Our Tips for the Best Wedding Day Accessories

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Photography: Matlock & Kelly

Every bride deserves to feel like a queen on her wedding day. Once you’ve found the perfect dress, you can add accessories to finalize your entire look. When shopping for your complimentary pieces, consider the following.

Shoes

When deciding on shoes make sure to pick something that you are comfortable in. If you’ve never walked in heels before, we wouldn’t recommend trying them out for the first time as you walk down the aisle. Instead, choose a pair that you can see yourself in throughout the entire night!

Embrace Your Every Day Style

You should feel like a princess on your wedding day but that doesn’t mean you have to dress like one (unless that’s your thing). Choose a dress that compliments your style and wear something you couldn’t envision yourself in.

Don’t Overdo It

Similarly, don’t get too adventurous when it comes to jewelry. Instead, choose something that compliments your dress rather than overpowering it. If you’re wearing a gown covered in rhinestones then it might be best to keep your accessories simple. If you’re wearing something with less bling, feel free to incorporate more statement pieces into your attire.

Consider Your Venue

If your wedding venue is outdoors and you are getting married in the winter you should probably consider incorporating a shawl into your outfit. If your ceremony is on a sandy beach, 9 inch stilettos may not be the best thing to wear either.

Earrings

Consider your hairstyle before selecting your earrings. If you plan on wearing it down, then incorporating studs would be a great way to finish off your attire. If you are thinking about having an updo then you can compliment the look with longer, dangly pieces.

What’s the biggest take away from this? Wearing something that you are comfortable in and can last throughout the entire night. Remember that trends come and go and just because all the other brides are wearing something doesn’t mean that you have to as well!

Be Our Guest! But Don’t Bring One. 3 Tactful Ways to (not) Include Plus Ones or Little Ones

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Photography: Matlock and Kelly Photography | Floral: Event Design | Stationary: Jerry and Julep

Let’s face it, weddings are always going to be more expensive than what you originally planned. With all of the big (and little) things eating away at your budget limiting your guest count is a great way to help cut costs. Although breaking this news to loved ones can seem intimidating, we’ve explained the three most heartfelt ways to do so.

Printed Note

Including an additional note in your wedding invitation is the easiest way to have it formally brought to your guest’s attention. Simple sayings like “we’ve always dreamed of a close, intimate wedding. For this reason, we ask that you do not bring a plus one” or “we are unable to accommodate plus ones at our wedding” will prevent the invitee from questioning whether they’re allowed to or not and hopefully prevent them from asking to do so on a later date.

Address the Wedding Invitation

When creating the wedding invitation, make sure to state the specific person that it’s meant for on the address line. If you are allowing them to bring a guest, include the guest’s name as well or simply state “plus one guest”.

Limit the Number on the Response Card

To avoid any confusion, it doesn’t hurt to fill in the invitee’s name and “number of guests” on their RSVP card. If you write this information in yourself it will prevent them from having the opportunity to invite another person without okaying it with you a head of time.

Navigating these emotional waters can seem a little tricky at first but wanting to limit your guest count is completely understandable. If you include a printed note, address the invitation correctly, or fill in the response card yourself you should be able to avoid the case of uncertainty. If all else fails, have an open and honest conversation with your invitee!

Which Bouquet Style is Right for You?

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One of the most meaningful flower arrangements to a bride on her wedding day is her bouquet. The style that she chooses has the opportunity to significantly enhance her dress or take away from her ensemble completely. You may be thinking “oh I’ll just find something on Pinterest” but once you actually start surfing the web, you soon realize that the design possibilities are endless. With hundreds to choose from, we’ve made a list of some of our favorite ones and what wedding style pairs best with them!

Cascading

Venue: Sandpearl Resort | Photography: Edwin Colon Photography

Cascading bouquets often include stems of greenery to create a “waterfall” effect as it falls down and disguises the bride’s hands. This dramatic arrangement is often used as a statement piece and is best seen paired with simple gowns. If you do plan on wearing an elaborate wedding dress, we recommend steering away from this style which may overpower the design and create a cluttered look.

Round

Photography: K&K Photography

Round bouquets often include only one type of flower and avoids the use of greenery to create a simple and symmetrical look. This style is perfect for timeless styled weddings that are going for more of a traditional and classic look. It’s best to avoid this design if you plan on having specific themed wedding such as boho or extremely modern.

Posy

Photography: Darin Crofton Photography

Posy bouquets are extremely similar to round bouquets but on a much smaller scale. The goal of this smaller design is to be able to comfortably hold it in one hand as opposed to the traditional round style which requires two. This style of arrangement is perfect for petite brides or ones with plan on wearing more of a dramatic gown.

Hand-Tied

Venue: Davis Island Garden Club

Hand-tied bouquets include a number of different styles of flowers and greenery and is often tied with a ribbon (as opposed to wire like more precise arrangements). The loose design of this bouquet makes the flowers appear like they were freshly picked that morning. The style of this arrangement makes it perfect to be used in an outdoor boho or garden themed wedding.

The Sandpearl Resort Wedding – Melissa & Kevin

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Melissa and Kevin are some of the bubbliest and most positive couples that every vendor dreams of working with. Their love story is special including them meeting at a young age and later became engaged at their favorite place, Disney! The couple originally planned on having an intimate wedding at a Disney resort the following year, but due to scheduling errors their dream location fell through. Although many would feel crushed, the two decided to make the most of this situation and have their wedding at the next best location, The Sandpearl!

Choosing the Resort was a relatively mindless decision. Even though it was close to their families and friends, the modern beach styled atmosphere made the attendees feel like they were on a tropical vacation. Melissa and Kevin dreamed of an outdoor ceremony so they could walk down the infamous stairs only to be greeted by loved ones in front of the hotel’s waterfall. Unfortunately, days before the wedding Florida experienced its first cold front of the year (we’re talking in the 40’s). Although this was unexpected, the couple didn’t change their minds and decided to bundle up and have their ceremony on the lawn anyways.

Since their dreams of a wedding at Disney didn’t happen, the couple decided to bring Walt to them. Event Design created single rose centerpieces inside hurricane vases to resemble Beauty and the Beast and even “hid” the classic Mickey Mouse ears inside Melissa’s bouquet. To add the final touches to the Ballroom, Event Design used navy linen, silver chiavari chairs, and drapery to create the traditional and timeless look that we all know and love from any Disney experience.

Decor and Florals: Event Design | Photography: Edwin Colon Photography | Venue: Sandpearl Resort | Coordination: Special Moments Event Planning

5 Things to Consider Before Planning an Outdoor Wedding

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Venue: Davis Island Garden Club

One of the biggest luxuries of living in Florida is being able to have a wedding at any time of the year. Besides the occasional hurricane scare, you will never have to worry about roads being closed or flights being canceled due to snow storms. Although we have the perks of always being in wedding season, there are some things to consider if you envision on having your’s outdoors!

Venue: Belleview Inn | Photography: Arianna J Photography

Weather

Let’s face it, Florida’s weather can be pretty unpredictable. One day it might be in the 90’s and outrageously hot and the next it can be in the 50’s and raining. We always encourage couples to have a backup plan due to this uncertainty for the “just in case” circumstances. One of the most common options is a tent to provide shade (and possibly AC if you decide to go this route) but if you plan on holding your wedding at an outdoor venue the facility should be able to provide you with an additional solution if you do end up getting bad weather.

Photography: Darin Crofton Photography

Electricity

Electricity is commonly overlooked because most couples assume that venues offer it. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case so when searching for wedding locations make sure you ask! In the off chance that they don’t have power on-site, you will need to bring in a generator to accommodate your ceremony and reception needs. Bonus Tip: Make sure to tell the director of sales at any location what you plan on needing power for because some events require more than others!

Venue: Tropical Venue Tampa | Photography: JCanelas

Restrooms

If you plan on having a full on outdoor wedding with no structured building on site you will need to provide your guests with restrooms. You might be thinking “there’s no way that I’m going to be having a port-a-potty at my wedding” which we TOTALLY understand. Luckily for you, luxury restroom trailers now exist and in all honestly some of them are nicer than a venue’s facility anyway!

Venue: Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club | Photography: Heather Lauren Photography

Permits

If you plan on holding your wedding in a public area (e.g. a park or beach) it is likely that you will need to pull a permit. This requirement can vary depending on what county you are in but we always recommend for couples to reach out to the local permitting department ahead of time to make sure. If you don’t get one in an area that requires one, there is a possibility that your wedding will be stopped short and you’ll be charged a major fee.

Venue: Sandpearl Resort | Photography: Edwin Colon Photography

Walkability

Most venues provide a separate location for ceremonies and receptions. If this is the case, take into consideration the walkability from one place to the other. Long distances on grass or uneven grounds can be difficult for any guest, especially older ones. If your venue does require a bit of a hike think about other transportation options for the less stable guests such as valet, trains, or even golf carts!

What Style of Veil Is Right for You?

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Photography: Darin Crofton Photography

When deciding on the perfect veil to wear for your wedding day there are a lot of things to take into consideration. One of the first things to think about is whether or not it will accent your dress or take over the entire ensemble. You should also make sure that the design will be practical for the style of ceremony you are having. For example, if you plan on having a beach wedding you may not want a long cathedral style veil that could collect a bunch of sand.

If you’re completely lost on how to pick the best veil, have no fear! We’ve created a list of the most common styles and tips of when they’re best used.

Birdcage Veil

Birdcages are short veils that are used to cover the top half of your face. This design is usually made of stiff mesh or lace that can hold the structure of the design. These veils are commonly used with vintage style dresses with lace designs.

Blusher Veil

Blusher veils are mid-length designs that typically stop at the top of your dress. This style is commonly made with tulle and is secured at the crown of your head. Designs like these are perfect if you plan on having your face covered as you walk down the aisle since it is easy to toss over your head once you make it to the alter. Blusher veils are also perfect to use if you don’t want to cover up your shoulders!

Elbow Length Veil

Elbow length veils are commonly seen as a more traditional style. This design stops right at the elbows and is extremely lightweight which makes it perfect for any outdoor ceremony.

Chapel Veil

Chapel veils are floor length styles that flow a few inches on the ground. This style is perfect to create the illusion of a trained dress without the hassle of having to bustle it later on!

Cathedral Veil

Cathedral veils are one of the longest veils available to this day. This design extends well beyond the dress’s train and can create a very dramatic look. Cathedral veils are most commonly worn with A-line dresses and ball gowns.

Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club Wedding – Stephanie & Daniel

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Stephanie and Daniel met during a month long European excursion. The couple originally bumped into on another during the Wicked performance at the Apollo Theatre in London but were too shy to go over to the other and say a simple “hello”. A few days later, at Mount Pilatus in Switzerland, Daniel (who was an Ohioan) worked up the courage to ask Stephanie (a Floridian) if she needed a hand after watching her clumsily take on ice covered stairs. After that moment the couple felt a spark and new that they had to do something about it, even if it meant that they were going to have to tackle a long distance relationship.

Fast forward one year later, Stephanie decided to take a leap of faith and move to Ohio to be closer to Daniel. The following year Daniel decided to take the same chance and relocate to South Carolina after Stephanie was accepted into Medical School. It didn’t take long for their relationship to progress and eventually Daniel asked Stephanie for her hand on the SkyWheel during sunset in Myrtle Beach. Stephanie was ecstatic but since she was in the final stages of completing Medical School she asked her mother for help in planning their wedding.

The couple decided to get married in Stephanie’s hometown of Sarasota. They agreed on Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club due to the close proximity to the airport and the traditional ballroom feel. 

To enhance the venue’s beautiful atmosphere even more, Stephanie and Daniel decided to incorporate drapery across the ceiling as well as on the walls behind the sweetheart table and ceremony backdrop. The couple also decided to include touches of Stephanie’s favorite color, light green, to the flower arrangements and bridesmaids dresses. 

Aside from having an absolutely stunning reception space, Stephanie and Daniel wanted to incorporate meaningful touches into the decor. The couple decided to use a GOBO projection of their initials next to the sweetheart table as well as forgoing the traditional table numbers and using custom made maps of the locations that they went to during their European trip.

Leading up to their wedding, Stephanie was in the middle of taking her Boards which left her under a lot of stress. The day before her wedding she was notified that she passed her exams and she was now able to pursue a career of being a Pediatric Physician. Not only were Stephanie and Daniel able to use their wedding as an excuse to celebrate their love, they also were able to toast to Stephanie for officially being a Doctor as well!

Venue: Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club | Photography: K&K Photography | Floral, Drapery, Chairs, and Decor: Event Design

The Vinoy (St. Pete) Wedding – Breanne & Quinn

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Breanne and Quinn met each other when Breanne was only 4 years old and Quinn’s mom was her pre-kindergarten teacher. Although the two grew up together, they waited until they became adults before officially starting to date. They knew immediately that their connection was strong which led to Quinn asking Breanne for her hand in marriage exactly one year after starting their relationship. Pro Move: Quinn proposed at the same location that he asked Breanne to be his girlfriend!

The couple decided to have a traditional wedding and held their ceremony at St. Mary’s Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida. Since the church already had stunning features, Event Design added a few small flower arrangements to some of the aisle pews (which were later donated!) 

Looking back, Breanne thinks that the ceremony was the best part of her wedding day. She remembers walking down the aisle with her dad by her side and seeing Quinn standing at the alter with a big smile on his face and thinking “this is perfection”. 

When selecting reception venues, Breanne had her heart set at The Vinoy. After seeing her sister get married at this location a few years prior (which we also helped design, btw!) Breanne fell in love with the atmosphere of the hotel. Even though her family was local to the St. Pete area, The Vinoy made her feel like she was having a destination wedding.

The couple envisioned a romantic and classic style wedding. They wanted to avoid using anything trendy so they were able to look back on it and still love the timeless decor. In order to achieve that look, Event Design used white flowers with simple touches of greenery and gold accents through vaseware, table numbers, and chiavari chairs. We also placed a greenery hedge wall behind the sweetheart table with white flower accents across the top and an LED sign of the couple’s last name secured to the middle.

If Breanne could offer one piece of advice to any couple planning their wedding it’s to not procrastinate. It’s never too early to start planning and your wedding day will sneak up on you before you know it! She said that hiring Event Design made her process even easier due to constant communication. Breanne said that she was extremely picky with her flower design and the Event Design team was able to create exactly what she envisioned and carried it through to her wedding day!

Ceremony Venue: St. Mary Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church | Reception Venue: The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club | Chairs, Flowers, and Decor: Event Design | Photography: Matlock and Kelly Photography | Videography: Kemari Lyn Films | Dresses: BHLDN | Hair & Makeup: Femme Akoi Beauty Studio | Suits: Men’s Wearhouse | Invitations: Jerry and Julep | Band: Taylor Fletcher Music | Cake: Cakes Plus Tampa

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