ali & justin | downtown tampa wedding photographer | oxford exchange wedding photography

…insight from alexandra…

what was your favorite moment, or favorite part, of your wedding day?
One of my favorite parts of our wedding day was the ceremony. Justin and I already had our first look but there was still so much anticipation in my heart walking down the aisle. Since we started planning I had visualized walking down that hallway towards him. I pretty much custom wrote out the wording for our officiant (who was my best friends dad, making it very special) and we also wrote our own vows. The whole ceremony was just so full of love and I still tear up thinking about it.

is there anything you wish you had done differently when planning your wedding?
Everyone says this but it’s hard to listen. I wish I hadn’t sweat the small stuff. I had such a difficult time making decisions on some things. There’s all these little details to plan out and there’s so much information out there! In the end everything turned out beautiful.

which three vendors were most important to you when planning your wedding?
The most important vendors for us were the videographer, photographer and venue. Those really set the stage for a memory to last a life time.

what was your biggest wedding day splurge? (and was it worth it?)
Our venue was probably the biggest splurge. I visited OE a few years ago when they first opened and immediately though “this is where I want to get married”. A few years later once we were engaged we didn’t waste much time before booking an appointment with Sarah, OE’s wedding planner. We didn’t look at any other venues and booked a date at OE immediately. Hands down the best wedding related decision we made because it was absolutely flawless.

what was the best advice you received when planning your wedding? (and did you listen?)
*Take a moment to take it all in* We tried, we really did. I remember taking a few minutes here and there to pull Justin aside to try to soak it up together but IT GOES BY SO FAST. I think that’s why photos and videos are so important because in a blink on an eye it’s over.

was there a moment(s) during your wedding day that surprised you?
It really surprised me how perfectly everything came together. During the process I wasn’t totally sure of the decisions I was making but once I saw everything I had picked out .. wow. I was speechless.

when you look back on your wedding day in 50 years, what do you think you’ll remember most?
When I look back on our wedding day in 50 years I will remember all the joy and love we felt and how amazing it was to have all the people we cherish with us. I will remember feeling like an absolute princess in the perfect little world that Oxford Exchange helped us create. Most of all I will remember how honored I felt to be marrying the man of my dreams <3

… how it all came together …