If life has challenged that rosy and optimistic viewpoint of yours, the only shift of mindset you will need is witnessing a love story! A beautiful thing is sure to restore all the faith in the beauty of this world. Getting to witness a love story kindling from a spark, and then taking flight into being a huge thing that needs to be celebrated among close and cherished friends and family is a wild and invigorating journey of its own. One of the rare exhibits of nature, love never tires us and always fills us with awe and happiness. We here are forever enthralled by love, and all its vibrant colors, and consider ourselves lucky that we get to capture unique love stories every day, and we call it our "job". The love story we have today is that of Brittany and Blake, and can't stop raving about this stunning couple and their warm and cozy wedding day. Inviting all the rustic elements, with warm touches of wood and a generous sprinkle of outdoors with greenery, Brittany and Blake's special day is warm, inviting, and heartwarming enough to feel like a warm hug from an old friend. Let us take a peek at this lovely couple’s special day in some amazing captures.

Brittany and Blake chose Tampa as their city in which they hosted their special day, and being a pretty city, Tampa offered tremendous opportunities to the couple in return. The aesthetic city filled with abundant photo opportunities, Tampa is home to some beautiful beaches, gardens, artworks, murals, and some exciting urban areas. This Floridian city is full of surprises and offers photo-worthy frames in every corner of the city. Sitting pretty along Florida’s Gulf Coast, the city is a major business center and is full of arts, museums, and other cultural offerings. It is no surprise that it holds a special place in the hearts of lovers due to its photogenic wedding venues and engagement destinations. Filled with photogenic gems from stunning parks like the USF Botanical Gardens and Philippe Park to water destinations like Cypress Point Park and Davis Island Yacht Club, from The Florida Aquarium to the Adventure Island, from the breathtaking Tampa Riverwalk to the Museum of Science and Industry, Tampa is full of dreamy layouts and picturesque backdrops. There couldn't have been a place that would have a more perfect fit for this lovely couple than Tampa.

Brittany and Blake chose Stonebridge Weddings and Events as their wedding venue for their special day, and the venue is expert at sweeping the couple and the guests off their feet promptly and surely. A perfect storybook setting for a truly enchanting wedding day, this gorgeous span of 80 acres is nestled just 30 minutes from Tampa, and close to Orlando and Lakeland as well. This is a wedding venue that sits in the lap of nature and exudes tranquility and beauty that you and your guests will fall in love with. The atmosphere instantly welcomes you in with a peaceful and slow-living rustic charm befitting any special occasion and event. The wedding venue features manicured acres stretched out lazily in front of you and the modern country charm of the Southern Blue Barn is a nice contrast to the timeless antiques and fresh air. A luscious garden and the grand interiors with its southern-style architecture and charming wrap-around porch will have your heart at hello! If you are looking for a dash of Florida’s Southern roots, this is the perfect location to host a wedding that will feature strong rustic elements. Stonebridge Weddings and Events is a wedding venue that will offer an array of venue spaces, be it a range of ceremony sites or reception spaces so that you get to have exactly the wedding you want. 

This gorgeous location offers a range of ceremony sites, ensuring a couple's wedding ceremony goes by in the most picturesque way. Joshua Tree, exclusive to Southern Blue Barn, is the wedding venue's hidden gem, and is an exquisite intimate outdoor setting, with power and chains for creative hanging décor. The I Do Tree on the other hand features a breathtaking sprawling Florida Oaktree, and is located near their Southern Blue Barn. This location paints quite a romantic picture with its cascading leaves and the stunning vibe it invites. The Front Lawn is exclusive to Garden House and features the stunning large oak tree, making for a stunning location for a beautiful ceremony. The North Lawn, on the other hand, features a lovely gazebo with expansive grounds and stone accents, located just off the terrace from their Garden House. After the ceremony is over, the couple can take their pick from the two stunning reception spaces- The Garden House and the Southern Blue Barn. While being two distinctly different reception venues, the reception spaces are equally stunning. The Garden House is inspired by old-school southern style plantation houses, featuring wrap-around porches, crystal chandeliers, and classic elegant white ceiling beams and marble floorings. It seats up to 250 guests and is perfect for a grand wedding reception. The two-story Southern Blue Barn is a nod to the rustic barn elements, with sliding barn doors and a beautiful outdoor courtyard. Seating up to 150 guests, this is a beautiful blue venue that features a bright and airy feel, dollops of southern charm, and climate-controlled interiors to keep the elements out. Apart from the event spaces, the wedding venue also comes with a bridal and groom’s rooms for wedding prep, perfect for those morning-of-dressing-up sessions or the bachelor party the night before! Equipped with changing rooms, restrooms, full-length mirrors, a built-in sound system, and a pool table, the wedding prep rooms are quite a treat.

The wedding day started out bright and beautiful with both parties getting ready for the special day ahead. Brittany and her girls popped some champagne to celebrate the ceremony coming ahead. While the bridesmaids were dressed in scarlet dressing robes with delicate lace details along the hemlines and sleeves, Brittany wore a matching robe in white, and they made a pretty bunch together as they raised their toast to the bride! Soon after, Brittany changed into her stunning A-line dress with lacy white details throughout and lacey long sleeves. We love the slight flowing train of the dress and the way Brittany looked simply gorgeous in her wedding gown, as yards of tulle and lace circled her in the most magical way. Our blushing bride wore her hair in a romantic half-updo, with her long wavy hair cascading down her shoulders in the most flattering way. Minimal jewelry adorned her, while make-up was timeless and alluring with classic red lips. The bridesmaids wore gorgeous white and red floor-length dresses which tied in the red into the wedding further, creating a pretty picture! Blake wore a striking classic blue suit to add a pop of color to this gorgeous rustic wedding. We loved the boutonniere which had a seasonal element added to it with red blooms and pines cones, an ode to the colder weather! He paired the suit with a crisp white shirt and a bright red necktie- a color which seemed to be an accent color in this wedding and added a festive spirit to the special day. 

Before the wedding ceremony, the couple met out in the venue grounds for their first look pictures, and the Tampa wedding photographer took this moment to capture some amazing shots right there. They were joined by their furry friend, who seemed to be dressed up for the occasion in a cute wreath around its neck, a clever addition. Brittany and Blake also posed by the white fencing and the handsome horses strolling in the background, creating a perfect rustic capture. Soon, it was time for the couple to say their vows. We love the gorgeous wooden door through which Brittany was walked in by her dad, making a truly grand entrance. Brittany carried a gorgeous bouquet filled with white and red roses and foliage to add dimension. The couple met in front of the altar, which happened to be a stunning rendition of a fireplace and mantelpiece with festive stockings hung for the effect. We love the festive touches scattered all throughout the wedding, as it added a bit of extra cheer to the wedding day. After exchanging the vows and sealing the deal with a kiss, the couple was declared married, and they walked away among cheering well-wishers. After the wedding, the couple posed with their wedding party, their parents, and their dear pet, who seemed to be having the best time of its life! 

The couple was then stolen away from the crowd by our wedding photographers in Tampa for some stunning captures. We love the old-fashioned, just-married sign adorning their getaway car, and the streamers and the cans which trailed behind it, and the lovely captures seized beside the car. We also love the romantic couple portraits captured with the string lights enveloping the newlyweds, and the magical image that they painted. After the portraits, the couple went in to celebrate the rest of the evening with their dear ones. They had their first dance and cut their delicious looking cake (a naked cake adorned with red flowers!), and soon they took their exit under the canopy of sparklers. A couple of lovers with stars in their eyes, Brittany and Blake made a pretty picture and their stunning rustic-meets-festive wedding left us in a feel-good high. We love the wooden signages declaring the wedding drinks and cocktails and the unplugged wedding, we love “the Alloways” sign decorated as an ornament in the mini Christmas tree and the cozy hot cocoa bar, and above all, we love the couple who managed to make their wedding day even more special by adding some Christmas cheer to the mix in a tasteful way!

It is said that there are only a few days which are truly notable in our lives in a bunch of trivial days and your wedding day is surely one of them. This is a day you will look back and rejoice every year, with flowers and sweets and fancy dinner dates. It is, after all, a day you pledged forever to each other. You will want to revisit it for years to come, and sure recollections help, sometimes, important bits tend to slip away from the grip of the memory. This is when photographs come in and save the day. Wedding photographs are a valuable souvenir of the day, a way to conserve those 24 hours for a lifetime of reminiscing and revisiting. This is where your wedding photographs come in hand, to reach out to those slipping memories. Our wedding photographers in and around Tampa have done a marvelous job of seizing the beautiful moments of Brittany and Blake's wedding day in the most elegant frames. We love the classic shots by the white picket fencing and the rustic backdrop of the stunning horses in the backdrop, we love the rustic-meets-eccentric take with the wooden door added as an entrance for the bride to walk in through, and most importantly, we love the couple portraits of the lovers as they are tangled up in the most magical fairy lights! Every shot is an apt frame beautifully captured by the professional photographer so that it perfectly depicts the feel of the wedding day. The cozy vibes are not missed, with warm wood accents and the adorable hot cocoa bar! From the candid moments to the detailed shots, every picture is captured with skill and grace, ensuring that the moment gets to live on forever within the folds of the couple’s wedding album, a solid depiction of a milestone and a day well spent in the best of company. Isn’t that the dream after all?

Weddings are precious and can bring a smile to every face and warmth to every heart. Brittany and Blake's special wedding day is exactly the material that fairytale love stories are made of, but there is a realness about them which is as far from a fairytale as one can be. An exquisite love story celebrated with a magical evening peppered with picture-perfect moments! It is refreshing to see the look of excitement for the celebration and the thrill for the tomorrow which awaits them. A charming Tampa wedding featured by wide open spaces, the best of nature in views, and the cozy rustic feels make for a wedding day that is enchanting and memorable. We wish this freshly married duo the best and good luck!