ginger & gerard | oxford exchange wedding ceremony & reception | downtown tampa wedding photographer

… insights from ginger…

how would you describe your wedding to someone who was not there? what were some of your inspirations? how did you envision the wedding prior to your special day?
Romantic, elegant, & beautiful.

is there anything you wish you had done differently when planning your wedding?
Nope! I really trusted my vendors and I didn’t spend time micromanaging them. I expressed my vision, believed in their expertise, and let them do what they do best! Thanks to all of them everything turned out pretty perfect!

which three vendors were most important to you when planning your wedding?
Aside from the venue itself, photography & videography were most important to me. Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life and it goes by in the blink of an eye. When it’s all said and done, the only thing you have left are memories. Thankfully, photography & videography help capture these memories and immortalize them into something concrete that can never be forgotten.

what was your biggest wedding day savings?
Not having a bridal party! This wasn’t only an all around wedding day savings but also a major factor in decreasing stress levels! All my closest friends were still a major part of my wedding but without the stress of bridesmaid dresses, special hair-dos, and bridal party flowers. I wanted all my friends to have the freedom to feel just as beautiful as I did & they all looked stunning!

what was your biggest wedding day splurge?
Flowers! They are expensive but it was totally worth it for me! Flowers have this remarkable ability to bring life, happiness, & color into any room. My venue was naturally beautiful but dressed up, it was truly breathtaking. My florists really did a spectacular job in creating a truly magical atmosphere.
what was the best advice you received when planning your wedding?
Probably the same advice that every bride gets, to not stress out & enjoy the day. It’s really good advice.

was there anything encountered during wedding planning that was unexpected?
I ended up having to find a new vendor for something that was really, really important to me very last minute in the planning process and that was super stressful for me because, let’s be honest, all the good vendors always book up very early! My original vendor ended up being something like one of the wedding horror stories that you read about in a bridal magazine but don’t think actually exist. Thankfully, I found out all these negative issues early enough in the game and with some recommendations from my awesome day planner, I was fortunate enough to find someone who was highly recommended, talented, sincere, & available to replace the original vendor. I’ve always believed that with thorough research & preparation, you can avoid situations like the one I was in but this experience just goes to show that even despite our best efforts, sometimes things just happen. It was also a friendly reminder that for every bad person, there are so many more good people. My new vendor ended up being amazing & working with her was a very fortunate accident.

was there a moment during your wedding day that surprised you?
My wonderful photographer surprised me with another awesome photographer as the second shooter! When I opted for a second shooter, I knew Marissa Moss would find someone talented to help her out on our special day but I didn’t think much else of it. I certainly had no idea she would get another super skilled, well known Tampa Bay photographer to join her! It was such a lovely surprise and definitely a dream come true to have two very talented photographers capturing your special day!

what was your favorite moment, or favorite part, of your wedding day?
I absolutely loved our ceremony. I really wanted it to incorporate poetry and literature and our officiant was able to do just that in such a graceful manner. She has such a lovely speaking voice and I felt she was really able to captivate the guests.

The father/daughter & mother/son dances were also very special. We hold our parents near & dear so it was really important for us to have that moment alone with them.

when you look back on your wedding day in 50 years, what do you think you’ll remember most?
Overall, the emotions! What a wonderful feeling to have all your family & friends together in one room!

But if I had to pick a specific moment, I would say probably our vows! We both messed up on the ‘repeat after me’ part (although, I will admit, I messed up a little more) but it was so funny & lighthearted. All the guests were laughing & so were we!

… how it all came together…

Save