A Refined Celebration Amid European Grandeur at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art

By Kevin Harson1 October 2025

We wanted a wedding which was formal but not stuffy, traditional but memorable! A stateside destination wedding was the perfect fit for us. My (Alyssa) parents spend their winters in Sarasota, and Tim’s (groom) parents spend their winters in Bonita Springs, so we narrowed our search to the Gulf Coast. Luckily, the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art was right under our noses in Sarasota. Its European architecture felt just as special on our wedding day as it did the first time we saw it — there are “wow” factors everywhere you turn. We didn’t want our decor to detract from (or compete with) the museum in any way, so we kept our decor complementary to each space. At our ceremony, for example, the chairs mimicked the rounded shapes and chestnut colors of the Ca’ d’Zan façade, and the florals emphasized light pink and cream tones in the terrace’s tiles. As a result, we did not have “wedding colors”. The “theme” we were always striving for was more of a feeling. Put as simply as I can, we wanted a refined and perfect balance of: simple yet memorable, European yet Florida, formal yet fun, traditional yet updated, Summery yet Spring!

Embracing the beauty of the European Architecture already present, while highlighting its beauty with hints of color.

Peter Langner (Lupita) – Alyssa was the first-ever bride to purchase the gown from Wedding Atelier NYC. Her reception gown was by Monique Lhuillier. Shoes were by Christian Louboutin

Bridesmaids’ gowns highlighted the blues, pinks & purple shades within the venue. They all picked their own gowns/colors

Signature Drinks: Making a signature cocktail with ingredients already stocked behind the bar typically means that you will not incur additional costs. We chose a Spaghetti made with Miller High Life (the “champagne of beers” and a nod to Tim’s hometown near Milwaukee). It is simple but beautiful when served in an old glass bottle — just beer, a splash of Aperol liqueur, and a splash of lemon juice. It is the perfect cocktail hour drink for Spring and Summer because it is colorful and relatively low ABV, so the party doesn’t get too crazy before the guests get something to eat.

The florals emphasized light pink and cream tones in the Venue terrace’s tiles.

It emphasized Julie’s famous sugar florals and featured the topper from Alyssa’s Parents’ wedding cake, which is now forty years old!

The couple chose chocolates from Burke Candy as a party favor (@burkecandy) (another nod to Milwaukee, and the owners are longtime friends of the family). They were available in little packs of two throughout our reception so people could grab a treat then or stash them for later. Guests like favors, but they LOVE food.