work, commute home to make dinner and try to relax for a few precious hours before starting it all over again the next day. Now let’s throw planning your wedding into the mix. Doing simple tasks such as finding the perfect venue, reaching out to vendors for pricing, AND figuring out how to execute it all while keeping your head on straight. Seems like a lot, right?

One of the biggest suggestions that Event Design can recommend to any newly engaged couple (or ones who have come to realize that they’re in over their heads) is to hire a wedding planner! These professionals are experts when it comes to figuring out the nitty gritty and are there on your wedding day to make sure everything runs to plan. You may be rolling your eyes and thinking to yourself “but my venue already includes someone to be there day of” which is probably true, but are they really wedding planners? Nine out of ten times the answer is no. Though these individuals are experts at their job, assisting you with your wedding isn’t their sole priority.

Still unsure if you should really take the plunge of investing in a planner rather than doing it yourself? Our good friend, Lauren, from MDP Events has been a planner for over ten years and has broken down four reasons why you NEED a planner and four reasons why the person you’re working with at your venue is NOT one!

Wedding Planning Process

Wedding Planners are with you throughout the entire process and are able to assist the couple with staying within their budget. They are able to offer advice, design guidance, and referrals with vendors who they work with frequently.

Wedding Planners Understand the Vision

After countless hours of communication between both you and your fiancé, planners have a knack for knowing your ideal vision. This allows them to make sure that the day looks not only cohesive and seamless, but exactly what you envisioned.

Wedding Planners Provide Constant Support

Planners are there to support the couple every step of the way. They have the ability to properly organize everything by creating timelines as well as scheduling vendor deliveries.

Wedding Planners Take Care of Personal Items

Wedding Planners are there to set up and tear down all of the couple’s personal items including photographs, escort cards, and custom details that will enhance the atmosphere of the space.

Venue Coordinators are Catering Sales Managers

Unlike Wedding Planners, the Venue Coordinator is an employee of the hotel/venue. They aren’t hired directly by the couple for all of their wants and needs. This means that if something were to happen elsewhere on the property, the Coordinator could be pulled away from your wedding to handle a different situation.

Venue Coordinators Have Other Responsibilities

Along with being responsible for the venue’s day to day actions, Venue Coordinators have to worry about other events happening on the same day, run and manage AV (if it’s provided), room blocks for other upcoming events, and so much more!

Venue Coordinators Don’t Stay for the Entire Time

Most likely after the food is served and the cake is cut, Venue Coordinators leave for the day while the remainder of the wedding finishes up. Of course, the venue’s banquet staff will be there for any dire situation but you will no longer have the ability to speak to the person that you’ve been working with for months prior.

Venue Coordinators Handle More Than Just What Meets the Eye

Venue Coordinators assist with room layout, providing helpful information about the venue including in-house items, recommended vendors, processing invoices, and occasionally managing catering needs. This job title takes care of the mechanics of running the venue’s operations smoothly and your wedding is not necessarily their prime focus.

Although at times Wedding Planners and Venue Coordinators have similar responsibilities, at the end of the day hiring your own planner will help ensure that everything will run accordingly to YOUR means. While a planner can be an investment, Event Design cannot stress enough how much easier having one will make your life in the long run!

10 Things to Pack in Your Wedding Day Emergency Kit

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Photography: Your Story by Us

Did you decide to save money and forego the investment of having a planner? Or maybe you’re just an overly cautious person and want to prepare for everything in case someone else doesn’t. Here is a list of our top 10 things that we recommend packing for your wedding day emergency kit!

Sewing Kit

A travel sized sewing kit is a great way to stitch any minor tears or snags on a wedding gown or bridesmaid dress. If you don’t feel comfortable taking on the challenge yourself, more than likely someone getting ready with you will have a little bit of knowledge on sewing (shout out to all of the moms out there). If not, most small imperfections can be fixed with just a needle and thread!

Fashion Tape

Using any sort of fashion tape is a great way to keep your dress in place even when you intend on dancing your butt off! This can be found in most retail stores by the intimate section but if you’re still having issues coming across it compression tape can make for an awesome dupe!

First Aid Kit

Anything from band-aids to antiseptics are great to keep on hand in case any small accidents are to arise. It also doesn’t hurt to pack basic medicine such as Advil or Tums to nip any “under the weather” feelings in the bud!

Dental Floss

This might sound like a no brainer to pack because having food stuck in your teeth can be embarrassing for photos! We also highly encourage you to check your smile (and the people around you) often!

Breath Mints

Unfortunately, bad breath isn’t something that you can really prevent on your wedding day if you’re having someone else cater. Keeping breath mints on hand is a great way to minimize the issue but if you’re still nervous it doesn’t hurt to pack mouth wash either!

Deodorant

Reapply, reapply, reapply! You are going to be the center of attention for the entire day so having deodorant readily available is a necessity (especially later on in the night when dancing is involved)!

Lighter

If a dress starts to fray you are able to use a lighter to burn off the ends and prevent it from unraveling. It’s also great to have in case any candles are blown out or sparklers need to be lit!

Perfume

This can go hand and hand with packing deodorant because B.O. is a big OH NO on your wedding day! It can also make for a great accessary to use in your photographer’s detailed shots!

Hair Ties

Even though your hair looked great at the beginning of the day by the end of the night it is likely to fall. Having a hair tie handy is a great way to get it out of your face and off of your neck while you break a sweat from busting out your dance moves!

Tide Pen

Although Tide Pens can’t fix every stain, it can help eliminate the predominance of the little ones that may come up while you’re getting ready. This is great to use for make up smudges and crumbs from snacks that were eaten earlier on!

Some of these items might seem a little unnecessary, but it’s always better to be over prepared. Even if you end up not using them, someone else might and that makes it worth it!