Ok, get comfortable my friends, ’cause you’re in for a treat. Now, my calendar says it’s mid-May, but I’ve had to rely on the heater under my desk for warmth, it’s been so chilly. However, when two of my favorite ladies, Vania and Christine of SimplyBloom Photography sent this wedding my way, I was so excited by what I saw that I turned the thing off. This wedding was all I needed to warm me right up! I don’t know if it was the Badgley Mischka shoes, the channeling of Coco Channel, the alencon lace gown with Swarovski detailing or just the overall remarkably romantic hue of the entire affair – whatever it was, it got me, and it got me good. (Dying to see all the incredible eye candy at once? I understand; go ahead and check out the gallery for the full experience!) — xoxo, Alison of The Knotty Bride
{Be sure to feast your eyes on every last image in the gallery!}
Here’s a rundown from our beautiful bride, Madeline:
The inspiration: Coco Channel’s early ad campaigns inspired me to use soft pink, champagne, slate blue tones with specs of gold. The feel was very French-deco coupled with southern charm. We fell in love with Savannah the minute we drove into the cobblestone pathed town. The beauty and fabled charm that is Savannah made it an easy choice for picking a destination for our wedding. We took a very refined yet whimsical approach to everything we did for the wedding. I am very fortunate to have my close friend Rachel Dunagan Wiles create all of my printed material for the weekend. She took all of the visions I had dancing in my head and created a gorgeous invitation suite.
The dress: I had an incling that I may wear a lace gown but it wasn’t until I went to every Bridal Boutique in Birmingham that I fell in love with a full Alencon Lace gown with a mermaid silhouette accompanied by a silk and Swarovski beaded corsage belt. It was different and I felt demure and sexy but most of all like myself in it. My bouquet was wrapped with my great-great grandmother’s handkerchief and consisted of hand tied bouquet using soft pinks, ivory and champagne tones using spray roses, garden roses sweet peas, pale pink cymbidium orchids, pink mini calla lilies and hydrangeas—bound loose with ivory satin ribbon and pearl pins. My bridesmaids wore Enzoani Black Chiffon Strapless Dresses, Coby and his Groomsmen wore Ralph Lauren Tuxes with Thomas Pink Shirts and houndstooth suspenders (giving a nod to our Alma Matta University of Alabama).
The ceremony: Having our ceremony take place in a church was important to us. After digging through magazines and asking locals for advice, we stumbled across Whitefield Chapel on Bethesda School for Boys Campus. The church is over100 years and is one of the places that touches your heart the moment you see it. It is simple and good and in a sense magical. We added around 50 pillar candles of varying heights in the windows and on the alter and added iron ground lanterns to light the path outside the church for guests. Our main goal was to illuminate the natural beauty of this historical chapel without covering what appealed to us from the beginning. We brought in antique iron floor candelabras to lite the alter and iron ground lanterns outside the church. A gospel choir greeted guests off the trolley and sang a gospel version of “Sea of Love” as I walked down the aisle. We kept things as simple and intimate as possible during the time of the day that was most meaningful to us. We did not write our own vows but we did incorporate the”What is Real” reading from the Velveteen Rabbit one of our childhood favorite books.
The reception: We chose the Mansion on Forsyth Park as the reception venue basically because it embodied everything that has played a roll in my life-art, design and food. The hotel features deco and eclectic furnishings and is adorned with the mostgorgeous chandeliers I have ever seen. We laid the ballroom out with square tables dressed in Ivory Lamour and black satin runners. On the tables we incorporated an eclectic grouping of tall arrangements of dogwood branches with pink cymbidium orchids and mercury glass votive candles hanging on branches with low clear glass flower boxes filled with pink and white antique hydrangeas and citron cymbidium orchids. In the outside cocktail hour we dressed the bistro tables with Citron Lamour and topped them with mercury glass pedestal containers filled with pink and white antique hydrangeas, pink mini calla lilies, white garden roses, and pink dendrobium orchids.
The cake: A Minette Rushing masterpiece. I am still in awe.
Thank you, Madeline and Coby, for sharing your incredible wedding with us! It’s truly inspiring, and we wish you all the love and happiness in the world!
xoxo, Alison of The Knotty Bride
Photography: SimplyBloom Photography / Wedding Dress: Enzoani / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Hair Stylist: Salon Della Vita / Make-up Artist: Salon Della Vita / Caterer: 700 Drayton / Florist: Amy Harvey, Harvey Designs / Band / DJ: Jeff Beasly Band / Cake: Minette Rushing