Columbus Wedding Ideas and Inspiration

Vibrant, Feminine Wedding Inspiration for Every Modern Bride

From the stunning bride who is the epitome of a natural beauty to the vibrant floral arrangements with pops of pink and yellow by Luna Rose Floral Design – there is so much to love about today’s editorial planned by G&A Weddings. Georgia brides, if you haven’t already heard of The Bibb Mill Event Center – prepare to be obsessed – because that ceremony location is unlike any other! Head on over to the full gallery captured by Laura Anne Watson Photography to see it all!

From Laura Anne Watson Photography… Featuring a confident bride, this stunning styled shoot by G&A Weddings has all of the feminine feels for every modern bride looking to show off their true look. Our bride was our inspiration. Hannah had just decided on a big chop to go back to her roots and embrace her true look during quarantine.

I think she showed true confidence and comfort in herself to make a decision like that, and I love her for it! She embraced her look fully, and it was inspiring to me as the photographer to capture because her emotions were so bold, raw, and captivating. Hannah has such a vibrant personality, and it paired perfectly with the bold, feminine colors in the floral arrangements.

With touches of pink and yellow florals and set in an old mill climbing with greenery in Columbus, Georgia, the forgotten architecture and floral combination created a romantic flair. Luna Rose Florals crafted a vibrant bouquet and boutonniere for our couple. But her floral garland that hung onto the outdoor windows overlooking the river was the aspect of the shoot that I loved most. As the ceremony backdrop, it was the perfect complimentary accent to the backdrop of the Mill ruins.

The Bibb Mill Event Center has forgotten romance built into it’s architecture. I wanted to highlight some of the southern touches and features of the mill – the softened brick, Spanish moss, overgrown greenery, and landscaped gardens. Overall, we wanted to create an aesthetic that felt historic and gentle while also bringing the bold, modern, playful vibes! All images captured on film.

This Bride Wore 3 Dresses on Her Wedding Day

We’ve seen many a wedding where the Bride wore her mother or grandmother’s dress, but this story is a bit different. This stunning Bride, Anna, wore her grandmother’s dress that was also worn by her mother, four sister and 14 other women in their family! A truly special heirloom that inspired her vintage style soiree. Anna also had two more wardrobe changes, totaling three dresses. Amazing right? Eliza Morrill captured every moment (and every fashionable number) of this meaningful day—see it all here.

From Eliza Morrill… When most brides envision their wedding day, they likely don’t envision wearing the same dress as her mother and all four of their sisters – much less by fourteen other women in their family! For Anna, though, that wasn’t the case. Wearing the dress that her great grandmother purchased in 1965 was an honor and a necessity. For that reason, she based her whole day around the dress, keeping everything light and elegant to match the vintage gown. Anna, a nurse, and Nick, an attorney, met in Anna’s hometown of Columbus, Georgia, and immediately hit it off. Though Nick was living there and Anna two hours away in Atlanta, it didn’t take long for them to realize that they were meant to be. Anna soon moved back to her hometown and, not much longer, the two were engaged! When Anna began planning their wedding, she knew that she wanted to celebrate all of the meaningful relationships in their lives: “I envisioned our wedding day being a really happy and beautiful day. I knew it would be very emotional and full of love – not only between Nick and me, but between our families and friends.”

The end result was a classic, elegant day with pops of fun and color to make it truly stand out. As the youngest of five girls, Anna wanted to ensure that her sisters’ dresses had a little extra “something” to distinguish them from the rest of her bridesmaids, who wore floor length, pale pink gowns. That said, she opted for the same dress but with a pop of color – a colorful, floral watercolor design on the skirt. It was the perfect touch. Nick and his groomsmen opted for white dinner jackets – the perfect compliment to the girls’ attire. Even the couple’s dog, Nala, made an appearance – sporting one of the most breathtaking flower collars I’ve ever seen. When choosing her vendors, Anna made it her priority to keep things local. “It was important to me to highlight our wonderful vendors here so I decided to ‘shop small,'” she said. “My good friend Courtney made my bridesmaids’ earrings. Our family friend at Shuler Studio designed the beautiful monogram that we used everywhere from the invitations, to the cocktail napkins and stirrers, to the gobo lit up on the gorgeous rock wall at The Big Eddy. My sisters even did the calligraphy!”

Though the details and vendors made the day unique and special, one part of the day, in particular, stood out to Anna: “My favorite moment, hands down, was walking down the aisle. I loved holding my dad’s arm and I LOVED seeing Nick’s face. I also loved those couple of minutes right before walking down the aisle with just me and my dad. It was a special feeling.”

For her reception, Anna felt that a wardrobe change was in order: “Although I loved the traditional feel that my mother’s gown had, I thought for the reception I would wear something a little more trendy- So I went with a BHLDN dress and belt that my best friend and maid of honor, Rion, surprised me with!”

Anna + Nick’s reception reflected her new dress – traditional decor but with a little more fun. “I wanted to surprise Nick and my dad with a few things, so I got the local cigar store to help me find a cigar roller to come to the reception. We had a cigar and bourbon/scotch bar on the patio and the men loved it! We also served mini cuban sandwiches at the cigar bar to go along with the theme,” Anna told us. “Once the band really got started, we handed out light up flower crowns to my bridesmaids and the mother of the bride and groom, which really highlighted them and made them feel special (and beautiful because everyone feels beautiful with a flower crown!)”

To top off the night, Anna opted for one more wardrobe change – an homage to a tradition of her mother’s generation. Anna wore a hot pink dress by Abbey Glass and Nick a blue sport coat as they ran down a tunnel of tossed lavender and sped off in a red cadillac. Truly, it was a day to remember!

“Tradition, family, and community are very important to me,” said Anna, “and I think that is what the guests could feel.”

This Venue Looks Like It Was Made for the Bride

Can a venue be made for a Bride? We certainly think so after seeing Eliza Morrill Photography’s bridal portraits of this gorgeous gal, with her stunning red hair and porcelain skin shining against the backdrop of the gorgeously aged walls of Illges House. P. Hasting Design and B. Andreson Floral customized the space to the Bride’s vision, and the final look could not have fit the Bride more perfectly. See it all in the Vault!

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From Eliza Morrill Photography… What happens when a NICU nurse falls in love with a captain in the Army? A sweet, dreamy wedding day that will have us drooling for years to come. Ivey and Michael met on Tinder, of all places, and immediately hit it off on their first date over Thai food and a trip to the shooting range (what else would we expect from a military man?!). There’s no doubt these two were made for each other, and the rest is history.

Ivey and her team of vendors did an exceptional job of seamlessly marrying tradition with whimsy, creating a unique twist on the classic southern wedding. That said, she didn’t want to overdo it in the planning process. “Prior to planning our wedding, I envisioned a relatively small, intimate gathering of family and friends,” Ivey told us. “I had been a Bridesmaid in ten weddings prior to my own, and I knew after experiencing the planning process with these friends, I wanted to be able to enjoy each moment of the planning and each day of our engagement.”

When asked about her vision and style for the day, Ivey remarked, “The style I was going for initially was farm-to-table. I knew from the beginning I wanted things to be simple yet elegant. It all seemed to come together when I met with my floral designer, Brooke Anderson. I began telling her my visions to include lots of greenery. She immediately caught on to the style and thought of the potted herbs as centerpieces. I chose my favorite colors for the overall color palette. I referred to them as dusty rose and dusty blue. After choosing our reception venue, the Illges House, I knew the color scheme would be perfect.”

The Illges House, indeed, offered the perfect color scheme – an antebellum home full of unique and modern decor, and exposed patina plaster served as an incredible backdrop for Ivey’s porcelain skin and red hair. Seeing her seated on the emerald velvet sofa reminded me of Boticelli’s Venus! Ivey and her Bridesmaids – her sister and her best friend – carried bouquets of peonies, ranunculus, and anemones with a long, blush ribbon trailing from Ivey’s hands. “The flowers were by far my favorite part of the decor. I told Brooke I wanted everything to be very loose and natural, and that is just what she provided. It was magical!,” Ivey said.

Ivey’s gown, by designer Tara Keely, was seemingly made for her, and the Bridesmaids’ blue tulle skirts and simple, white tops were the perfect amount of playful and elegant. Michael wore his traditional dress blues and showcased his many medals (some of which he earned while he and Ivey were dating!) and had one of the sweetest reactions to seeing his Bride that we’ve ever photographed. To say that he loves his wife would be the understatement of the century, and watching the subtle ways he doted on her throughout the day had us melting. The feeling was certainly mutual: “My favorite moment of the whole day was walking down the aisle to my husband. I chose to have my mom and my stepdad walk with me, and I was immediately overcome with emotions as the doors opened to the chapel. From seeing Michael’s face to seeing all of the friends and family who had come to celebrate with us, it was the most joyous moment. I could not have been more thankful in that moment for all of the incredible people we have in our lives.”

The two were married in the same chapel where Ivey’s parents tied the knot years before and were married by a dear family friend. They entered their reception through a traditional saber arch (and cut the cake with a saber, too!).

Rather than traditional centerpieces, Ivey opted for potted herbs that also doubled as gifts for her guests. Classic southern fare was served on vintage china while a keg of craft beer flowed nearby. Guests danced the night away to music played by close friends of the couple before exiting through a tunnel of glowsticks. As for Ivey’s advice to other Brides? “For anyone planning their wedding, I would say to remember to enjoy each moment. It is easy to get caught up in the little details, but those details don’t matter at the end of the day. Remember the reason for your wedding to begin with. At the end of the day, you get to be with the one you love, forever!”

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Bride Wore Her Late Mother’s Dress for a Southern Backyard Wedding

There’s nothing sweeter than a Southern backyard wedding. Except maybe a Southern backyard in which the beautiful Bride wore her late Mother’s debutante dress (complete with a red wine stain!). And oh, did she glow in it. Thanks to Eliza Morrill, we’re soaking up just how lovely a backyard fete can really be.

From Eliza Morrill Photography… If ever a wedding was a labor of love, Julie + Michael’s backyard wedding is it. The couple, who met in New Orleans, knew that they wanted to keep their celebration simple and meaningful – so what better place to celebrate than in Julie’s family’s backyard? The renovated tudor home nestled in Columbus, Georgia was the perfect atmosphere for both the ceremony and reception. When asked about her vision for her wedding day, Julie said, “I just wanted something casual and inviting. I wanted people to feel like they were coming over for dinner at my family’s home.”

What’s more, though, is every detail had sentimental value. Rather than dress shop for a couture gown, Julie opted to remake and wear her late mother’s debutante dress – complete with a red wine stain – that meant more to her than any ordinary dress could have. Another personal touch? The very plates that her guests ate from. “I absolutely LOVED that all the china, silver flatware, and silver serving dishes were all from my family. It made the tables so interesting and it was just another detail that made it feel like dinner at my Dad’s house.”

The couple forewent the typical bridal party, and instead asked their brothers to stand next to them during the ceremony, which took place in the front yard. Guests gathered nearby to watch as the two exchanged vows, while Julie’s grandparents watched, holding hands, from the patio above. Julie and Michael both love good food and the outdoors (Julie has hiked the entire Appalachian Trail by herself!), so a farm-to-table meal was perfect for them. Small round tables were sprinkled throughout the house and yard, while a beautiful farm table with stringed lights above sat the bridal party and their families. Though Julie isn’t traditionally a cake eater, she made sure to have one as an homage to her sweet mother, who loved wedding cake. Julie opted to eat a pecan pie, baked by the groom! Guests danced to music spun on vinyl before the couple made their exit – down the hill, on their bikes, through a barrage of lavender. In true down-to-earth fashion, Julie offered this advice for brides-to-be: “It’s one day that you will want to remember forever. Don’t let stress cloud your experience. We decided from the beginning that if we hit a bump and disagreements come up, we would just abandon that idea. Planning a party shouldn’t take the spotlight over such a big life event.”

Georgia Riverfront Wedding from Buffy Dekmar Photography

There is a LOT I love about the gorgeous state of Georgia, but what I love the most is the untouchable style it seems to possess. It’s that dash of old-southern charm, that sprinkle of lace and that perfectly timeless way the fine residents of that state seem to approach any soiree. It’s how all of those things come seamlessly together to create a flawless fête like this one designed by Weddings & Whimsy by Jodie and captured by Buffy Dekmar Photography at Rivermill Event Centre. Where the prettiness tries to take center stage, but it’s the love and family that beats it to it. See the entire day here.

And there is more gorgeous Georgia goodness sitting pretty in this film from Dekmar Films…

Kendall + Zach | Super 8mm Wedding by the River from Chris Dekmar on Vimeo.

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From Buffy Dekmar… Kendall and Zach’s wedding was a beautifully simple, southern affair, set beside an historic Georgia mill on the river (Rivermille Event Centre in Columbus, Georgia). The theme was subtly rustic, infused with soft pinks and bright spring greens. The bride and groom wanted to keep the vibe very relaxed and fun, and they accomplished that goal with a fancy rendition of barbeque, a s’mores bar, and a DJ that knew how to have a good time. The bride’s parents surprised the couple with a big, spherical lantern that rose behind the trees at dusk and slowly went higher in the sky as the night went on, like moonlight through the pines.

From the Bride…Zach and I were introduced by a mutual friend the first semester of our first year in college on a blind date. From the first minute I met him, he had me laughing and smiling; after two weeks, I knew he was the man I was going to marry. Within a year of dating, he proposed to me at a get together at our mutual friends’ house. We held off on getting married for 3 years so I could finish up school, so, needless to say, I had plenty of time to plan the wedding and research (AKA Pinterest) little details I wanted to make our wedding “ours”.

Zach and I had always agreed on having an outdoor wedding with a rustic, homey, Southern feel to it. After everything was said and done, we wanted our guests to come to a celebration of our love, rather than a wedding. We wanted to incorporate all the things into our celebration that we felt made for a great Southern night with friends: great company, tasty food, awesome music, and, of course, a good fire or two. We made sure that every aspect of our wedding would contribute to the feel we aimed to achieve.

I would love to say that I came up with every idea that was made into reality for our wedding, but I would do my Mother and our wedding planner, Jodi, a disservice to take any of the credit. I communicated everything I mentioned above to Jodi and my Mother, and they took all of my ideas and turned them into a gorgeous affair that I couldn’t even dreamed of putting together by myself (especially with finishing up college, working, etc!). And, I would be doing Zach a disservice if I didn’t mention that the fire-pits with rocking chairs and s’mores were his idea. We kept the simplicity that we wanted and costs low by using mason jars, lanterns, and candles as smaller centerpieces with lower-cost flowers that made a big statement. I actually picked Zach and his groomsmens’ boutineers out of a field at our farm. And, instead of sending out elaborate invitations, we kept them simple and plain, so we could direct more of our budget towards food, drinks, the venue, and photography (the things that people remember after the wedding is over).

The best decision we made in planning the wedding was definitely hiring Jodi, our wedding planner. Jodi took care of EVERYTHING, and the day of the wedding, my Mother and I were able to relax and take in the day without having to worry about little things. If anything went wrong on our wedding day, the whole wedding party was completely unaware of it, because Jodi had it taken care of. The second best decision we made was choosing a venue that included a wedding coordinator, food, drinks, tables, chairs, etc in their options, as well as an inside option just in case the weather didn’t cooperate. It cut down on a lot of leg work, and definitely made planning the wedding easier. The third best decision we made was arranging for Zach and I to have a private 15 minute meal immediately after the ceremony. We were able to relish the moment, eat the fabulous food we had picked out, and spend some alone time with just the two of us before we joined the ceremony and spoke with all our guests.

Our entire wedding day was everything that we wanted it to be and more, so it is difficult to pick just one favorite memory from our day. I personally would have to say my favorite memory from the day was dancing with my new husband, all our best friends, and family the entire reception. I love to dance at weddings, so I made sure to make a point to do plenty of dancing at my own wedding!
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