We are getting you through this late afternoon lull with a could not be more lovely bride and her southern soiree. It’s sweet as can be and full of colorful and meaningful touches that will sure to put a little pep in your step this afternoon. Anne McGowan filled the gallery full of all the gorgeousness so it doesn’t have to stop here, there is so much more to love in the full gallery!
Click here to see the entire gallery of images!
From the Bride…As far as vision for the weekend goes I think a few words I thought of when trying to plan it were vintage and Southern tradition. From the beginning, we were explicit that the importance lay in the ceremony. It’s the whole point of why we’re all gathering together to celebrate and we didn’t want to forget that. Chris and I carefully selected the service including passages and hymns that we felt would best represent us and the day. I grew up at Holy Trinity and it was important that our life begin with the right focus. The pastor was chosen because he had a direct impact on my walk of faith from an early age. He helped lay the groundwork for my relationship today. From a generic perspective we knew we wanted the weekend to be classy and somewhat formal, but we also wanted people to get a snapshot of who we are – and in the process have a great time!
We tried to carry the vintage and Southern theme through to the wedding and reception. My mom and I both love flowers – they make us happy (right mom?). We chose a softer color pallet of peonies, ranunculus, roses and more for my bouquet – I loved it! For the girls we chose similar flowers but were able to add a little more color with brighter pinks and purples. We used vintage-looking mercury glass for the flower arrangements and candles at the reception and served Arnold Palmers, with sweet-tea vodka and lemonade, to drink. The favors (Southern candied pecans) were a tribute to Big Sal as well.
The sweet and thoughtful surprises kept coming as Dad announced during his toast that they’d be serving macaroni and cheese. I do remember saying as a child that “all I want to serve at my wedding is macaroni and cheese”, but never imagined they’d remember. My taste buds haven’t changed much so it was a great addition! There were so many favorites for me that day, and Dad’s toast was certainly one of them…it was something I will never forget and will cherish forever. For the cake, again I wanted something that looked old and traditional. I used to love watching Martha Stewart when I was little and my favorite thing was to watch her decorate wedding cakes. I had an “official” Martha Stewart cake decorating kit….yes, I’m a nerd. So for the cake, I of course wanted to copy one of her designs. Although I’m sure the intricacy drove her crazy, the cake lady did a great job recreating it – plus it tasted delicious! The “vintage” Auburn car was a wonderful way to end the evening and again was another great surprise! The small and thoughtful touches that my family incorporated into the day made it ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC – I am so thankful!
Wedding Photography: Anne McGowan / Event Design + Flowers: The Flower Shoppe, Anja Adams / Event Planning: Karen Kahill / Ceremony Location: Holy Trinity / Reception Location: Rock Barn Country Club / Bride’s Shoes: Vera Wang / Wedding Dress: Reem Acra / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale