Whimsical & Colorful Garden: Lauren & David’s Wedding at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota | Sarasota, Florida
Lauren & David’s wedding at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota in Downtown Sarasota, Florida, was the ultimate reflection of a planner’s dream—vibrant, luxurious, heartfelt, and deeply personal. With a whimsical and colorful garden theme, the design embraced a palette of white, peach, blush, dark greenery, bright tones, and delicate pops of light blue and lavender. The Ceremony and Cocktail Hour took place on the Hotel Lawn, while a stunning sailcloth tent transformed the Healing Garden into an unforgettable reception space.
The couple’s love story began with serendipity. Lauren shared, “We met in Boston on a Dance Booze Cruise on Saturday, August 3, 2019, (the only Saturday I had off from weddings for 4 months during the New England wedding season). Both of us were going on guys nights and girls nights with friends that to this day we still have and were in our wedding party. David bought the tickets last minute in line for the cruise! He asked me to dance and before I could even answer, my MOH answered instead and then we danced the night away. After the boat cruise, we met up at a bar nearby and the rest was history!”
The first time they met may have been by chance, but David’s proposal was nothing short of pure cinematic intentionality. Lauren gushed as she recalled the details of their trip to France and the special day, and said “The proposal was a fairytale and to be honest, it made fairytales look small compared to all of the special things David planned and did to make the day extraordinary. It was like a full out of body experience and I felt like we were strangers almost in a movie on this incredible adventure ending with a dream. David planned a surprise private food scavenger hunt which turned out everyone was an actor and only I was the one who wasn't in on it. We stopped at multiple different gorgeous Paris locations with notes and clues along the way. Lastly, we stopped at The Peninsula Paris and I was taken to the rooftop where he was waiting surrounded by flowers, the view of the Eiffel Tower, a violinist, photographer, and champagne to celebrate. The story is so much longer and will always be the best day of my life besides our wedding day!” It was a truly epic romantic experience!
Lauren had glowed in the Florida sun as she walked down the aisle towards David, holding her father’s arm. Everything she had worked for had led to this magical moment, and it was finally here. Which is why, when Lauren was asked what she and David thought was the best part of their day, Lauren shared how their vision for the day was personal over traditional, and the Ceremony was no exception. “We decided to do longer personal vows as well as readings from our Moms. We also had a Jewish element to our Wedding Ceremony by including to break the glass at the end of the Ceremony. I used a company that gives you the glass and then makes the shards into a glass sculpture, which was so special for us to have as a keepsake from our Ceremony!” She continued on to share how the Ceremony was “so beyond beautiful and had everyone crying, which was so special. Between the Ceremony and Toasts, it was so amazing to share our relationship, friendships, and family with everyone there who was attending to celebrate with us.” Lauren exclaimed “Sharing this day and everything that I do with my career as a Wedding Planner was also a huge highlight!” Every single person in attendance was honored to witness such a beautiful moment, share in the joy with Lauren and David, and experience Lauren’s work in such a deeply personal way.
Being the exceptional planner that she is, the wedding design was a pure reflection of Lauren’s expertise and creative vision. “Coming from a planning background, everything was important to me. Of course the day itself, being as present as possible, being surrounded by all of our loved ones, and marrying my best friend was most important. However, being a planner for so many years, I really wanted to make the space feel like our own creation and transport our guests to a whimsical colorful garden on the oceanside of Sarasota at The Ritz! The florals, DJ and dancing, as well as the rentals and decor was most important to me to ensure the guest experience and overall feel would be magical!” Not only was the day itself stunning, but each carefully crafted detail contributed to an unforgettable guest experience.
The details were simply extraordinary: a welcome sign and seating chart installation by Andi Mejia Co., vibrant florals from Kaleidoscope Floral, stylish tabletop rentals from Treasury Rentals and chair and bar rentals from Vivant Rentals, and a sailcloth tent from Sperry Tents that perfectly framed the Healing Garden. Signature cocktails—an Espresso Martini and a French Spritz—set the tone, while a heartfelt family dance to a special song shared with her mother, Sandy, became an unforgettable moment that included her father, Barry, and brother, Jeremy. Not to mention the toasts, as each person shared from their heart about their love for Lauren and David. The details were simply the start though, as Lauren shared, “Of COURSE knowing David and I as well as how much we love to dance and music, dancing for 5 hours was another best part of the day!” The Reception simply was not enough time for dancing, so the evening continued with an unforgettable After Party in The Ritz-Carlton ballroom, where late-night bites and more music by DJ Malike kept guests dancing into the early hours.
As Lauren reflected on the entire day she shared, “It was the best day ever!! Honestly having my own vision come to life and for my own day made it so beyond special. The first look was by far a moment I will never forget and forever treasure!” Her advice to other couples? “Be as present as possible! You hired experts for a reason, so let them take care of everything and enjoy being in the moment as much as you can. If some things don't go to plan, you're usually the only one that knows, and if guests notice, they definitely will not remember or have it be a large takeaway of the day.”
Lauren and David’s incredible day was truly one for the story books!
Vendor Team:
Planning & Design: @mdpevents | MDP Events
Day of Coordination: @elegantaffairsbydesign | Elegant Affairs by Design
Venue: @ritzcarltonsarasota | The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota
Florist: @kaleidoscopefloral | Kaleidoscope Floral
Photographer: @corneliazphoto | Cornelia Zaiss Photography
Videographer: @shannonkellyfilms | Shannon Kelly Films
DJ & Live Musicians: @curate_entertainment @dj_malike_ | Curate Entertainment, DJ Malike
Tent: @sperrytents @sperrytentsnaples | Sperry Tents, Sperry Tents Naples
Hair & Makeup: @adorebridalhairandmakeup | Adore Bridal Hair and Makeup
Wedding Officiant: @aweddingwithgrace | A Wedding with Grace
Content Creator: @marrymetampabay @behind_thevows | Marry Me Tampa Bay, Behind the Vows
Linens: @bbjlatavola | BBJ La Tavola
Bar & Lounge Rentals: @vivantrentals | VIVANT Rentals
Tabletop Rentals: @treasuryrentals | Treasury Rentals
Installation Signage & Printed Day of Materials: @andimejiaco | Andi Mejia Co.
Invitation Suite: @korynne.co | Korynne & Co.
Wedding Dress: @trulyforeverbridaltampa @pronovias | Truly Forever Bridal Tampa, Pronovias
After Party Dress: @theperfectdresssarasotaflorida | The Perfect Dress Sarasota
Tuxedos: @theblacktux | The Black Tux
Bridesmaids Dresses: @shoprevelry | Revelry
Bridesmaids Pajamas: @birdygrey | Birdy Grey
Transportation: @siestatrolley | Siesta Trolley
Wedding Rings: @hannoushjewelers | Hannoush Jewelers
Mobile Spray Tan: @siestaglowspraytanning | Siesta Glow Spray Tanning
Earrings: @oliveandpiper | Olive & Piper
Light Up Letters: @alphalitsarasota | Alpha-Lit Sarasota
Bride Wedding Shoes: @badgleymischkabride | Badgley Mischka
Groom Wedding Shoes: @stacyadamsstyle | Stacy Adams
Newlyweds: @laurengertz @davidbisbee | Lauren Gertz-Bisbee & David Bisbee
