Tennessee Weddings

When a wedding is this beautifully executed, it’s hard not to get lost in all of the pretty.  The gorgeous blooms from Cedarwood Weddings, the breathtaking Nashville setting, the amazing details sprinkled throughout… it’s mind-blowing.  But one read of this lovely bride’s heartwarming description and you’ll be thinking of one thing and one thing only.  Love.  The true love between two perfect-for-each-other people and the love a darling granddaughter has for her grandpa.  It’s a must-read story and a must-see wedding, all wrapped up in gorgeous images from Photographix.  See them all in the full gallery.

From the Bride… Shortly after Eric’s proposal, I received a congratulatory call from my grandfather asking that our wedding take place in a location where he could easily attend.  My grandfather is the kindest, most thoughtful man who I seldom get to see.   We knew honoring his request meant hosting a destination wedding in the South.  It was important for us to find a venue that reflected our laid back, low key personalities; a place where our family and close friends would feel relaxed and have fun.  Kind of like a backyard party, but with an elegant feel.  

We decided that Nashville would be the perfect place.  It offered the ideal Fall getaway for our guests.  When we found Cedarwood, we were instantly drawn to its Southern charm and natural beauty.  Every corner of the property offered something unique – a historic Antebellum home, cocktails in the barn, lake, nature preserve, rolling meadow, creek, and a pond on the front lawn.  Once I saw the Outdoor Cathedral (reclaimed gothic windows and pews) where our ceremony would take place, I was sold.  

I wanted our décor to be simple and understated – a rustic elegance that would not interfere with the natural beauty surrounding Cedarwood.   I chose a color palette of dreamy whites, creams, and silver with a touch of plum.  Since we were getting married in the Fall, we brought in hay bales and a fire pit to add a rustic flair and to warm our guests when the sun went down.  For our family and friends who had never been to Nashville before, we wanted to give them a ‘taste’ of southern culture.  Our signature drinks – Jack Daniels & Coke and shots of ‘Ole Smoky’ apple pie moonshine – were served in the barn and were a huge hit!  

A month before our big day, my grandfather took ill.  When it was clear that he was not going to be able to attend our wedding, he got very emotional.  My grandfather is a Godly man of strong faith.  We tied a ribbon around his tattered bible and had our ring bearer carry it down the aisle.  It was also important that I honor two special women in my life.  Attached to my bouquet were both of my grandmother’s wedding rings – which, when combined, symbolized a total of 138 years of marriage.   

When I realized our evening was coming to an end, I took a brief moment to step off the dance floor and take everything in.  It was such an amazing feeling to see everyone dancing, smiling, laughing, and singing.  I was in awe of the reception site – the soft light flickering in all directions from the chandeliers, candles, lanterns, and mason jars was breathtaking.  The Cedarwood design team had executed my vision to perfection.   It was magical.  

One of my most memorable moments centered around our first dance. Since Eric and I were getting married in Nashville, we thought it would be fun to take dance lessons to learn the two-step.  Admittedly, we are not the best dancers, but it was a great way to bond as a couple during the weeks leading up to our special day.  

[dotted]

Wedding Photography: Photographix | Wedding Venue: Historic Cedarwood in Nashville, Tennessee | Floral + Event Design: Cedarwood Weddings | Officiant: Rod Lilly | Caterer: A Dream Come True | Wedding Cake: Patty Cakes | Dessert: Pink Sugar Bowl | Ceremony Music: Rob Higginbotham + Rebecca Baumbach | Band: Nash Vegas All-Star Band | Invitations + Wedding Stationery: Designs in Paper | Transportation: FADDS Ultimate Trolley & Grand Avenue | Limousine: Reggie Slaughter from Nashville Wedding Cars | Wedding Dress: San Patrick via Arzelles Bridal | Alterations: Karen Hendrix | Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade | Bride’s Jewelry: BHLDN | Bridemaids’ Attire: Jim Hjelm via Arzelles Bridal | Men’s Attire: Street Tuxedo via Arzelles Bridal | Hair + Makeup: Artistry SPASALON

It’s no secret that we have an unabashed soft spot for rustic weddings around here. Whether it be mason jars all lined in a row, receptions infused with a family-style feel, or a pair of newlyweds stealing a kiss in the back of  pickup truck, it’s the rustic affairs done right that get us time and time again. And this intimate farm wedding, set in the heart of Tennessee is the latest object of our affection thanks to the spot-on design and styling by Cedarwood Weddings. It’s a celebration of the autumn season that Kristyn Hogan captured to a T, and you can click here for even more.

From the Bride…In the summer of 2008 I walked into my first tattoo shop with a friend of mine. His artist that day was a man named Tommy Ray Cornett. I remember thinking he had the prettiest eye color I’d ever seen. We exchanged the usual pleasantries, my friend got his tattoo, and we left.  Months later I ran into Tommy at an event. To my surprise, he remembered me!  He told me he was in the process of opening his own business and eventually asked for my number. Our first date was a week later and we’ve been inseparable ever since. “You two just seem to go together…..” is a phrase I often hear. There is usually a small sentiment of surprise in the person’s voice, but that’s ok. We do look like people from two different walks of life, but anyone who knows us would say we are very much on the same path. Tommy and I are alike in many ways. We are both artistic – he tattoos, paints, draws and carves intricate woodwork. I’m a graphic designer and love to sing, paint and craft. We are fortunate to be passionate about many of the same things in the world.  We love our families, we take pleasure in life’s small gifts, we volunteer with various animal rescues and both hope to have a family of our own in the near future.  Beyond all of that, the single most important thing we bring to each other’s life is balance. Tommy makes me more adventurous and I help keep him grounded. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the man I was meant to marry. Tommy is strong, kind, caring and because he brings out the best in me, I know I’ve chosen the best possible person to share life with.

Tommy and I wanted to be married in a simple ceremony with our closest friends and family. Our personal style is somewhere between vintage and country, and we wanted our wedding to have the charm of a small, quaint, countryside affair, with authentic style – something that would be equally  at home on a rural Irish farm or the Tennessee countryside.  Cedarwood is more than an event venue;  it’s a state of mind.  With the massive mature trees, bubbling creek, old barn and rolling meadows, the historic farm setting was perfect.  An outdoor fire, warming blankets, hot cider, and a ‘guest book’ wedding quilt made everyone feel welcome and warm. Our reception centered around a southern style farm to table menu and dessert buffet with our loved ones sitting a long rustic farm tables decorated with flowers and vegetables in shades of coral, russet, gold and green, earthenware pottery, crocks and lanterns. Everything had a wonderful vintage patina and although nothing ‘matched’ it was coordinated and timed perfectly.

I wore a strapless gown with a sweetheart neckline and full skirt.  Although technically it is a ‘ball gown’ style, I paired it with a handmade gray shawl from cashmere yarn.  Cedarwood designers created my bouquet with a mix of rustic flowers and berries that looked so natural. The result was perfect for me – elegant with earthy elements. Tommy wore a classic 3-piece Irish tweet suit, bowtie and driving cap.  He was so dapper – the epitome of country ease. Tommy and I have 2 dogs who are part of our family and we were able to have them participate in our wedding. Budcus (our boy) wore a little plaid bow tie and a sign that said “Here Comes the Bride” and Bella Boo (our girl) wore a white lace collar with flowers and a sign that said “You Two Just Go Together.”

The setting /location of your wedding is crucial. Don’t compromise a venue that’s perfect for a specific day – be flexible and you’ll have a lifetime of satisfaction with a wedding that’s totally ‘you.’  The Cedarwood team really understood our sense of style and pulled everything together so Tommy and I could concentrate on being with each other and enjoy every element of our day.

[dotted]

Wedding Photography: Kristyn Hogan | Wedding Venue: Historic Cedarwood | Floral Design, Décor + Styling: Cedarwood Weddings | Invitations and Paper Goods: Designs in Paper | Catering: Copper Kettle | Officiant: Ralph Griggs, Tennessee Wedding Minister

Tradition with a little sass is the perfect way to describe this affair. It’s as Southern as can be from the Riverwood Mansion backdrop to the elegant attire all wrapped up in a wildly beautiful wedding. On somewhat of a side-note  I’ve never met a feathered shoe I don’t adore and the adoration continues with those turquoise beauties worn by the Bride. And that is where you’ll find that aforementioned sass. Have a look at the dreamy images captured by Brandon Chesbro and then prepare to get lost in the gallery.

From the Bride…Ty and I were engaged inside Middle Bay Lighthouse in the center of Mobile Bay, Alabama, five months prior to our wedding day and wanted to find an equally romantic venue. We chose a plantation-style mansion to set the scene for our evening wedding. The ceremony was held outside of century-old Riverwood Mansion on a cooler day in late-July. Old oak trees and green leaves provided a frame and a barrier from Nashville. Guests were ushered into the outdoor ceremony by a string trio playing classical hymns, and were asked to sign a hand painted guest scroll artistically drawn by the Ty’s mom. With the scene set, my dad escorted me down the aisle to Be Thou My Vision in the first dress I ever tried on – a gorgeous silk and lace dress made by Paloma. The dress was accented by a floor length Italian lace veil handmade by my grandmother. My mom and her sister also wore the veil at their weddings. Bridesmaids looked stunning in knee length one-shoulder dresses in Seaside blue by Alfred Sung, accented by coral and white flowers. The men wore traditional black tuxes with coral boutineers. Ty’s father performed a sentimental ceremony at sunset before we entered the mansion for a cocktail-style reception, complete with a string trio, heavy hor d’vours and high top tables draped in cream linens. We toasted to our nuptials, and enjoyed a mint and gold colored cake. The wedding was elegant, intimate, and classic. We drove away in a 1947 Ford Coupe restored Ty’s grandfather, and landed at the historic Hermitage Hotel to complete our wonderful wedding day.

[dotted]

Wedding Photography: Brandon Chesbro | Wedding Venue: Riverwood Mansion in Nashville, Tennesse | Floral Design: Franklin Flowers and Gift Gallery | Cake + Hors d’oeuvres: A Catered Affair, Nashville | Wedding Dress: Paloma via Arzelles | Tuxes: Arzelles | Shoes: Bridal by Butter

You know what I love? When a wedding is handcrafted by family. It always shines through in the photographs of the day. The year of planning my own wedding was filled with so many great Mother-daughter moments spent crafting, antiquing and the like. And when I read the description from the Bride, Danica, it brought me right back to that time. Sure weddings are all about the beautiful details but they are more importantly about the love, and family and all those memories so beautifully captured by Jackie O Photography. See even more right here.

From the Bride…We could not be more thrilled with how our day turned out, and it simply could not have happened without all of our awesome friends, family and of course, VENDORS!  Matt and I got engaged over Memorial Day Weekend, so we were working with a limited timeframe, however, I will be the first to tell any bride that it IS possible to plan a wedding in under 6 months. In fact, in some ways it made it easier to make decisions!

Though we live in different states, my mom and I separately scoured flea markets, antique malls and ebay for vintage kitchen tins,  tools and vegetable cans to hold our flower arrangements that would serve as centerpieces.   I knew I wanted a rustic look for the dinner tables, and since the hubs is a seasoned gardner and I am an avid baker, I wanted to incorporate dried herbs and various kitchen tins.  I took the idea to my mom, presented her with all the vintage tins, tools and cans, and she brought the vision to life.  The result was, in my opinion, incredible! I spent months collecting vintage handkerchiefs that I wrapped around silverware to serve as dinner napkins at the reception. The splashes of color combined with the vintage centerpieces created a cozy, charming feel. In lieu of table numbers, I found vintage “cheeky” sheet music that we hung from small garden flag poles which sat in small rustic pots on each of the tables that were set up in long rows, for a family style dinner. Since I was a music major and both the hubs and I enjoy playing music, we thought this was a fun way to incorporate more of who we are into our day.

Our favors were one of my favorite parts of the reception. The hubs proposed to me out in his garden, and he had the ring in a seed packet. We wanted to incorporate this part of our story into our wedding day, so we purchased herb seeds for our guests and made garden markers out of vintage silver-plated butter knives to go with them. My mom and I searched high and low for all the knives, and my sweet dad hand stamped each letter into the knives to spell out the herb names. It took a village, but the end result was something special! We tried to find a balance between “sacred” and “fun.”  Our service was very traditional, but once we were pronounced “man and wife” our guests erupted in sound with the various noisemakers we had passed out before the ceremony.  My friends and I have never had a party where glow necklaces aren’t present, so when the dance floor was opened at our reception, all of the bridesmaids came around passing out necklaces for all our guests (who actually loved them)!

I wanted to honor the many family members who are no longer with us, or who were unable to attend the wedding. I did this in a few ways: My maternal grandmother and my paternal great Grandmother were two spitfire women with incredible love-stories whom I greatly admire.  Along with my dad, I wanted to have strong women going with me down the aisle, so I had my florist attach pictures of both of them to my bouquet. I wanted to create family “trees” to sit on either side our guestbook. My mom found various old branches and secured them in small rustic pots.  We collected old family wedding photos from both my and my husbands families, and hung them in frames from the branches.

From calligraphy, to a hand-bound wooden guestbook, we worked to involve as many local and/or independent artisans as possible.  Our dinner was from one of our favorite local restaurants. Our programs were put together via a designer I found on etsy. The grooms cake and invitation suites were done by co-workers of my husband who both freelance in their respective fields in addition to their day jobs. In the end everything came together quite well! One last note… my bridesmaids came from 4 different states to be a part of our day.  They all picked out their own dresses and I didn’t see them until the day of the ceremony. I had sent them paint chips of suggested shades of blue… but imagine all of our surprise when we found they had all chosen the exact same shades, and many the same styles!  Just goes to show how well things can work out if you let go of control and trust your friends!

[dotted]

Photography: Jackie O Photography | Floral Design: Katie Pollard | Event Planning + Design: Bride + Mother of the Bride + Front Porch Farms | Ceremony + Reception Location: Front Porch Farms | Invitations: April Maglothin | Cake: The Bake Shoppe | Groom’s Cake: Sweet Music Cakes | Catering: Calypso Cafe | Programs: Emily Weckesser | Guestbook: Michelle Skiba | Caligraphy: Esque Script Calligraphy by Molly Margaret | Dress: Pronovias Adela via The White Room | Shoes: 5/48 via Saks Off 5th

It probably comes as no surprise that I’m about as girly as they come. So when this photo shoot first popped across my screen, I couldn’t help but wish I could live inside it and never leave. I’m talking the fluffiest of florals, the dreamiest of dress, and a glass conservatory setting that puts a new spin on Parisian-inspired pretty. Social Graces Events infused the shoot with a subtle touch of Southern flair, and Annabella Charles captured it all behind the camera. Grab your coffee and get cozy in the full gallery right here.

From Social Graces Events….Our goal was to inspire brides to use alternative indoor event spaces such as this incredible glass conservatory.  It truly provided that warm, lush, and flowery feel that brings out the romantic in everyone! This inspiration shoot captured by Annabella Charles, showcases the talent of Haute Horticulture and her amazing counterpart, Everbloom Designs. Together we created a chic garden conservatory shoot. The nostalgic details were combined with a Parisian-inspired color palette of soft peaches, antique gold, and slate blue for a delicate and feminine impression. We chose to highlight this combination with some true Southern flair. From the charming bourbon bar to our rustic farm table we chose to incorporate a relaxed, yet elegant environment sure to awe any guest. Our model, Rebecca, shows a fun and playful side with her hand-crafted floral headpiece and necklace. Everything from the hand-lettered stationery to the dainty china played off these lovely elements, resulting in a dreamy garden escape.

[dotted]

Photography: Annabella Charles Photography | Event Planning: Social Graces Events | Venue + Catering: The Conservatory | Coordination: Suzanne Dement | Floral Design: Haute Horticulture | Stylist: Kristin Wolter | Stationary + Papergoods: Natalie Chang | Hair and Mua: Tricia Coble  | Lighting: Bright Event Productions | Cake : The Flour Garden  | Linens : La Tavola | Vintage Rentals: Propcellar | Dresses: Olia Zavozina Couture Designs + Liancarlo + Rivini via Maggie Louise | Headpieces + Belt: Hushed Commotion | Shoes: Charlotte Russe | Jewelry: Forever 21

I have a four year old. And every day it’s a tutu. And a sparkly cupcake necklace. And a giant pink flower for her hair. And really anything with glitter that we can get our hands on. So this perfectly girly, perfectly princess birthday party that the lovely team at Whimsical Gatherings put together? Well, it’s all of Audrey’s dreams come true. And maybe some of mine too. Captured by Dixie Pixel, this party is one that will most certainly go down in every little girls’ Greatest Day Ever history. And there is soooo much more pretty right here in the gallery.

From Whimsical Gatherings… The party was designed and hosted by Whimsical Gatherings floral & event design studio in Maryville, TN.  Our Owner and Creative Director Leah McCall has been surprising brides and event hosts with her swoon-worthy designs in excess of 11 years.  Leah’s daughter Madeline shares her Aug 19th birthday with Coco Chanel.  The cake was made by Magpies Bakery in Knoxville, TN and the graphic design details were by Jude Staunton from Knoxville, TN.

[dotted]

Photography: Dixie Pixel | Venue + Floral Design: Whimsical Gatherings | Event Design: Leah McCall | Cake: Magpies Bakery | Graphic Designs: Jude Staunton

Let me just start by saying this Tennessee wedding is about as cute as they come. It’s everything a southern wedding should be, plus more. The wide open spaces, the rustic chic barn, and the sweet as can be couple who couldn’t be more darling if they tried. Watson-Studios captured all the country cuteness and you can see every detail of the day right here.

From the bride…Brandon and I met four years ago at Auburn University where my two older brothers secretly plotted for their fraternity brother, Brandon, and I to meet. They have always very much approved of Brandon and since our first date at the Alabama state fair, we have been inseparable!

We fell in love with the beautiful property at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee and knew that from the quaint cottages to the out-of-this-world cuisine, the rustic yet luxurious resort in the Smoky Mountains was the perfect place for our destination wedding. I was inspired by my grandmother’s short vintage wedding gown and this simple idea set the theme for our wedding. We added fabulous florals, a bluegrass band and blackberry inspired cocktails like the blackberry bumpkin.
 
Our weekend started on Friday night with a rehearsal dinner under the stars on the main lawn and ended with a Sunday brunch. In between there was horseback riding, skeet shooting, and eating…. LOTS OF EATING! We served house made potato chips with paddlefish caviar and creme fraiche, crispy carolina gold rice fritters with black eyed pea hummus, singing brook cheese gougeres, guinea & dumplings and braised beef short ribs the night of our wedding. Our cake was a delicious classic white with a hint of almond buttercream; the design inspired by the dress. We picked the most perfect place on the property for the ceremony, the Yallerhammer Pavilion. The open air pavilion has the most perfect stone fireplace, wooden benches for seating, and a fabulous view of the mountains. We were so blessed to have had 115 of our closet friends and family together for the weekend, celebrating such a special time in our lives. Everything was perfect and Brandon and I wouldn’t have changed a thing!

[dotted]

Photography: Watson-Studios | Venue, Catering + Coordination: Blackberry Farm | Designer, Florals + Cake: Edgar’s Bakery | Invitations: Weddings Etc | Cinematography: TLC Weddings  | Ceremony Music: Special Notes | Reception Music: The Bearded Brides Gown: Justin Alexander via Something Blue Bridal Boutique | Bridesmaids Dresses: Jim Hjelm | Groom and Groomsmen Attire: Banana Republic

Today’s lineup of lovely continues with a Tennessee barn wedding infused with a sense of southern charm. Filled with cheery pops of coral and a touch of rustic whimsy, this wedding has all the right components for the perfect “I do” day. Glass Jar Photography captured all the sun-soaked images sitting pretty in the full gallery here.

From Glass Jar Photography… Sam flew to Egypt to propose to Danielle so they wanted to incorporate lots of Egyptian elements into their day and decor mixed with where they live in the south. Some neat ideas and details of the day were that they played “Rock, Paper, scissors” for who said their vows first, they had their own beer brewed and bottled for the reception and the walkway from the ceremony to the reception was lined with family wedding photos to make a love lineage.

[dotted]

Wedding Photography: Glass Jar Photography | Wedding Planning + Coordination: Sara Fried of Fete Nashville | Wedding Venue: Family Home outside Franklin, Tennessee | Floral Design: Always in Bloom | Catering: Jo’s Custom Cakes and Catering | Wedding Cake: French Confection | Invitations: Bride | Lighting: Nashville Event Lighting | Drapery: Blue Nova | DJ: Nashville Party Authority | Furniture and Rentals: Southern Events | Wedding Dress: Watters | Bride’s Shoes: Michael Kors

Four months to plan a budget-friendly wedding is not for the weak at heart. Let’s be honest, it took me that long just to decide on a pair of bridal shoes. But, rest assured, it is totally and completely doable. And even more so, it forces you to focus on the details that really matter – a heart-felt ceremony, images by Amanda Scott Photography that capture that emotion and all-in-all, a day that truly celebrates love. See all that love right here.

From the bride...Rob and I had originally planned to have a fall wedding, but after learning my sister would be out of the country for work on her grad school practicum, we moved our date up to May, giving us only 4 months to plan.  Due to our short engagement and a very tight budget, our friends and family played a huge part in making our wedding day so awesome. As our day was quickly approaching, our amazing group of friends from our church dedicated an entire evening to helping us cut paper vases out of old books to decorate reception tables, and helped us fill, decorate, and label jars of honey to give as guest favors.  To save money on flowers, I ordered fresh and dried lavender in bulk from California for the the reception decor and for the bridesmaid bouquets (which were assembled the morning of our wedding by two of my bridesmaids).  I also bought dusty miller and succulents at a local shop for the boutonnieres, and my brother and his fiancé assembled them the morning of our wedding as well.  My plethora of antique cameras and books I’ve collected over the years were used as centerpieces at our reception.  My sister did an awesome job on my hair for both the ceremony and reception, and my best friend did my makeup.

Rob and I wanted to have a laid back, casual, intimate wedding.  We tried to keep our guest count low by only inviting family and our closest friends.  As the guests were arriving, they were welcomed to our lemonade stand and to relax on the lawn as music played in the background.  The ceremony took place on the foundation of an old greenhouse as our wedding party and guests stood in a circle around us.  Just before Rob and I started dating, I mailed him a special letter that I had sealed with a wax seal.  Instead of a unity candle or sand ceremony, we decided to incorporate the wax seal again in our ceremony by writing our own vows, and after reciting them to each other, sealed them together with two different colors of wax. After the ceremony, guests entered the barn to find a biscuit bar with their choice of all kinds of southern toppings like apple butter, honey, and jam that they could enjoy as Rob and I were having pictures made.  We also wanted to do something a little different  post-dinner. Instead of having a DJ playing the usual wedding music tunes all night, we asked my brother, his fiancé, and my sister to teach our guests how to contra dance, which turned out to be so much fun.  Our getaway included (completely biodegradable!) Chinese lanterns and an awesome 1950’s MG Midget borrowed from a friend.

Our wedding day turned out to be so wonderful, but there are a handful of moments that I’ll always cherish the most.  The handkerchief wrapped around my bouquet was made from the bonnet I wore home from the hospital and the brooch pinned to the handkerchief was my grandmother’s. My grandfather, who was one of my very favorite people, and who passed away several years ago, gave it to her for their 35th anniversary.  It was nice to have a small part of him there with us.  I also love the memory of walking up the pathway with my dad to the ceremony as my uncle, friend, and brother played “Divide Me” by Kalai.  It’s such a beautiful acoustic song that fit the moment perfectly.  Directly after being announced as Mr. and Mrs. Feisley at the conclusion of our ceremony, Rob’s grandfather threw his arms in the air and shouted “YEEHAW!”  He had made the long trip down from Ohio for our wedding, even though he was very weak and battling cancer. Sadly, he passed away in September, but having him there will always be a special memory for us.  At the reception, the contra dance lessons turned out to be a bit more difficult than expected, which resulted in confusion, improvising, and lots and LOTS of laughs.  Some of our guests shot videos of the dancing, which were so much fun to watch. I laugh so hard I cry every time I watch them.  Lastly, as Rob and I were about to make our getaway, my dad pulled out his old classical guitar and surprised me by serenading me with a song he used to sing to me when I was a baby. Until that point in my life, I had hardly heard my dad play guitar, and never with accompanying vocals.  He isn’t much for performing, and I’m sure it was the first time he ever played in front of any type of audience.  I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Oh. my. goodness. Rob and I are truly blessed in so many ways, and our wedding day only proved that more.

[dotted]

Venue: The Fillauer Lake House | Main Photographer: Amanda Scott Photography | Ceremony Photographer: Imago Photography | Videographer: Cardboard Films | Bride’s Bouquet and Corsages: Grafe Studios | Lavender: River Oak Lavender | Wedding Cake: Sifted Bakery | Catering: Ray’s Catering | Invitations: Designed by bride, printed by Millers | Wedding Dress: Casablanca | Guy’s Suits: Express

From the moment I laid eyes on this backyard beauty, I knew we were in for something special. Not only because it was photographed by the talented Leslee Mitchell, but because finding a wedding of such exceptional elegance yet casual rusticity is an absolute rarity. And while I could go on for days about how much I adore all the vintage details and so lovingly envy that beautiful Bride, let me lead you to the full gallery for even more of this most gorgeous affair.

From the Bride… Choosing a venue for our wedding was easy. My parents have the perfect location right in their backyard, which created the perfect intimate setting. Adam and I wanted everything to be simple with a touch of vintage elegance, and most of all, laid back. It was just that. We were a little nervous about having an outdoor wedding because of the unpredictable Tennessee weather, but it turned out to be a gorgeous day. We thought about going with traditional fall colors and flowers, but we knew light and airy with a slight splash of color was more our style. The wedding party fit this theme effortlessly. Everyone chose their dress or suit and accessorized according to their own personal taste—including our dog, Hank.

My friends helped out with a few DIY projects to personalize our day. Mason jars were used as flower vases. Each one was wrapped with twine and lace. We borrowed antique lace linens from family and friends to use on the dinner tables. One of my favorite things was the candlelight. We wrapped wire around jars and hung them from the ceiling of the clear tent. The ambience was incredible. Everything I had dreamed about came to life, and it turned out to be even more perfect than I imagined.

From Leslee Mitchell… Caitlin and Adam’s wedding was the type of wedding where I found myself repeatedly looking at my watch because I did not want the night to end. Simply put, Caitlin was stunning. She was the centerpiece of this event and she dripped with elegance.
[dotted]

Wedding Photography: Leslee Mitchell / Wedding Venue: Bride’s Parents’ Home in Tennessee / Day-Of Wedding Coordination: Rebecca Welch + Heather Patton / Wedding Party Flowers: Flower Express / Ceremony + Reception Floral Design: Perri Piercey / Wedding Catering: A Dream Come True Events and Catering / Wedding Invitations: Twigs Print Studio / Ceremony Music: Lisa Vincent and Company / DJ: Nashville Party Authority / Reception Rentals: Liberty Party / Wedding Dress: Casablanca Bridal via The White Room / Bridesmaids’ Dresses + Jewelry: Various / Hair + Makeup: Tara Carver / Groomsmen’s Suits: Various / Men’s Ties: Tie Bar / Men’s Socks: Topman / Dog Bowtie: Silly Buddy

This wedding is right up my alley. Not kidding-I have already pinned a trillion of these photos from Watson-Studios to my inspiration board, and I want to seriously snag so many of these elements for my upcoming nuptials. Stacks of vintage china mixed with chandelier glamour make a killer combination and the result is an ingenious blend of  vintage chic. I am almost embarrassed to admit how long I spent in the gallery getting lost in these darling images.

From the Bride.. Peach and I met in the spring of 2005 at the University of Tennessee. If you asked Peach, he would say we met through mutual friends both being involved in the UT Athletics, he was on the football team and I was a majorette. However, our first real encounters were in a statistics class where Peach tutored me before finals, which then turned into a few dates after exams. From the moment I met him, I couldn’t get enough. His contagious personality won me over immediately and I couldn’t wait for the next time we could be together. We spent the next six and a half years falling in love, dancing the nights away and growing into two individuals truly meant to be together for a lifetime. In 2011, late Christmas eve, Peach made me the happiest person in the world when he proposed with the help of our puppy, Lucy. I had just finished wrapping gifts when Lucy approached me with the most beautiful ring tied around her collar. We were ecstatic to announce the news to our families and friends on Christmas Day. It was truly perfect–a Christmas I’ll never forget.

The planning process began immediately and after deciding on a wedding party, which consisted of 10 bridesmaids, 10 groomsmen, 4 ring bearers and the most precious flower girl, we knew there was no option but to have a wedding and a venue that could hold all of our families, friends and the people that had shaped us into the two individuals we are today. Our final guest list consisted of 420 people, so finding the ideal location was one of the hardest parts. After deciding on nearly ten locations, and then changing our minds, we stumbled upon what turned out to be absolutely perfect…Rarity Bay Country Club in Vonore, Tenn. Rarity Bay truly allowed us to create a one-of-a-kind wedding experience. We were married on the golf course with the Smoky Mountains behind us. We transformed the clubhouse and outdoors into a shabby chic meets French country getaway. Although the reception was held under a tent to help keep our guests comfortable, we also set up several “lounge areas” to provide a home-y and relaxing feel. We wanted the day to be something that just screamed our personalities and for our guests to leave saying “that was so Peach and Caroline”. From the hand-painted signs that my best friend and wedding planner created, to the beautiful flower arrangements, table settings, cakes, and just the overall look, it is entirely too hard to pick out a just a few favorites.

The most special were the details that were heirlooms of my family and friends- the curtains used on the arbor were handmade for my grandmother’s house, the dishes used to serve cake were collected from both of our families and dear friends, my garters were handmade by a long-time family friend, our cards from guests were held in one of my Grandmother’s old suitcases, one of my mother’s old hankies were sewn into my dress with 1 Solomon 3:4 embroidered on it, and I was able to wear my late-Grandmother’s wedding ring throughout the day as my “something old”, and my late-Papaw’s wedding band around my bouquet as my “something borrowed”. Peach has been my husband’s nickname since he was a little boy and is what he always goes by. I surprised him at the reception by serving Bellini’s during cocktail hour, affectionately named, “My Perfect Peach”. It was truly a day filled with so much love, and one that Peach and I will never forget.

Wedding Photography: Dan + Natalie Watson of Waston-Studios / Wedding Venue + Catering: Rarity Bay Country Club in Vonore, Tennessee / Wedding Planning: Alexandra Hansen / Wedding Design + Rentals: Jennifer Laraia Designs / Floral Design: Janet Hooper / Invitations: The Happy Envelope  / Band: The Downtown Band / Wedding Dress: Allure Bridals / Brides Earrings: Diana Warner / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Bridesmaids’ Robes: Plum Pretty Sugar / Bridesmaids’ Shoes: Off Broadway / Flower Girl Dress: The Princess and the Boutique / Ring Bearer Outfits: J.Crew

A breathtaking Houston affair, a drop-dead gorgeous BHLDN gown and a whole host of beautiful blooms from Floral Events (here’s looking at you, sweet, sweet bouquet)… is your heart pounding yet?  If not, then one look at the stunning images captured by Stefano Choi Photography and you won’t be able to escape it.  Because this is the kind of wedding that makes you sit back (in complete and total awe, mind you) and spend hours soaking it all in.  It’s just that good.  Oh, and the 100-year-old Crystal Ballroom? Awesome. Click here for so much more and stay tuned for a beautiful film from Sculpting With Time Productions below.

From Stefano Choi Photography… A classic elegant wedding and the bride DIY’ed the invitations, programs, guest seats all based off of a travel theme because they love to travel. She also wore a beautiful dress, veil and shoes by BHLDN. She chose the Holy Rosary Catholic Church and the Crystal Ballroom for the ceremony because they are both nearing their 100 year anniversaries and she thought it would be a great fit for her theme. The old school charm in these locations were a perfect fit for this. the images were captured on digital, 35mm & Medium Format film.

Photography: Stefano Choi Photography / Floral Design: Floral Events / Ceremony Venue: Church Holy Rosary / Reception Venue: The Crystal Ballroom at the Rice Lofts / Cinematography: Sculpting With Time Productions / Music: “Remember When” by Us & Our Daughters via The Music Bed / Cake: Who Made The Cake! / Wedding Dress, Veil & Shoes: BHLDN / Reception Band: Doppelgänger / Cocktail Hour Musicians: Houston String Quartet / Ceremony Musicians: Chamber Music Unlimited / Late Night Snack: Tacos-A-Go-Go / Hair & Makeup: Your Beautiful Face / Linen & Tableware Rental: Party Cloths / Printer: Workhorse Printmakers / Wedding Invitations & Programs: DIY by The Bride

It’s one thing to have a vintage chic wedding because it’s in style, but when you infuse personal heirlooms from your family dating back over 100 years, it means something totally different and oh-so-special. This gorgeous bride described her sentiment perfectly when she said that love is timeless. What a beautiful notion to carry throughout your big day. Katherine O’Brien captured this day in such a pretty way. Click here for so much more and then stay tuned for a sweet film from Waterloo Films below.

From the Bride… The reception following this ceremony will include many memorable heirlooms passed down from these family members. We have had the greatest time gathering these pieces and exchanging stories with our families. From one hundred year old doors to timeless china, we wanted to include them all when decorating for our big day. Although the items alone seem to fit our current interests or style, surrounding ourselves with them during this celebration reminds us of their memory and presence even more.

This interest has also taken us on a vintage hunt through numerous antique shops for the last year and a half. From hole in the wall shops in Geronimo, Texas to the famous annual Round Top event, we have been taken back in time through so many unique pieces with amazing stories. We came across a beautiful chandelier from Romanian newlyweds who just immigrated to Houston. Another family passed along a Victorian couch to make more room in their home for abused transfer students from overseas. Each piece has one story or another that we will always remember from this little antiquing adventure, which has now become an addiction.

Love is timeless, so we believe this timeless collection dresses up our day just right. We hope you enjoy.

Wedding Photography: Katherine O’Brien / Ceremony Location: Brookwood Community Church in Houston, Texas / Reception Location: Private Residence / Floral Design: Karen Plumlee / Wedding Cinematography: Waterloo Films / Bakery: Maureen’s Bakery / Decor: DIY by the Bride / Band: The Dopplegangers / Photobooth: Crown Photo Booth by Scott and Rebecca Light / Wedding Dress: Ivy & Aster / Bride’s shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bride’s Accessories: Ivy & Aster / Earrings + Veil: Unbridaled / Bridesmaid’s Attire: Amsale / Groom’s Attire: English Laundry

You always hear stories about brides who try on one gown – and know it’s the one. But almost all of them go on to savor the experience and try on a few more… just to be sure. Not this bride. This bride knew the moment she put her gown on that this was it. She simply knew. Just like she knew when she got engaged, there was no need for a long engagement. He was the one – it was time, and two short months later, they would marry. From the dreamy photography by Watson-Studios and the delightful bouquets from Mulberries, this Tennessee wedding is charming beyond belief. See the full gallery here.

From the Bride… Sam and I had been dating for over 4 years. When we decided to get married, we knew we didn’t want to have a long engagement.  We were engaged in June and set our wedding for August 25! We were so excited to lock in Natalie and Dan Watson as our photographers shortly after.  It all happened very fast! We both love the outdoors and knew we wanted to have our wedding outdoors, somewhere with a woodsy feeling.  After seeing the RT Lodge, we knew that was the place.  I did have a few things on my wish list, though, for my wedding…

1) my dream husband 2) my dream dress 3) great photography 4) our family at the wedding 5) as little stress as possible!

We decided to have a small, intimate wedding with family only.  Most of our immediate family were able to come, and our total attendance ended up being 22 (24 including the photographers)!  Having such few guests at the wedding allowed us to really slow down and enjoy the experience.  We didn’t have to rush around and say hello to everyone… we were able to have entire conversations with everyone and even enjoy the food made by  the RT Lodge. It was incredible!

As far as planning a wedding goes, I was a novice.  The RT Lodge pretty much covered every detail… all I had to do was send a few preferences about food, location of ceremony, etc and boom… it was done!  I enjoyed meeting with Samantha from Mulberries to pick out flowers and met with a local woman from Maryville who made our cake!  I ordered a few things from Etsy and Ellis (the RT Lodge wedding planner) took care of absolutely everything else!

Thanks to the small size of our wedding, our families were able to participate in the wedding.  We served communion to our guests after Sam and I took communion and then my dad and Sam’s dad prayed over us with our families surrounding us. It was an amazing experience! I can honestly say I had my dream wedding.  Every single moment was a blessing.  Our day was full of joy and fun and time with family, and there really was no stress.  Honest! I feel very blessed to have had such a wonderful experience and am grateful to all those who supported us and celebrated with us and helped the day be such a delight!

From Samantha of Mulberries… Sarah wanted a soft palette of light blue, green, and cream. She loved textural elements such as gray-green succulents, scabiosa pods, and touches of sword fern.  We agreed on tweedia, which is the small light blue star-shaped flower, to bring in a hint of blue. Green Dutch hydrangea, ivory garden roses, and pieris japonica completed the bouquet.  Sam’s boutonnière was one of my favorites – a combination of a small succulent, scabiosa pod, pieris japonica, touch of tweedia, and sword fern wrapped in burlap ribbon. 

Sarah had such a great relaxed attitude and was a joy to work with. She wanted simple elegance in a classy rustic setting, and the end result was a stress-free beautiful day, celebrated with only their closest friends and family. 

Wedding Photography: Watson-Studios / Wedding Venue + Catering + Planning: RT Lodge / Floral Design: Mulberries / Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal

Grab your morning cup of jo and snuggle in real close SMPers, because this wedding is so flippin’ adorable you’ll need time to cozy up with each pretty as can be picture from Brandon Chesbro. Each one. Because that’s when you’ll start to see all the perfectly whimsical, color-filled details dreamt up by this couple and the Bride’s sister (who also happens to be the talent behind Mary Crimmins Event Design). It’s image after image of pure loveliness, and it’s all waiting for you right here.

From the Bride… From the moment we started planning our wedding, Shawn and I knew that we wanted it to not only be special for us, but a blast for everyone else. My sister Mary offered to be my wedding coordinator/designer/Wonder Woman and she and I planned most everything. We wanted a unique wedding with lots of personal and whimsical touches and tons of color. The location was something we put a lot of thought into. We wanted it to feel intimate, relaxed, and like you were transported to some other place, so we ended up having it outside on a friend’s property which was absolutely perfect. Shawn is from Las Vegas and I’m from Nashville so we chose to make it both really Southern with touches of the desert mixed in. We added lots of succulents in to pay homage to the desert and lots of colorful soft flowers to stay true to my Nashville roots.

We got tons of ideas from Pinterest and blogs and ended up with most of the decorations being DIY. We spent hours constructing pinwheels and programs, painting baskets, and shopping at the flea market for antique colored glass and fabric. For seating at the ceremony we used hay bales covered with patterned colored fabric which really captured the laid back feel of the day. We brought out my sister’s vintage silver Airstream trailer to add something quirky.

The food and drinks were also important. We wanted delicious food that was also largely local and organic, something that’s really important to Shawn and I. The drinks were mixed by my sister Mary, and ended up being just what everyone needed to get up and dance to some awesome Jazz and Motown, which was one of our favorite things about the wedding.I absolutely loved how magical and special our ceremony ended up being and how much fun the reception was. Everyone really let loose and we had such a blast at the reception that we didn’t want to leave. If I could go back, I wouldn’t change a single detail. Everything was absolutely perfect and very true to Shawn and me as a couple. It felt like us.

Wedding Photography: Brandon Chesbro / Wedding Venue: Private Property of Katy Snow (615-485-9598) / Wedding Planning, Design + Stationery: Mary Crimmins Event Design / Floral Design: Lisa Jones of Garden Delights / Wedding Day Coordination: Treasured Weddings By Tonya / Catering: Martha Stamps Catering / Wedding Cake: Rachel Make My Cake!  / Reception Band: Tom Michael Jazz Ensemble + Zodlounge Music  / DJ: DJ egYpt (718djegypt813@gmail.com) / Rentals: Southern Events / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier via The Bride Room / Bride’s Jewelry: Bario-Neal  / Hair: Nathanael Gambino / Makeup: Dayle Lemon / Groom’s Shirt: Burberry / Groom’s Pants: W.R.K. via Nordstrom / Groom’s Shoes: Zara / Groom’s Tie: Otis James / Bride’s Rings: Lisbeth Jewelry + Walton’s Antique and Estate Jewelry / Groom’s Ring: The Bride’s Grandfather

The groom pronounced his wife “a planner” and we (the girls of SMP) found a kindred spirit. We love a well planned wedding, especially one SO beautiful you could curl up with it for days and days, so when the planner bride teamed up with Cedarwood Weddings to create a vintage, romantic soiree, well let’s just say there have been a few days of wedding cuddling on this side of the computer screen, all made possible by Jen & Chris Creed | Photographers, the talented team behind THIS pretty doozy of a gallery!

Click here to see the full image gallery!

From the bride … Chris and I met at a friend’s dinner party in Atlanta and were immediately drawn to each other. A week later I gushed about this meeting to my best friends over email telling them how much I liked him and how perfect it was all going. Little did I know that same email would be read by my Maid of Honor just two years later at our Rehearsal Dinner. While I screamed with laughter (and semi-embarrassment!) over my own words and every detail down to my punctuation and non-stop smiley faces, it was the perfect reminder of the evening we met, our instant connection and how our love transpired from that meeting to our engagement on a family ski trip.

The day after we got engaged I “stayed in sick” from the slopes but Chris knew better when he came back and I had purchased 3 wedding magazines, a wedding book planner and a cupcake. That same day I started learning all the wedding blogs and googling ideas. When I googled “rustic vintage Nashville wedding” and came across Cedarwood, I knew my search was done! We wanted two things in our wedding for our guests to have a great time and for it to feel like “us.” Cedarwood helped us do just that. They post details from all of their amazing weddings on their blog which is where I got a lot of ideas and inspiration on what I wanted for our day. My new last name, Wren, was also a great source of inspiration. From our invitations with a tree theme and a bird tag tying all the pieces together to “nest” style boutonnieres to the flower girl carrying a bird cage and mini bird ornaments as thank you favors so everyone got to enjoy “taking home a Wren,” I was always looking for details to tie that in.

Chris and I attended Pre-Marital counseling through our church (which I highly recommend!) and one of the greatest things we learned is our love languages. I learned that I show love through “acts of service” and I realized the entire wedding planning process was an act of service for me. I wanted everyone to feel included and special on our day. Your wedding is the only time in your life where you’ll have so many people together who you care about and who made you who you are. I wanted to show them all my love and gratitude with this amazing event and by involving everyone I could in our day. I’m fortunate to have two very special men in my life, my father and my step-father who came into my life when I was a teen. My dad walked me down the aisle and my step-father met us halfway to finish the walk together, symbolic of when he came into my life and both families giving me away together. My childhood best friend’s parents (whose house I spent every weekend at growing up) read a scripture during the ceremony. Later they showed me the bookmark that marked the page, one my friend and I had colored “Laura & Rachel BFF” at age 8. My sister read the other scripture and each bridesmaid finished by reading a different virtue in the verse. I enlisted the help of my grandmother to make our groom’s cake, Mamaw Fleming’s famous chocolate cake. I had each bridesmaid pick out their own bridesmaid dress style from Amsale because they’re each so amazing and beautiful in different ways. Everyone there was a special person in our lives and we were so grateful that they shared in our day and in our love story.

Our day was perfect in my eyes. It went by fast but I was “there” for every minute. I got to eat the dinner and cake, I got to see my dad swing my grandmother on the dance floor, I got to shake the band’s tambourine and dance with my husband down to the last song and most importantly I got to have fun and truly enjoy the night surrounded by all of the people I love the most.

From the Groom … I saw Laura Lee working on this post and told her not to stress too much, but then I remembered who she is. The one who’s family calls her the Christmas Nazi, the one who wants to plan every tailgate in the Grove down to every last detail, the one who was more worried about how everyone else would feel on her wedding day more so than how she would feel. That’s my wife. She puts all of herself into everything. And she truly put everything of herself into making our day spectacular. I knew how hard she was working all along but then seeing it all come together and hearing our friends and family comment on how amazing it was made me love and appreciate her hard work that much more.

It was fun, it was “us” and it was perfect. We couldn’t have asked for a better day.

Photography: Jen & Chris Creed | Photographers / Venue, Invitations, Planning, Design, & Florals: Cedarwood Weddings / Venue: Historic Cedarwood / Dress: Jim Hjelm / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale / Music: Nashvegas All Stars / Flower Girl Dress: Tea Princess

Day after day we fall in love with the sweetest details from all kinds of weddings. We’re constantly falling for dreamy gowns, luxe florals, delish cakes, and handmade centerpieces. But as much as we love the pretty deets, we love the couples even more. The SMP couple is amazingly sweet, adorably in love, and is usually full of so much wedding know-how. Like these two lovebirds. Married at Historic Cedarwood, their wedding – as seen by Lotus Blossom Photography – was a true reflection of the “them” we got to know in the bride’s sweet write up below. Click here to see more!

Click here to see the full image gallery!

During college, I spent a semester studying abroad in Florence, Italy. While it was hard to spend four months apart from my future husband, seeing brides take photos in the Piazza del Duomo and being surrounded by the rolling hills of Tuscany made it the perfect opportunity to start wedding planning (I did not let the fact that Adam and I had only been officially dating for few months slow me down). My roommates and I spent our afternoons selecting our dream engagement rings from the jewelry stores on the Ponte Vecchio and browsing bridal gown websites while sipping wine on the balcony. A few years later, with a real-life dream ring on my left hand, it was time to turn my Italian daydreaming into reality.

While Florence is remarkable, there was another city that we turned to inspiration for our wedding day. When I moved to Tennessee for college, I fell in love. Not only with the man I would marry six years later, but also with the epic beauty and irresistible southern charm of Nashville. To me, the city is filled with friendly people, country style, and memories of falling in love. So when the time came to plan our wedding, we knew Nashville was going to play an important role.

My design choices were driven by a desire to capture the rustic wonder of Tennessee and share it with our family and friends. When we first stepped onto the property of Historic Cedarwood, we were smitten. The classic red barn and stunning landscape offered the perfect setting to begin our marriage, and I was jumping at the opportunity to combine the staff’s style expertise with my overflowing list of ideas for personal touches. I spent my weekends either working on DIY projects or browsing local flea markets and antique stores for inspiration. I collected crocheted doilies to top our hand-sewn floral table runners, and mismatched antique dessert plates on which to serve our pink ombre cake. I spent months daydreaming, weeks shopping, days designing invitations, and hours embossing programs, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Despite the burn mark on our dining room table from ironing our hand embroidered save-the-date handkerchiefs, and the pin-pricks on my fingers from sewing our escort card pennants, it was all worth it.

With green gingham accents, strawberries and sugar on the tables, and burlap favor bags filled with cornbread and jam, our wedding offered sweet country charm while maintaining our “bright and happy” color scheme. I carry with me a plethora of beautiful memories. I can still feel the lace of my gown as my sisters zipped me in, hear the notes of our first dance song, and taste the mini ice cream sandwiches at our reception. I thought it would be hard to decide my favorite part, but looking back on the magic of the day, it is not hard at all. The best part is carrying these memories as a married woman, as a wife to the man of my dreams.

Photography: Lotus Blossom Photography / Floral & Event Design: Cedarwood Weddings / Ceremony & Reception Location: Historic Cedarwood / Save the Dates: Designed and made by the Bride / Invitations: Designed and illustrated by the Bride, printed by CatPrint / Vintage Stamps for Invitations: The Paper Nickel / Dress: Vera Wang, Dinah / Shoes: Elise in Old Gold by Kate Spade / Necklace: Break of Day Necklace from BHLDN / Headpiece: Fanciful Fields Halo from BHLDN / Bridesmaids Dresses: Kate Spade Jillian Dress in Desert Rose / Bridesmaids Gloves: Veranda Wrist Gloves from BHLDN / Bridesmaids Shoes: Me Too Sadie Wedge Sandal from Nordstrom / Groom and Groomsmen Tuxes: Black by VeraWang from Men’s Wearhouse / Groomsmen Ties: Green Diamonds Tie from The Tie Bar / Bridal and Bridesmaids Hair: Trim Classic Barber & Legendary Beauty / Bridal and Bridesmaids Makeup: BBC Salon / Fur Bolero for Exit: Arctic Hare Bolero from BHLDN / Ice Cream Sandwich Cart: The Sugar Wagon

Three magical, little words. Three words that when by themselves mean nothing, but when strung together + placed inside Historic Cedarwood, are magical. English Country Garden. When Cedarwood Weddings worked with a gorgeous couple to create a wedding with an English Country Garden ambiance, they were making pure, beautiful magic – worthy of Rachel Moore Photography‘s well loved lens. It’s a soiree you won’t want to miss every single detail of, and luckily, they are all sitting pretty in the full image gallery!

Click here to see the full image gallery!

Andrew and I met when we were both living in Nashville. We had a connection because we are both originally from North Carolina. And as Providence would have it, Candace was the first person Andrew met in Nashville from NC.

We fell in love with Cedarwood before we even visited. Looking at photographs of every wedding – particularly the absolutely gorgeous flowers and beautiful outdoor setting drew us to Cedarwood. Candace was ready to put down a deposit without seeing it! In addition, it was nice having so many fantastic vendors to collaborate with and not having to scout ones out on our own. All the vendors Cedarwood provided and recommended exceeded our expectations.

At the same time, we felt like our wedding was so “us” because we had the flexibility to add our special touches and incorporate our ideas, like: soft, romantic flowers and lace decor to create our “english country garden” fantasy. At the reception we created a special wine bar area to display and serve wine that my father had collected for over 15 years. The bride’s veil was handcrafted by a family friend from vintage lace purchased by the bride’s maternal grandmother in Venice. The groom’s bowtie was custom-made and hand-painted by Nashville artisan Otis James. It was black satin with “Carolina blue” polka dots. Southern touches include a Chapel Hil “Old Well” groom’s cake, home made cheese straws at all the bars and bluegrass music at cocktail hour.

Three adjectives that describe the day are: Lace, love and laugher – all of which surrounded us on our wedding day. It was romantic, dreamy and beautiful. Our favorite detail of the day, besides the beautiful flowers, was the wine bar because it was very personal and special.

Photographer: Rachel Moore Photography / Venue: Historic Cedarwood / Floral Design: Cedarwood Weddings / Event Design + Planning: Cedarwood Weddings / Invitations: Crane & Co., The Cottage Shop / Bride’s Dress: Paloma Blanca from Arzelle’s / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Save the dates, table numbers, seating chart and menus: Designed and DIYed by bride / Wedding Cake and Groom’s Cake: Patty Cakes / Catering: A Dream Come True Catering / Ceremony Music: Nashville String Trio / Officiant: Ralph Griggs / Cocktail Hour Music: Bluegrass duet from The 23 String Band

If there were ever a wedding MADE for Nashville, this is it. It’s pretty and romantic and oh so southern, but it’s still rustic enough for the hunter groom – whose cowboy boots didn’t look at all out of place. Of course, we would expect nothing short of wedded brilliance from Cedarwood Weddings, and wedded brilliance is what we got judging by Evan Baines Photography‘s stunning images. An entire gallery – five pages deep – full of brilliance!

Click here to see the full image gallery!

Back in 2007, Jeff’s roommate from Mississippi was dating one of my roommates from Vanderbilt. The whole group started hanging out together but Jeff was on the quieter side so it took me a little bit to warm up to him. But once I saw his dance moves, I was sold! We were from two completely different upbringings; mine the Midwest suburbs of Cleveland, OH and him, the southern country of Meridian, MS. However, we realized that are close-knit family units and underlying values were very similar. Since then, I have introduced him to a lot of different cities in the US (and all of their golf courses) and taught him about the love and passion (and agony!) of professional sports teams. And Jeff has taught me that I have to be quiet when hunting deer and invisible when hunting turkeys. Oh, and it’s not correct to pronounce the “g” on “huntin.”

After dating for 4 years, marriage was definitely in the discussion. With an impending weekend seeing my parents, I had an idea something may be coming soon. But on the Tuesday before I left, I arrived home with take-out Panera dinner to a very relaxed and non-chalant Jeff and decided it wasn’t happening this evening. We ate dinner like nothing out of the ordinary until I (finally!) walked into my bedroom to see a dozen pink roses and something sparkly in the middle of one. Very confused and shocked, I turned around to see Jeff on one knee asking to marry him! I later discovered he had not only asked my dad for my hand in marriage, but he also consulted with my grandfather and my older brother, all the important men in my life!

I am a girly girl and Jeff is a rugged outdoor hunter and fisherman. It was really important to me to pick a venue that I loved and he would feel comfortable in as well. He is not suited for a blacktie hotel ballroom! My mother and I searched and searched around Nashville and nothing was perfect until we pulled into Cedarwood’s parking lot. We just looked at each other and said, “This is it!!”. It was the perfect combination of romantic elegance and rustic charm. When I brought Jeff back for his approval, he heard a turkey gobbling in the distance and knew that was a great sign! I felt Jeff and I can pretty much be summed up by our wedding shoe choices, I wore gold sparkly Jimmy Choos and he wore black ostrich cowboy boots. Cedarwood captured that juxtaposition perfectly!

Our inspiration was soft romance with touches of rustic, natural elements. I used light pink, blush, and ivory for most of decorations and incorporated dark wood chairs, burlap, and black lanterns for the balance. For the soft, romantic elements, my bridesmaids wore baby pink chiffon dresses and my lace dress had chiffon ruffles on the bottom to add to the softness. I think the two best indications of our inspiration were our table settings that had ivory table cloths, burlap runners, light pink peonies, and dark Fruitwood chairs. And our pink and white ruffled wedding cake sat on top of a real slice of wood! My biggest inspiration was from Cedarwood’s own website and Style Me Pretty. I loved all of their gorgeous outdoor weddings that both posted. Jeff can attest that I became obsessed checking both websites for updates! It was the highlight of my day.

Jeff comes from a Christian family and I come from a mix between Judiasm and Christianity. We wanted a ceremony that wasn’t necessarily religious but included our love and faith of God. We stood under a Chuppah, the Jewish symbol for a new home that we will build together, and draped across the top of it was my late grandfather’s tallis, or prayer shawl. I had lace from my mother’s wedding dress wrapped around my bouquet and I carried the same bible down the aisle that she, and my cousins, carried on their wedding day. The diamond in my engagement ring was a gift from Jeff’s late grandmother to his grandfather, so it is especially meaningful to his family. My pearl bracelet that I wore was my “something old” from my grandmother and my garter was “something borrowed” from my best friend and Matron of honor. She also had a blue dress tag sewn into my dress with our wedding date monogrammed for my “something blue”. One other fun element was our recessional back down the aisle was to Jimmy Cliff’s song, “I can See Clearly Now”, the same song that my parents walked down the aisle to 35 years ago!

Photographer: Evan Baines Photography / Wedding Venue: Historic Cedarwood / Flowers and Decor, event styling, planning, and directing: Cedarwood Weddings / Hair: Brea and Melanie from Salon FX / Makeup: Meredith from Private Edition / Bride’s gown: Paloma Blanca from Arzelle’s Bridal Boutique / Bride’s shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaids dresses: Ivy and Aster from Bella Bridesmaid / Groom and Groomsmen suits and ties: Jos. A. Bank / Groom’s boots: Lucchese / Caterer: Copper Kettle / Entertainment/Music: Burning Las Vegas, booked by Liza at Prime Source Entertainment / Jewelry: Schreibman Jewelers / Invitations: The Lettered Olive by The Dotted Line / Save the Dates and Programs: DIY by bride’s mother and cousin / Other paper goods: Designs in Paper / Rentals/linens: Cedarwood

Brandon Chesbro is serving up a southern soiree this morning that is just the perfect combination of sweet and spunk. Think darling DIY details meets old jailhouse reception wrapped up with a couple that has southern style down to a science. It’s bow tie-wearing ring bearers and flower girls in tutus. It’s a classic gown with a touch of turquoise. It’s all of that and then some, and it’s all sitting pretty right here.

From the Bride… On the day Adam proposed, I knew I wanted to get married in Nashville. Adam grew up there, I fell in love on my first visit — not only with the city, but more deeply with the man who is now my husband. I initially thought I wanted a farm wedding, completely rustic with lots of handmade details. Upon visiting numerous venues, however, my vision took new shape — we ended up getting married in a Gothic chapel, and our reception took place in what was once the town jailhouse! Despite this shift in vision, and despite living in Orlando, the planning process was stress-free and a true treat. I kept some of my initial inspiration to bring warmth to both of our venues. The textures found in the chapel and reception site are rich and elegant, including slate, brick and wood. With that, I chose details of burlap, lavender, mint green and gold glitter to add personality and a bit of fun to our wedding. Serving southern fare and locally-sourced drinks helped our guests feel at home at the reception.

Both the ceremony and reception had many DIY elements, and I love the personal touch they added to this special occasion. I made my bridesmaids’ jewelry and added lace to their dresses that matched mine! The ceremony featured felt mustaches for our guests to hold while my dad walked me down the aisle to ensure my mascara didn’t run! For the reception, I wrapped mason jars in yarn and twine and covered some in gold glitter. My mom made burlap table runners that I topped with vintage doilies. For the guest favors, I made splatter paint paper cones to scoop up “Jordan Almonds” and “Adam’s Apple Chips,” and the accompanying coffee cups had been stamped with our J&A logo. I also made banners out of nine-inch, turquoise fringe with gold, glittery letters. I re-purposed frames, windows and mirrors as chalkboards and scattered them throughout the house to direct our guests. These elements, along with our wonderful family and friends, made the wedding completely “us” and a day we’ll never forget!

In addition to a traditional guest book, we asked our guests to bookmark our Bible. We made little tags that each guest could write their chosen scripture and names on, then place in the appropriate spot in the Bible provided. It has been such a blessing to read these together and glean wisdom from the people who witnessed our commitment to one another! The BEST decision I made was to bring a pair of heels specifically for the reception. I ordered them from a ballroom dancing website, so they’re actually meant to be danced in. They were a comfortable, flexible, covered in gold glitter and an overall lifesaver! And I didn’t know it when I picked it out, but choosing a wedding gown that is durable is key if you’re a bride who likes to boogie! My gown was made of taffeta, which allowed it to be stepped on during dances and dragged through tall grass during photos without a single worry. I even had my bridesmaids cut the innermost layer out of it when we got to the reception. Hey, I was hot and didn’t want that unnecessary layer bringin’ me down!

Wedding Photography: Brandon Chesbro / Ceremony: Wightman Chapel at the Scarritt-Bennett Center in Nashville, Tennessee / Reception: McConnell House in Nashville, Tennessee / Floral Design: Lauren Atkinson / Catering: Red Pony Catering / Cupcakes: The Cupcake Collection / Topper Cake: Whole Foods / Wedding Invitation + Program Design: Greg Perkins of The RAM Project / Letterpress Printing: Mama’s Sauce / Wedding Dress: Watters / Hair + Makeup: Dion’s South / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Banana Republic / Groom’s Suit: Banana Republic / Groomsmen’s Attire: J.Crew