Georgia Weddings

When you work at SMP, you spend a lot of time falling in love with gorgeous gowns – it just comes with the territory.  So, when this stunning Gainesville affair from Amanda Suanne Photography came our way, I fully expected to spend a few hours of my day dedicated to dress-only swooning.  But, the moment I spotted this glorious Amsale number, I knew a few hours wouldn’t be enough.  Because this is the kind of dress that is sooo take-your-breath-away gorgeous, you don’t know what to do with yourself. An amazing gown, an elegant affair and a whole lot of pretty.  Join me in the gallery for so much more.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

And even more of this gorgeous day from the ever-amazing Artworks Wedding Cinema.  Enjoy!

From the Bride… Last October, Austin and I went on a weekend trip to Charleston. It is our favorite spot to visit during the fall, and we always spend hours walking around downtown, but we had never been out to any of the beaches there. The second morning of our trip, Austin woke me up extra early to go see Folly Beach, where we got engaged! It was one of the sweetest moments in my life, and I will always cherish our special weekend away. I was so excited to dive into our wedding that I started making notes on the drive back home to Georgia. 

Wedding planning was one of the most enjoyable things I’ve ever done. I loved every aspect of the planning process. From the beginning, I knew I wanted a traditional wedding. For our ceremony, Austin and I agreed that we wanted the elegance and grace that comes with being in a church, and I wanted that to carry over into our reception. My event decorator, Andy Beach, was so easy to work with.  The first time we met I told him that I wanted a “colorless” wedding with the fullest flower blooms he could find. The vision for our wedding day was classic with a contemporary twist. I really didn’t give him any other guidelines, yet somehow he created exactly what I had dreamed of. I am still amazed at the beautiful flower arrangements Andy and his team created. They used lots and lots of hydrangeas with cabbage roses, peonies and ranunculus. Everything was beautiful and just perfect.

Stunning as the decor was, the most important detail of our wedding was making sure that we had fun. I told my parents several times that we wanted the beginning of our wedding to be traditional and sweet, but that after dinner I wanted a fun mess out on the dance floor — and that is exactly what we got! My dad picked the band before I even knew who they were, and they did not disappoint. Our friends and family danced and sang the night away. It really was the best night of our lives. Before the night ended we gave all of our guest fresh apple pies from McDonald’s in a special box to remind them that “Love is Sweet.” 

Wedding Photography: Amanda Suanne Photography / Ceremony: First Baptist Church in Gainesville, Georgia / Reception: The Grand Ballroom at Gainesville Civic Center in Gainesville, Georgia / Event Planning: Lindsay Pitt of Toast: Signature Celebrations / Floral + Event Design: Andy Beach & Company / Wedding Cinematography: Artworks Wedding Cinema / Wedding Cake: Razzle Dazzle / Band: Twisted Whiskey / Wedding Dress: Amsale Blue Label via Bridals by Lori / Bride’s Shoes: Benjamin Adams / Hair: Brittany Bentley of Salon Pure / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bari Jay / Flower Girl’s Dress: Just Ducky Originals

I’ve been struggling for what seems like forever to find just the right words to describe my feelings for this beautiful Blue Ridge affair, but I just keep coming up short.  Problem is, I am sooo beyond obsessed with every gorgeous detail, there’s not a word in the English language that can give it justice. Not a one.  So, please excuse my bumbling as I tell you that I am head over heels for the breathtaking chapel, rustic backyard reception and beyond amazing images by Amy Arrington Photography – and then prepare to fall in love with every last one.  Click here for more.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… John-Paul and I met at a Halloween party in 2010. We were both newly divorced and struggling with that stigma. We were happy to find understanding from each other and quickly became a couple. We have worked hard to not repeat our past mistakes and make sure this marriage is our last. Although previously married, we wanted to make our commitment to each other a day we would always remember surrounded by those we love. Our wedding was in the north Georgia mountains in the town of Blue Ridge. We had had the ceremony at a rustic little chapel in the woods, Pleasant Gap Tarpley Chapel, that is only used once a year for a family reunion. It was built in the 1800s but was rebuilt in the early 1900s. We had a cocktail reception right next to the chapel in my family’s blueberry patch, and our reception was held at our second home right down a gravel road from the chapel. My family and extended family owns all the land between the chapel and our second home, and I grew up coming to these mountains and driving past the little white chapel in the woods. When I brought John-Paul to the mountains for the first time, he was completely at home, and since then, it’s been a special place for us. My parents passed away in 2007, and this was also a very special place for them, so it felt like a great way to honor both my parents and our relationship to have our wedding there. A couple of other things we did to honor my parents were that I wore my mother’s wedding veil, and we used my mother’s vintage napkins at the reception. She loved vintage linens and had over 100 white napkins.

We created most of the decor components ourselves, with lots of help from our friends and family. Our vision was rustic and simple, with neutral colors, burlap, twine and mason jars. All the pallet furniture and the popcorn cart at the cocktail reception were built by John-Paul and me, with the help of Pinterest. I made the large moss B hanging on the chapel, the burlap table runners, the mason jar table numbers, the matchbooks, the napkin rings, the signs and programs. I used my silhouette machine to make all the signs and used mostly pallet wood and frames from the thrift store that I painted and transformed. I like simplicity when it comes to flowers, so I also did the flower arrangements and bouquets. I scoured thrift stores for books about love or weddings and used those under the table number markers. We got the honey from a local beekeeper, and we’ve gotten so many compliments since the wedding about how amazing it is.

The day was exactly what we wanted. Everything was perfect and reflected “us.” The one funny incident, which you will see in the pictures, is that while I was waiting to walk down the aisle, I was standing over a yellow jackets’ nest. As I started down the aisle, my uncle jerked me back and started trying to release the 20 yellow jackets that were caught between my dress and the lace overlay. Thankfully, they were not against my skin and no one got stung. It at least kept me from crying down the aisle.  John-Paul’s daughter, and now my stepdaughter, Kaila, was our flower girl. We had a special place for the kids to eat and play until the dancing started, and they all had a blast, as you will see in the pictures.

Wedding Photography: Amy Arrington Photography / Ceremony: Pleasant Gap Tarpley Chapel in Blue Ridge, Georgia / Reception: The Home of the Bride & Groom in Blue Ridge, Georgia / Floral Design: The Flower Garden / Wedding Dress: Galina / Catering + Wedding Cakes: In Sister’s Kitchen

After six-years of long distance dating, this cute-as-can-be couple tied the knot at Atlanta’s Summerour Studio. The bold, bright + blingy wedding was the brainchild of event designer, Buzzy Craftery, and the super-creative bride who worked together to create a totally Pin-worthy event! Lucky for us, the entire fête was brought to life through the lens of  SMITTEN Weddings. There is so, SO much more to see in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Ashley Buzzy McHugh of Buzzy Craftery… The bride and groom in this lovely affair are Ashleigh and Jeff. From the first moment we connected with Ashleigh, we knew she had been dreaming of this day for a long time. She was focused and clear about what she wanted the wedding feel like, but with a joyfulness and creativity that made it an exciting project to work on from beginning to end. More than anything, Ashleigh wanted the day to feel festive, colorful, bright and fun (without getting so casual that a little “sparkle and bling” would look out of place!). She wanted to incorporate some handmade and vintage pieces without going overboard on a theme. In the end, we agreed that using punchy colors, sparking glitter and lots of candles would be a winning combination.

The day of the wedding, our team couldn’t help pulling out our phones to Instagram a detail here and there — it was more beautiful than even we had imagined. The groom came with some friends to set up a masterfully-engineered lighting scheme and a giant framed screen they had made to display a slideshow during dinner! This bride and groom were so handy and creative that many times I thought about offering them jobs working on our future weddings! As soon as the ceremony started, there was a sweet happiness that filled the room. Ashleigh was a picture-perfect, glowing bride. We were so privileged to share in this day with Ashleigh and Jeff!

From the Bride… People are always surprised to hear that Jeff and I endured a six-year, long-distance relationship, but to me, it was easy. We both wanted to complete masters degrees and respected each others’ choice to pursue education and put our own relationship on hold. We racked up a lot of cell phone minutes and Skype dates and anxiously awaited the next face-to-face meeting for weeks or months at a time. There were rough times, but it never mattered when we finally were together again.

Jeff proposed on New Year’s Eve 2010. We both relocated to Atlanta (me from DC and Jeff from Illinois) and started planning our wedding immediately. The vision for the wedding changed probably 25 times. I spent a lot of time on Pinterest and wedding blogs and almost had too many ideas to choose from when thinking about our wedding. We knew we wanted the wedding to be comfortable and far from stuffy. We wanted pure merriment and a room filled with love and happiness, so we tried to choose all the details we thought would facilitate those feelings. Jeff was totally hands-on during the entire process and designed all the lighting, which included a big white chandelier and twinkling lights throughout the room. We also collected vintage dinner plates during the year and a half before the wedding to give to our guests as wedding favors. We went on several road trips just scouring thrift stores for beautiful plates! We also collected vintage teacups along the way, which Jeff turned into hand-poured candles for the decor. Some of our favorite aspects of the wedding were the beautiful flowers, candles, lighting and just the feeling in the room. It felt casual and celebratory, yet still important and emotional. All of our vendors were amazing and really gave us our dream wedding, and the best part was having all our friends and family in one place. It truly was a big love fest, which is exactly what he had hoped for the entire time.

Wedding Photography: SMITTEN Weddings / Wedding Venue: Summerour Studios in Atlanta, Georgia / Event Director: Holly Parks / Wedding Design + Styling: Ashley Buzzy McHugh of Buzzy Craftery / Floral Design: Lindsay Coletta Designs / Catering: Soiree Catering & Events / Wedding Cakes: Henri’s Bakery / DJ: Hollon Yarborough of Ampd Atlanta / Lighting: DIY by the Groom / Vintage Plates: Collected by the Bride & Groom / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston (Now Closed) / Hair: Drybar / Makeup: NARS / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Donna Morgan / Groom’s Suit: Banana Republic

I think it’s pretty safe to say that I am enamored with this wedding from Anna and Spencer Photography. Oh wait, those pictures of the ceremony on The Dock at Piedmont Park Conservancy? Yep. Confirmed. I’m in L-O-V-E love. From the Anne Barge gown to the gorgeous wedding cake and cupcakes from The Cake Hag, every inch of this little number has me drooling for more and it’s all right here in the gallery.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Anna and Spencer Photography… This is Maple and Park’s wedding that took place in Atlanta, Georgia. The ceremony was held at Piedmont Park, and the reception was at the Oriental Pearl.

Photography: Anna and Spencer Photography / Ceremony: The Dock at Piedmont Park Conservancy in Atlanta, Georgia / Reception: Oriental Pearl Restaurant in Chamblee, Georgia (770-986-9866) / Officiant: Reverend Dawn Smith / Wedding Cake: The Cake Hag / Wedding Dress: Anne Barge via LeDress Boutique / Bride’s Shoes: Prada / Hair + Makeup: Fashion Taipei Studio

There’s no voting necessary to determine that this wedding by Buffy Dekmar Photography will go in the record books for its gorgeousness. All it took for the small town of LaGrange was a big city bride to swoop in and add her tasteful touch to complete a wedding that was filled with enduring tunes from The Business and unique late night snacks by King of Pops. Feeling inspired? {Me too!} Head to the full gallery for a full dose of delightfulness.

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/50179750?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&badge=0&color=ffffff 600 337]

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Buffy Dekmar Photography… Amanda and Daniel chose to have their wedding in the groom’s hometown: the small and charming little city of LaGrange, Georgia, where they have since made their home together. They held their wedding ceremony at their church downtown and then continued the celebration in the Kress Ballroom at the Del’Avant event center. The bride infused her big-city background into this small-town affair with outstanding entertainment from the band “The Business” from Asheville, North Carolina; and a late-night treat from Atlanta’s favorite frozen treat vendor, King of Pops; and a trolley ride for the wedding party and families.

Wedding Photography: Buffy Dekmar Photography / Ceremony: First United Methodist Church in LaGrange, Georgia / Reception: Del’avant in LaGrange, Georgia / Event Planning: Belle of the Ball Events / Floral Design: By Special Arrangement / Wedding Cinematography: Dekmar Films / Catering: Contemporary Catering / Late Night Snack: King of Pops / Wedding Cake: Something Delightful / Music: The Business / Airplane Favors: Weddingstar Inc. / Wedding Dress: Jim Hjelm (JH8213 — Spring 2012) via J. Andrew’s Bridal / Bride’s Reception Dress: Martina Liana (#373 — 2011-2012) via La Raine’s Bridal Boutique

Before you lose yourself in the gallery for this amazing wedding, I’d like to prepare you for all of the incredibly darling wonderfulness that you are about to witness. Brit Fray Photography has treated us to these swoon-inducing, sweet-as-ever images of this complete and total love fest featuring The Walters Barn and oodles of adorable details made by close friends and family of this Bride and Groom. Designed by Chancey Charm Weddings, this little number is the perfect illustration of total fun with total romance and you can see it all right here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride, Owner of Family Ties… I first laid eyes on Kyle at the rock climbing gym. While I was more than impressed as he bouldered with strength and grace, I somehow saw right into his kind heart, and my love for him started in that moment. I was a freshman and he was a sophomore at the University of Georgia. After an afternoon with friends turned into just the two of us having lunch (all of our friends were “busy”), Kyle and I started dating. Kyle is the gentlest, sweetest man I’ve ever met, and he absolutely swept me off my feet with his tender love — and still does! After just a few months of dating, we knew we were going to marry each other. Of course, we figured we’d wait until we graduated college and were “wiser,” or at least more prepared. In October, just seven months after we started dating, Kyle asked me to marry him, and I said YES! We were both only half-way done with school, but we’ve learned that when you’re faithful to love, everything falls into place perfectly.

When we started planning our wedding, we knew we wanted it to involve our amazing community of friends who had been so supportive of us. We had so many talented friends who worked together to make our wedding perfect. From our photography to our catering and cupcakes, every part of our wedding was crafted by our best friends and family. I also designed and created many elements of the wedding myself, including the stationery, centerpieces and 22 bow ties. My mom spent months planning a dessert buffet that featured all of our friends’ and family’s specialty desserts. My grandmother made her famous carrot cake, and a hometown friend’s famous homemade bread and honey were a huge hit! Even my wedding cake was made by one of our best friends. My mom did an amazing job putting it together. My brother built a giant Jenga game, and my dad built the altar for our ceremony. Our friends and family are more important to us than anything, so it was very special to have them contribute so much to our wedding.

In addition to desserts, our reception had a complete coffee bar, lawn games and frisbee and a two-hour dance party. It really was just such a fun, laid-back day. One of my favorite moments of the entire day was actually at a gas station on the way to our  hotel after the wedding. Kyle realized he left his wallet at the venue, so while we waited for someone to bring it to us, we sat in the car and talked about all of our favorite moments of the day. It really helped us to remember every detail, and we had so much fun reliving the day together. Every moment, from that one at the gas station to to our first look and the moment we became husband and wife, was filled with romance and gentle love. Kyle and I now work together at the rock climbing gym where we met, and he continues to sweep me off my feet every day.

Wedding Photography: Brit Fray Photography / Wedding Venue: The Walters Barn in Lula, Georgia / Event Design + Planning: Chancey Charm Weddings / Wedding Cinematography: The Society of Greater Things / Wedding Dress: J.Crew / Bride’s Headpiece: Tessa Kim / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Madewell / Groom’s Attire: J.Crew / Bow Ties: Family Ties (The Bride)

We’ve got a pretty special Stone Mountain wedding in store for you this morning with the sweetest backstory you ever did hear! This stunning bride said “I do” to the love of her life in the yard of the house she grew up in + we get to see the magical day unfold through the lens of the uber-talented Alea Moore Photography. With the help of Chancey Charm Weddings, the couple kept the day simple with tons of rustic touches. You can see every.last.detail right here!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Our wedding was truly the best night of our lives. Standing with the love of my life in the house that I grew up in, surrounded by all of our loved ones, really felt like a fairy tale. As we both have a heart for adventure and the outdoors, we chose to have a simple, rustic style wedding at my parent’s home in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

While I did dream of meeting my Prince Charming as a little girl and living “happily ever after,” I was not a girl who ever dreamed about my actual wedding day. So when I got engaged, I enlisted the help of one of my closest friends, Molly McKinley, who is a wedding planner for Chancey Charms Weddings. With her help, we were able to create a rustic, romantic environment that reflected us as a couple.

Six years ago, before meeting Chip, I made a list of qualities and values that I wanted in my future husband. He fulfills every quality in the list I made, and after five years, I continue to add more I’ve found in him to the list of things I could not live without. We met at the University of Georgia while in college. In nursing school, I had a professor who would ask us to close our eyes and envision our happiest, safest place. Whenever I closed mine, all I ever saw was Chip. When I am with him, I am always at peace, always happy. He’s the best friend I’ve ever had, and he continues to teach me how to love unconditionally and live for today. I was so thrilled to stand before all of our friends and family and declare with complete certainty that I want to be by his side for the rest of my life, in sickness, in health … always.

Wedding Photography: Alea Moore Photography / Wedding Venue: The Bride’s Parents’ Home in Stone Mountain, Georgia / Wedding Planning + Event Design: Molly McKinley of Chancey Charm Weddings / Floral Design: Georgia Blooms in Danielsville, Georgia / Catering: Brett’s Casual American / Wedding Cake: Confection Perfection / Ceremony Musicians: Emily Hearn Weddings / DJ: Eric Anthony Productions / Rentals: North Georgia Party Rental / Wedding Dress: Kathy Ireland for Mon Cheri Bridals

I LOVE surprises. If I could be surprised every day (with something fabulous, of course) I would be the happiest girl in the world. And this adorable bride-to-be got the BEST kind of surprise-you know, the kind with a diamond involved– when her soon-to-be-groom popped the question! Under the guise of a photo shoot, Anna K. Photography caught the entire proposal on film, so the most amazing surprise could be remembered perfectly, forever! See the rest of this sweet proposal here.

Click here for the FULL proposal!

From the Bride-to-Be… As a little girl, I totally had my wedding planned out at age eight — flowers, dress, everything! All I needed was my Prince Charming to come, sweep my off my feet and make my fairy tale complete. As I got older I learned that it wasn’t exactly as easy as all of the movies and stories made it out to be. Well, after many years of searching, I found him; my fairy tale came true. On Friday October 19, 2012 my very best friend got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. We had talked over the summer about getting married, so naturally, after so much anticipation and talk about it all, I knew it was coming. Poor thing, knowing myself, I knew that he had quite the challenge before him. From day one I told David that when the time came he HAD to have Anna hiding in the bushes or the nearest tree to capture every moment of it all. I just knew that in all of the shock and excitement I would forget the small details, and that just couldn’t happen! The Tuesday prior, I received a phone call from Anna explaining that she had been planning a big photo shoot for her blog for months now and that her model had suddenly cancelled on her. After venting out her frustration she asked if there was any way possible that I might be able to fill in as her model. Of course, I was ecstatic and immediately agreed to help her out. I’m not going to lie, after we got of the phone I got a bit curious, but after talking with her and David throughout the week, I slowly started to tell myself that I needed to get that sweet little thought out of my mind that it just wasn’t going to happen.

As Friday approached, I started to get really excited. Anna came and picked me up around 5:15 Friday evening, and we headed over to Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island, Georgia. In the 30 minutes that it took us getting over there I told her all about our first date and how excited I was that I had found my best friend. To tell you the complete truth after that car ride, I was totally convinced that yet again, I was wrong, and that this really was just a blog shoot. I mean, Anna perfected the little white lie to a T, with props and everything! When we arrived, we walked out to the beach to start taking pictures. I grabbed up my bouquet and we started our “photo shoot.” About 15 minutes in, I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned around to my David. For the first two second I was in such shock I really didn’t know what was going on until he so gracefully got down on one knee, looked me dead in the eye, and said, “Jeanie Beth, I love you. Marry Me.” I looked back at Anna and then back to David and just grabbed him, squeezing him as tight as I possibly could. I didn’t want to let go, I didn’t want to lose or forget that feeling, until he said, “Well, are you going to put the ring on?” I shouted YES!, gasped over how stunning it was, slipped it on and went in for another hug. I wish so badly that everyone reading this could feel what I felt in that very moment because it was the most beautifully wonderful thing I’ve ever felt in my life thus far. 

Photography: Anna K. Photography / Proposal Location: Driftwood Beach in Jekyll Island, Georgia / Bouquet: Edward on St. Simons / Dress: Hunter Dixon

We go a little bananas every time Scobey Photography sends sweet, sweet wedding our way – and one look at this breathtaking Atlanta affair and it’s oh-so-easy to see why.  A serious lesson in Southern elegance, it’s one moment after another of crazy beautiful details crafted by Lucky + Lovely, amazing garden surroundings and lovely pastel hues filling every inch of space.  A stunning bride and groom, a glorious wedding and a gallery chock-full of devastatingly gorgeous images from Scobey Photography? Yes. Please.  Click here for more.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Scobey Photography… Amy and Blake wanted their wedding to have Southern charm paired with a vintage flair and modern accents — a Southern garden party. They wanted to pay homage to the part of the country where Blake grew up and where they now live, but also incorporate the feel of the big city of New York where they met and fell in love. Every detail of their elegant affair was focused on making sure that their guests were comfortable and free to have a good time — to surround themselves with the closest of family and friends and to celebrate their love.

Wedding Photography: Scobey Photography / Wedding Venue: The Gardens at Great Oaks in Roswell, Georgia / Event Styling: Melanie of Lucky + Lovely / Floral Design: Bella Floral + Lucky + Lovely / Wedding Cinematography: Ryan Rodinis of Rodinis Films / Catering: Aqua Blue Catered Events / Wedding Cake: Metrotainment Bakery / Ceremony + Dinner Music: James Patrick Morgan / Reception Band: Men in Blues / Transportation: Atlanta Vintage Rides / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston (Now Closed) / Bride’s Shoes: BHLDN / Bride’s Hair + Makeup: Scoobie West / Groom’s Suit: Men’s Wearhouse

Ever wonder what would happen if you paired a drop-dead gorgeous rustic setting with a bride and groom who are all kinds of adorable?  Well, lovelies – wonder no more… because this stunning Jackson soiree?  The perfect example of both.  Set against the breathtaking Dauset Trails Nature Preserve and boasting beyond beautiful yellow hues, it’s burlap-tied mason jars meets an amazing outdoor chapel meets pretty, pretty blooms by David Barnes.  Sarah Esther Photography is the genius behind the gallery and it’s one that is filled to the brim with heartwarming moments between an uber-stunning bride and groom.  Join me there for more.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Josh and I first met on Match and messaged back and forth several weeks before we actually met in person. We both knew within weeks that we were right for each other. We dated for a year before he proposed to me at Piedmont Park, overlooking the city. We have worked together for our whole engagement, from picking out the ring, to deciding on invitations and decor for the wedding. It was very important for us to both play a part in the making of our big day. We wanted to make sure no one passed out from the heat since it was the hottest day of the year. Overall, we wanted to have our wedding surrounded by nature and to have a very rustic feel. We were hoping to have a wedding that fit both of our styles through the use of the location, flowers and decorations. The wedding took place at a nature center in Jackson, Georgia, and we decorated the outdoor chapel and the reception area to fit with the overall feel of the nature center. The outdoor chapel was located in the woods beside a lake, and we decorated the aisle and pews with burlap and mason jars filled with green and white hydrangeas and yellow roses. The reception, which is a lodge style room with cathedral ceilings and windows overlooking the lake, was decorated with burlap, bird house centerpieces and rustic accessories.

We used a local florist, David Barnes, who designed and arranged all the flowers for both the chapel and the reception area. The cake designer, Cakes by Kemi, was also local and made the cupcakes and duplicated a cake design found on Pinterest. The groom’s cakes and many of the other hors d’oeuvres and dessert were made by the groom’s mother, grandmother and bride’s grandmother.

We were both absolutely stunned the first time we saw the chapel and the reception area fully decorated. We had hoped that the decisions we made would turn out to be pretty, but we had no idea how beautiful our vendors and families had made everything. One of my favorite surprised from the day was our getaway car from the chapel was the Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech, the Josh’s alma mater. It was the perfect personal addition to our day!

Wedding Photography: Sarah Esther Photography / Wedding Venue: Dauset Trails Nature Preserve in Jackson, Georgia / Floral Design: David Barnes / Wedding Cake + Cupcakes: Cakes by Kemi / Groom’s Cakes, Hors D’Oeuvres + Dessert: The Groom’s Mother, The Groom’s Grandmother + The Bride’s Grandmother / Wedding Dress: J.Crew / Bride’s Shoes: Nina / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Etsy / Men’s Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse

Anything that’s themed “Southern Chic” and I’m already skipping like a school girl giddy with excitement. Then I saw this A Big To Do Event with its gorgeous Tulip flowers and a menu featuring my favorite mac ‘n’ cheese by Affairs to Remember and it’s official: I’m Sold! Feel the full effect in the full gallery by clicking here. 

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From A Big To Do Event… The theme of the wedding, held at an old soap factory built in 1921, was “Southern Chic” with a fun, non-traditional atmosphere. The wedding was inspired by the couple’s style and the role the South played in their relationship (the bride is from Alabama, and couple met/live in Georgia). They wanted every detail to say “them,” not “typical wedding.” The DJ and 130 guests made this Sunday night wedding seem like a Saturday night and could’ve kept the party going well into Monday with their energy. As the groom is a chef, food was important. The couple chose a southern menu with favorites like mac ‘n’ cheese, shrimp and grits, and fried green tomatoes. The groomsmen wore gray Chuck Taylors with their suits, and the couple surprised their guests with a fun, choreographed dance following their traditional first dance. The groom hand-made the peach jam favors each guest took home at the end of the night.

Wedding Photography: Aislinn Rain Photography / Wedding Venue: The Foundry at Puritan Mill in Atlanta, Georgia / Wedding Planning: Erica Prewett of A Big To Do Event / Floral Design: Eva Behrendt Phillips of Tulip / Wedding Cinematography: Walk on Water Productions / Catering: William Neal of Affairs to Remember / Wedding Cake: HHDesserts / Wedding Invitations: MH3 Printing / DJ: Lou Guzzo of SE Events / Jam Favors: DIY by the Groom / Getaway Car: Classy Car Limo / Guest Transportation: Cooper Atlanta / Wedding Dress: San Patrick via Bride Beautiful / Bridesmaids’ Attire: Bella Bridesmaid / Men’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

While we at SMP get to look at gorgeous nuptials through and through every day, I never could have ever imagined a sweeter, more darling country wedding than this one at Woodland Gardens. Deliciously designed with the cutest of salt and pepper shakers at every table, an actual pig roast, and the most adorable cake from Sweet Peeps, this little number will make you do a double – maybe triple – take. The photographs from Out of Focus Studios will literally take your breath away and you can see every single one in the gallery right here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… From the start, we knew we wanted to have our wedding on a farm.  I wanted the wedding to come together on its own, to seem like it just belonged there.  I wanted it to symbolize our relationship, to be seen through the details, to come together naturally, and for our guests to see “us” in it all.  Jason is a chef in Atlanta and has built a close relationship with several farmers, so when he took me to Woodland Gardens we both just knew it would be perfect for our wedding.  Especially when I first saw that big beautiful tree, I just knew that’s where we were going to be married.  Luckily everything came together from there.
Jason and I met as neighbors.  He had been invited over to watch football and says he immediately fell in love with me while watching me yell at the television.  He proposed at a winery in Napa just before Christmas.  It was romantic and lovely, but as we were driving back to our hotel I asked him if we could stop at the In and Out burger!  I had never been and was dying to try it, thank goodness he just laughed and said that he would expect nothing less from us.  We headed back to the hotel and celebrated with our burgers and champagne.  I think that story pretty much sums us up.  And that’s the feeling we wanted in our wedding: romance and spontaneity, laughter and love.
We are both so lucky to have such talented friends and family to call on for help.  The tree guest book was drawn by my aunt and uncle. All of the sewing projects were done by a close family friend.  The jam favors were completed over a period of months with several different teams.  The food portion of the night was of course very important to us and took on a life of its own.  We wanted fresh, local foods with a southern twist.  We were lucky enough to have many resources available to help us create an amazing meal for everyone.  Several friends, who are also chefs, even came out to the farm Friday night after closing their own restaurants and started cooking the pig at 1 am.  They camped all night to make sure everything was perfect for our guests.  And perfect doesn’t even begin to describe it!
We were married under that tree on a wonderful fall day by my brother in his converse shoes.  We were surrounded by our closest friends and family.  It was the perfect day and everything that we had hoped for in our wedding.

Wedding Photography: Courtney Rosen of Out of Focus Studios / Wedding Venue: Woodland Gardens in Winterville, Georgia / Event Design + Planning: The Bride / Floral Design: Terri Knowlton of Everything & More! / Wedding Cake: Sweet Peeps / Wedding Paper Goods: Little Byrd Lettering / Band: The Packway Handle Band / Wedding Dress: Mori Lee via Formally Yours / Event Rentals: Goodwin Event Rentals

Georgia weddings just have a way.  A sweet way of prettying up our every moment and filling our days with pure, unadulterated happy.  And this drop-dead gorgeous Athens soiree?  It’s everything we’ve come to expect from the Peach State with a breathtaking farm setting, lush blooms by Everything and More Events and a classic meets whimsical vibe that is beyond devastatingly gorgeous.  It Takes Two Events (the beautiful bride!) planned and styled the entire day to absolute perfection… and the glorious images captured by Harwell Photography? Simply. Genius.  See so much more right here.

From the Bride… Paul and I were introduced through my sister, and since meeting him, I have never looked back. He is amazing, and I was proud to say yes to his proposal on 11/11/11! Ten months later, we were married at the same place he proposed, a beautiful private home right outside of our college town of Athens, Georgia. Our amazing friends generously opened up their home for our wedding at Water Oak Farms in Bogart, Georgia. A never-before wedding venue was transformed into our very own fairytale from top to bottom. Hands down, it was the best day of our lives, and Jeremy Harwell, our photographer, captured all of the emotional moments in ways I never expected. The day captured our love for one another, our family, our amazing God, horses, the music, dessert and so much more. The details of the wedding were what made it come to life and allowed our guests to really get a view of the personal touch we wanted them to experience. This was not just another wedding.  This special day was written with heavy DIY mixed with the elegant work of Atlanta’s best vendors to help make our vision come to life.

As part owner and lead planner of It Takes Two Events, planning my own wedding was a whole new ball game. I wanted to sit back and enjoy the process like so many of our brides do while we take the reigns and make her day everything she wanted. My amazing sister and business partner, Jenny, stepped up to the plate, and my wedding quickly became a family affair! It was important for me to stay true to the vision of what Paul and I wanted for our wedding day. I can truly say it was executed above and beyond what I had ever dreamed of. We had unbelievable support from every member of both of our families. Everyone, especially my mom, pitched in with all of my handmade DIY ideas! From table numbers and programs, to the guest book and candy dessert bar, I kept my family on their toes and busy helping everything come together. My sweet mom contributed so much to these items and gave deeper meaning to “a labor of love.” My sister and I worked with the vendor team to create an event that many of my guests left saying was “magical” and the best wedding they had ever been to. One of the best compliments was from a good friend that said, “Weddings are usually really fun but missing elegance and aesthetic beauty, but this wedding captured all of it and more.” 

This would not have been possible without our amazing vendors collaborating and working together to pull off all of my ideas and visions! To top it off, we had the great pleasure of having Everything and More Events provide us with not only the most beautiful floral arrangements, but impeccable coordination on the day of the wedding!

Wedding Photography: Harwell Photography / Wedding Venue: Water Oak Farms in Bogart, Georgia (The Home of Friends) / Wedding Planning + Styling: It Takes Two Events / Floral Design + Wedding Day Coordination: Everything and More Events / Officiant: Aaron Keyes / Wedding Cinematography: Jason White / Catering: Affairs to Remember / Wedding Cake: Sugar Kneads Cakery / Wedding Stationery: Paper Affair / Ceremony Musicians: Jordan Shababy + Adam Kersh / Reception Band: The A-town A-list / Farm Tables: Four Inch Fold / Lighting, Tent + Chair Rental: Goodwin Event Rentals / Linens: I Do Linens / Handmade Decor: Glorious Designs / Wedding Dress: Judd Waddell via Bridals by Lori / Bride’s Shoes: BCBG + Vince Camuto / Hair + Makeup: Formal Faces / Groom’s Suit: Indochino

There are rehearsal dinners and then there is this stunning Atlanta soiree captured by the amazing Melissa Schollaert Photography, which takes everything you know about pre-wedding feasting and kicks it up a notch with a contemporary affair that is all kinds of crazy gorgeous.  I’m talking exposed brick walls, tablescapes overflowing with fresh green grass and ghost chairs spicing up every inch of space. All styled by the fab Mother of the Groom and set against a stunning King Plow Arts Center backdrop, believe me when I tell you – modern fêting never looked so good. Click here for more.

Click here for the FULL rehearsal dinner!

From Melissa Schollaert Photography… Sarah and Matt’s beautiful rehearsal dinner was held at the King Plow Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Matt is an avid golfer, and his family put together an event that fused his love of golf with Sarah’s elegance to create a beautiful affair. Matt’s mom designed and planned the entire event, and she put an elegant spin on the game of golf by utilizing lots of fresh grass in the florals, as well as scorecards of Matt’s from his favorite golf courses used as the table numbers. Each table was different and had a variety of mixed arrangements that included grass, hydrangea, water and lots of candles. The entire room glowed, and it was a wonderful event for the husband and wife to be!

Photography: Melissa Schollaert Photography / Venue: King Plow Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia / Event Planning + Design: The Mother of the Groom / Floral Design: Mimi Brown / Catering: Bold American Events / Cake: Heather Hurlbert of HHDesserts / Linens: Party Tables “Sea Island Sand” Linens

It doesn’t get much cuter than this apple orchard e-session! This adorable couple, along with their super cute fur baby frolicked through the orchards with Peach Blossom Photography and got the cutest images ever! They even got their pup to pose in a bucket with a save the date sign. LOVE! See the whole day right here.

 Click here for the FULL engagement session!

From Peach Blossom Photography… Jessica amd Thomas’s Reese Apple Orchard engagement session is a fun, fall session. The inspiration for the apple orchard session came from us wanting to find a way to blend Jessica growing up in Washington State with Thomas growing up in the South. They also wanted something outdoors so we could include their cute little dog. Reese Farms is just an hour’s drive out of Atlanta. It’s a great place with u-pick apples and the most amazing apple pies. We had such a fun day outside shooting this session.

Photography: Peach Blossom Photography / Location: Reese Apple Orchards in Ellijay, Georgia

I can always count on a good vineyard wedding to spread a wide smile across my face and warm my heart with the romance and grandeur of it all. And this little number from the long farewell is no exception, lovelies. Not only is this bride gorgeous beyond belief, but the floral arrangements, candlelit dinner, and breathtaking views of Montaluce Winery & Estates truly made this wedding an absolute stunner and I just can’t.get.enough. Find even more of this vineyard beauty in our gallery right here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… When Brett and I got engaged, we were really undecided on the location of our wedding. We searched through what felt like hundreds of venues and then finally found the perfect spot in Montaluce Winery & Estates. Brett is from Ohio, and my extended family was coming all the way from South Africa and England, so Montaluce was a perfect special getaway that felt a little bit like a destination wedding.

Our family friend offered to do all of our flower arrangements for the wedding, so our DIY wedding was truly that. We worked together to decide on a color scheme and chose georgia peach as our accent color, since we moved to Atlanta, Georgia from South Africa after I was born and still call it home! Our family and friends all pitched in to make this wedding the beautiful affair that it was. Brett’s brother Ryan designed the gorgeous wedding invitations which also influenced our programs and other paper products. On the wedding day we had a team of people lighting candles, laying out the handmade burlap aisle runner, cleaning lanterns, setting out flower arrangements, decorating the table tops and laying out the bags of almonds on each place setting(a special tradition from South Africa). I collected antique postcards from South Africa through Ebay and Etsy to make our table numbers, which was a surprise for my parents and a little slice of home. Our wedding absolutely would not have happened without the love and care each and every “worker bee” put into it.

The weather was absolutely perfect (75 degrees in Georgia in June?!) on our wedding day, creating a wonderful backdrop to our candlelit ceremony in the production room of Montaluce. We then ate family-style dinner with the winery sunset as a backdrop and danced under the stars. Altogether, our day was one I will never forget and really was a tribute to all of the hard work that everyone involved put into making it happen. Finally, our photographers have put together an amazing collection of photos that we will have forever to remind us of the day. Chad and Tina of The Long Farewell are genuinely wonderful people who made everyone feel at ease and comfortable all day. We could not have asked for two better people to spend the day capturing our wedding. A million times thank you!

Wedding Photography: the long farewell / Wedding Venue: Montaluce Winery & Estates in Dahlonega, Georgia / Floral Arrangements: Martin Lawrie, A Family Friend of the Bride / Personal Flowers: Katie Lloyd of Boukates / Wedding Day Coordination: Laura Godfrey of Godfrey Wedding Design / Wedding Cakes: Cecilia Villaveces Cakes / Wedding Invitations: Designed by Ryan Willi, Brother of the Groom / Invitation + Program Printing: Sam Flax / DJ: DJ Hal Mealor of Halco Services, Inc. / Transportation: Wacky Taxi / Wedding Dress + Veil: Priscilla of Boston (Now Closed) / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Hair + Makeup: Danielle Shlien Dungan / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew

Your wedding day is one of the few times in your life when all of your favorite people will be in the same room, at the same time, sharing their love. Knowing this to be true, this bride and groom planned an in-state destination wedding at The Foundry Inn and Spa, allowing them to spend the entire weekend eating, playing and celebrating with their family + friends! Artworks Wedding Cinema and Lacey for Scobey Photography captured every sweet moment. See the rest here!

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/45514602?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=f3be08 600 338]

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… From the start of my wedding planning, I knew that I wanted a rustic, yet elegant feel.  When my husband, JP, and I began speaking about our “wedding day” desires, we both knew that we wanted to create a night that encompassed love, commitment and fun!  I was once told by a friend that a wedding day is the one day when you will be able to have all of your closest family and friends in one place with you, so that thought was always at the forefront of our minds. Knowing that we have many family members and friends out-of-state, we decided we would have an in-state destination wedding. The idea of having friends and family being able to stay near one another, eat together, celebrate together and attend the wedding together sounded like the perfect plan. So with that we chose The Foundry Park Inn and Spa as our destination getaway, only an hour away in Athens, Georgia.

When I began to ponder what I wanted the wedding to look like, I knew that earth tones and calming hues were in the direction I was heading. I absolutely adore the mix of burlap and lace, so I knew that somehow those features would be incorporated into our day. My florist did such an amazing job and actually was the one who introduced the idea of peonies. Her touches of lavender and baby’s breath throughout the wedding, along with the bridesmaids’ roses, simply stunned me upon entering. After all of the planning, envisioning and discussing, the wedding ceremony decor was more beautiful than I could have even imagined. Our wedding ceremony was an evening that JP and I were fortunate enough to have officiated by his Aunt Nancy. It meant so much to us that she was family — it was important to us that our ceremony to capture the essence of us both as individuals and as a couple forming a union. Since the passing of my mother and brother, I had desired that when I got married that I would find a peaceful way to make them part of the day. What a tender moment during the ceremony when my mom’s best friend, Sara, spoke and incorporated Mom and David into the wedding day. The ceremony as a whole was such a magical moment for both JP and me. Looking into his eyes and holding his hands as we faced one another was an emotion that I cannot fully express in words.  To be able to look out at so many friends and family members cheering us on in their hearts was such a comforting feeling. One day JP and I will sit down and open the box from the ceremony, open the wine bottle (from the winery that JP took me to on a surprise date for our six-month anniversary when we were boyfriend and girlfriend) and read the love letters that we wrote to each other that weekend.  

Our beautiful wedding reception was awaiting our arrival just a parking lot away. When we entered the ballroom, I was once again amazed by the beauty and the smiles that surrounded us. The night had just begun and “JP’s awesome wedding band” was there to offer their tunes so we could all dance, celebrate and enjoy the presence of so many loved ones that we had the blessing of being with that evening. Seeing our families and friends mingle and meet one another was such a neat experience! The night was just what we had dreamed of and we were loving every minute of it.

Wedding Photography: Lacey DellaPace of Lacey for Scobey Photography / Wedding Venue: The Foundry Park Inn and Spa in Athens, Georgia / Floral Design: Pat Doyle of MG Floral /  Wedding Cinematography: Artworks Wedding Cinema / Music in Film: “I Must Be In Love” by Rick Baker, Licensed through Song Freedom / Wedding Cake: Cecilia Villaveces Cakes / Band: “JP’s Awesome Wedding Band” (members of ATL Funk Society with some friends) / Wedding Dress: Winnie Couture / Bride’s Hair: Mandy Sauls James / Bride’s Makeup: Emily Hillard / Groom’s Suit: JCPenney

I could seriously talk for days about how perfectly pretty this wedding is…it’s got just the right amount of charm and is filled with so many great steal worthy details, you’re going to want to pay close attention! The florals by Gertie Mae’s Floral Studio will seriously take your breath away and the bride’s bouquet? Amazing. See even more of this gorgeous day captured by Buffy Dekmar Photography right here in the full gallery.

See this pretty wedding come to life in this film by River Walk Films:

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Groom… On Friday December 2, 2011, Heather was busy studying for final exams. We planned to go hiking at Raven Cliff Falls that afternoon so she could de-stress and take a study break. We were also going to use this hike so that I could show her how my camera worked because she wanted to take my camera on her family vacation to Hawaii and Saipan after finals were over. So we headed over to the trail. About 1/4 mile up the trail is a tree that has a natural hole in it shaped like a heart. We stopped here and set up the camera on the tripod so I could show Heather how to use the timer feature. We snapped one picture, then I told Heather to go check the camera and take another. This gave met time to get the ring out of my pack. When she got back to the tree, I dropped down to one knee and asked her to spend the rest of her life with me. At the same moment, the camera flashed and took our very first engagement photo. She couldn’t stop smiling. There were a few tears, but mostly smiles.

From the Bride… Will and I both met in a graduate physical therapy program in Dahlonega, Georgia. We have always felt that the location that fits us the most is in the North Georgia mountains, considering it is where we met and where we enjoy hiking, camping and spending time with our two dogs, Dozer and Luna. We are also very relaxed people and wanted to get married at a location that would reflect our love for the outdoors and our laid-back personalities. We both fell in love with Glen-Ella Springs at first sight. This quaint inn in the North Georgia mountains is the perfect place for an outdoor wedding with its large green meadow, oak trees, flower and vegetable gardens, and a small creek running behind the property. We also love our family and friends and wanted to be able to spend more time with them during the weekend and not just on our wedding night. A unique feature about having our wedding at this inn was that our immediate and extended families, as well as the bridal party, were able to stay with us at the inn and spend all of Labor Day weekend enjoying the beautiful grounds. The weekend was full of laughs, tears and a lot of love.

Wedding Photography: Buffy Dekmar Photography / Wedding Venue: Glen-Ella Springs Inn in Clarkesville, Georgia / Event Design: The Bride / Event Planning: Luci Kivett of Glen-Ella Springs Inn / Floral Design: Gertie Mae’s Floral Studio / Wedding Cinematography: River Walk Films / Wedding Cake: True Love Celebrations in Gainesville (770-983-0160) / Wedding Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas / Programs: Postscripts / DJ: Ray Redding of Soundscape Atlanta / Koozie Favors: Totally Wedding Koozies / Wedding Dress: Birnbaum & Bullock / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Wire Dress Hanger: Emily’s Emporium (Formerly Rock A Buy Creations) / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bill Levkoff / Groom’s Tuxedo: Black by Vera Wang via Men’s Wearhouse

This adorable couple decided to recreate the day they were engaged and the oh-so-talented Cristina Elena Photography followed along as they had a picnic on the beach, went for a little ride in an old wooden rowboat, (which by the way is how they actually got engaged), and just frolicked the afternoon away like the two love birds they are. See each and every sweet detail, including that pretty lace teepee, right here in the full gallery.

Click here for the FULL engagement session!

From Cristina Elena Photography… I had the opportunity to photograph the engagement of one of my best friends last week. My boyfriend and I introduced them to each other over a year ago, and they’ve decided to get married! Kinda feeling like matchmakers over here… :) The day was perfect with just the right amount of sunlight to make the water glimmer. Nathan proposed to Kristina on a boat, much like the one in the photos. They are a couple that enjoys the outdoors, as well as the occasional glass of wine to accompany the scenery.  What I think is best captured in these photos is the sincere love and joy they have for each other.

Photography: Cristina Elena Photography / Location: Acworth Beach, Georgia / Picnic Basket + Camera: Vintage / Wooden Boat: Rented from Eugene of CLIPCREATION (eugene@clipcreation.com) / Dress: Pixie / Hair + Makeup: ULTA

Have you ever been to Dunaway Gardens? I have not, but if you have, consider me jealous. From the looks of this gorgeous southern wedding, the Gardens are a place worthy of a visit or two – as well as the most amazing soiree of your relationship. These two thought so, and I can’t help but agree. As a very close second to actually being a lucky guest of this wedding, we have a gallery full of beautiful images from Artstar by Laura Stone just waiting for you here!

Click here to see the full image gallery!

Jay and I met at a small bar in downtown Savannah, Georgia. I was playing a round of pool with some friends and he was with a group of friends who had coaxed him into going out with them. He walked up to me, pulled me aside, and told me that he spotted me from across the room and thought I was beautiful and could not leave with out getting my number.  I reluctantly gave it to him, because after all I was in a “bar.”   I was finishing up my last year at the Savannah College of Art and Design and he was working for the Army repairing helicopters at a nearby base.  We both had plans that would take us on different paths-I had dreams of moving to New York and he had plans of working overseas as a defense contractor.  We decided to take those different paths and see how things went.  We are both believers in fate.  If it was meant to be we would find our way back to each other.  During our time of being worlds apart we both realized how much we missed each other, and the year wrapped up we decided that life was too short to be on such different paths and that we wanted to join our lives together.  We moved into a small house together which we fixed up during the following three years.

As we started living our lives together small little acts of love started to develop.  I am not a morning person at all, so every morning Jay would bring me coffee and toast to wake me up.  He is not the romantic type, not one to plan a night out with a romantic dinner or bring me flowers; but what he did do that meant so much more to me than those things was consistently show acts of kindness like waking up and bringing me breakfast in bed 90% of the time.  One morning as usual he brought me coffee and toast and instead of kissing me and telling me it was time to get up, he got down on one knee and began to tell me how we wanted bring me breakfast for the rest of my life.  He went on to saying how much he appreciated our lives being joined and could not imagine life any other way. He asked me to marry him in the sweetest most simple way.  That was us. We are simple and understated people.  I could not have asked for a better proposal.

When it came time to plan our wedding, we knew we wanted to incorporate the simplicity and beauty of nature for our special day.  The venue we chose, Dunaway Gardens, is a 25-acre site full of different types of gardens and ponds.  From the moment I stepped onto the venue site, I felt a sense of calmness and peace, the place was magical.  It was everything I wanted for our wedding day.  I did not even have to think about it, I signed the contract with out even discussing it with my husband to be because I knew he would love it.

The venue strongly dictated the stlye, theme and colors.  I did not want the wedding details to overpower or fight with the venue but have a harmonious dialogue between each element. The wedding color I decided on was lavender. Instead of sticking with one color only, I decided to do a play on different shades of the lavender color.  I felt like it would compliment all of the greenery around.  I kept in mind the idea of simplicity and less is more.  Instead of creating an arch for us to say our vows under I decided on a petal carpet of purple and white petals. I thought about how the guest were going to view the ceremony from the steps of the amphitheater.  The color would dictate the focus point instead of an architectural element.

For the reception, I wanted simple but beautiful.  We decided on white table cloths and flower boxes filled with flowers that looked as if they were picked from the garden.

We had many special touches we incorporated into our ceremony and reception.  The first one was the music we used during our ceremony.  We choose to use some of our favorite songs in the instrumental version.  For the wedding party entrance we used “Yellow” by Vitamin String Quartet.  For the song I walked down to, we decided on “Closer to Love” by Piano Tribute Conservatory.  For our processional we chose “Stolen” in the instrumental version. 

We had several hand made details incorporated.  Jay made the little nest out of dried hunsuckle vines from our garden.  One of my bridesmaids made our cake topper two days before the wedding from vines bent into the letter A.  The night before the wedding my bridesmaids, my mother and I made the petal cones which held dried lavender.  We used paper dollies from the craft store.  We also hand stamped all the guest gift paper bags with purple flowers.  It was a fun night of crafting.

During our ceremony we did a butterfly release.  That idea came from our wedding planner during one of our last design meetings.  I am so glad we did it. It was so beautiful and our amazing photographer was able to catch it.

The memories that stay the most vivid to me now are from our ceremony.  It was the most special and beautiful moment of my life.  Being surrounded by everyone we love and exchanging such life changing vows in the middle of the most beautiful surroundings, no moment could have been more perfect.

I love all of our photos, but my favorites are from the First Look.  As the background for this special moment, Jay and I chose an overgrown pond with much greenery around it. It was magical and the pictures capture it beautifully.  I also love the detail images because they show our idea of beauty, and the photos of my family- Laura captured all their personalities perfectly!

Photography: Artstar by Laura Stone / Cinematography: James Futch / Flowers: Gloriosa / Event Planning: Peachtree Weddings & Events / Ceremony + Reception Location: Dunaway Gardens / Invitations: Paper Source / Hair & Makeup: Brushworx / Wedding Gown: Augusta Jones / Bride’s Belt: Handmade by Madeline / Pearl Necklace: Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry / Wedding Rings: Shane Company