This Nashville based couple threw tradition to the wind by having an intimate courthouse ceremony followed by an elegant ballroom reception with the rest of their guests. I Love You Too Weddings was there to capture both amazing moments orchestrated to perfection by Big Events Weddings. Seriously, this wedding is a cannot miss. See every moment here!
From I Love You Too Weddings… Emily and Jan were introduced by a mutual friend who no doubt recognized their perfect compatibility. Though they call Nashville home today, the bride is a born-and-raised New Yorker and the groom is from Germany. Nashville, thus, became the ideal spot to unite both families and an opportunity for them to showcase their amazing city. And showcase Nashville they did!
Emily serves the State of Tennessee as the Assistant Commissioner of Education and has a long professional history of serving toward better education for young people. In light of this, the couple were inspired to have a Civil Ceremony with just close family and friends on the day before their Church ceremony and formal reception. Governor Bill Haslam served as the officiant at this very intimate Civil Ceremony held in the rotunda of the gorgeous State Capitol Building. The ceremony was followed by a brief champagne reception at the historic Hermitage Hotel. Friday evening culminated in a casual rehearsal dinner and Umtrunk (German for ‘a get-together of old friends and new family’) at one of Nashville’s favorite downtown music venues, The Listening Room, where the Bride and Groom, in German custom, sawed a log in half to symbolize the joint effort needed for a lasting marriage. Jan and Emily surprised their guests with a performance by legendary Nashville songwriter, Don Schlitz, most recognized for writing ‘The Gambler”, famously recorded by Kenny Rogers, among many others. Schlitz surprised Emily and Jan by writing a beautiful love song and performing it as a lull-a-bye on the eve of their wedding day.
The wedding day was a true fairy tale – the Bride turned from suited professional Yale grad into a stunning and giddy bride wearing what can only be described as a princess’s ball gown. The blessing of the marriage at the beautiful Christ Church Cathedral sealed their vows, which they exchanged in both English and German.
After a very emotional ceremony, Emily and Jan’s 260+ friends and family reunited for dinner and dancing at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in the Grand Event Hall with captivating views of the Nashville skyline. The ballroom decor can best be described as an ‘urban forest’. Dining tables were flooded with candle light and filled with stunning white orchids, calla lillies and hydrangea with sparkling accents of classic silver and black in the flatware and stationary. The rockin’ Atlanta Allstars took the stage after dinner and kept people moving under an incredible modern chandelier-lit dance floor for an impressive three hour set interrupted only by singer/songwriter Susi Ruth’s special performance of “My Love”, a song written for Emily by her Groom.
The weekend of celebration ended with one last bit of Nashville culture at the Johnny Cash Museum for Sunday brunch.
Photography: I Love You Too Weddings | Coordination: Big Events Wedding | Event Design: Big Events Wedding | Event Planning: Big Events Wedding | Floral Design: Big Events Wedding | Wedding Dress: Anne Barge | Cake: Dessert Designs | Reception Venue: Country Music Hall Of Fame | Band: Atlanta All Stars | Groom's Attire: J. Michael Clothiers | Musical Performance: Susi Ruth | Rehearsal Dinner And Umtrunk Venue: The Listening Room Cafe