What if you love the idea of a Las Vegas elopement, but you don’t want to leave your friends and family behind?
That’s essentially what happened with this wedding I photographed at Lost & Found Bar in downtown St. Petersburg. The couple originally wanted to elope in Las Vegas, but decided to stay local so they could celebrate with family and friends.
And one thing was very clear: they absolutely did not want a beach wedding.
Instead, they found a dark, vintage, Vegas-inspired atmosphere right here in St. Pete.
A Small St. Pete Wedding With a Vegas Feel
Lost & Found has a vintage 1960s feel that was perfect for this couple. And yes, they had an Elvis officiant.
The wedding was roughly 12:00–3:30 p.m. and included food and an open bar. I heard the total was around $5,000, and I honestly couldn’t believe how affordable that seemed for a downtown St. Pete wedding with food and an open bar. Pricing and guest limits can change, so check with the venue for current details.
Creating the Vintage Look They Wanted
The bride wanted vintage, film-inspired wedding photos, but she wasn’t sure I could pull off the look since most people know me for my colorful beach photography.
I’d actually photographed her before, so I was able to show her examples of my more stylized film-inspired editing from previous weddings. She loved the look and hired me.
For their wedding, I leaned into that vintage feel, and she loved the final images. It’s a good reminder that if you love a photographer’s work but want something slightly different, ask what they can create for you.
A Few Things to Know About Lost & Found
It’s dark. That’s part of the atmosphere, but it’s something to consider for wedding photography. For this wedding, we placed a light on a stand facing the stage, which made a huge difference.
The venue also worked well for the accessibility needs of this wedding, which included two parents who use wheelchairs.
Not Every St. Pete Wedding Needs to Be on the Beach
This wedding was small, relaxed, vintage-inspired and completely unforgettable. It had the Vegas feeling the couple originally wanted, without having to leave St. Petersburg—or leave their family and friends behind.
That’s exactly why I love photographing elopements, intimate weddings and nontraditional weddings in St. Petersburg and throughout Tampa Bay. Your wedding doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s.
If you’re planning a St. Petersburg elopement, intimate wedding, non-beach wedding or Vegas-inspired wedding, I’d love to hear what you’re planning.
Xina was amazing to work with and helped me plan my engagement perfectly! She was very easy to communicate with and fast to respond. The photos look amazing!
Xina did professional headshots at an event for us. The experience was great, she took time and did several poses with everyone. The photos turned out fantastic, best headshots I've ever had!
Xina Scuderi Photography was amazing to work with! Very easygoing, professional, and incredibly creative. Everything was done on time, and I absolutely loved my pictures. Highly recommend!
Had the most wonderful experience being photographed by Xina with my family for a Fall photoshoot at Gallaghers. She is so easy to work with, makes everyone feel comfortable in front of the camera and is a ton of fun to be around. Highly recommend her for your next event or photoshoot. Her turnaround time was fantastic and the vast array of images presented to us was amazing. Can’t speak more highly of her, both in her technical skills/shooting/editing etc and also her as a person/artist/creative. Five stars all day long! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Just received the most incredible photos from Xina! She captured my beach yoga class so BEAUTIFULLY—the colors of the sky and ocean stood out in such a powerful way and truly elevated our presence. I was blown away by her dedication and artistic approach—she put so much passion and effort into shooting from different angles to capture the energy of our yoga and sound bath class. She even edited out a distracting sign in the background and enhanced the colors so everything looked even more magical. The turnaround time was so fast, and I felt completely supported by her throughout the process. Xina isn’t just a photographer, she’s an artist, and I’m so grateful to have her talent behind the lens. If you’re in St. Pete—especially if you’re dreaming of stunning sunset photos at Upham Beach—you absolutely need to connect with her!
We setup a sunset photo session, we like to have family photos every couple of years, and Xina made this session so special. We could not be happier with the pictures, and with her directions and her professional attitude on having fun while getting these bits of history inked in digital medium. If you want a great set of pictures during the sunset she is the one to call.
We booked a session while on vacation and really appreciated how easy she made the process. She met us right outside our hotel, which fit perfectly into our schedule and made it effortless on our part. She blended into our day without any stress or time-consuming planning. The photos captured our trip nicely and were a convenient way to get some family shots without having to arrange a big photo session.
Response from the owner 13:41 13 Aug 25
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I’m so glad the session felt easy and stress-free—that’s exactly what I aim for. While some photographers spend a lot of their clients’ time on outfit planning, props, and storytelling concepts, I keep my sessions simple so you can enjoy the moment without extra calls, consultations, or preparation. I want the process to fit naturally into your day, capture authentic memories, and give you beautiful photos without taking you away from your vacation. You are such a beautiful family, and your photos turned out absolutely spectacular—it was a joy to capture those moments for you!
Xina took our engagement photos in Clearwaters, on the beach, during sunset, and it went so well ! We were first timers and never had gotten our pictures done professionally, and she was very patient with us . She worked very well with our awkwardness haha . if we are ever back in Clearwater , we would book her again and I recommend her to anyone else interested in getting their pictures done
Response from the owner 01:49 07 Aug 25
You were awesome. Love a couple with beautiful eyes! So easy to direct. Thank you for booking.
Xina did an excellent job photographing our baby girl for her 1/2 birthday! We had family portraits taken with her at The Vinoy in the tea garden which was a perfect location! Xina was very professional and knew exactly where we should pose to get the best results. She even sang silly songs to our baby to get her to look at her and it worked!
We were so impressed with the quality of the photos we received. They came out better than we expected and will be treasured forever! We are going to have to get some of them printed to hang up in our home. They are worth every penny! We can’t recommend Xina enough for any of your professional photography needs.
Response from the owner 01:48 07 Aug 25
Cutest session ever! So glad I mentioned this location and we went with it.
