Anytime I see that a wedding took place in Savannah my heart starts to swoon. This elegant affair by Ave Nocturna Photography is, in one word, breathtaking. The lavish florals by Harvey Designs pair up perfectly with the wonderful live oaks dripping with Spanish moss. A long time fan of all things BHLDN, I’m crushing on their bridesmaids dresses even more now after seeing them in action. Head to the full gallery for more loveliness.
From the Bride… After meeting and dating my now-husband for three years in Georgia, it was never a question that we would marry in the city of our first formal date: Savannah. Soon after Mark’s romantic proposal overlooking the Savannah River, I began thinking of ways to really showcase the beautiful city on our special day. Savannah encompasses so much romance, history and tradition, and these were exactly the elements I wanted incorporated in our wedding. From the moment we drove down the oak-lined entrance of Bethesda’s Home for Boys, we knew we had found the location. The grounds are home to the oldest existing orphanage in the U.S., dating back to the 1700’s, and the Whitefield Chapel is situated beautifully among majestic live oaks dripping with Spanish moss. As I opened the doors to the quaint chapel lined with rustic pine pews seated upon brick flooring, I immediately began to cry. It was exactly what we wanted for an intimate and personal ceremony. To keep in line with the simplistic beauty of the surroundings, Amy from Harvey Designs help me pick baby’s breath, peonies and roses in a neutral color palette of ivories and soft blushes to decorate the church and reception.
Our downtown reception took place at the beautiful and historic Scarborough House and Gardens. We had trolleys to escort guests to the wedding location and back downtown for the party. Our menu included traditional southern fare with crab cakes, stuffed mushrooms, and quail breast for passed hors d’oeuvres, followed by pork belly, shrimp and grits, and a beef carving station for main course. Chef Nick Mueller and his wife were incredible to work with and went above and beyond to create a fantastic menu that incorporated both our wishes and personalities. They even gifted us with traditional baklava for dessert in honor of my mother’s Greek heritage. Mollie Stone created an incredible wedding cake, and as a surprise for Mark, my grandmother was sweet enough to make her famous carrot cake as a groom’s cake! After eating and drinking, we danced the night away to classic blues and jazz performed by a 13-piece band, “The Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love with the Bonaventure Horns.” After our first dance to Van Morrison’s “Someone Like You,” the band went into classics, such as Bobby Darin’s “Mack the Knife,” Frank Sinatra’s “Always and Forever” and Mack Rice’s “Mustang Sally.” We finished the evening off by leaving in a Savannah pedi-cab to our nearby downtown hotel. To make the day even more personal, our ceremony officiant is a dear family friend and was my father’s best man in his wedding. We were also fortunate to have the talented Keli Brown as our photographer. The day was perfect. The one piece of advice I would give to other brides is to try and really connect with your vendors and don’t choose one unless you do. Mark and I felt so blessed to have so many wonderful people to help make our day so special!
Wedding Photography: Keli Brown of Ave Nocturna Photography / Ceremony: Whitefield Chapel at Bethesda Academy in Savannah, Georgia / Reception: The Scarbrough House in Savannah, Georgia / Event Planning: Tricia Windom / Floral Design: Amy Harvey of Harvey Designs / Wedding Cinematography: HD Savannah / Wedding Cake: Mollie Stone / Groom’s Cake: The Bride’s Grandmother / Band: The Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love featuring The Bonaventure Horns / Transportation: Old Savannah Tours / Wedding Dress: Jim Hjelm / Bride’s Veil + Dress Tailoring: Cate Lyon (912-238-9410) / Bride’s + Bridesmaids’ Shoes: Seychelles / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: BHLDN “Tracery” in Shell