Our Wedding Vendors: Part 1

My husband and I got married on March 21st, 2020 in Dade City which is located just 30 minutes from Tampa, Florida. Our day was absolutely magical and so much fun. I wanted to share my vendor list and a little about them if you happen to be planning a wedding in the central Florida area. It’s true what they say, wedding planning is no easy feat. Choosing wedding vendors can be extremely overwhelming and I thought it may be helpful to have a full list at your disposal. I am splitting the vendors into two lists with this blog including wedding venue, day of the event coordinator, and florist. Subscribe to The Relatable Red to be notified of when part 2 is published.

If you’re new here and you’re looking for wedding vow and ceremony inspiration, head over to my first wedding related blog here!

Wedding Venue: Stonebridge Weddings & Events

Stonebridge weddings and events was previously known as the Lange Farm. I chose our venue back in November of 2018, after we had only been engaged for a month. We lived in Gainesville at the time but knew we wanted to get married closer to our families who live in Spring Hill, Florida (45 minutes north of Tampa.)

Before visiting Stonebridge, we had only toured one other venue, Saxon Manor/Shabby Chic Barn, which is located in Brooksville, Florida. And while the barn at this venue was gorgeous, it was not air conditioned. Climate control was was a huge necessity for me. Even in March, Florida can be hot. The other option on the property, the garden room, was indoors and air conditioned but didn’t quite have the layout we were looking for.

Originally I felt like Stonebridge may be too far away from my hometown but I decided to take a tour with my parents on a whim when I happened to be in town. I toured the Garden House first, which I was certain would be my preferred choice. It was beautiful, however it was a little bit too big for our guest list. We invited 125 people and the Garden House seats 250.

Southern Blue Barn & Joshua Tree

I toured the Southern Blue Barn after the Garden House and absolutely fell in love. The barn is aptly named, as it is a dusty blue color on the outside. I thought this was so much better for a wedding than a harsher color, like red etc. The cocktail hour location is right outside and has string lights that are perfect for pictures. With a very light and airy feel and chandeliers on the inside, the barn has southern charm while still being elegant and classy.

Stonebridge offers four different ceremony sites to choose from if you want an outdoor ceremony. We chose the Joshua Tree because the Joshua Tree itself was positioned in the middle of a “cradle” of other trees. Essentially, this spot provided shade and in my opinion, a sweet intimacy.

Not only did I fall in love with the barn and ceremony site, Stonebridge is on 80 acres of private property which made it feel so secluded and quiet as it is positioned off the road quite a bit. The property has horses on it and is immaculately maintained. As if that wasn’t enough, the staff that toured with me were amazing. They happily answered all of our questions and provided suggestions when asked.

What’s included?

The venue includes tables, chairs, linens, and decor. I chose the farm tables and cross back chairs but they offer round tables too. You also have the option to schedule an appointment to take engagement pictures on the property if you choose, which I did. You can see our engagement pictures all throughout my blog. For decor, they have a huge warehouse full of decor to choose from. Aside from a few personalized items, we used all of their decor. They assist you on your tour of the decor shed and take pictures and notes of every item you want. The Barn has a built in bar for your bartenders and a small kitchen for prep. Because the barn doesn’t have a full kitchen, you are limited to a buffet/carving station set up as opposed to plated meals.

They also offered the option to split the total cost up over monthly payments. This way, you don’t have to pay a large lump sum. My mom really appreciated this. Finding the venue was one of the most fun decisions regarding wedding vendors!

2. Wedding Planner: Alexa Kritis Events

Stonebridge required we hire a day of the event coordinator and I am so glad they did. Originally we had no intentions of hiring a planner. The only thing I would do differently regarding my wedding vendors is hire Alexa sooner and hire her for full wedding planning. She was professional, prompt, and beyond helpful. All of which is absolutely crucial for such an important day.

Day of the event coordinators are in touch with you long before the day of. We appreciated her help so much in the planning process that we ended up adding on extra services she offers. We added on Aisle Planner (a software for guest list, RSVPs, event layout), concierge invitation mailing and RSVP tracking, and a meeting at the venue to review decor and design details. The concierge invitation mailing was the best investment and took a ton of pressure and details off of me.

Alexa and her team ensured the day ran smoothly with the bridal party and vendors. They performed all of the decor/venue set up as well. Additionally, we got married immediately before the peak of the Coronavirus pandemic which added a ton of additional stress. She stayed updated on local mandates and remained in constant contact with my vendors.

Your wedding planner thinks of everything you don’t.

And trust me, that is a bunch of things. She ensured the marriage license was retrieved from the bridal suite and stored safely. She reminded me to put my garter on and bustled my dress in Olympic level time. And she had contacts and suggestions for a donut wall, vinyl lettering, catering, table numbers, and signage.

3. Florist: Sherwood Florist

Sherwood Florist is a family owned and operated flower shop located in Spring Hill, just 45 minutes north of Tampa,FL. My family has been using them for every recital bouquet I’ve ever received for my whole life. The quality is truly unmatched. And my experience with my wedding consultation was no different.

One piece of advice to brides…

Splurge on florals if you can and let the professionals do what they do best. I gave the florist team one picture of a bouquet, one picture of a table arrangement, and explained I wanted a dreamy/ethereal feel. Then I let them run wild. I approved everything the day before the wedding and it was perfect.

Not only did they do an amazing job, they were extremely forthcoming with pricing. They explained where and how we could cut costs if necessary. Also, they made suggestions on where best to spend extra money. For instance, I originally wanted the floral trees at the ceremony site. They informed me those take hours to be broken down and set up. Which means they wouldn’t be able to be moved into the reception after the ceremony. Therefore, I would only get 20 minutes or so on a beautiful but higher priced item. They suggested putting them in the reception. This way they would be included in the majority of where our time was spent.

Plus, it’s an added bonus if the rest of your wedding vendors rave over working with them. I had different vendors come in to the bridal suite to tell me they were astonished with how beautiful it was already and what a dream the florist team was to work with. You cannot ask for more. After my wedding consultation, choosing my florist was the easiest to pick of all my wedding vendors.

Keep scrolling for more floral pictures:

Stay tuned!

Thanks for reading about some of my awesome wedding vendors. If you have any questions or if I missed anything, feel free to comment below or message me directly through the blog or over on my Instagram, @therelatablered. Part 2 will include photography, catering, bridal shops, bartenders and more!

-The Relatable Red