Wedding

Natural, Organic St. Petersburg Vegan Wedding | The Birchwood

Downtown St. Pete Wedding | The Birchwood Wedding

Lindsay and Daniel's downtown St. Pete wedding featured a unique, entirely plant-based menu and organic theme, representing the couple's vegan lifestyle.

Daniel and I wanted our wedding to feel elegant, but also organic and natural, while highlighting some of the unique aspects of our personalities. We are both vegan, and we love fruit!” Lindsay explained. “We wanted something different than just floral arrangements at our table, so we incorporated fruit into the design. Each table had a different fruit theme instead of a table number. We had pomegranate, squash, kiwi, avocado, persimmon, orange, apple, grape, pineapple, berries, and pear.”

As a vegan couple, Lindsay and Daniel exclude animal based products from their diet and chose a St. Petersburg wedding venue that could accommodate their dietary preferences.

“We knew that we wanted something classic and elegant, and The Birchwood definitely delivered. From day one, everyone we worked with was extremely responsive and flexible. We wanted our entire wedding to be vegan, and all of the staff at The Birchwood didn't even bat an eye!” the bride gushed. “The banquet chef was open to creating a plant based menu, and he was genuinely excited about it. The whole staff had such a great attitude about it. This was absolutely not the case with any other venue or catering company we talked to. Our wedding guests were raving about the food, and they were surprised that eating an all plant-based meal could taste so good!”

MORE: THE BIRCHWOOD WEDDINGS

Having an amazing experience as a bridesmaid with local hair and makeup artist Michele Renee the Studio for her sister's wedding, the bride immediately knew that she would hire them for her own wedding day.

“I wanted my hair and makeup to look soft and natural, an enhanced version of my every day look. I wanted to wear my hair down in curls, but I was worried about them falling out or looking messy after an hour or so. A side-swept look was the perfect compromise,” Lindsay shared. “My hair stayed curled all night, which is quite impressive.”

MORE: MICHELE RENEE THE STUDIO WEDDINGS 

Looking back, the most cherished memory for the bride was the first look.

“The first look was very memorable for obvious reasons. We were so glad that we chose to do a first look; it gave us time together with our bridal party to shake the nerves off and have fun taking pictures together! We felt that it was more intimate to see each other on our wedding day in a private setting,” the bride reminisced.

Downtown St Pete Wedding Venue The Birchwood

Chrystal Drop Bridal Earrings and Cream Lace Pointed Toe Flat Wedding Shoes

Outdoor Bridal Party Portrait with Asymetrical One Shoulder Floor Length Blush Pink Bridesmaids Dresses and White with Greenery Bouquets | Tampa Bay Wedding Hair and Makeup Artist Michele Renee the Studio

What did you look for in a wedding hair/ makeup company?
I had my hair done by Michele Renee the Studio when I was a bridesmaid in my sister's wedding a few years ago. I was so happy with the way it looked and how it held up at her wedding that I knew I would hire them for my own someday. I wanted my hair and makeup to look soft and natural, an enhanced version of my every day look. I knew I wanted to wear my hair down in curls, but I was worried about them falling out or looking messy after an hour or so. A side-swept look was the perfect compromise. My hair stayed curled all night, which is quite impressive.

Contact Michele Renee The Studio

Bride and Bridesmaid with Wedding Bouquet with White Roses and Natural Greenery and Red Berries | Tampa Bay Wedding

Groom with Teal Navy Blue Three Piece Suit and White Rosebud Boutonnière with Twine | St Petersburg Wedding

Outdoor Wedding Bride and Group Portrait, Bride in Strapless Stella York Wedding Dress, Groom in Teal Navy Blue Suit

The Proposal:
Dan and I were in South Florida for spring break. We were very excited to visit Plant Food + Wine Miami, a plant based restaurant that had recently opened in the artsy neighborhood of Wynwood, with excellent reviews. We shared an intimate meal, and while we were relaxing with some wine and contemplating dessert, I heard someone behind me say, “Excuse me miss, we have a message for you.” I was a little confused and turned around to see four servers holding up papers – each one had one word – “Will you marry me?” I turned back to Dan, and found him on one knee with a gorgeous ring! We celebrated with some champagne and a decadent chocolate plate!

Natural Organic Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Decor with Ceramic Pots of Fresh Herbs, Greenery Bundles and Folding White Chairs | Tampa Bay Wedding

Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Portrait, Groomsmen in Teal Suits, Bride with White Rose Bouquet with Greenery | Downtown St Pete Wedding

Natural Organic Wedding Reception Favors Seedlings in Jars with Love Grows Here Vintage Inspired Sign | Tampa Bay Wedding

How would you describe your theme?
Daniel and I wanted our wedding to feel elegant, but also organic and natural, while highlighting some of the unique aspects of our personalities. We are both vegan, and we love fruit! We wanted something different than just floral arrangements at our table, so we incorporated fruit into the design. Each table had a different fruit theme instead of a table number. We had pomegranate, squash, kiwi, avocado, persimmon, orange, apple, grape, pineapple, berries, and pear. Our favors also had an organic vibe; we had air plants in tiny mason jars for each guest. Additionally, we had a local caricature artist, and friend, there to draw pictures for our guests; the same one who drew our caricature on our first date!

What were your colors?
We chose light pink, whites, and shades of green for a soft, elegant, organic feel.

Natural Organic Wedding Reception with Tropical Pineapple Centerpiece and Herb Infused Olive Oil Decanters with Tropical Fruit and Vegetable Seating Chart and Fruit Table Markers | Downtown St Pete Wedding

Organic Natural Wedding Reception with Grape and Blush Rose Centerpiece and Fruit Table Markers | Tampa Bay Wedding

Natural and Organic Wedding Reception Pumpkin and White Rose with Greenery Centerpiece and Avocado Centerpiece | Fruit and Vegetable Table Markers | St Pete Wedding

Natural Organic Wedding Reception Sweetheart Bride and Groom Table with Stylish Gold Mr and Mrs Letters, Herbs Growing in Ceramic Pots, Greenery and Silver Pillar Candle Table Decor, and White Birch Tree and Branches with String Lights Arch | Downtown St Pete Wedding Venue The Birchwood

What did you look for in a wedding venue?
We knew that we wanted something classic and elegant, and The Birchwood definitely delivered. From day one, everyone we worked with was extremely responsive and flexible. We wanted our entire wedding to be vegan, and all of the staff at The Birchwood didn't even bat an eye! The banquet chef was open to creating a plant based menu, and he was genuinely excited about it. The whole staff had such a great attitude about it. This was absolutely not the case with any other venue or catering company we talked to.

Contact The Birchwood

We also loved the elegant ballroom and the rooftop canopy bar, with breathtaking sunset views of the marina and the St. Petersburg skyline. We wanted our ceremony to take place in nature, so we were pleased that The Birchwood is right across the street from a pretty park and the water. The bridal suite was gorgeous, and they delivered a nice plate of our appetizers and mojitos to us during our cocktail hour so that we could have a moment alone before making a grand entrance to our reception. When we walked into our reception, it was more than we ever could have hoped for! The sweetheart table they set up for us was so beautiful, and there were many little touches that we never would have thought of that pulled everything together perfectly. Our wedding guests were raving about the food, and they were surprised that eating an all plant-based meal could taste so good! At the end of the night, a few of us went up to The Canopy rooftop bar and enjoyed a few drinks and some cupcakes in a cabana. When we returned to the bridal suite, a bottle of champagne was waiting. It was all so magical. The Birchwood staff thought of every little detail, and worked very hard to make our day as special as possible. Every step of the way, we knew that we had chosen the right venue.

Natural Organic Inspired Small Single Tier Round Wedding Cake with Blush Rose Cake Topper and Fresh Rosemary and Pink Icing on White Jeweled Cake Stand | Tampa Bay Wedding

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
November's weather is perfect for a Tampa Bay wedding, especially if you want it to be outdoors. Find clothing you feel comfortable and confident in, food you will be proud to serve to your guests, a playlist that makes you want to dance and an excellent photographer to document your special day. If you are open to it, a first look will provide a lot more time to enjoy the post-ceremony time with your loved ones and will remove a lot of the anxiety when it's time to walk down the aisle. Don't let anything get to you when the day arrives; enjoy it and be grateful that you are there to marry the love of your life!

Ceremony Venue: Straub Park
Reception Venue and Caterer: 
The Birchwood *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Venue
Photographer: The Ganey's
Florist: Braun's Fine Flowers
Rentals: Bayside Event Rentals LLC
Cake: Retrobaked
DJ: Grant Hemond & Associates *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Officiant: Minister Brad Gilmore
Invitations: Allison Hinkle
Dress Shop and Designer: The White Closet Bridal Co., Stella York
Bridesmaid Dress Shop and Designer: Alfred Angelo
Hair & Makeup: Michele Renee the Studio *Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pro
Guitarist: Dean Miller
Artist: Yhali Ilan




Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pros

Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros are highly respected by our local wedding community and have been personally vetted by our editor.