Read Why This Tennessee Wedding Ceremony was Filled with Tears

Melissa Baran
September 3, 2019
Categories: Real Weddings, Romantic, The Blog

There was not a dry eye in the house when this duo said I do. Stricken with illness, there was an uncertainty if the Bride’s sweet mother would make it to the Big Day. But you’ll see her below, beaming with the most glorious and beautiful smile, filled with joy to watch her daughter walk down the aisle. Friends, these are the moments we do this for. Thanks to Elle Cardel Events, Ashley Spangler Photography, Precision Videos and the entire vendor team, we get to witness this heartfelt story of love and family.

From Ashley Spangler Photography… Mat and Jennifer are lovers of all things travel. Jennifer had imagined up a way to incorporate their love for exploring and her idea of a black tie affair. The day started off with a pre-ceremony cocktail hour. Guest gathered around with drinks and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Ravenswood Mansion.

Once the ceremony started everyone was in tears. Jennifer’s mother has been very ill and we weren’t sure if she would make it to the wedding date. Mat surprised Jennifer with a sweet gift of a butterfly pin. This is her mother’s favorite and they all wore them to share the happiness of having her attend the big day. Jennifer was delivered to the aisle in a red corvette where doors opened wide and a trio played as she stepped through. Jennifer wore a classy lace sleeved dress to walk down the aisle where her soon to be husband saw her for the first time.

Following the ceremony another cocktail hour was held while Jennifer slipped into something a little more sleek. She wanted to have a reception dress to surprise Mat and dance the night away. A live band played as they made their grand entrance. Jennifer’s aunt sang their first dance song and the dinner was served!

The color scheme included light pinks with champagne and nude undertones. The reception area was filled with florals and each table was named after a travel destination. The reception didn’t last long after a horrible storm rolled through right after the couple shared their first dance. Unfortunately, the storm ruined the reception and the couple had to wrap up the night early. Guest blew bubbles as the couple excited. The day was filled with happy tears and plenty of intimate moments. Party favors included a compass and small box of treats.

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From the Bride… Mat and I wrote our love story while traveling around the world and it was important that we incorporated these experiences in an elegant travel themed wedding.

We wanted our wedding day to be filled with love, charm and classic elegance. I stayed true to my wedding inspiration by incorporating cream, gold and hues of champagne. Picking my dress was twice as fun, when I found two perfect wedding dresses for my day. I picked a classic, vintage champagne dress with ivory lace overlay for the traditional ceremony. And for the chic reception, I chose a sultry over the shoulder gown with a showstopping train.

During planning we chose to use all the destinations we traveled for the guests’ tables, inspiration for the menu and decorated with antique luggage. The travel theme flowed to the pre-cocktail hour where guests wrote us well wishes on postcards and signed a globe for a guest book. The pre-cocktail hour was set with an elegant lounge for guests to relax and take photos with a whimsical arbor draped in ivory and florals.

Before the wedding began, we enjoyed special moments in the mansion’s bridal suites. Having my mother present on my wedding day, after fighting a terminal illness for three years, was the greatest gift and I was blessed to have those intimate moments captured. My husband gave me a gold butterfly pin before the wedding, which represents my mother’s presence that day and forever in our lives. He and my mother both joined me and wearing identical pins during the wedding. After all the tears were dried momentarily, the ceremony commenced as a string trio played the prologue.

My father and I drove to the aisle in a red corvette convertible and took our place behind a set of white double doors, finally we walked down the aisle and my husband I shared our first look in front of Ravenswood Mansion. My father performed the ceremony, which was filled with tears and a few laughs. After our vows were exchanged and we took our first steps together as husband and wife, I surprised my husband with my reception dress.

We then made our grand entrance and shared our first dance underneath string lights and the setting sun, as our band played, and my cousin sang. The weather turned for the worst, very quickly, and we were forced to move the reception inside the mansion. After eating delicious wedding cake and cocktails inspired by international flavors, the guest sent us off with bubbles and cheers. It is every bride’s worst fear to have their wedding rained out, but I can testify that a wedding filled with love and surrounded by friends will outshine any rain…and you will still have the greatest day of your lives.