Anything that Jeremy Harwell shoots is usually gorgeous. Whether it’s a crazy beautiful tented wedding or an insanely lovely fashion shoot, Jeremy just has a way with the camera. So when he teamed up with Ashley Baber on a recent Atlanta wedding, we knew we were in for a treat. Add to that equation a bride and groom who designed a wedding that truly represented who they are now, where they came from, and where they are going…and you have a wedding that is pure magic. And even though the photographs are gorgeous, make sure to also read the bride’s words because it’s such a lesson in planning a wedding that everyone here will love. A reminder to look only to yourselves and your loves to guide your celebration. Click here to see even more.
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From the Bride…No doubt, when Ernesto’s parents and my parents fled their respective countries (Cuba and Vietnam) decades ago to come to the United States, they had no idea that leaving their homeland to start a new life in America would lead to this special day. Ernesto and I are, in essence, the first truly “American” generation in both of our families, and we wanted to have a wedding that everyone could enjoy, but one that reflected our particular tastes.
Our families came from all over the U.S., from Miami, San Diego, Dallas and Boston to name a few, and from places as far as Malaysia and Saigon to celebrate with us. We found early on that one of the challenges in having a cross-cultural wedding was that our cultural wedding traditions differed significantly. Instead of trying to blend our traditions, we decided to start anew and have a wedding that acknowledged the new life that Ernesto and I have created together in Atlanta. Although it may be surprising to some, Atlanta is truly a global melting pot and an place of eclectic tastes. We found the perfect venue in Summerour Studio, which is part Tuscan villa, part urban warehouse tucked away in a quiet corner of the city, but with a great view of the city skyline.
Our wedding buffet featured some of our favorite things, like New York strip and deep fried anything (specifically, deep fried turkey breast at our wedding), but also gave our guests a taste of the South, with Georgia mountain trout in pecan butter, sweet potatoes, and coca-cola glazed pork tenderloin. Our favorite local trumpet player, Joe Gransden, and his 9 piece band played classic, big band era tunes that inspired everyone to grab the one that they love and head to the dance floor. Instead of a traditional wedding cake, we ended the night by cutting some wedding flan. Flan was surprisingly appropriate because it is a dessert that is familiar to both Cuban and Vietnamese cultures, and our favorite dessert in general!
As a bride, some of my personal favorite details were the seating place cards that I hand-stamped myself in sepia colored ink with a cute little heart and arrow stamp for the table number (although I was cursing myself in those final few days for undertaking such a task). I also loved the miniature Woodstock wind chimes that we gave away as wedding favors. I hope that help give the blog people a better idea of where we came from. We wanted to have a timeless, classic and romantic wedding that anyone, young, old, Asian, Latin, and “other” could enjoy.
Ceremony + Reception Location: Summerour Studio / Music: Joe Gransden / Wedding Coordination: Ashley Baber Weddings / Catering + Decor: Bold American Events / Wedding Photography: Jeremy Harwell of Harwell Photography / Wedding Dress: Bridals by Lori / Hair + Make-up: A La Mode Salon
