Bradenton Riverwalk Big Reveal!

   The city of Bradenton has been putting a lot of time and money into renovating the walk along the Manatee River.  Their efforts were brought to fruition as the Riverwalk was revealed at the ribbon cutting event on Thursday, October 18th.  The ceremony was held at Rossi park and since the Courtyard Marriott is mere steps from the shindig and located right on the Riverwalk, they decided to join in the celebrations themselves and were gracious enough to include Flawless Fetes!
   With the construction going on, its been hard to relay the potential for events taking place at the Marriott; but now that the fences are down and the water and its surroundings are on full display, you really can't find many venues quite as gorgeous! We wanted to display an array of situations that the hotel could play host to and arranged a few tablescapes to showcase them! From a family reunion to an elegant wedding, people got a little taste of the variety of possibilities and AKA Photographs came down to document it for us!
   The event was a success, the Riverwalk got tons of traffic and the Marriott put out some delicious hors d'oeuvres for everyone to sample.  Matt & Dom's brought over some scrumptious mini cupcakes and people oggled over their elaborate display cakes.  Malindy Elene Couture for the Bride showcased a fabulously fun party frock as well as two stunning wedding gowns and Bella Bridesmaids featured a couple of gorgeous bridesmaids dresses! We couldn't be more grateful having such generous and friendly vendors to work with! Make sure to pay them, and of course the Riverwalk, a visit soon!

The setting of the Courtyard Marriott Riverfront

How amazing is this sea inspired cake from Matt & Dom's? 

Something a little more casual for a relaxed gathering! 

Just a little bit of drama!

Adore this party frock from Malindy Elene

Soft and romantic

Some guests grabbing a cocktail or two!

Some of the crowd strolling the walk!

Details at our nautical table

Not a shabby view, huh? 

Delish mini cupcakes from Matt & Dom's

Myself and my helper for the day, Leslie, getting the lay of the land! 

Malindy Elene Bridal Shoot with AKA Photography at Courtyard Marriott Bradenton

  Let me begin by saying that the Courtyard Marriott in Bradenton is not your standard Courtyard Marriott. Located right on the Manatee River, the hotel boasts gorgeous Spanish influenced architecture and several amazing fountains. I went for a meeting with Robyn, their Director of Sales, and Tarra, Catering Sales Manager, to get a run of the place and set up a hotel block for a future wedding and was so pleasantly surprised by what they have to offer. The ladies at the Marriott were wanting a bridal photo for their lobby's small wedding area to give people an idea of the ambiance that can easily be achieved for a wedding at their beautiful location.  I was all too happy to accommodate their wish and quickly enlisted the help of Kristen with AKA Photographs.
   We are incredibly lucky to know Megan, owner of Malindy Elene Couture for the Bride and she was gracious enough to don our model, Stephanie, with a couple of absolutely stunning gowns from her shop, and even went as far as to bring tons of accessories to glamorize accordingly!

   Can't wait to get the print framed and in place for the Marriott! We'll make sure you get a glimpse of the finished product in the not so distant future!

Ensemble 1 - 

   Gown - Jessie by Augusta Jones

   Belt - Anne Barge

   Hair Piece - Haute Bride

   Accessories - Paris

Ensemble 2 - 

   Gown - Chatham by Anne Barge

   Accessories - Paris

P.S. - We weren't the only ones crazy about these knockout shots - AKA's sneak peak blog post of the shoot got a boost via a reblog from Vows & Knots! Thanks V&K!