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

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!

Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Wedding – Sejal & Christopher

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Sejal and Christopher contacted Event Design in the fall regarding their wedding the following spring. Their situation was a little unique because they both lived in a Borough of London (Purely, Croydon). Since Sejal’s family lived near them and Christopher’s family was in Canada, they decided to get married at the Hyatt Regency in Clearwater Beach to create a destination wedding for all of their attendees. 

The planning process became a little difficult for Sejal due to the five hour time difference. Ironically, one of Event Design’s team members was actually visiting family in Italy for part of the time which made phone meetings/texting easier on both ends! Not long after, a friendship between them formed and when they officially met on the wedding day we were given a gift bag full of England’s BEST candy for the Event Design team to treat themselves too. 

With months of planning still ahead of her, Sejal decided on a deep purple and gold wedding with touches of white throughout the florals and drapery. After getting ideas from previous wedding videos, the couple knew that they wanted a purple and white drapery arch for their ceremony. The only problem was, they were getting married outside on the Sky Terrace where wind was going to be a factor. After using heavy weights to secure the archway and counting our blessings, we were able to achieve the look that they were both going for and Sejal smiled the entire time down the aisle.

With the wedding going exactly as planned, the couple decided to extend their end time to 2:00 AM to continue to keep the party going. (which is crazy thinking that the majority of their attendees traveled from England the day prior!) Immediately following the wedding, Sejal and Christopher started their honeymoon in no other place than Clearwater, Florida! This was an extremely meaningful decision for them since they would be able to spend even more time with friends and family before they all headed off to different regions of the world.

One really cool thing about this couple is that Sejal and Christopher have maintained contact with the Event Design team after their wedding was over. They’ve even gone to the extent of reaching out and offering to send us water/supplies when we were experiencing bad hurricanes. Although they moved back to their hometown in London, it’s still nice to be able to have a friendship with couples from a completely different area. Who knows, maybe if one of our Event Design team members decides to take a trip to England we will have the opportunity to reconnect again ;)

Floral, Drapery, & Decor: Event Design | Venue: Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa

Our Favorite Wedding Favors (and a few we hope to never see again!)

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Guest favors are such a big controversy in today’s wedding realm! Some couples think that they are a total waste of money while others believe that they’re the perfect heartfelt gesture to end the night. While we can completely understand both sides, we have some suggestions on favors that we absolutely love and ones that aren’t worth the effort!

Love These!

Chocolates

Any kind of candy is a great gift because these are most likely to be enjoyed either throughout the night or after everything is over! Plus, it’s always nice to finish off a delicious catered meal with something sweet!

Flip Flops

Coming from a girl, high heels HURT and can only be worn for so long! Giving your gals a comfy pair of shoes to switch into after the ceremony will help relieve their pain and encourage them to get on the dance floor faster!

Candles

Anything that can be used long term such as a candle or bottle opener will remind people of your wedding day for the years to come!

Photo Booths

Photo booths are popping up more and more at weddings! These stations can be fun to use throughout the reception as well as giving your guests pictures that they can keep with them later on!

Avoid These!

Honey

Sugary liquids such as honey or syrup are a big no no in our opinion! These items can be extremely messy and make all of your decor pieces sticky later on!

Koozies

Although it might be utilized during your reception, at the end of the night these are often left on the table and forgotten about. This is the one favor that we see given the most but also the ones that end up being trashed after your wedding is over!

Customized Napkins

These can look adorable at the bar for guests to grab when they get their drinks, but they are literally made to be thrown away!

At the end of the day, think of a wedding favor that will make you both happy. Typically, the couple appreciates the momento more than the guests, so it should be something that you would want to keep for a lifetime. (unless it’s food, then we encourage eating it immediately lol)

The Stylish Groom – 3 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Fit for Your Guy

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Venue: Tampa Marriott Water Street | Photography: Corey Conroy Photography

On your wedding day your significant other’s outfit can be just as important as yours! When choosing a style, you want to make sure that you pick something out that compliments your dress instead of creating a distraction. Here are three tips that we recommend thinking about when you are picking out the perfect ensemble!

Coordinating Colors

It is best to make sure that the color the groomsmen are wearing accents well with the bridesmaids dresses. We recommend avoiding shades that don’t mesh well to prevent the style looking thrown together last minute. The safest route to go is sticking to black and complimenting the wedding colors with a matching tie or pocket square

Choose the Style Based on Formality

Most couples decide on how formal they want their wedding to be early on in the planning stages. If you intend on having a casual beach wedding, it would be best to save the guys from heat stroke by avoiding a full on tux and instead go for something light and breezy. If you want your guests to dress like they are headed to the Oscars, khaki shorts and a polo shirt would create an eyesore.

Consider His Body Type

There are thousands of different styles of suits out there and each one can compliment the Groom’s body type differently. For example, if he’s on the shorter side, a jacket with two or three buttons with a lower placement will make him appear taller. Additionally, if he is a bit larger, a darker color can help him appear leaner and and is more slimming.

When picking out an outfit for the boys to wear it is best to keep it simple and not over complicate things. If you’re still at a loss, we recommend going to a tailor to get an expert’s opinion!