I love a Southern Wedding. And this one, my dears, is exactly why. From the sunlit ceremony in the Bride’s family-owned historic library to the twinkling al fresco reception in her grandmother’s backyard complete with a Southern feast, this family affair is full of the charm and traditions that make Southern weddings so special. See all the loveliness, captured by Simply Sarah Photography, here.
From the Bride…Brendan and I met for the first time at the Passion Conference in Atlanta; one year later we met again at a New Year’s Eve bonfire on a friend’s farm where we actually had a chance to speak. Our best friends on either side were our wingmen, and a month later we were dating! We dated long distance for ten months until he popped the question on Blue Mountain Beach with our family watching from a distance.
When it came to planning the wedding we had a few things set in stone that we both wanted. We knew that a big ceremony was not for us. An elegant and intimate wedding with those that loved us most as witnesses was most important and we also knew we wanted to be married relatively soon. I searched online for wedding venues in Florida and Georgia, BUT nothing stood out to me. After almost a week of back and forth we decided on my hometown of Bainbridge, GA – we would have the ceremony in The Old Library (a family owned building in historic downtown Bainbridge) and our perfect twinkling reception in my Grandmother’s back yard! We hired the most amazing planner Christy McCoy, with Christy McCoy Studios. Christy made my vision come to life, while fully encouraging my crazy ideas! She handled all of the planning, setting up, as well as being our florist.
The wedding was such a God moment. We had the most beautiful natural light coming through the windows; flower petals and candles lined the aisle, and all of our closest family and friends smiling back at us. We wanted our wedding to glorify God; we prayed that everyone present would experience the love of Christ. We asked our friend Bobby Forrester to sing Holy Spirit by Bryan and Katie Torwalt as I walked down the aisle. It was such a special moment for me!
The reception was so magical! I dreamed of a sit down dinner under string lights, and that is exactly what Christy created. We had a typical southern dinner, preserve roasted chicken, buttermilk mashed potatoes, and asparagus. Everything was perfect! One of our favorite and most special moments of the day was sharing our first dance to Take the World by Johnnyswim!
Photography: Elizabeth Lanier Photography | Wedding Dress: Modeca | Ceremony Venue: The Old Library | Reception Venue: Private Residence | Shoes: Gianna Bini | Catering: The Paisley Cafe | Hair & Makeup: Three Little Birds Salon | Groom's Attire: The Black Tux | Event Planning & Floral Design: Hope Stanley