The franklins:
A D&D Wedding Campaign
Theme: Dungeons & Dragons
Location: The Westin Tampa Waterside Hotel & Jackson’s Bistro
Date: June 25, 2021
Dee and Matthew’s wedding was a bright, intimate summer brunch event lacing elegant elements from the bride’s Filipino heritage and DIY décor all around the couples’ mutual love of Dungeons and Dragons.
When you think of role-playing games, specifically Dungeons and Dragons, the first thing you think of is dice. Serious players have beautiful sets, often several collections. The dice motif adorned this wedding beautifully, combining the trend of geometric design with the style of the D20 (and other dice styles of course!).
Starting with the ceremony, guests were greeted by a breathtaking waterside view, and a floating dice set suspended from the archway providing an open, airy, and creative backdrop for the couple’s ceremony. D12 terrariums guided guests down the aisle on a bed of flower petals.
Terrariums provided and styled by Outside the Box Event Rentals.
While the floating dice were handmade by the bride herself, the floral arrangement was designed and installed by Outside the Box Event Rentals.
The family, bridal party, and the bride all processed in with Peter Hollens’ rendition of “I Lava You” featuring Evynne Hollens. You know the one, the heart-wrenching Pixar short about the lonely two volcanoes who finally find each and fall in love? *Cue the ugly sobs*
And can we talk about this beautiful bride rocking a pretty-in-pink, two-piece wedding gown! Such a look!
And it has pockets!!!!!
The groom complemented her pink color scheme in his navy blue suit, featuring a Dungeons and Dragons themed tie , and their stunning rose gold wedding rings rounded out the couples pink, blue, and rose gold color palette like magic.
After a short and sweet ceremony where the couple vowed to love each other forever, and their familiars* of course, the couple recessed with a beautiful bubble send off in the bright Florida high noon sun.
*A “familiar” is fantasy-speak for your fur-baby!
In lieu of the traditional bouquet, the bride gave her maids a fan native to the Philippines – the Pamaypay Abaniko fan. Adorned with ribbon and flowers, they were a beautiful homage to the bride’s culture and an excellent way to keep cool in the Florida heat.
Note that both the mother and father of the bride are wearing white. You can unclutch your pearls, because in Filipino culture it is common practice that the bride and her parents wear white garments. The bride’s mother is wearing an ivory and champagne Filipinana Kimona dress, and her father and stepfather are both wearing a traditional ivory Barong Tagalog.
On to the reception – let the games begin!
All centerpieces and guest name plates were handmade by the bride. While the main motif was the D20, the other dice shapes got their shoutouts as the theme for the Reception Table numbers. Each guest received an accompanying name plate in the same dice shape.
The bride worked with me to design a fun photo list for the guests during cocktail hour that paired beautifully with her custom-made program.
Guests were fed with the bride and groom’s favorite – brunch food! French toast in particular.
In line with any DND campaign, you have to roll the dice if you want to do ANYTHING! So the couple decided swap out the “clinking glass” tradition and put their guests’ dice-rolling skills to the test. If you wanted the couple to exchange a kiss, keep your knife and glass right where they are and Roll for Initiative: Wedding Edition!
Maid of Honor was the lucky roller and the ONLY one to roll a 20.
Which led to the only kiss from the couple the guests earned that afternoon. So if you’re looking for campaign members, this group is not it…
And of course, if you failed your roll, there were consequences!
Yes, we did have to post these to Instagram…
After brunch, the couple danced, played games, and took snapshots at their DIY photobooth throughout the afternoon. With the help of an extraordinary DJ, we kept this intimate group moving, laughing, and having fun.
The beautiful cake and cupcakes provided by Mercel’s Bakeshop provided a delicious representation of the blending of two cultures: A classic marble cake selected by the groom on one half, and Ube, a bright and sweet Filipino favorite, on the other.
Vendor Team
Wedding Planner & Design Consultant: Kat Anduaga, Fabled Events (@fabledevents)
Ceremony Photographer: Hannah T Photography (@hannah.t.photos)
Reception Photographer: Kevin O’ Connell (@scientificdictator)
Bridal Hair: (@bridalbeautybyneyda)
Bridal Makeup: (@marlinsbeauty)
Ceremony Rentals & Decorator: Outside the Box Event Rentals (@outsidetheboxeventrentals)
DJ: Grant Hemond & Associates (@ghamobiledjs)
Baker: Mercel’s Bakeshop (@mercelsbakeshop)
Oh yeah, I did mention the familiars earlier, didn’t I? How could I forget?
