Real Weddings: Sarah & Nick

By Mae Wagner

When Nick, a musician, played in a show with a close friend of Sarah’s, he had no idea that he would end up meeting his soulmate through that very friend. Their mutual friend orchestrated a way for Sarah and Nick to meet. After the show, Sarah’s friend invited Nick to a hangout that she would be attending. Once each of them had arrived, their friend left Sarah and Nick alone together to talk. Just two days later, the couple went on their first date, and have been together ever since. After many months of happily dating, Nick decided it was time to propose to Sarah, who is a content coordinator, on their two year anniversary. On the way to dinner, Nick stopped at a park and revealed to Sarah that he had planned a surprise couple’s photoshoot for them. During the photoshoot, he got down one knee and asked Sarah to be his wife. The couple were wed in March of 2022, in Tampa, FL. They had an intimate, outdoor ceremony at Mill Pond Estate, followed by a chic, tented reception under the stars. Sarah and Nick read their vows in private during their first look, as the two share a displeasure for public speaking. This allowed for that moment to be more personal. Sarah’s father walked her over to the aisle, to which she then walked the rest of the way down by herself to the song “All Because of You” by Stephen Day. Their ceremony was officiated by a close friend of the couple, and Sarah described it as “short and sweet.” The ceremony was followed by a cocktail hour with live music. Sarah surprised her grandfather, who is like a father to her, by sharing a dance with him as well. After that, all of the guests danced to a mixture of Sarah’s and Nick’s diverse music tastes. Polaroid cameras were provided for guests to take photos during the reception to leave behind for the couple to see. The couple’s family helped them DIY various parts of the reception, such as the flower arrangements, made by Sarah’s mother, Nick’s mother and his sister. Sarah and Nick love to go thrift shopping, and they thrifted some of their table décor, such as records they had found, which they wrote table numbers on. Sarah’s grandfather, a retired engineer, built the enormous blue and white circle installation for the ceremony out of wood and swaths of fabric. The couple was ecstatic that 65 of their closest family and friends were able to bear witness to their love on that magical night.

Wedding Details

LOCATION: Tampa, FL

TIME OF YEAR: Spring

WEDDING STYLE: Vintage, Romantic, relaxed

CEREMONY & RECEPTION: Mill Pond Estate

MENU: Charcuterie boards, deconstructed paella and steak

DESSERT: homemade cookies made by the groom’s grandmother

FIRST DANCE SONG: “Grow as We Go” by Ben Platt

INSPIRATION: the couple was inspired by springtime colors and wanted something classic but with enough color to make a pop

SPECIAL FEATURES: Polaroid cameras for guest book memories; DIY table décor by the bride and her crew; large, tented reception featuring ambient lighting and backlit DJ booth

HONEYMOON: New York City, NY

COLORS: