Central Florida Streamsong Resort | Nancy + Bill Dream Wedding

It was such an honor to be a part of Nancy and Bill’s May wedding at Streamsong Resort, a golf resort 90 minutes southeast of Tampa. It’s hard to believe we have known Nancy for almost 15 years as she is a local wedding planner and officiant that not only have we gotten to work with, but also is a dear friend. She planned the most gorgeous wedding at this super super unique venue. Her original date was 2.20.22 but she actually fell and broke her knee several months before. If you know Nancy, you know she LOVES to dance and her dream was to dance the night away on her wedding night so she and Bill had an intimate wedding (With me too! Stay tuned for a separate post) on 2.20.22, but moved the dream wedding to May so that she could be mobile enough to dance, and boy did she dance the night away!

carrie, linda 2nd shootingCarrie WildesAugust 19, 2022Streamsong ResortStreamsong Resort Wedding, outdoor, ballroomComment

NOVA 535 Wedding Extravaganza St Pete | Tampa - Janet + Leslie

What’s better than the wedding of your dreams? TWO! Of course! Janet + Leslie had their small intimate ceremony last fall where they live in Charlotte, NC. They then planned a “Happily Ever After” party at gorgeous NOVA 535 wedding and event venue in St Petersburg, FL. Janet is originally from the area so it just made sense to celebrate here with friends and family.

Philippe Park Engagement Session | Joe + Dale

Joe and Dale live in Safety Harbor and are getting married this weekend at Harborside Chapel and Safety Harbor Resort & Spa! It was perfectly fitting that we did their engagement session at the gorgeous Philippe Park along with their sweet pup BJ in his custom bandana of course. I love that green flowy dress Dale chose along with Joe’s casual look was perfect for their waterfront location. And her shoes! They are super cute, she told me they were from Amazon so I ordered myself a pair in navy. They are just the cutest couple and we are so looking forward to their wedding this weekend!

carrie, engagementCarrie WildesAugust 10, 2022engagement, Philippe Park Engagement SessionComment

Opal Sands Resort Destination Wedding | Bonnie + Mike

Living in a tropical paradise means we get the honor of photographing people who come to town from far flung places to get married because the area either means something to them or their families or they just want to go somewhere magical. Bonnie + Mike and the rest of their guests traveled from Maryland for a destination wedding at Opal Sands Resort on Clearwater Beach with their ceremony at nearby St Brendan’s Catholic Church.

Centre Club Tampa Wedding | Ashton + Chris

Tampa says goodbye to spectacular couple Ashton + Chris as they make a big move back to Chris’ home state of Ohio after their recent wedding at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and reception at Centre Club.

Ashton’s traditional long-sleeved dress from The Dressing Room was so elegant. The train just looked gorgeous going up the aisle of Sacred Heart which is one of our favorite churches. The balcony in the back is a perfect hideout for one of us to get these aerial views of the ceremony. And those blue shoes!

Seminole Florida Wedding | Samantha + Max at Home

Down home weddings are some of our favorite. Everything about them seals future family memories into the home because family got married there. Samantha + Max’s wedding at Max’s parents home in Seminole, FL was so perfect because these two love being out on the water. The property sits right along the river bank so the view was spectacular!

Samantha got ready in one part of the house with Destiny and Light doing an amazing job with hair and makeup. We were struck how unique Samantha’s ring is! It’s designed by her favorite jeweler Jennie Kwon Designs. Samantha’s dress was a labor of love made by her mom Mary Jo.

carrie, linda 2nd shootingCarrie WildesJuly 14, 2022outdoor, Tampa wedding, Tampa wedding photographyComment

Grand Hyatt After Wedding Session | Logan + Kevin

It’s rare in Florida, especially in spring that there are entire days with rain where you can’t go outside for wedding photos at all. But, Kevin and Logan’s wedding day was one of those days! They were suppose to get married on the waterfront deck at Oyster Catchers and then have their reception at Armani’s with cocktail hour and sunset outside. The weather had different plans that day, but thankfully the Grand Hyatt has a lot of gorgeous inside locations.

Tampa Lifestyle Newborn Session | Madison Rose

Meet little miss Madison Rose! In 2019, I had the honor of photographing Jenna and Kevin’s gorgeous wedding and there’s nothing that makes me happier than getting to photograph their next stage in life. This little one was very alert, already has so many expressions, and didn’t want to miss out on anything! Her nursery is decked out in pink and I love that custom wood sign they had made above her crib.

carrieCarrie WildesJuly 10, 2022milestones, newborn portraits, Tampa Lifestyle Portrait SessionComment

Sorosis Building Wedding Lakeland, FL | Megan + Parker Wed at Historic Venue

One of the things that we take as a huge compliment is when another vendor in the industry recommends us for an event for their family or friends. When Two Sisters Events & Design told one of their dear family friends to give us a call, we knew it was going to be a very special wedding. Megan + Parker held their wedding at the Junior League Sorosis Building on Lake Morton in Lakeland, FL. The historic Italian Renaissance style building built in 1927 embraces the look so popular at the time, but was then a novelty in Lakeland. The grand architecture was a big decor feature in the Two Sisters’ design. A stunning floral arrangement adorned the main fireplace and the tables with their gold chargers had an Old World feel to them.

carrieCarrie WildesJuly 7, 2022The Sorosis BuildingWedding, outdoor, Lakeland WeddingComment

Sarasota Engagement Session | Christine + Rob

Christine and Rob live in Texas but are getting married here in Florida next May! I love when couples have a location for their engagement session that is sentimental and this location is an extra special one. Rob’s family lives in the Sarasota area and they have this really cool beach cabana where his family has always come to relax and enjoy the gorgeous beach. There was no one there but us and the turquoise blue water.

carrie, engagementCarrie WildesJuly 7, 2022sarasota engagement session Comment

Nova 535 Bamboo Garden Wedding | Carissa+Anthony

Carissa + Anthony’s wedding was a full day of laughter and joy at Tampa’s amazing Nova 535 venue. The pair chose a Thursday to have their wedding (which we love!). They started the day at Sirata Beach Resort with Carissa receiving the royal treatment from A Cherished Bride beauty services. Anthony and his groomsmen put on their wedding finest in a nearby room. Their cheeky best man surprised Anthony when we went down for the ‘first look’ by appearing in one of Carissa’s dresses. See what we mean by ‘day full of laughter’?

carrie, lindaCarrie WildesJune 23, 2022Nova 535 Wedding Photographer, nova 535 weddings, beachComment

W.T.F - What the Fusion | Opal Sands Resort

One of our favorite wedding professional networking groups is Association of Bridal Consultants and the June meeting at Opal Sands Resort did not disappoint! Even though weddings/events are back with a vengeance (a good one!:-) I feel like we as local professionals don’t see each other often enough, so when we do, we do it up right!

carrie, eventsCarrie WildesJune 21, 2022Opal Sands Resort, events, Association of Bridal ConsultantsComment

Armature Works Tampa Wedding | Rebecca+Max

They say that ‘2nd time is a charm’. Well for Rebecca + Max ‘3rd time is a charm’ was the winner! After rescheduling their wedding two times in New York because of pandemic restrictions in 2020 and then again in 2021, the couple decided to move their wedding to Tampa where they are currently living. Armature Works became an obvious choice for their April 2022 wedding because it had a similar vibe to their original New York venue.

carrieCarrie WildesJune 15, 2022Armature Works Weddings, Armature WorksComment

Bridesmaid Gift Ideas

What are you getting your best gal pals for being by your side throughout the wedding planning process to when you walk down the aisle? We've got some really awesome ideas for you!

carrie, idea room, CouplesCarrie WildesJune 9, 2022Bridesmaid Gift IdeasComment

Tampa Bay Cruise Wedding | Nichole + Everett Married on Yacht StarShip

We had a wonderful time with Tampa locals Nichole +Everett who essentially held a destination wedding for their Midwestern families aboard the Yacht StarShip.

The couple got ready with their bridal party at the Tampa Marriott Water Street which always makes for good pre-ceremony portraits. The light that comes streaming in from the massive windows plus the light colored walls makes it seem like we are shooting inside a giant soft box light.

Hilton Clearwater Beach Florida | Madison+Dalton Destination Weddin

The beauty of being based in the greater Tampa/Clearwater area is how many destination weddings we have here. Madison+Dalton brought all of their family from Illinois to have a gorgeous beach wedding at the Hilton Clearwater Beach.

Curtis Hixon Park Downtown Tampa Engagement | Alex + Dalan

Such a lovely session with Alex and Dalan in downtown Tampa! They live in California and were here getting some wedding planning things checked off their list, one of them was hanging out with us! Notice how amazing Alex’s flowy, flowery dress paired with Dalan’s dark navy pants and white shirt looks with all these iconic spots. Here’s just a few of my favorites from their favs! We are so looking forward to their wedding this October!!

Ballast Point Park Engagement Session | Darci + Russell

Ballast point is a hidden little gem right at the very end of Bayshore Blvd and where we did Darci and Russell’s engagement session. At dusk, there’s just a few minutes where the light on the city of Tampa in the distance and light where we were was even and it just looks spectacular with the calm water and pink tones in the sky. Gotta be patient but it’s worth it! I had so much fun hanging out with these 2, we even got a dolphin fin in the background!!

carrie, engagementCarrie WildesMay 17, 2022Ballast Point Park, Ballast Point Park Engagement SessionComment

Sand Key Engagement Session | Liz + Jory

Liz and Jory will be tying the knot in a beautiful garden next March. They live out by the beach, so Sand Key was the perfect spot for their engagement session. Their handsome little guy, Quinn, even joined us for some as well and he even helped me hold the off camera flash for sunset. I absolutely love these sweet moments with the 2, and the 3 of them. Couples who have kids ask me all the time if they should include their kids in their engagement session and I actually love when they do! I think it’s such a great way to help them be a part of the journey and celebration and you get some gorgeous photos as a family as well!

carrie, engagementCarrie WildesMay 12, 2022engagement, Sand Key Engagement SessionComment

Tara+Nick Tie the Knot (Literally) | Yacht Starship Wedding Cruise

We had a blast photographing Tara+Nick’s cruise ship wedding in Tampa Bay Harbor aboard the Yacht Starship. The weather was perfect, crystal clear and the wind minimal. The Yacht Starship weddings are so great for the couple because their packages are all inclusive so all you have to do is show up and have a great party.

carrieCarrie WildesMay 10, 2022yacht starship weddings, Yacht Starship Wedding, Yacht Starship, outdoorComment