PREFERRED VENDORS
Quick Links
Wedding Advice
FDW Chapel
(877) 223-3678
www.fdwchapel.org
info@FDWchapel.org
About FDW Chapel
We are here to educate and empower you to help plan and prepare for your Destination Wedding in Florida. We have info and quizzes to help you plan the perfect day. We are a non Profit 501(3) C Organisation who is here to help with information only for you.
Marry Me Tampa Bay
marrymetampabay.com
social@marrymetampabay.com
About Marry me Tampa Bay
Since the creation of Marry Me Tampa Bay in 2012, the online wedding publication has featured hundreds real weddings from the Tampa Bay, Sarasota and Lakeland areas. Anna chose to feature only local weddings to highlight the amazing talent in the area and to provide more than “just a list of vendors” for couples, but instead a website that offers vetted and highly respected “Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay members,” advice from local wedding experts and bridal events, including Tampa Bay Wedding Week, which was founded by Marry Me Tampa Bay in 2016.
Venues
Knotted Roots on the Lake
(727) 351-3222
www.knottedrootsonthelake.com
angieknottedroots@gmail.com
About Knotted Roots on the Lake
Hello! We’re Knotted Roots on the Lake, the newest waterfront weddings & events venue in the Tampa area. We’re located in Land O’ Lakes, just minutes from downtown Tampa. The moment you step on the property, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported back in time to old Florida. Situated directly on Lake Padgett, our little piece of paradise welcomes you with the cool shade of the tall Cypress trees, and a vintage vibe. Please feel free to take a look at our packages, our photo gallery, and get to know Knotted Roots. We’d be honored to host your wedding or event!
Destination and Beach Wedding Services
Florida Destination Weddings
(844) 581-7427
www.fldestinationweddings.com
Sales@FlDestinationweddings.com
About Florida Destination Weddings
At Florida Destination Weddings we are proud of how easy it is to have a wedding with us here in the great state of Florida. We only use our own staff, no subcontractors unlike most of the other wedding companies. We can arrange a last-minute wedding in just a few days and since no witnesses or blood tests are required to apply for a marriage license it makes the entire process of getting married that much easier. Are you planning to elope in Florida? If so, our affordable Wedding Officiant Service is perfect for you with our Walk in the Park package including Officiant and Photographer for only $299 any day before 2 pm is perfect. Out-of-state destination wedding couples who travel to Florida can obtain a license and get married all in the same day! Florida residents however are required to wait 3 days after receiving their license before they may get married. We are owned by TTL Studios who offer Wedding Photography in Clearwater and all over the State of Florida, so you can assure your pictures will be top-notch. So we can make Planning a Florida Beach wedding as simple as possible.
Gulf Beach Weddings
(727) 475-2272
www.gulfbeachweddings.com
info@gulfbeachweddings.com
About Gulf Beach Weddings
Welcome to Gulf Beach Weddings, the industry leading Destination Beach Wedding company which focuses on simple & affordable, yet elegant ceremonies in the Tampa Bay & Panhandle Markets. Since 2011, we have had the pleasure to officiate, coordinate, photograph, and organize over 8,500+ Weddings from Siesta Key, FL to Pensacola Beach, FL. Our niche is the 2-100 guest beach wedding ceremony or vow-renewal with pre-designed Wedding Packages, customized to fit every need! Our Vision: Spreading Joy through Beach Weddings
Gulf Beach Weddings currently services 6 out of TripAdvisors ‘Best of the Best’ Top 13 nationally recognized beaches in 2020, including 4 out of the top 5! In comparison, Florida currently holds 8 of the Top 25 spots – that’s nearly a third of the entire poll for the United States! Our exclusive beach locations have been hand-selected over the years to provide the most beautiful and convenient wedding site’s for a destination wedding!
Cake Decorators
MIRIAM’S CAKES
(813) 591-2270
www.miriamscakes.com
MIRIAM@MIRIAMSCAKES.COM
About Miriam’s cakes
We’re a true boutique-style cake company.
Since we specialize in wedding and special occasion cakes, and we understand the incredibly high standards you expect when it comes to an occasion as meaningful as a wedding. We look forward to the opportunity to meet and hear about the unique details of your special day!
Lighting
42 Lights
(727) 657-1961
42lightsllc@gmail.com
About 42 Lights
We are your one stop entertainment professionals. We Provide Dj, Lighting, Photography, Interactive Photo Booth and Event Planning/ Day Of Coordination. We take pride in making your event better than you ever could imagine!
Officiants
It’s Offical Weddings
(813) 545-8128
www.itsofficialweddings.com
itsofficialweddings@mail.com
About It’s Offical
Strong family values are at the heart of who I am and those ideals are the foundation of every individual “love-story” inspired wedding ceremony I author.
Every couple has a love story and it is my honor to bring that story to life in every personalized ceremony I write. Your ceremony should reflect who you are as individuals and who you will be as a couple. I work hand in hand with you to create a memory that you will cherish forever. Every ceremony I write is as unique and individual as the couples I unite.
I’d love to hear your love story and share with you more about my 22 year passion of officiating, so let’s plan our “It’s Official Meet & Greet” over coffee, tea, and something sweet.
Live 2 Love Weddings
(813) 297-1161
www.live2loveweddings.com
live2loveweddings@gmail.com
About Live 2 Love Weddings
So you are engaged and are starting to realize you do not want an extravagant party. That doesn’t mean you have to elope at the courthouse. Consider the increasingly popular micro wedding, to which couples invite a few close friends and family members. Micro weddings are for couples who want a part of the traditional ceremony built into their day, but at a fraction of the price and stress.
LIVE 2 LOVE WEDDINGS offers a bite-sized version of the traditional wedding as an affordable alternative that’s generally less stressful for couples — not to mention much more intimate. You can keep all the traditions of a larger wedding, or customize the event, doing only what’s meaningful to you.
We are the only choice if you are looking for a special place to host your intimate wedding. We don’t just marry you, we create an experience for you on your wedding day. Our upscale venue, affordable pricing, stress free atmosphere and extraordinary customer service sets us apart from any other venues in the city.
We offer a variety of packages ranging from a quick marriage license signing to packages that allow up to 40 guests! You can add upgrade options such as a toast and cake! We also have recommended photographers who can capture your special moments. See our available packages but don’t hesitate to contact us for further details.
The beauty of our venue is that it is all-inclusive! Everything is done for you. It is fully decorated and we take care of all the planning. All you have to do is SHOW UP! There are no additional costs unless you decide to add some of our upgraded options.
We are proud to be a LGBTQ friendly business. Love is love – period.
* Bilingual staff * Fluent in English & Spanish
Pastor Heath Weddings
(727) 314-2415
www.PastorHeathWeddings.com
heath@pastorheathweddings.com
About Pastor Heath Weddings
Heath is an ordained minister and notary. As a Tampa Bay Area officiant + celebrant, he has been performing wedding ceremonies, elopements, and vow renewals for over 20 years in churches, community centers, banquet halls, beaches, clubs, boats, bars, you name it!
Heath, and his officiant associates, always count it an immense privilege to be a part of one of life’s most joyous occasions!
Bartenders
Spunky Spirits Bartending Services
(813) 431-7131
www.spunkyspirits.com
lori@spunkyspirits.com
About Spunky Spirits Bartending Services
I have to start out telling the truth… bartending is not the best job I do…BEING A MOM IS! I have 3 beautiful children and I’m in love with my Mommy job.
I bartended, waitressed and managed restaurants in New Jersey for 15 years, where we moved from in 2004. Although I loved singing to Barney and dancing to the Wiggles, I missed pouring Martinis, flippin’ bottles, inventing new shots and laughing with folks who needed a beer….instead of a bottle.
As I began attending catered events in my new neighbors’ homes, I was surprised to see the guests were only offered basic cocktails like rum & coke, vodka & tonic and maybe a martini. I would run home and get some different mixers and create fun, “spunky” cocktails for my friends. I was also surprised to find out that the catered bar charged the host over $10 per person and the host didn’t get to keep any of the opened stock.
Thus, Spunky Spirits was established in 2006 with the idea: create a custom bar menu, suited for each individual party w/themed cocktails & supply a shopping list for the host with the option of Spunky Spirits taking care of the shopping for them. This way, the guests get fun drinks and the host gets to keep the liquor at the end of the party and there are no worries.
My motto each day used to be…Make a great drink and make someone’s day! However, I think the best description of my bartending is a quote from a dead man… I didn’t realize that I was doing a good job until I was summoned to a lawyer’s office for a reading of a will. It was from one of my old customers that I hadn’t seen in about 1 year. He left me money in his will and a note reading – “Thanks for all the great martinis, great conversations and smiles – cheers!”
All the “spunky” bartenders have this memorable spunk. I am very proud of all who represent Spunky Spirits!
One last but very important note: I owe so much to my Dad, John Patrick. This business could not have taken off without his support and help with my kids when they were younger. He allowed Spunky Spirits to start in his garage, use his home, water, electricity and most of all, remained patient with me through this crazy business. (Of course he had the “perk” of chatting with pretty, young Spunky bartenders every Saturday)! Thanks “Dad.”
Catering
Coastal Catering
(813) 407-6530
www.coastalcateringflorida.com
coastalcateringflorida@gmail.com
About Coastal Catering
A few years ago a few friends got together and decided they would start a business that blended each of their passions into one company. They all had a background in foodservice; but from different perspectives. One of the partners owned a restaurant and loved to cook, the second partner was in foodservice sales and was very business savvy, and the third partner had a background in catering and loved to chat! From this partnership grew three palm trees each standing on their own but working with the other two to provide excellent food and quality service at a great price!
Hungry Harry’s Bar-B-Que
(813) 949-2025
www.hungryharrysbbq.com
catering@hhbbq.com
About Hungry Harry’s Bar-B-Que
Hungry Harry’s Bar-B-Que was established on November 5th, 1985 in Land O’ Lakes, Florida. One man’s search for great Bar-B-Que and life’s curveballs led Harry M. Wright to open Hungry Harry’s and here’s the story of how it all started in his own words.
I think I was born to find good Bar-B-Que. Being born in Central Florida, I was accustomed to good Bar-B-Que from the age of 5. Peeple’s BBQ in Auburndale, Brown’s BBQ in Winterhaven, Jimbo’s BBQ in Lakeland, Slims BBQ in Arcadia… the list goes on. When I moved to the Tampa Bay area in 1983, I immediately started my search for a great BBQ pork sandwich with a great sauce.
In 1984 I was working at the highest volume tire store in Tampa (and probably the world) and in 1985 I was promoted to manager. I was searching for a great BBQ pork sandwich to feed my staff. I went to the place where everyone told me was the “best BBQ place in Tampa”. What I received there was a fatty, very gristly, sandwich with a “ho-hum” BBQ sauce. I was not happy at all and went back to tell the owner. He told me that I didn’t know anything about Bar-B-Que and to “get out”!
This was not my only unhappy occurrence that day. My employer told me when I got back to the tire shop that he was not going to pay me the $10,000+ bonus that he owed me. What could I do? I only saw one choice. I gave my 2 weeks notice and told my wife that I was going to open a BBQ restaurant.
She replied with, “Are you crazy!?!? We don’t have any money and you’ve never worked in a restaurant!” I said, “I can at least do as good as the so called ‘best’ and I think I can do even better!”
26 days later, “Hungry Harry’s Famous Bar-B-Que” opened in beautiful downtown Land O’ Lakes! The rest, as they say, is history!”
Hungry Harry’s has grown to be much more than a just a great BBQ Restaurant
Hungry Harry’s isn’t just a great BBQ restaurant! We’ve grown in to so much more! Check out some of the things we offer!
Home style Bar-B-Q Catering (no event too big!)
Specialty Custom Catering (we do way more than just BBQ!)
We host special events at our lakeside property in Land O’ Lakes
Photographers & Videographers
Anthony Jenkins Photography
(727) 422-0982
www.AJenkinsPhotos.com
ajenkinsphotos@gmail.com
About Anthony Jenkins Photography
Hello and welcome to my little corner of the internet, I’m Anthony. If you’ve made it this far, you’ve probably noticed that I’m a wedding photographer, and a pretty good one if I do say so myself.
I moved to Florida as a young child, and joined the Navy when I was 19, served 11 years on active duty, and continue to serve today in the reserves. After the Navy, I came running back to Florida with my high school sweetheart-turned wife, our two kids, and my dog Charlie.
I love photographing weddings, I love the challenge, I love the emotions, and most of all I love creating something that will be forever loved by the couples that I’m fortunate enough to work for.
If I had to describe my style, I’d say that I approach your wedding as if I was making a documentary. I look for candid moments constantly throughout the day, as I believe those photos are the ones that will transport you right back to your wedding when you view them five, or fifty years from now.
I truly love what I do, and I treat my couples as if they were my own family. I’ll always answer your emails, I’ll go check out a venue with you, I will be prepared for your day with the equipment and knowledge to do the job right the first time, every time.
TTL STUDIOS
(844) 581-7427
TTLStudios.Photography
ttlstudios.photography@gmail.com
About TTL STUDIOS
Make sure your most precious memories last a lifetime. At Through The Lens Studios, we offer an impressive variety of photography service options that allow you to preserve your wedding day, birthday, family moments, or corporate events for years to come.
When you are looking for a photographer in Tampa Bay, FL, who is eager and able to exceed your expectations, look no further than us. We start by getting to know you and the overall mood you want to create in your pictures. While we bring our own professional vision into our work, we always want to make sure you get precisely what you want. So call our photographer company to view examples of our previous work and start planning your photo shoot.
Aaron Creamer
(813) 784-4962
WWW.AARONCREAMER.COM
tampafilmco@gmail.com
About Aaron Creamer
Hi! I am Aaron Creamer and I am the wedding filmmaker behind Tampa Film Company. I love making wedding films and would love to be considered for your special day!
Back in December of 2018 a friend asked me to bring my drone to her wedding because the videographer she hired didn’t have one. I took my drone and I got a bunch of really cool shots of the venue for them. When I got home I decided to combine my drone footage with some video I captured on my cell phone to make what would become my very first wedding video.
They ended up really liking it and when they shared it online, several other couples asked me to do the same thing for them as well. I ended up filming 3 weddings that month! I enjoyed it so much that I decided I wanted to take it further and I bought a real camera. I’ve upgraded my gear many times since and continue to get better with every wedding I film.
If you are looking for a wedding videographer in Florida, or if you are on the fence about hiring one, I would love to chat with you!
I pride myself on delivering all of my wedding films in 24-48 hours so my brides can share their wedding video with friends and family as soon as the day after the wedding! Don’t settle for someone who will take 3-6 months to deliver your wedding video when I can deliver it in under 2 days!
If you would like to discuss your upcoming wedding or have any questions, please feel free to contact me anytime. I love weddings and I will love telling your story in video!
DJ
KoolKat Entertainment
(813) 466-4313
www.djandphotoboothfl.com
kjdjhd@gmail.com
About KoolKat Entertainment
DJ Joe has been passionately mixing and creating music since 1993. A natural lover of music, Joe began spinning Freestyle & Hip Hop and other dance music, but slowly diversified to a more open format style DJ. He was highly sought after to DJ parties throughout his time in school; this became the starting point for what has become a well-established successful career in the DJ industry.
Currently he caters to all events including clubs, restaurants, cruise ships, sports bars, weddings, birthday parties, bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs, quinces, sweet 16’s, and Karaoke Parties for young and old.
Some of his favorite events include Weddings. He has 20+ years of experiences as a DJ, which really shows. He loves being able to facilitate the moment that will be remembered for a lifetime. He can impact the moment and make a your couples dream come true.
For less formal events DJ Joe loves to share his energy and passion by blending classic party music and music videos. His music spans every genre from AC/DC to Jay-Z, 80’s top pop. He also loves to sing and shares his passion with countless generations.
Through his passion for excellence, he has emerged as one of the most entertaining DJs in the United States.
Professional DJ Services of Florida
(727) 271-8662
www.prodjservicefl.com
Kenwa@prodjservicefl.com
About Professional DJ Services of Florida
Kenwa with Pro DJ Services of Florida is your next generation DJ. Best known for a no cheese, aesthetically complimenting production and top notch MC/DJ performance, he is accomplishing the events that break tradition and bring to light the fresh look and feel of DJ entertainment.
ML Productions
(727) 992-6714
www.mlprodjs.com
info@mlprodjs.com
About ML Productions
Serving on the West Coast of Florida, ML Productions offers fun interactive experiences to match any budget. We are your only option if you wish to have a perfect event planned and executed to perfection. We have been in the business of rockin’ events since 1999. Let us make your event perfect, fun, a beautiful memory to live with.
Hair & Makeup
Bella Bombshells by Carrie
(815) 651-0343
WWW.BELLABOMBSHELLSBYCARRIE.COM
INFO@BELLABOMBSHELLSBYCARRIE.COM
About Bella Bombshells by Carrie
Carrie Mallonee created her Tampa based beauty business, Bella Bombshells Beauty & Fit Company in 2017, Formally known as the Co-owner of the Chicago based, Bella Bombshells Beauty Boutique.
Carrie has been a Licensed Cosmetologist for over ten years, as well as, a Certified Nutritionist and Personal Trainer for three years. Carrie’s passion has always been to make people feel beautiful inside and out. She takes great pride in staying up to date on new trends & techniques in all areas of beauty & fitness. While Carrie is excited to be providing her talent in the Florida community, she’ll be working on destination packages to be offered anywhere around the world, along with group training/classes.
Graceful Glow Makeup
(813) 500-1967
www.gracefulglowmakeup.com
jennylina@gracefulglowmakeup.com
About Graceful Glow Makeup
Dare 2 Dream Salon
(813) 530-6366
dare2dreamsalon.com
dare2dreamsalon@gmail.com
About Dare 2 Dream Salon
Wedding Gowns & Tuxedos
Truly Forever Bridal
(813) 931-8991
www.trulyforeverbridal.com
Info@TrulyForeverBridal.com
About Truly Forever Bridal
Lela and Bo Haas acquired Truly Forever Bridal in June of 2016. They embarked upon a complete interior and exterior remodel to provide brides an elite and couture atmosphere to find the dress of their dreams. In August 2018, Truly Forever Bridal opened a second location in downtown Sarasota. Both stores offer an ultimate experience, but each has a unique touch.
Our Tampa location is the largest bridal boutique in Florida! In fact, we offer the largest selection of “off the collection” dresses. This means that our brides can walk out of our boutique with her dream dress in hand. Our selection of bridal gowns constantly changes as we bring new and unique styles in daily. Most days we have over 1,000+ dresses in our boutique! Our endless collection of gowns ranges from size 2 to 32 and come in a variety of styles for you to choose from. Our private label gowns are created directly from our designers with you in mind. Each piece is unique and of the highest quality. We also offer formal wear, mother of the bride dresses, flower girl dresses, and accessories to finish the look.
Our intimate location in Sarasota offers couture lines from top designers. In Sarasota, we specialize in ordering the gown of your choice. The boutique atmosphere of Truly Forever Bridal Sarasota provides the perfect location for the bride and her guests to celebrate selecting the gown for her special day. And with the spacious dressing rooms and gown viewing area, there’s plenty of room for all!
Reservations are required at this time. Please call to reserve your spot! Same day reservations may be available, call to inquire about the schedule. Having a reservation ensures you have the undivided attention of an expert stylist who can have everything ready for you upon your arrival and devote 90 minutes exclusively to you.
Event and Wedding Planners
Dare to Dream Events
(813) 553-1330
www.daretodreamaffair.com
daretodreamplanning@gmail.com
About Dare to Dream Events
Kiley and Indira have been best friends for more than 10 years. Together they have been planning events since they were in high school where they participated as team members for their community’s American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. As the years went on, they found themselves leading these events. This fostered their love for event planning and is what pushed them to start Dare to Dream Events!
Together they like to spend their time at amusement parks (specifically Universal Studios), shopping, with their families and friends, playing board games, and traveling.
Their favorite things however are their beautiful fur babies, who are their children.
Drone Services
Avion Drones
(818) 818-8080
www.aviondrones.com
josh@aviondrones.com
About Avion Drones
Avion Drones is a top-tier aerial media company that provides experienced and passionate drone pilots to deliver quality services by capturing unique moments with our signature style.
Our Mission is to bring top quality aerial photography and videography services that can be used to meet our clients every demand. From providing stunning media that can be used to elevate one’s marketing, to bringing you perfect aerial shots for your construction, development and planning needs.
We offer exceptional personal service for each and every one of our clients, so get in touch today and book your session.
Florals
ABC Event Planning
(561) 876-6845
www.abceventplanning.com
info@abceventplanning.com
About ABC Event Planning
I’ve planned, designed, hosted and managed dozens of events across a broad spectrum of categories — including birthday parties and quinceaneras, corporate conferences, weddings and anniversaries, and more. I’ve been doing this professionally since 2014, as ABC Event Planning provides unparalleled service for any occasion.
I have the knowledge, expertise and creativity needed to not only plan your event but, also to ensure your event goes off without a hitch. So, if you’re looking for a reliable event planner for your next event, look no further!
With over 23 years of event planning and food service experience working for Darden Restaurants, I’ve has developed the training and design skills necessary to capture the event of your dreams and leave no detail unaccounted for.
I was a Design Specialist, Corporate Trainer, Managing Partner, and Human Resource Administrator in my previous roles at Darden Restaurants. I have a bachelor’s degree from California University of Pennsylvania, specializing in Travel and Tourism & Hotel Restaurant Management.