Florida-West Coast — The Knot Community

Private Mansions for Weddings?

nicolelauber — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 16:04:30 +0000

My fiance and I are looking for a unique venue for our wedding in the Tampa Bay area. We initially fell in love with the Powel Crosley Estate in Sarasota, but figured it'd be too far of a drive for some of our guests. Does anyone know of any private mansions in the Tampa Bay area that are available for rent? Or, any unique wedding venues in general? Thanks in advance :)

Making Progress!

GreenGuppy — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 21:02:54 +0000

Excited to say that we have managed to pick a date, and get our guest list at a number that doesn't scare us as much! Yay!

And with that, I come to y'all with suggestions for a venue that will hold 80 folks but not be so big that it seems empty even when we are in there with tables and chairs.

We are looking to spend no more than $500 on the location (including tables and chairs), would like an evening affair, able to hold both the ceremony and reception at the location, and we would like to able to bring in our own food & beverage.

I know this post may seem quite the same as my last, but I feel like the responses on theknot are not what they use to be, but it could just be because it was the holidays when I originally posted some similliar thoughts.

Anyways, as always, thanks in advance, and HAPPY 2013 EVERYONE :0)

Rehearsal dinner venues for Sarasota

pulcher — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 19:32:37 +0000

I'm looking for a nice but not too expensive restaurant to have my rehearsal dinner. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thanks!

Introduction Time! (Tampa)

kfast9001 — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 21:44:50 +0000

My name is Katie, and my FI and I will be getting married in February hopefully 2nd. However we have nothing other than a dress and a small budget . I am slowly going through the forums looking for something wonderful and inexpensive ($1000) for a venue that includes chairs and/or tables. We are looking in the Lutz/Ybor/part of Tampa area. As well as Wesley Chapel. I really want a outdoor ceremony and indoorish reception.

I have been looking for over 2 weeks and feel like I am getting absolutely no where. I cannot believe how stressful all of this is! I will take any advice, suggestions, whatever you want to give

Also, can anyone recommend a very, very cheap cater? Like a friend who is just starting or something? Thanks so much!

Venue Suggestions

GreenGuppy — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 16:49:20 +0000

I know that this topic is over done, but I am adding to the chaos that is venue suggestion posts.

I am looking for an indoor venue, preferably in Hillsborough county, that will cost less than $1000 to rent. In this cost, I would like tables/chairs and basic linens to be included. Also, I am looking for a location that will allow us to bring our own food and alcohol. If there is a scenic outdoor surrounding that would be nice too for pictures. We are guestimating 100 plus guests so it should be spacious as well.

Thanks in advance, fellow knotties :0)

Venue Booked-Rusty Pelican

Carissab11 — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 19:55:32 +0000

Hey Everyone, I am getting married 9/14/13 at the Rusty Pelican! Thats the only thing booked so far :) Anyone get married there and have any suggestions for other vendors-bands, flowers, hotel, bakery, halr/make up?

teachermegs

KrystalsKitsch — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 01:16:40 +0000

Where are youuuuuu??

swanny55 PM! :)

KrystalsKitsch — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:51:59 +0000

I sent you a private message!

Wedding flair :)

Sarah522 — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:22:14 +0000

Hello!!! We just had our wonderful beachy chic wedding & have a lot of wedding stuff left over - about 75 navy fans, 10 lighthouses w/ tea light candles, 6 hurricane glasses filled w/ sand & gold starfish, lots & lots of sand dollars, shells, GREAT CATCH lettering, etc. I have ribbon, glue,etc. I took a picture of the items I and if you'd like it all I can meet you in the Tampa area, $250 or best offer. [IMG]http://i46.tinypic.com/fqn1u.jpg[/IMG] My best, Sarah

whose doing your hair and makeup?

Eisel2Be — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 18:37:26 +0000

Who did everyone hire for hair and makeup? I am completely stumped right now, I've done a ton of research but feel like I want to trial them all before booking!

Need Venue for 150 people $5G reception total

starlyric — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:18:45 +0000

Hi everybody!

I need to book a venue that has enough space for up to 150 guests, and my knot budget calculator says I should keep the whole reception to about $5000. Any suggestions?

Thanks! :)

-Amy

Vendor Reviews

lilpanda — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 15:16:06 +0000

A little late on doing this but oh well... this is for a Fort De Soto Beach Wedding/St Pete Beach Reception (Photog for reception services the general Tampa area)

Ceremony - Suncoast Weddings (A) - I had a great experiece with them. They were very helpful and answered all of my questions. I had a beautiful ceremony (more than what I had pictured). I had a spot picked out facing the ocean that I really liked - but when you have a beach wedding remember there are tourist and they don't care about moving for your set up, so they had to move the location a bit (same area) I was terrified when I was told this but shocked when I saw it - I had water on each side - it was even better than my spot. Everything came together perfect so I was really happy about it.

Reception- I used St Pete Beach Banquet Room (A-). Its owned my Silas Dent Stake House's owner. Its in a small shopping center across from the beach (don't overlook it b/c of the location). The owner is great and willing to work with you. The food was reallly good, everybody loved the food. The inside location was decorated nicely and I made my own centerpieces (though she has tons of stuff to make them for you too). It was the perfect spot for my reception and the price can't be beat.. They include everything but a photographer. You will have a few choices to pick from for the cake thats included - go with Di's Delights. They have a pool of DJ's they pick from. That was the only thing that got me - my DJ was really nice but he did not play the songs I wanted him to play from the playlist. I would just make sure you stay ontop of that. Otherwise it was great.

Di's Delights (A+) - I chose her for my cake, which was included in my reception package. Her cakes are really good and come out wonderful. She did a great job replicating a cake I liked that had fading colors. The cakes also taste really good and she has tons of options. I would definetly use her for your cake.

Photographer (Ceremony Provided (B) / Reception - Scites Photography (A+) - The one for my wedding ceremony was included and was very nice. My wedding photos from them came out wonderfully, they are your standard/typical wedding shots. I used a different photographer for my reception as no photographer was included for that. After seeing my reception photos I would say had I known he took such great/creative photos I would have used him for my ceremony (yes you can do this and I believe the ceremony company will deduct that out of the price as well). I used Scites Photograhy after seeing a review on here that he was affordable and took great photos. HIs website had some cool shots and the pricing was good so I went with him. That was a great choice. He took some creative photos and did a great job at capturing the moment. I was very pleased with the shots, quality and service I received. I have also seen some of his ceremony shots from his website and he really does a great job. He also has great customer service so I would highly recommended him. He seems to work in the general Tampa area and the beach areas.

Hair and make-up was done by my best friend, flowers/centerpieces were done by my family/friends and I.

I hope this helps some of you!

Florida Beach Wedding..Sun Coast Wedding Company

FutureMrsFasano — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 04:02:04 +0000

My fiance and I are looking into having a beach wedding somewhere in Florida. I found a website that has all inclusive packages called Sun Coast Weddings. Im wondering if anyone has used them before or if anyone has any suggestions. We are paying for our wedding ourselves and would like to find something affordable. Thank you!!

Wedding Planner Suggestions

swanny55 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:22:27 +0000

Since I cannot figure out for the life of me how to send a private message, I'm just going to post here and not take over someone else's discussion.

I need a suggestion for a wedding planner. This is some of my criteria:

They have to answer all emails and phone calls fast.

They have to be a perfectionist.

They have to listen to my ideas and not just throw in their own cookie cutter style.

They have to understand my budget and know how to negotiate reasonable prices as far as room blocks, etc.

They have to have a group of vendors they work with who are reasonable and talented.

They have to look nice at the wedding. I recently went to a wedding where the wedding planner looked like a hot mess. I need someone who will fix their hair, wear makeup, and dress for a wedding.

First Look Before Wedding?

RumDiary — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 05:21:23 +0000

I'm just learning about the First Look where the bridge and groom see each other before the wedding ceremony begins... This moment is captured in photographs or video.

I'd like your take on it! Have you heard of it, will you do it? I kind of like the idea because I know I will probably cry my Maybelline mascara off when I walk down the aisle and see my handsome fiance for the first time. Having our moment before will definitely calm me a little bit (I think)!

Thoughts?

Introducing myself

swanny55 — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 06:27:09 +0000

Hi. My name is Julia and I just got engaged Thanksgiving. We're not getting married until January, 2014, but I have a lot to learn about weddings and a lot of major decisions to make!

Vendor Reviews

M1ssJ — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 01:27:30 +0000

We got married on 12.2.12 in Clearwater Beach

Destiny and Light (Hair and Makeup): A+++ Well worth the money. Her team showed up at 5 am for our 9:30 wedding and had everyone done by 8:45. There were 9 of us. She was patient and re did the lipstick/makeup I didnt like. She also helped me into my dress and was helping out with other little things she saw that needed to be done. Loved her.

Wes Weber Photography- A+ - we havent gotten all of our photos back yet but our engagement shots were beautiful and our sneak peeks as well. I loved them

Safety Harbor Resort and Spa - B - The venue was nice and the proce was right in our budget. the staff was very nice to work with and really did give us a lot for our money. We had a brunch wedding and our guests loved the food. They lost their A+ because when we originally booked they said cancelling their Sunday brunch would not be a problem , however right after our final payment there was "nothing that could be done" about cancelling it. This made me very upset as it was the deciding factor in booking them

Voila Cinematic: A- We have seen the video yet but they were unobtrusive and proffesional

Let Them Eat Cake- (B-) The cake was ok , I didnt feel like it looked like my picture but my hubby and mother though it looked great

Unique Event Designs - B- Day of coordination/partial planning

-Staci is a sweetheart and was great to work with. She had a baby midway through which I felt slowed her down. However everything went smoothly the day of and she really did help pull all of my little ideas together in a cohesive fashion

MMD Events- A+- Florals and decor - everything was beautiful and well put together

David Dillingham Quartet- I didnt get to hear them but I heard they were beautiful

DJ Randy (breezin entertainment)- He did a great job, played exactly what we wanted

I hope this helps. Happy Planning.

Premarital counseling?

bondcort — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 05:00:04 +0000

Hi Ladies,Is there anyone on the board who has had premarital counseling in Sarasota and can suggest a good counselor? I heard from that it is something really worth doing plus I see we will get a discount on our marriage license.

Gary Kaplan

taralyn299 — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:33:24 +0000

Has anyone used the photographer Gary Kaplan ? There are very limited reviews for him...

ybor garden museum...

lgiammatteo — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 01:26:38 +0000

my FI and i went and checked out the ybor garden museum today and i completely fell in love! has anyone had or been to a wedding there where you could give me some input if its a good venue? did you use the space for ceremony and reception?

Maggie Sottero Reese white wedding dress for sale!!

bethms1222 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:56:55 +0000

Hi all, I have a Maggie Sottero Reese white wedding dress for sale! Street size: 6 Dress size: 8 Bustle added; slight alterations Asking price: $700 (includes shipping) Beautiful dress!! Contact me at emstork@verizon.net if interested!

GORGEOUS! Vintage Venue - Inexpensive

Lechillura — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 17:16:06 +0000

I just saw a venue I have never seen or heard of. Apparently it's from the 20's or 30's and they totally refurb'd it. I drove by and peeked in and it is stunning ladies.

It is called the Seminole Heights Garden Center. They have garden areas for weddings but the inside is a gem. And I came home and looked and it's only like $400 to rent.

I am already booked but I just wanted to throw out a venue on here that I haven't seen anything posted about. I loved it!

Caterer for Gasparilla Island

crod1279 — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:09:55 +0000

I'm having terrible luck finding a caterer for our small March wedding on Gasparilla Island. Anyone have a reccommendation?
Thanks!

Brag about your Photog. Here!

GreenGuppy — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 19:50:31 +0000

With the holiday season officially kicked off, me and the Mr. are looking to possibly have some holiday photos taken, so I thought that maybe we could kill two birds with one stone (by the way, i love birds and am thinking that statement is HORRIBLE!).

The plan is that in taking our holiday photos we may find ourselves a wedding photog. too. So, I am asking you, fellow knotties, to please share your experiences, good and bad, that you have had with photogs. in the area.

I thanks you in advance :0)

RJ Vida

taralyn299 — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 01:04:26 +0000

I was wondering if anyone has used the DJ RJ Vida for their events. I have found reviews but all of them seem to be too good to be true.

Tampa reception

katymwedding — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 12:14:51 +0000

Both my fiance and I are Catholic and want to have a Catholic ceremony, but we need help on reception venues. Our chuch is in Brandon, but we want our out of town guests (both our familys live up North) to at least see water when they come to a Florida wedding. We are thinking downtown Tampa along the Riverwalk, but I need some help...

1. Recomendations on locaions

2. Is Brandon to Downtown Tampa too far guests to travel? lots of out of town guests

3. Should we provide transportation from hotel (downtown) to church

-Recomendations

Thanks

Shower Location Tampa/St. Pete

emccoy12 — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 15:31:22 +0000

I am planning my sister's wedding shower. Does anyone know of a location with a private room that is good? We are looking into Cassis. Suggestions appreciated....thank you!

Lingerie

lmlewis4 — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 05:26:46 +0000

I'm in Saint Petersburg, does anyone know where I can find under the dress bustier?

Help!!! Need a DJ

theresa929 — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 17:58:34 +0000

Hello All,
I am desperately needing a dj in the area (destination for me). I booked a band and there has been some drama with them...UGH!!! But now 35 days away I need for find a DJ, does anyone know any good suggestions in the Tampa area for R&B music DJ????

Please any help you can lend would be great!!

Help!! Venue for New Years Eve

awesomet317 — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 03:53:59 +0000

I'm looking for a venue to have our reception for New years Eve around the Tampa area that is budget friendly and will allow us to bring in our own liquor and food. The wedding is 12/31/13 and we are going to probably have around 100 guest. Any suggestions are appreciated. Also ideas on themes, Winter wonderland on New years Eve sound stupid? Thanks