The romance of Ilyssa Bornstein and Jerett Wasserman came full circle after they first met at The Weeknd’s concert in Tampa. “I was asking one of the security guards where the restroom was when a door opened up behind him,” remembers Ilyssa. “He waved, I waved back, and the rest is history!” 

Nearly five years later at a hip-hop music festival, Jerett worked with his longtime friend, rapper Swae Lee, to bring Ilyssa up on stage. In front of thousands of fans, Jerett proposed to Ilyssa before her favorite song – “Sunflower” by Swae Lee and Post Malone – was performed. Of course, she said yes. 

When planning their wedding, Ilyssa and Jerett focused on finding a team of reliable, trustworthy wedding professionals to carry out their vision, with their planner Jessica leading the couple through the planning process. “I’m naturally indecisive, so her input and design visuals really helped me along,” shares the bride. “She was the most important factor to the success of our wedding day, allowing us to enjoy all of it to the fullest!” 

Since they originally wanted to host a destination wedding in Hawaii but instead opted for a Florida celebration so Ilyssa’s grandparents could attend, the pair settled on a “tropical destination vibe,” affirms the bride. To play off their theme as well as the color of the hotel ballroom’s newly renovated blue carpeting, soft whites and romantic neutrals were paired with touches of blue, pops of cappuccino, and elegant baby’s breath florals. 

“The look on his face and his reaction to seeing me, the dress, and all the planning that went into that day was priceless.”

Ilyssa and Jerett were married in a Jewish ceremony led by the same rabbi who performed the bride’s baby-naming ceremony. “It was such a full-circle moment!” she shares. They were married beneath an arch embellished with hundreds of creamy florals in lieu of a typical chuppah, and they read their vows privately to one another during their first look. 

“The look on his face and his reaction to seeing me, the dress, and all the planning that went into that day was priceless,” reminisces Ilyssa, who donned a gorgeous off-the-shoulder gown with whimsical floral details, of the special moment. 

The reception ballroom was everything they imagined and more. Round and rectangular tables surrounded by modern wooden chairs with curved backs and ivory cushions were decorated with elegant linens topped with lush displays of romantic florals, light blue taper candles, golden chargers and flatware, and various azure elements including hemstitch napkins and goblets. Each guest’s place setting featured a single bloom, as well as a menu card with a sketch of their face, as a unique alternative to a classic place card. 

Following dinner and heartfelt speeches from the newlyweds’ nearest and dearest, friends and family spent the rest of the night on the checkerboard dance floor beneath a stunning display of crystals as a live band kept the party going into the night. 

At the end of the celebration, guests were offered Chick-fil-A sandwiches in custom bags served from a custom vending machine with the bride and groom’s monogram, as well as Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. “I can’t think of one thing I would do differently!” smiles Ilyssa, who had the time of her life with her new husband and their circle of loved ones.

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