full vendor list coming soon!
how it all came together …
ceremony | sacred heart catholic church
reception | embassy suites tampa
wedding coordinator | nicole, confetti events
cake artist | melissa, alessi bakeries
florist | bloomingdale florist
ceremony music | bella musica
videography | ocean videography
reception music | grant hemmond and associates
other rentals | signature events by design
transportation | jolley trolley & ambassador limousine
stationary | a&p designs
wedding dress designer | casablanca
wedding dress boutique | cc’s boutique
bridesmaids dresses | mori lee from athena’s bridal
groom and groomsmen attire | men’s wearhouse
bride’s hair and makeup | jess waldrop
favors | totally wedding koozies
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… insight from ashley …
what was your favorite moment, or favorite part, of your wedding day?
Our first dance to “All of Me,” which was so special to us. At that moment we were married, surrounded by everyone that we cared about, everything had come together, and I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
is there anything you wish you had done differently when planning your wedding?
I wish I would have looked more into the events that were going on in downtown Tampa and better understood the impact those events were going to have. Downtown Tampa was the busiest I have ever seen it, with the Gasparilla bike race and Thespian conference going on, and it made parking and getting around for my guests very difficult.
which three vendors were most important to you when planning your wedding?
My wedding coordinator, photographer/videographer, and hair and makeup. Those were the vendors that I felt could make or break my wedding and which mattered the most to me.
what was your biggest wedding day savings? (and was it worth it?)
I bought the chargers myself rather than renting them and I did all of the day-of stationery myself. The chargers were definitely worth it, and I saved a lot of money doing the programs myself and getting them exactly as I wanted them.
what was your biggest wedding day splurge? (and was it worth it?)
My biggest wedding day splurge was combined photography/videography. At the last minute, we decided to also hire a videographer and we are so happy we did, and I definitely think it was worth it. Photography and videography capture the memories forever, and those things have always been so important to me.
what was the best advice you received when planning your wedding? (and did you listen?)
Every person I know told me not to sweat the little things. I think I mostly listened – the week leading up to the wedding, and the day of, so many little things did go wrong but I was able to keep perspective and have a wonderful wedding day marrying my best friend.
was there anything encountered during wedding planning that was unexpected?
I think I was unprepared for how many wedding vendors are in the Tampa area. I was pretty overwhelmed when trying to pick a lot of my vendors, and even picking a florist took almost eight months simply because there are so many options and I wasn’t even quite sure what I was looking for.
was there a moment during your wedding day that surprised you?
The weather was a bit of a surprise – apparently there was a tornado warning that day! Kristen Arnold and the team at the Embassy Suites also surprised me – they were absolutely amazing and bent over backwards to make sure everything went smoothly and that I had everything I needed that day.
when you look back on your wedding day in 50 years, what do you think you’ll remember most?
I think I’ll remember the dancing the most. Dave and I are so lucky to have so many amazing people in our lives that literally traveled from all over the world for our wedding. At one point, almost every person was on the dance floor having a great time, and it was the most fun wedding I’ve been to : )
These photos are amazing! We can see why Ashley chose Marissa to be her photographer. We’re so pleased that even with all the little idiosyncrasies that made the event “colorful,” everything came together and made for a memorable, loving and fabulous day!
i can’t stop looking at these photos! we are so happy with all of the wonderful moments marissa captured and just love these pictures so much!!! thank you!