With a hard-rocker groom and a bride who defied convention with a harmonious blend of gothic allure, individuality, and punk-rock flair, Rosie and John’s downtown St. Pete wedding reflected the couple’s unique personalities.
“We would describe our wedding as ‘grown-up goth,’ but our wedding planner told it much more elegantly in our initial meeting with her as ‘industrial, boho, moody, edgy, romantic’,” the bride revealed. “We made sure to go with a color scheme we both liked, darker colors that matched our styles: black, red, and blush pink tones. We chose those colors because they match our personal styles in our everyday goth life.”
Selecting Tampa Bay for their destination Florida wedding weekend, the Philadelphia couple appreciated the sunshine and relaxed vibes the area offered their 85 guests. NOVA 535, with its industrial loft-style building, emerged as the ideal choice, providing an event space with character while maintaining the intimate atmosphere the pair envisioned for their celebration.
“We looked for a venue that had both indoor and outdoor options. We also just looked for a venue that matched our style and wouldn’t feel too big or empty,” Rosie explained. “We really loved the look of NOVA 535 inside and out! We loved working with them, and their flexibility with our cover band request was truly wonderful. The staff was very nice and surprisingly offered a lot of words of support and encouragement the moments before we walked down the aisle!”
In staying true to their core values, Rosie and John ensured their wedding was inclusive and welcoming. Choosing NOVA, with its 15-year history of allyship within downtown St. Pete, allowed them to host the day they desired without compromise.
“We made sure not to gender-associate any part of our wedding because a lot of our friends are non-binary, and we think that gender traditions are totally lame. That means we didn’t have bridesmaids or groomsmen, and we just had a wedding party. We didn’t have separate bachelor/bachelorette parties; we had a combined BachelorX party! Pairs that walked down the aisle weren’t boy and girl. People were paired in a way that made sense to their relationships. We made sure to tell anyone in our wedding party to wear whatever clothing they felt comfortable and confident in as long as it was in our color scheme, black,” the bride detailed. “We also didn’t do any wedding traditions that made us feel like unequal partners. We didn’t exchange rings because neither of us like wearing rings. We didn’t ask that people sit on certain sides, my father didn’t walk me down the aisle, and we didn’t say, ‘you may kiss the bride,’ to seal our vows.”
The moody wedding aesthetic seamlessly translated into the bride and groom’s attire, with floral styling providing an artistic contrast. The bamboo courtyard ceremony against NOVA’s wooden arch, adorned with romantic cascading florals, became a visual statement.
“We made sure to go with a color scheme we both liked – darker colors that matched our styles. We also made sure that nothing in the wedding was unnecessarily gendered. There were several things we chose not to do as we thought they promoted certain ideals that do not align with our values,” the bride revealed. “We are both very goofy and try not to take ourselves too seriously, so we made sure to inject some silliness into the night through the silly hashtag, the zines we created as our party favors, and in the music we chose! We’re also both very involved in our local DIY Punk scene and are in a hardcore band called Night Witch! We incorporated that aspect of our life into our wedding by playing covers of some of our favorite songs as well as one Night Witch song! It was super fun!!”
Inside NOVA 535, the original exposed brick wall, double iron rod staircase, and professional lighting perfectly complemented their punk-rocker vision for the reception. Taking the stage with their best friends in a cover band, they rocked out to meaningful emo songs from the 2000s, creating an unforgettable and authentic experience.
“We played in a cover band with our best friends! We played songs that were both meaningful to us but also bops that we knew everyone would have a fun time singing along to. They were almost all exclusively emo songs from the 2000s,” Rosie beamed. “I did vocals, and John played guitar and switched to bass for a couple of songs, and our friends filled in on the other parts. It was extremely on brand for us and was SO SO SO FUN!”
NOVA 535 exceeded Rosie’s expectations, offering a versatile space, shared values, and exceptional customer service. The ability to bring a food truck into the courtyard for an end-of-night snack added a flavorful twist to the festivities.
“The moment I was waiting to walk down the aisle, someone from the NOVA staff said “Rosie, how did you get this many friends?!” which made me feel really good!”
Ceremony and Reception Venue: NOVA 535
Planner: Stephany Perry Events
Photographer: Grace Torres Photography
Videographer: Love It Wedding Films
Food Truck Catering: St. Pete Taco Lady
Additional Caterer: Mr. B’s Restaurant
Florist: By The Bay Floral
DJ: DJ Jaey
Hair: Hair by Haleigh
Makeup: Back Stage Trish