Meet Elisabet and Deric: a gorgeous couple whose captivating love shone all night long at their Red Mesa and roses wedding in downtown St. Petersburg! Elisabet was the maid of honor at another wedding I captured (shoutout to MelPat!), so I was thrilled when she and Deric got engaged and reached out to me. I was secretly hoping they would because they were adorable dancing together at MelPat’s wedding reception the year prior.  First, she got ready for her special day with her maid of honor, Melanie, and her sweet madre. The whole wedding day was a relaxed and intimate occasion with personal touches that were meaningful to the couple. Deric, a doctor of physical therapy, is the kindest groom! He always has a huge smile lighting up his face, which especially showed during their first look. Plus, his adoring mom made everyone cry during her toast to the newlyweds. 

Next, the pastor that performed the ceremony was from the couples’ college Christian church group, where they first met. The ceremony included a humble foot washing ceremony, and this unique touch definitely brought tears to their guests. The light streaming in through the windows of the venue made the moment feel like a scene from a romantic movie. Afterwards, during the reception, the couple surprised guests with a choreographed dance where they transitioned from slow dancing to a mash up of favorites. A little throwback was in order to  include the Dougie and Soulja Boy. So fun, right!? It blew us all away and officially kicked off their party!

Location is Key in St. Petersburg

Their first look and wedding portraits were taken at Straub Park. Afterwards, the ceremony and reception were held at Red Mesa Events in St. Petersburg, Florida, for this ‘Red Mesa and Roses’ wedding. Continuing to explore St. Pete, we wandered down alleys downtown to take their wedding portraits.

I love the Red Mesa’s brick architecture. Plus, their yummy, crunchy, churros are worth a mention as well as their custom cocktails. The charming architecture makes the perfect industrial backdrop for a wedding with a bit of Hispanic flair as a nod to Elisabet’s family heritage. The red in the roses and the red of the brick, along with pops greenery, blush and gold candle light all came together beautifully.  The light was perfect, the dress was perfect, the flowers were perfect, and that allowed their love to shine through just as bright as the golden hour we had that evening. I hope these two keep dancing together, all their lives long.