Long engagements aren’t for everyone, but when you’re a Bride who isn’t sure what she wants for her wedding, a long engagement gives you time to discover your wedding style and turn your vision into a reality. And in the case of this sweet Bride and Groom, their 18-month engagement allowed them to plan their day to perfection. See it all from L. Martin Wedding Photography in The Vault!
From The Bride…I had no idea what I wanted at first so we had an 18 month engagement to give us plenty of time to decide. I wanted a venue that was different and surrounded by beautiful nature. After seeing the Davis Island Garden club we knew that was the place.
I really like neutral colors so we decided on a light color palette of white and gray with touches of blush pink. The Garden is so beautiful it didn’t need a lot. I didn’t want anything to extravagant as far as extra décor, but my own touches to make it feel like a nice relaxing day in the garden. We had an acoustic guitarist playing in the gazebo while guest entered the garden which helped to set the tone.
I made the entrance sign into the venue from pieces of pallet wood. My dad made all of the flower boxes for the centerpieces and the wood pallet cake stand. My father-n-law made our DIY photo booth frame and a stand for our succulent wedding favors. My mother-n-law and I repotted off the succulents and added the thank-you and seating assignment. We were very blessed to have all the help we did for our DIYs from both families!
My favorite moment was at the end of the night when we were leaving on the boat looking up and seeing all of our family and friends cheering for us standing on the shore. I was so surprised to see how many people stayed for the entire reception and even the send off. It was so nice to see and hear all their support at the end of the night.
My florist did an amazing job! I was a little nervous not being able to see the way all the flowers would look like ahead of time. The first flowers I saw was my bouquet when I was getting ready and I was speechless! My florist made exactly what I pictured all my flowers looking like. I loved my gown, it was so light for all the tool that it had. It was so much fun to dance in all night. I put my own touch on it with the belt and it made it fit my personality perfect. Our cake was so delicious but the only piece I had time to eat was the one my husband fed me after cutting the cake. I cant wait to see what it will taste like when we celebrate our one year anniversary.
Get a wedding planner or a day of coordinator, esp if you have a DIY venue. I did not have one and it made me a little stressed having to think of every little thing esp. since I have never been married before. I was so lucky to have my husbands family and mine to set everything up and help me along the way. My DJ was also a great help the day of making sure everything happened when it needed to.
From L. Martin Wedding Photography…Both of their occupations are to help others, CJ is a firefighter and Erin is a nurse, which explain their open and caring personalities! The Davis Islands Garden Club is one of the most popular spots in Tampa, with its waterfront views on Hillsborough River you can see all of Downtown Tampa. The lush backyard and gardens of this 1950 home, served as a beautiful ceremony space for Erin & CJ. They had a classic blush and grey color palette that seamlessly flowed through every detail!
Erin fell in love with gardens at the Club and all the details they had planned – the signage, florals and handmade decor made her vintage garden vision come to life! Their guests loved the floating frame her Father-in-Law made for a DIY photo booth. They stocked the bar with liquor that had been gifted to them from friend’s and family. Erin’s Dad built a custom wood pallet planter shelf for the succulent favor’s that doubled as place card’s. (This was one of my favorite details! I said a few ohh’s and ahh’s when I saw it.) Erin also made the entrance sign that welcomed guests to the wedding. So many pretty handmade details!
I love send off’s, they just end the night in a fun way. Not only did they have a confetti canon send off, they ran to the dock nearby onto a boat they chartered, that took them directly to their hotel on the riverwalk. The guests stood by the water’s edge and cheered them on as their boat went by. A truly magical way to end such a gorgeous wedding!
Photography: L Martin Wedding Photography | Floral Design: Bloomingdale Florist | Wedding Dress: Allure Bridal | Cake: Publix Bakery | Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids' Dresses: David's Bridal | Catering: 911 Catering | Hair + Makeup: Destiny And Light | Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Groomsmen Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Venue: Davis Island Garden Club | Bridal Boutique: Robyn Lynne Bridal | Signage: Z Create Design