Georgia Weddings

I took one look at this lovely wedding and knew that it was an SMP feature. There is something so sweet, so precious about the 40’s inspired affair. Jeremy Harwell, the photographer behind the day, did a spectacular job at telling the beautiful story of the day.

The location itself, Dunaway Gardens, is unbelievably special…it was originally established by a film actress and her husband and served as a training ground for producers, directors and performers of the arts during the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. Walt Disney was even a frequent guest! So, this lovely couple, found their inspiration in the venue’s roots and designed a wedding that seemed at home in the perfect space.

More on the way!

Here are a few more bits of eye candy from the amazing fashion shoot that the girls at Belathee did with  Bleu Belle Bridal, a Savannah Wedding boutique. I am madly in love with the gowns, but even more than that, I am blown away by the photography. The story that each image tells. I was just e-chatting with the girls and we both agree that there is a real need for updated bridal fashion photography.

And this is just the kind of fresh approach that makes me happy!

Thanks Belathee! This completely made my day!!

You are going to DIE when you see how freaking great this photo shoot by Belathee is. The talented duo partnered up with Bleu Belle Bridal, a Savannah Wedding boutique, to shoot the most amazing dresses you’ve ever seen.

The short, flirty dress is Melissa Sweet’s Bronwin. The longer one is by Vera Wang and is called Zoe. Both are complete and total perfection! We have more shots on the way!

For all of you who know your way around the wedding web-world, you will immediately recognize the exquisite photographic style behind Jesse & Whit’s images … We were thrilled when they gave us the OK to share Jacqui and Lachlan’s wedding photos with you. Sooooo incredible.

from Jesse and Whit’s blog …

Sometimes i take a break from my day and write a little what-i-am-thankful-for list and this past month jacqui and lachlan were on the top of my list. they are the kind of people that shine the light and no matter what kind of day you are having, they will rub right off on you. so needless to say…the whole wedding went like this. completely filled with light and love ...

… we already felt like old friends when the wedding began. our first meeting with them was over tacos and beers. it was instant love. then we met for their engagement shoot about 11 days before the wedding and it seemed like we were all a little frazzled between rush hour traffic, wedding plans and the wedding season that was ahead of us.  it took about 5 minutes before we all found ourselves rolling in green grass, breaking through fences and laughing our tails off! jacqui is the social sales manager at king plow so how she found time to plan her own wedding amongst everyone else’s is beyond me.

Jesse and Whit are the fantastic photographers of Our Labor of Love. They are based in Atlanta, but split their time between there and California, with a few trips to Martha’s Vineyard along the way. In other words, they will be more than happy to join you at your destination of choice! Just looking at the images of Jacqui and Lachlan’s wedding … well, you can see that Jesse and Whit totally connect with their couples in an intimate and privileged way. And isn’t that what you want for your wedding day? A photography team who really ‘gets’ you!?

From the beautiful bride, Jacqui …

We had the most fantastic experience from start to finish with all of our vendors! From our planner, Christina Zubowicz from Magnolia Weddings, to Bold American Events and Catering for their unreal flowers and food, to Michelle Smith from Inviting Ideas for her invitations, programs, and menu cards, Frosted Pumpkin for his unreal hanging wedding cake, and lastly but most importantly Whit and Jesse from Our Labor of Love!!!!

Lachlan and I met in Aspen Co while both working a Ski season. He was the bartender at the famous Little Nell Relais and Chateau and I was a hostess :) he is Australian and I am South African, so it was really important to incorporate this into our wedding. One of the ways we did this was to serve red wines from Australia and white wines from South Africa. We had over 4 continents represented, making it a truly well traveled wedding crowd! I love black and white but wanted a fresh spring feel, so all of our flowers were yellow – my favorite color! I also love the contradiction of modern and vintage so having when I found my Rivini lace dress, I knew we had to have some fun old fashioned elements – hence the yellow umbrellas, soft personal flowers, and long vintage veil. We have been in Atlanta for 3 years and love it! Lachlan is starting his MBA at Emory in the fall and I have been a Sales Manager for Bold American for 3 years.

Again, from Our Labor of Love’s blog … this was “out-of-the-box” and “into-amazing” wedding for king plow. steve, michelle, susan blew minds with their interiors. Tulips hung upside down from a moss base that reflected into the mirrors of the table tops. hanging cakes. rooms filled with umbrellas. floor to ceiling tapestries. it was insane. and so was the smilebooth. {If you’re not familiar with the Smilebooth, you totally need to take a look {here}! SO much fun for your guests!}

Upside-down tulips??? Hanging cakes??? Whoa!!!!

Now that is truly awesome! The stunning cakes were provided by Little Black Book member The Frosted Pumpkin Gourmet, Inc.

The yellow, black and white color palette has made a big splash in the wedding world, but none so grand as this!

What a warm and enticing wedding celebration this was. Just the perfect mix of sophistication, bubbly charm and a big dose of whimsy !

THANK YOU~ to Jesse & Whit and the whole OLOL team for sharing this day! And a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Jacqui & Lachlan !!

Be sure to visit the Our Labor of Love website and their blog for so many more gorgeous examples of the work!

A HUGE thank you to Jen and Andy for sharing their big day with us. I love the style and the total “chic” (yep, I am now using it as a noun) that you infused into your wedding, with approachable design and an all together gorgeous look. And can I just say that adding those fabric panels to the all white walls was GENIUS!

Wedding Shots by Ben Vigil and Stationery Shots by Dan Schultz

Last words from Jen…

We hung the escort cards from ribbons on a wood beam in the space. Behind it, a backlit panel of lime green fabric I bought (also on sale at Ikea). I used the same bolt of fabric to make elegant runners for our tables. And by elegant, I mean I ironed the hems with Witchery Stitchery. Simple, and done in an evening in front of the TV.

To fill our art gallery’s bare white walls, we created our own art pieces for the main space where our guests would eat and boogey. My best friend and I put our husbands’ handy charms to good use and they created five large, 3 x 8 ft panels from Styrofoam and wooden slats that we covered in (once again) the lime green fabric. We then spray mounted different sized paper doilies in a pretty little pattern and hung them in the main gallery. This ambitious project that our husbands joked was completely gratuitous and the epitome of why women shouldn’t be allowed to plan their own weddings was completely and eternally validated when one of my dearest and most artistic friends screamed into my ear over the horns of Love and Happiness, “Did you make those panels? I knew you did! They’ve got your name all over them!”

Stationery Shots by Dan Schultz

Looking back, it’s amazing to realize that my wedding would also guide my career. I was intent on making my own stationery, so my buddy and brilliant designer Chad Phillips helped me with the initial designs for my invitations and save the dates. We combined my new obsession, sparrows, with my color palette, slate gray and lime green. From there, my entire suite of escort cards, programs, rehearsal dinner invitations, and thank you cards were born. Not to mention my new business venture, Farewell Paperie, which I started with my business partner, Lisa Geubtner, just weeks after the wedding.

I was looking for what any bride wants, something different and something that felt like us and our event. Our designs not only set the tone for our modern wedding, but also left our friends and family saying, that’s perfect for you guys. We letterpressed our invitations and customized our envelopments with our unique pattern. My husband’s comedic touch? The reply cards offered guests the options: accept with pleasure, decline with regret, accept with regret, and decline with pleasure. The other pieces included new interpretations of our colors, custom designed patterns, and material likened to our venue for a cohesive suite that made each piece a new surprise for our guests.

* * *

LOVE!! The fun doesn’t end here though, we have a pretty awesome giveaway coming up next!

As I said before, this wedding is ALL about the pretty. The perfect little details that made the wedding absolutely lovely. The bright green against the stark white is shockingly perfect and with the elegance of the muted gray…perfection.

Wedding Shots by Ben Vigil and Stationery Shots by Dan Schultz

From Jen…

My good friend and baker extraordinaire, Jenny DeMartini of Sweet Cakes Atlanta, had yet to do cupcakes for a wedding. So when we told her we wanted them, and we wanted her to design them however she wanted, she came through with mini chocolate, buttercream and carrot cake masterpieces that perfectly captured the fresh, eclectic look of our décor. And, to my delight, sparrow cake toppers for our mini-cake. Our guests are still raving about the delish little suckers.

We brought in Geri Sims Productions to create a light, airy, fresh setting. The metal structure where we’d have the ceremony was rusty and weathered, so she softened it up with lots of billowing sheers and strings of crystal that hung from the trees above. We hung crisp white paper lanterns above white garden chairs.

Wedding Shots by Ben Vigil and Stationery Shots by Dan Schultz

Inside, the space was large and open, so we created little vignettes to make it feel comfortable and inviting. Since it was our gallery for the day, we lined the front walls with metal zip lines from Ikea and hung our tribute to our family members. So as guests enjoyed cocktail hour, they could mill around and look at pictures old and recent of the grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, siblings and cousins who helped make us who we are today.

Another cute touch…the save-the-dates were flipbooks, with little animated versions of jet-packing Andy and cartwheeling me pulling down a sign that read our date to be saved.

So much more to come!

On to the absolutely gorgeous ceremony which took place at the Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center. It’s simple, it’s elegant, it’s utterly beautiful…

photography by Ben Vigil

From Jen…

We found it very important to us that our ceremony be a lovely, thoughtful thing without any sense of manufactured wedding protocol. We asked a former teacher of ours to officiate, since he had known us both before we became a couple and we’d always been struck by his profoundly positive and truly appreciative outlook on his wife and family, who’d he also found while in portfolio school years before. He’d never done anything like it before, and took cues from his rabbi, which brought such a wonderful spirituality to the ceremony that we didn’t even know we’d want. Instead of readings or prayers, he had asked our closest loved ones for insights on what they thought made Andy and I special for each other, or what they thought made marriage so sacred, and read them to the crowd. It was a personal and truly inspirational collection of thoughts that we heard for the first time at the altar. Andy and I wrote our vows together, a list of promises we found most important and true to our marriage. As the sun set behind us, the trains barreled past, thoughts shared and honored, our guests laughed and teared up with us, and we became husband and wife.

Our flowers were simple green and white from our color palette. Kristin Hinkle Designs created beautiful personals for the bridal party and family. My bouquet was a gorgeous blend of green cymbidium orchids, hydrangeas and white jade roses (I think?). My bridesmaids had all-green bouquets of spider mums, jade roses and berries. Andy wore a white flower on his lapel, and his groomsmen wore green button mums.

Today we are featuring the loveliest wedding ever, filled with gorgeous DIY projects and a graphic designer’s touch. Loving every little bit of this wedding, from the chic color palette, a muted gray and a bright green, to the edited, modern elegant style.

photography by Ben Vigil

From Jen…

The moment I put on my Amy Kuschel dress, I loved it. But for three months after I bought it right off the rack, I was certain it was the wrong dress for me. Finally, one day at a red light, I blurted out, “I don’t think I like my dress!” Andy asked if I could return it, I told him that’s not how wedding dresses worked, he asked if I could figure out a way to learn to like it. It took me a few months, but the second I saw my husband trying on his classic tux, and I imagined that moment-after shot of us walking back down the aisle, the dress seemed perfect. Looking back, I love its simple glamour, and it let me have more fun with my jewelry and hair. I finished off the look with sassy magenta silk Nine West peep-toes I’d bought off the clearance rack. They didn’t go with anything, but I just liked them. My bridesmaids looked lovely in Melissa Sweet gowns, in different styles of gray chiffon, silk and satin. Two have already worn them again!

You are going to SO love today’s wedding. It’s the perfect combination of modern, traditional, DIY and all around gorgeousness. Jen and Andy tied the knot this past September at the Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center and together put on an affair that would make any guest jump for joy…

Wedding Shots by Ben Vigil and Stationery Shots by Dan Schultz

Jen is a graphic designer and owns the paper studio, Farewell Paperie (which was actually launched from the fun she had in designing her own invitations above) with her best friend Lisa, so you know this affair was ALL about the pretty. Here is a little background info from Jen…

I wish I could say that what my husband called my “Creative Superbowl” was the wedding I’d always dreamed of, but since I’d never given it much thought before, we pretty much had to make it up as we went along. We knew these things going into the planning process: I didn’t want a banquet hall, he wanted to wear a classic tux, and if I had to throw another party a week later, my bridesmaids would wear their dresses again. Oh, and I wanted it to be modern and fresh and completely different than any other wedding I’d been to.

My husband and I are both creatives in the advertising industry, so the pressure was on to come up with something that was unique and something “artsy” just like us. Luckily, my best friend and Matron of Honor, Meleah Brown, happened to be a professional wedding coordinator in Atlanta (her studio is called c’est la vie), so combining her resources with the creativity of us and our multi-talented friends, we were able to make our modest budget go a long way.

More on the way!

Jeff and Karyn Schwerzler sent us some of their newest cake designs and we had to share! These are just a few of the unbelievably artistic wedding cake creations that they specialize in at The Frosted Pumpkin Gourmet, located near Atlanta. Whether you’re planning your own Atlanta area wedding (or other special event!) … or you’re just looking for that perfect photo for your inspiration board, definitely take a look at more of their designs on their website.

I think my personal favorite is the orange one (top, left). But honestly, I love them all! Be sure and take a look at The Frosted Pumpkin Gourmet. {I hear they specialize in gingerbread creations … mmmm}

A few more pics and details from the gorgeous pink inspired Athens, Georgia wedding that we are featuring today!

From the beautiful bride, Ashley…

When I was planning my wedding I knew I wanted 2 things- for it to be outside and to have peonies!  We ended up having the most beautiful weather- 78 and sunny- in Georgia in the summer!  We chose the location because my husband and I both graduated from UGA, and thought it would be really fun for everyone to come back up for the wedding.  The Founders Garden is just one of those gems on campus- perfect for a wedding!  We were really going for the garden party theme with a few vintage touches (mostly with the centerpieces).  We hung lanterns in the trees and had lights strung across the courtyard.   I would have to say my favorite detail of the day was the flowers- they were absolutely perfect!

Thanks so much for sharing your day with us, Ashley! We are announcing our giveaway winners next, so definitely check back in a bit!

This next pink inspired real wedding is pretty and traditional, perfect in that sweet Southern style. It was held this past May at the Founders Memorial Garden in Athens, GA (on the UGA Campus)…

Bridesmaids dresses by Ann Taylor, Cake by Cecilia Villaveces Cakes, Insanely gorgeous photography by W. Scott Chester, Flowers by Gardenia Floral. And that beautiful wedding gown? It’s by Marisa.

Ashley, the stunning bride, has been sweet enough to share a few details of her day with us…stay tuned!

Our next pink inspired photographs are by the amazingly talented Whitney and Jesse of Our Labor of Love in Atlanta. The cupcake and the candy shots actually made me go out and buy doughnuts this morning!

I love the vivid pink from this color palette…strawberry pink paired with bubblegum pink paired with a more raspberry hue. It’s a shock of color but one that just works! Pink is a perfect color to use on a candy buffet because it’s so vivid. It really makes a statement better than the more muted candy tones that you sometimes see (other than white, of course, which is as pretty as it gets).

IF you are just checking in, we are talking to Danielle…an SMP reader who sent us the gorgeous details from her own real wedding!

From Danielle...

I knew the most important things to me when looking at my budget were location, pictures and food. I spent the majority of my money there and then really budgeted the rest. I knew I could have the wedding of my dreams if I just really put my mind to it and chose the right elements. I also wanted a wedding that was not the regular cookie cutter wedding – a wedding that exuded our love and our story. Very personal and fun!

All photos by Ray and Erica Tisdale at 35 Atlanta

I found my Maggie Sottero dress here at a local store in Atlanta and used Ann Taylor for the bridesmaid dresses. Ialso bought a gold cocktail dress to change into during the reception since we love to dance and I knew I could not move around in my princess dress! One of my bridesmaids made my chocolate brown programs and I worked with a local stationery shop for my save the dates and invitations. I knew I wanted to add small elements and details because to me that is what makes the difference but I knew with my budget I would have to get creative. I chose not to do favors and instead did inexpensive things like…

-HandPainted Signs leading guests to the ceremony site

-GuestTowels in all the bathrooms printed with a great quote

-SilverLunch Pails filled with guest necessities (Advil, Breath Mints, Band Aids, Hair Spray, Gum, etc) in all the bathrooms

-Chocolate brown bar napkins with our monogram

-Candle Monogram “C” on the dock

-Sparklers as we were leaving

I also knew that I could save money on my flowers since FWF offered such a beautiful, natural setting. My dream was to have peonies in my bouquet but they were out of season and it would have been excessively expensive to ship them in. Instead, I asked my florist to take carnations (I know, I know) and wire 3 or 4 of them together to make it look like a full, lush peony. It worked! We added hydrangea, roses and magnolia leaves to complete the look. I found some discarded burlap that we wrapped them in and I added beaded trim (that you use for pillows) around the burlap. It was the perfect mix of Montana Rustic and Southern Chic!

For the ceremony, I chose to use the backdrop of the oak tree and lake instead of overloading the area with flowers. We did use two large urns filled with tons of baby’s breath – they were breathtaking! I had gotten the idea from Martha Stewart Weddings years ago and it was a huge cost saver! We decorated the reception tables with burlap tablecloths that had a white topper. We chose inexpensive table arrangements so that I could save money. I used simple flowers, assorted nuts, and tons of candles. Candles always make the space look elegant and romantic! I also hung mason jars throughout the trees and shepherd hooks along the reception area. They were magical!

We have a few more brilliant details coming, so check back in a bit!

A bit more from Danielle’s gorgeous Rustic, Chic wedding…

All photos by Ray and Erica Tisdale at 35 Atlanta

Danielle has been sweet enough to share with us her Real Wedding Story…

We spent the 2004 Labor Day weekend with family and friends in Montana, where our family has a vacation house. I brought my newfound best friend, Melinda, and my brother, Cass, brought a few of his friends. Little did we all know that within six weeks of the trip, Lee Copeland (one of Cass’s best friends) and I would be dating, as well as Cass and Melinda. If you fast-forward a few years, I was in the midst of planning the wedding of my dreams with Lee, and Cass has just proposed to Melinda! We were going to be a great big family of best friends!

I plan weddings on the side and have looked at every bridal magazine since I was 5 years old. I had so many choices to make – what season, color, theme- there were too many options! I finally decided on an early fall wedding and the color palette of sage green, chocolate brown, and cream. I always wanted to have an outdoor wedding and reception but it was hard to find just the right place. We wanted an element of Montana throughout the wedding but did not know where we could find that in Georgia. Finally, my florist told me of the perfect place! Fair Weather Farms did not advertise (all by word of mouth) and was gorgeous! It is a 2000-acre private family farm located in Social Circle, GA. You drive down a long, curvy dirt road for about a mile before you get to the Lodge and Pavilion. The Lodge is a three story hand-pegged rustic beauty – all of the wood beams and floors were salvaged from a cotton gin out of North Carolina. When you step through the doors, you are looking at a 3-story glass window that overlooks the lake and 200-year-old oak tree where we would exchange our vows. You were surrounded by trees and rolling pastures – it was as if we had planted a little bit of the Montana Big Sky Country right here in Georgia!

We planned the ceremony for outside underneath the gorgeous old oak tree in front of the lake. Our reception took place outside and inside the screened pavilion that is adjacent to the Lodge. I wanted a Southern Rustic Chic theme using as much of the natural surroundings that we could AND I was on a budget!

To see how Danielle designed this perfect, budget friendly wedding…stay tuned!

You guys are in for such a treat today. I am madly in love (and although I throw that around quite often, I really do mean it) with this SMP reader’s wedding. Danielle and her husband were married on a gorgeous old farm in Georgia…

The pair were married underneath a 200 year Oak tree in front of a beautiful lake, in a stunning Rustic Chic style. Danielle was on a budget and STILL managed to pull off this lovely wedding. I have more pictures and brilliant details coming, so stay tuned!