Tennessee Weddings

This Nashville wedding from Brocade Designs was inspired by Mississippi charm (where this great couple met and fell in love), and all I can say is that if this is what southern hospitality is like, count me in! One word can sum up this charmer of a soiree: fun. Any bride who has her blue suede shoes on is ready to have a good time. It was definitely the personal touches the couple incorporated into the day that made it so unique. Though there were flowers everywhere, no two arrangements were the same. And that is what takes this vintage chic wedding to a whole new level. Check out the gallery for even more!

From the beautiful bride… Dan and I met in Greenwood, Mississippi, a small town of amazing food and that southern hospitality that you only read about. I was hooked the night I met him. He was an Atlanta Boy; I was born and raised in Indiana. And Greenwood was where we fell in love. After graduating college, I moved to the closest big city to Greenwood where I could find a job, just south of Nashville. Dan moved up a year later. When Dan proposed in late March, we knew that another year was too long to wait. So the date was set for October 2. Six months is not that long!

I quickly realized that our wedding was a celebration of the two of us and our new lives together. So the overall theme of the wedding became things we enjoyed together: birds, books, history, and the outdoors. All of that wrapped up with that southern charm we discovered in Mississippi. I decided I wanted to keep my dress and accessories classic. The birdcage veil was a must. I found a crystal encrusted birdcage veil, and it was beautiful, just the right amount of sparkle. I found a fascinator by VelvetOwl on Etsy that I attached to the comb of the veil to make it my own. I originally wanted a tea-length dress, but after trying on this one, I knew it was mine. No sparkle, just folds; Simple, Classic, beautiful.

We wanted to keep the ceremony sacred. With minimal decorations, we kept the focus on our vows. But the ceremony programs, kids programs, and our bouquets were enough to set the scene. After the wedding was over, I had people requesting copies of the Kids programs to take home!  I wanted my bouquet to look like it had been freshly picked from the field. Hillary, the florist, twisted copper wire into a waterfall of vines that gave it that ‘wow’ factor I had wanted. The bridesmaid’s were equally amazing. Some even had little birds incorporated into them! The groomsmen’s boutonnieres were all brilliant. Dan’s had a little bird on a nest with an antique key dangling from it. Having a smaller budget was tough when it came to flowers, but Hillary was able to do a lot with nothing. I just had a color scheme and a general look that I wanted. She did an amazing job. There were flowers everywhere, and no two arrangements were alike!

I’m crafty. From day one I knew (despite the advice of everyone I know) that I had to make everything that I could. Luckily I found a florist who shared the same vision and craftiness as me. Everything from the invitations and programs, to little paper details and cloth napkins, were all handmade. It helped keep everything personal. The decor was very eclectic which was great for a smaller budget! Searching for decor became a great adventure. Garage sales, flea markets, Etsy, and Ebay became my focus.

I had several great compliments that evening. Some of the kids said that they didn’t know a wedding could be so ‘cool’. A friend of mine said it was like he had stepped into my imagination for a few hours. And Dan said it was perfect. It was definitely the wedding I had always dreamed of.

Photography: Arlund Imagery / Event Design: Brocade Designs / Linens: Bride & Family and Brocade Designs/ Ceremony Location: Church of the Good Sheperd, Brentwood TN / Reception Location: Cool Springs House / Dress: Marisa Bridals from Faccio Bridal / Shoes: Cindy Lou / Videographer: Dynamic Video Weddings / Stationery: PhrenicCircus

It’s Wednesday morning which means we have a FULL day of pretty weddings up our sleeves – everything from rooftop soirees to backyard shindigs and maybe even a ranch wedding or two. There’s nothing like a mid-week pretty fest to get the blood pumping. And if the sneak peak of images makes your heart pitter-patter, just click on the gallery to see the whole wedding and a lot more pitter-pattering.

We are going to start things off in Tennessee and to say we have a major crush on this rooftop wedding is a total understatement. The second you throw a skyline view and dining alfresco into the mix, everything just seems a bit more fabulous. Kate Murphy was the genius behind the lens and captured many a great moment of this Nashville beauty. Crushing too? You can find the FULL wedding in the gallery.

Click here to see the full wedding!

The boots, the cafe lights, the lovely wild flowers – oh how we love a good country shindig. Especially one designed so perfectly by Williamson County Weddings & Events. It’s a little bit country, a little bit chic and a whole lot of lovely. Be sure to stop by the gallery for more Tennessee details all captured by The Photographix.

feeling a little bit country…find more inspiration here!

As a wedding planner, I am blessed to witness many couples exchange vows on their wedding day. But I rarely get to see the proposal. Surprisingly, I was introduced to Tessa and Chase through a dramatic proposal video a friend sent me. It showed one of Rihanna’s dancers bringing his girlfriend on stage during a set break for a surprise proposal in front of thousands of screaming fans. Now that is a story to share with your grandkids! Little did I know that only a few days later I would meet the happy couple in person and we would begin a whirlwind race to craft their romantic country wedding together in their hometown of Franklin, TN. The couple had a short window of time between tour dates to get married and we wasted no time selecting a natural color palette with tons of rustic, vintage details that perfectly accented the couple’s style.

On a beautiful October afternoon, the couple was married on a hill overlooking the rolling Tennessee country side. Guests were seated on hay bales and warmed by the setting sun as Tessa and Chase became husband and wife. Wildflowers, lace and burlap were used to provide a soft but rustic look for the reception. Vintage books added color and texture and silver mercury glass gave a soft candlelit glow to the tabletops while string lights illuminated the dance floor. There was a bit of a chill in the air that night, but the guests never noticed as DJ Kevin Perryman kept the dance floor packed all night. The evening concluded with a grand exit as guests lined the path with sparklers and cheered on the happy couple.

Photography: The Photographix / Flowers: Provided by friends of the family / Event Planning: CJ Dickson for Williamson County Weddings & Events / Ceremony & Reception Location: Southall Eden, Franklin, TN / Invitations: Southall Eden Paperie / Shoes: Aldo / Dress: Watters Bride / Bridesmaids: J.Crew

We are all getting a little weary of winter and looking forward to sunnier days and warmer weddings.  Souder Photography has made the transition into Spring a little easier for all of us with a darling photo shoot full of blueberries and lace.  Vintage My Wedding + Southall Eden put together the sweet, delicate vintage details perfect for those of us feeling the cabin fever kickin’ in.  The full wedding gallery is bursting with inspiration for a late-winter, early-spring or any-time-of-year wedding!

Click here for more springy inspiration in the full gallery!

Super fun shoot with one of the most beautiful couples we’ve seen on any blog in a long time.  We thought the idea of Blueberry + Lace is a nice transition from winter to an upcoming spring. With the lace and bright blue and white colors, you hint at winter, but with the blueberries and the gorgeous flowers everywhere, you can almost smell and taste spring in the air. Vintage My Wedding has everything a bride could ever want if she has been saying just that… someone please VINTAGE MY WEDDING! The Bride Room pulled through again with an amazing dress. They are Nashville’s best place to get a dress. Period. Southall Eden is one of the prettiest venues we’ve ever seen, hence why we actually got married there back in September. It’s a paperie making one of kind invitations everyday, and lending a hand with styling the actual weddings that happen there. Shannon at Southall Eden really helped this shoot out in a big way. Yay!

Photography: Souder Photography / Dress: Monique Lhuillier from The Bride Room / Design: Vintage My Wedding and Southall Eden / Flowers: Chase Rivers / Invitation: Southall Eden Paperie / Desserts: Dulce Desserts

This Tennessee wedding is completely filled to the brim with warm and cozy details perfect for a winter wedding. Good thing because this was an outdoor affair in the countryside of Nashville so keeping guests comfy and warm was key. We are talking everything from hot cider and blankets to smores and dancing, all wrapped up in a really pretty package. Does it get more romantic? And the photographs from Katherine Holly are the lovely bow on top. Be sure to stop by the gallery for more of this cold weather soiree.

Find all of the goodness in one pretty spot!

The final day before the first snow flurries of the season, Seth and Amy wed outdoors at Front Porch Farms in the rolling hill country outside of Nashville, Tennessee. It was stunning. Kathy, the owner of FPF and the wedding planner, made sure the chilly weather wouldn’t be an issue. Their guests were welcomed with hot cider and blankets to keep warm throughout the ceremony. Afterward, they enjoyed an evening under an outdoor pavilion that was prepped for the cold with heaters, soup, smores, hot cocoa, dancing, and more… all of the details put into the day were incredibly well thought through, and most of all, Amy and Seth became one…so overwhelmed with excitement and joy, they committed to one another till death do they part.

Photography: Katherine Holly Photography / Flowers: Catherine Clement  / Event Design and Planning: Kathy Best, owner of Front Porch Farms / Ceremony Location: Front Porch Farms / Invitations: Seth Kiehl

Another cute, cute, CUTE proposal film! From Jeffrey at FullFrame Digital Cinema: Tori & Ben’s Proposal …

“This was our second proposal to capture and we wish people would allow us to do it more, it’s such a cool moment! Ben and Tori’s engagement story begins with Tori taking a shopping trip out with some friends earlier in the day. While she was out, Ben got together his band mates and began to set up their gear and sound system in Tori’s backyard, which is a huge field. They practiced for a few hours and were ready as she rode up to where they were. As she exited the car, Ben began to play “Something” by George Harrison just as the sun began to set. When he was through, he got down on one knee and popped the question! Now we can’t wait to film their wedding!”

Ben + Tori :: The Proposal from Jeffrey Holland :: FFDC on Vimeo.

SoOoOoo SWEET!

Ben and Tori are planning their September 2011 wedding in the same place he proposed, the large field in her backyard in Mount Juliet, Tennessee!

See more of FullFrame Cinema’s terrific films work on their website!

images courtesy of Kate Byars Photography

Okay kids. New favorite wedding alert. BIG time. This drop dead gorgeous bride approached her day with SUCH charm, such sweet style and personality, you can’t help but fall in love. You can just tell that every detail was thoughtfully crafted and lovingly designed so that the wedding really told a story about the bride and the groom’s personality. And when I say that this wedding is a new favorite, it definitely has a lot to do with the killer style of the day. But even more to do with the unbelievable story that followed. Curious? Read on, my friends. It’s a pretty incredible wedding. Oh and you can click here to see a TON of additional details.

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

After 30 years of going to weddings and being in 10 weddings, I had a pretty good idea of what I did not want to incorporate in my own wedding…trick was, i wasn’t exactly sure about everything I did want. I started asking myself questions and thinking back to some of the weddings I had been involved in that I really enjoyed. I envisioned different aspects of my special day and took note of what I was drawn to… colors (neutrals with aqua and teal accents), textures (burlap and lace) and charming things (birdcages and antiques). Tearing out pages of magazines and reading blogs like SMP helped me further define my wedding style. My inspiration started coming together with a quilt that I had found on etsy.com and a nicole miller bracelet from anthropologie that my parents purchased for me and gave as Christmas gifts. Both were incorporated into our wedding.

As I continued my wedding style research, DIY projects were especially appealing to me because I wanted to add a personal touch to our event. Over the 9 months that we were engaged, I collected 13 birdcages. I painted 10 of them aqua/teal and distressed them by hand. I used the white ones for the guest book table and our table and combining them with antique tins, bird figurines and blue mason jars completed the vintage whimsical look i had envisioned!

After picking out the bridesmaids dresses at anthropologie, I immediately wanted to start working on customized jewelry for each bridesmaid to give them as one of their gifts. I found an incredible jewelry designer on etsy.com and worked with her to design a unique set for each girl based on their individual taste and personality. I was thrilled with how they turned out! I packed each earring/necklace set in a blue pint size mason jar and put it in a gold box with an antique hanky, decorative kleenex and makeout mints. Since I had both a maid of honor (my sister) and a matron of honor (my best friend since 8th grade), I wanted them to stand out a little bit and I gave them a handmade tiffany blue rosette hair pin.

As for my outfit, my dress was a gorgeous rosette pattern lace that played off of the anthropologie bridesmaid dresses. I knew I wanted to add a little something to my dress, though. I picked a gold satin sash to complement my jewelry and then found a designer who specializes in custom boleros/wraps and knew that would be the perfect addition. I sent her a swatch of fabric, my sizes and a few ideas and she sent me the perfect piece.

I fell in love with the process of putting everything together… and when it came together I was in love with it all over again!

Now for my unpredictable wedding story. Nothing was left to chance. I should have been a wedding planner…this is what I kept thinking while planning my own wedding. Every detail was planned, every “i” dotted & every “t” crossed. So then, what is the “plan” when the UNTHINKABLE happens? Well, i found out…the hard way.

The day of my wedding, I got up ready to embrace the day I had put so much effort and detail into planning. I ate a little breakfast, got my coffee and went to my hair appointment. Our photographers started taking pictures and all was progressing as I had anticipated. We went from the hair appointment to the makeup appointment and all of a sudden, something just was not right. The sweet makeup artist cleaned my face and started to apply the primer when she noticed I was turning red and asked me if I felt okay. My face was tingling and starting to itch. I looked like a lobster! The gracious staff came to my aid with hydration, crackers and a cold compress. I thought i was fine. Maybe my body was just reacting to the lack of sleep and normal pre-wedding anxiety I had experienced.

Then the stomach cramps hit. Killer pain and discomfort. Let’s just say I had to take several trips to the bathroom and it took twice as long to complete my makeup. Still, I thought I would be fine. Right? A tad tardy, but I finally arrived at the wedding venue. As time the passed, my pain worsened. All I could do was lay down, attempting to preserve my pretty hair and makeup. After hours of taking A LOT of medication, I still felt horrible and it was time to make a decision. I asked to see my fiance, Sloane, who had been patiently waiting to hear a verdict.

Wearing a white anthropologie dress and a gray shrug, bellied over in a twin bed of the bride room….I saw my husband-to-be for the first time that day. As soon as I saw him, I burst into tears. All I wanted to do at that point was get married, but I was in too much pain. The thought of putting on my wedding dress was unimaginable.

Sloane was the rock of comfort I needed that day. At the moment, he was indeed my husband in every sense of the word. He helped me feel like no matter what, all that truly mattered was that we were going to be husband and wife. We decided to postpone the wedding a little longer and have the cocktail hour. Yes, that’s right. We had cocktail hour BEFORE the ceremony! Our guests were pleased, to say the least. They enjoyed drinks, h’ordourves and music in the Cedarwood barn. Meanwhile, I mustered up the energy to put on my dress and have my makeup and hair touched up.

An hour after the wedding was supposed to be, our guests were led to the outdoor cathedral setting, most of them with a drink in their hand! By the time I walked down the aisle, I could barely see in front of me, it was so dark. Looking straight ahead, tears already flowing, my dad held onto me and I made it down the aisle.

Sloane and I had a beautiful ceremony, by candlelight in a field in the dark. Not the plan, but our wedding was more honest, romantic, and heart-felt than I could have ever dreamed. We were able to laugh when saying our vows that we had written together…. “I promise to be your loyal partner. I will love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy, and when it seems hard, when our love is simple, and when it is an effort.” I have to say, our guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves and no one cared that we had to start the wedding late. It was pure and unplanned.

I woke up the next day, still nauseated, but feeling very blessed, love and supported by my now-husband, family & dear friends. And isn’t that how EVERY bride should feel the morning after her big day?

Photgraphy: Souder Photography / Invitations: Julia’s Poppies Design / Venue: Cedarwood Mansion / Overall Design & Table Centerpieces: Jessica Sloane (the bride) / Bridesmaid Jewelry: Pink Street via Etsy / Quilt: Mom N Mia Quilts via Etsy / Maid & Matron of honor’s hair pins and bride’s garter: The Posh Bow Tie / Custom Stamp, Cuff Links and Wood Table Numbers: Little Wee Shop /  Bride’s Shrug/bolero: Holly Stalder / Thank You Cards: Customized Stationery

We LOVE it that we receive almost as many engagement shoots as we do weddings! We’ve said, forever and ever, that e*shoots are such a perfect time for you guys to get to know your photographer and for him/her to get to know you. It’s also a time to work out the kinks in front of the camera. Work through the shyness and awkwardness so that on your wedding day, it’s just you and your lovey and the cameras don’t even phase you!

Now, having said that … this engagement shoot is a little bit different. Martha and Dudley were actually married in 2008. But they didn’t have engagement photos taken. We’ll let Aaron Snow, their fab LBB photographer, fill you in on the rest!

From Aaron … I shot Martha and Dudley’s wedding in November 2008. Dudley had braces until the week of the wedding, so they opted out of having engagement photos done then. After almost two years since the wedding and lots of wedding referrals from Martha in Memphis, I went back to Memphis in July 2010 and did some “engagement” photos for them!

We shot these on Shelby Farms in Memphis, TN. I went to their house a little before the shoot and gathered things throughout the house that I thought would make a great shoot. Martha had those yellow flower balls in little vases throughout her house, so I knew we should use them as well as play off of the yellow theme! They borrowed the old bicycle from their good friends and we set out for an hour of fun in the gorgeous Memphis sun! I love this couple and love the feel of this shoot.

You see? It’s never too late to have a special ~ just for the love of love ~ shoot!

Thanks to Martha & Dudley and Aaron Snow for sharing such a great day!

You can see their entire shoot in the SMP Photo Gallery.

Take a look at more of Aaron’s sensational weddings and shoots ~

October Blog Archives:

Buffy & Jeff’s Wedding Preview

Lauren & Stephen’s Wedding Day Shoot (after their backyard wedding)

September Blog Archives: Blair & David’s E*Session (Biker-Lover Beauty)

June Blog Archives: Kristin’s bridals (wait until you see it!)

Put on your tiaras ladies. This next little number is made especially for the girliest of girls, the sweetest of sweets…the ones who aren’t afraid to let their hair down and have a little fun with their big day. Designed by the ridiculously talented girls at Sweet Life Designs, this is the kind of wedding that only the coolest girl in school could pull off…especially with such style and charm. And thank goodness for Creative Push who was on hand to snap all of the perfect pics. Click here to see even more!

click here to see all of the sweet inspired goodness!

Carli and Spence were married in a private ceremony in Hawaii. They chose to come back to Nashville and celebrate with a very detailed carnival and pink monogram heart-themed affair that featured lots of individual touches dreamed up by the bride and Sweet Life Designs. The invitation features an RSVP reply card with a tear-off “ticket” to save, while returning the RSVP with a fun madlib reply.

The venue, Country Music Hall of Fame, really set the tone for a true Nashville-style experience! Guests were first ushered upstairs for a “viewing party” to watch on a big screen the film from Carli and Spence’s beach-side ceremony in Hawaii. They were also given a reception program that featured the full menu, a cake drawing with highlights for each layer/flavor, as well as pointing out the various events that were around the reception. During the cocktail hour, guests munched on popcorn from the gourmet popcorn bar, BBQ sliders (with little flags), fried green tomatoes, sweet potato fries with garlic aioli dipping sauce while sipping the signature drinks: Cotton Candy Martini and Margarita on the Rocks (a bride and groom favorite).

Into the reception, guests were given pink with yellow paper pom accented “Goodie Bags” to put all of the treats and goodies that lay ahead of them for the night. The escort card table featured heart shaped pink lollipops with guest name tags, and the lollipops lay in white trays filled with cotton candy and lemonade jelly beans. The guest tables featured yellow and white striped linen with sherbet colored fabric wrapped vases filled with dahlias, roses, mums, carnations and hydrangea. The table numbers were button mums placed in a heart shape. At each place setting was an individually wrapped pie with heart shaped fondant cut-out, wrapped in a box and ribbon with a tag indicating the guest’s seat.

Around the room featured various booths, from a temporary tattoo booth featuring the couple’s heart shaped monogram, a caricature artist, a balloon artist, photo booth, and ping pong toss game. The focal point was the dramatic dessert table featuring a stunning cake with individually cut out tiny flowers and was made of the bride’s favorite cake flavor: funfetti! To the right of the cake sat a sweet paper bride and groom figuirine. Surrounding the table were various chocolates and candies. The bride, who is a talented baker, supplied her very own mallows in peach, banana and strawberry flavors that were a hit with guests.

Along the back wall of the dessert table was a hanging heart shaped flower arrangement as well as paper heart garland. A sweet “L-O-V-E” banner was draped across the front of the table declaring the true theme of the evening! The grooms cake was a toast to the groom’s financial profession and featured a very detailed “bull and bear market” theme. Around the room were various canvas prints from the couple’s engagement shoot that was on Nashville’s famous Broadway street and photos from their wedding ceremony. Their yorkie “Kashi” was featured in photos and the engagement shoot and graced the custom stamps on the invitations as well as one of the buttons that guests were given to wear.

Photography: Creative Push / Event Design, Dessert Table Design, Invitations & Paper Goods: Sweet Life Designs / Flowers: Brocade Design Arts / Event Planning: A Delightful Day Event Planning / Reception Location: Country Music Hall of Fame / Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Reception Dress: Betsey Johnson / Cake, Pies and Dessert Table Treats: The Bake Shoppe / Cinematography: 2Duce2 Videography / Linen: LaTavola / Draping: Blue Nova Designs / DJ: Cosmo Creations / Paper Heart Garland: Paper Acorn / LOVE Banner: Sweet Pea Seashells / Paper Bride and Groom (to the right of cake): Concarta

Good morning!   We have double the inspiration lined up for you today!  There is a little something for everyone from homespun to tropical to out of this world!  We’ll give you a taste of each but ALL the loveliness can be found in the full galleries so make sure you click through!

Let’s start off the day with a wedding that is just straight up, pure pretty.  Everything fits together so effortlessly without sacrificing a thing in the chic department.  The flowers are perfectly wild and the pale shades of the bridesmaids’ dresses are just divine against the pastoral backdrop.  Annie Heyward and Brocade Designs totally mastered the romantic, rustic vibe.  The gallery is just bursting with even more alpacas, boys in suspenders and idyllic eye candy!

Wait!  There is even more rustic romance in the full gallery!

From the bride –

“Eric and I knew we wanted our wedding to be truly reflective of who we are in every single aspect.  My first move in the wedding planning was to ask my dear friend and incredibly talented friend, Annie Heyward, to be our wedding planner.  Best decision ever.  The first priority after that was finding the perfect venue.  Eric and I love being outdoors so we knew we would have to get married outside.  Honestly, I didn’t know if we could find the right place.  But, thankfully, through a good friend, we connected with the owners of the private Wolf Den Farm in Brentwood, TN.  Once I checked it out, I knew it was absolutely perfect (I mean, it had alpacas – how could it not be perfect)!  Planning proceeded from there.  Part of making the day special was incorporating all our dear friends and family throughout.  My roommate/good friend/talented graphic designer designed all the wedding stationery.  Eric and some of his friends built the arbor for the ceremony.  Two of my dearest friends played all the ceremony music.  My friend and co-worker performed the ceremony.  Friends put together an awesome band for the ceremony.  Eric’s parents operate a candy store in his hometown and they provided the tasty chocolate favors.  It was wonderful having so many important part of the celebration and also surrounding us as we were married.  After the ceremony, we sat down to a wonderful family style dinner and later danced the night away.  I must say as well, having such incredible vendors made the day.  They understood the vision and did an amazing job bringing it to fruition.  It was family and friend filled, casual and laid back, just like we wanted.  All in all, it was a dream wedding.”

Photography:  Skip Hopkins / Flowers: Brocade Design Arts / Event Design: Annie Heyward from A Chic Critique and Brocade Design Arts / Event Planning and bride’s makeup: Annie Heyward from A Chic Critique / Venue: Wolf Den Farms / Stationery: Natalie Nelson / Bridal dress:  Jenny Yoo / Rentals and lighting: Grand Central Party Rental, Inc. / Bride’s hair: Heather Marvin / Candy favors:  Kemnitz Candies / Reception music:  Brett Taylor / Caterer: Down South Delights / Beer for the reception: Yazoo Brewery

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
For membership information, click here

Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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I know that we’ve been featuring a ton of barns lately…but honestly, it’s hard to turn down a wedding THIS gorgeous. With fresh from the garden style flowers, homemade desserts that have left me REALLY hungry and a bride whose style is both ridiculously elegant and yet totally approachable…this is one of those weddings that you just know was magic. Photographed by Tara Kneiser of Dixie Pixel Photography…we’ve definitely fallen in love. Click here to see even more.

Click here to see the full wedding gallery!

Selecting the Lily Barn in Townsend as the site of our wedding was the first decision my husband, Chris, and I made. We found it on a lark and just completely fell for it. The structure is a 19th century cantilevered barn, unique to the region, set on a three-acre property of wildflower gardens, mountain streams, and beds of day lilies. The venue, along with our love of Edwardian elegance and romance, guided us in creating the celebration’s atmosphere.

Chris made a line drawing of the barn, which he used in the design of both the save-the-date cards and the invitations. We gave our guests wildflower honey, Jack Daniels sour mash, and CD mixes Chris and I put together with liner notes that served as our ceremony programs. The paper products also showcased the specific flower varieties we used in the wedding. We wanted lush florals reminiscent of a country garden, and our florist fulfilled our vision with dahlias, blue delphinium and thistle, hypericum berries, and Tennessee’s state wildflower, coneflower, with the petals pulled off! The aluminum pitchers and cobalt blue bottles to hold the flower my mother and I found together in antique markets. Many of the books on the tables came from Chris’s grandmother’s house and incorporate our love of literature. Having just moved 60 crates of books across the country, I can tell you that is a décor element authentic to us. But the awesome deconstructed book mantel display was entirely the idea of our florist and her assistant.

Our desserts, like our flowers, were inspired by east Tennessee’s summer bounty. We requested pies with peach and blackberry, strawberry and rhubarb, which sat on family-owned cake stands. Our talented pastry makers broadened the offerings with individually sized tarts, too, brownie ice cream sandwiches, and lemon meringues. The dinner food also had a relaxed, picnic feel, but the casual party had as its counterweight the 1930s-inspired Alençon lace gown I wore and Chris’s classic suit. The cameo I wore was originally my grandmother’s brooch, given to my sister, who reset it into the pendant for me. Old, new, borrowed, blue – voilà! When it all came together, the aesthetic was part rough-hewn, part refined, and the weekend was a rockin’ good time.

The day of our wedding there was a terrific thunderstorm for the hour or two right before the start. The Smoky Mountains come by their name honestly, and the rain felt pretty appropriate to the environment. Everyone, guests and vendors, rolled with it. We moved the ceremony from the field in front of a gazebo to the dinner pavilion, with my dear friend playing the hammered dulcimer having to set up his instrument and amplifier twice (thanks, Allen!). At the last minute, the sun broke, and from that moment on, there was the most beautiful golden light filtered through the mist that remained. Everything looked and felt enchanted and also intimate. I couldn’t have asked for anything more beautiful.

The Lily Barn may have established the tone, but our photographer, Tara Kneiser of Dixie Pixel Photography, captured the moments. Eventually the rain gave way to dreamy light, but she had to go through some adverse circumstances to get there. Our couples portraits were shot outside in the rain with her under a photographer’s umbrella or else in the pavilion while everyone was setting up, and she made it all look gorgeous and seem effortless. A complete professional, I could not speak more highly of her, and any other couple would be lucky to get her. Best thing I did, hands down.

Transportation: Dancing Bear Lodge / Bamboo Fans: Favors and Flowers / Honey Jars: eBeeHoney.com / CDs + Program Inserts: DIY / Invitations: Designed by Chris / Letterpress: Hello, Lucky! / Venue and Rentals: The Lily Barn, with day-of coordination by Sarah Greenway / Floral and Decor: Whimsical Gatherings, Leah McCall / Decor including pitchers, bottles, cake stands, display books: Bride’s and Family’s / Dessert Buffet: Craft & Spoon / Catering: Luxe Catering & Events, Bettina McCann / Wine: Downtown Wine & Spirits / Beer: Downtown Grill & Brewery / Groom’s Attire: Suit and tie by Ermenegildo Zegna / Wedding Gown: Lazaro, from Mon Amie Bridal Salon in Costa Mesa, CA / Wedding Veil: Colleen Moore of White Orchid Bridal / Shoes: Stuart Weitzman, purchased on Zappo’s / Hair: Brett at Salon Azure / Jewelry: All borrowed or passed down from family members / Bridesmaids dresses: Jim Hjelm

I have a little secret to share…I am totally and completely in love with reading people’s wedding stories. How they met, those special moments they remember throughout the day, their first dance as husband and wife – you name it, I devour it. And mostly it is because of weddings like this heart-felt day captured by Jenny Lindsey. The bride and groom founded and run an AMAZING organization and this is how they met and fell in love. What big hearts these two have and you can tell by the joyous celebration they had with friends and family. See the full day jam-packed with DIY and a whole lot of love right here.

see more of this backyard beauty in the gallery!

Ilea and Jared founded and run the African based company Keza, which takes women in deep poverty and gives them opportunity, a job and a new life by empowering them to create amazing works of fashion. They met in California at the beginning stages of the company and instantly knew that being together in this business would most likely mean being together themselves. They both took a chance and ended up falling in love half a world away.

To celebrate with their American family and friends they held their backyard African themed wedding on the beautiful property of Jared’s dad’s Franklin TN home. Having a truly DIY wedding, they had everyone help with the decorating and feel of their day. Good friends prepared the menu, while others arranged flowers and decor. Every moment from beginning to end was about togetherness and community. The result was an intimate gathering of people pouring out their love on Jared and Ilea. Absolutely beautiful!

Photography: Jenny Lindsey / Venue: Family home in Franklin, Tennessee

This day has ben chock full of pretty parties and rehearsals but I ask you, what girl doesn’t love a great fete? You see, for every amazing wedding out there, there is usually an equally fantastic rehearsal dinner and this little ditty from Denise Sikes of Big Events Wedding is case in point. We love it so very much because it encompasses all the great things about Nashville (food, music, southern charm). Plus it is completely swoon-worthy AND totally unique. You can find all the fun details photographed by Michael Howard in the full gallery.

see more of this Puckett’s soiree here!

From the Bride:

When my husband, Dan, and I started planning our wedding last summer, he felt strongly about getting married in my hometown, Nashville, Tennessee. Being born and raised in Connecticut, Dan thought this would be the perfect opportunity to host his family and friends here in the South – a mostly foreign land for many of them. It was important to him that they get a real taste of where we will be settling down and starting our own family. So, immediately, we knew that we had to choose venues that were “truly Nashville” – with all the southern charm that won my Yankee husband over to the South. What better place to kick off the weekend than a Rehearsal Dinner at Puckett’s Grocery, a legendary “meat and three” known for its comfort food, homey atmosphere and local songwriters nights. It was also important to us that the Rehearsal Dinner be focused on the people who have shaped our journey. In fact, as a couple that has survived four years of long-distance dating, we have a great appreciation for the concept of “journey”. A quotation that we both have always loved is: “Happiness is a journey, not a destination.” – Souza That quote and the concept of journey was woven throughout our wedding, and we even had antique suitcases on display at both our Rehearsal Dinner and Reception. Guests were encouraged to leave a note of wisdom from his or her own experience, filling in one of two phrases: “Happiness is…” and “I wish you a journey filled with…” The Rehearsal Dinner at Puckett’s was an intimate affair, with just close family and friends. Dan and I toasted our families and presented our parents with framed photos of them on their respective wedding days. His brother Mike emceed the evening, and my sister and maid-of-honor Mary played a slideshow featuring pictures of us and our loved ones from throughout our lives.

The great thing about Puckett’s is that if you do too much decorating, it detracts from the fabulous natural environment. To the colorful stacks of grocery items lining the walls, the hardwood floors and twinkle lights, we added: • Red and white striped table clothes • Wild flowers in coke bottle vases (+homemade photos, see below for more detail) • Lanterns and votive candles on the tables • Strung photos and table seating cards from twine. One of my favorite features of the Rehearsal Dinner décor resulted from my DIY arts & crafts project! I have to thank my mom, sister and husband for their assistance in pulling it all together. Dan and I selected 10 places that are special to us from throughout our journey and those were the themes for the dinner tables. Along with each theme we selected a dozen or so pictures to represent that time or place. We made sure that everyone who was present at the dinner was featured in at least one photo. We pasted the photos on matted brown paper, then pasted them onto squares of burlap. The burlap squares were then glued back to back onto a flower pick and placed into the coke bottle table arrangements. Leftover photos were strung around the room. It was such a joy to watch our guests laugh and smile over the photos throughout the night. To us, it made the evening feel very intimate, very personal.

Photography: Michael Howard / Event Planning: Denise Sikes of Big Events Wedding / Rehearsal Dinner Location: Puckett’s Grocery, Franklin, TN / Invitations: Ian Petty of Proud Lion / Dress: BCBG

My love for all things Tennessee has found a happy little home in this adorable wedding sent to us by Cedarwood. The pure beauty of the outdoor church, the abundance of handmade details, the loveliest shade of grey bridesmaid dresses, all come together perfectly for an event that is swoon freaking central. Photographed by Leslee Mitchell, this day is total eye candy for all of you nature lovers or DIY’ers or anyone that just loves a perfectly sweet wedding. Click here to see even more!

see more from the day here!

What do you do when you love the outdoors but want to get married in a church? You bring the church outdoors! That’s exactly what Cedarwood, an all-inclusive historic venue in Nashville, Tennessee does when they create their stunning Outdoor Cathedral. Ten foot Gothic church windows and antique carved solid Oak church pews set in a green summer meadow is a site to make anyone pause at the beauty of God’s handiwork.

Ivory and butter-cream flowers with pops of golden yellow in vintage blue mason jars juxtaposed with mercury glass and bejeweled votive holders for a country feel with designer flair. The grounds of Cedarwood are both a photographer’s dream and challenge (so many spaces for creative shots!) but the talented Leslee Mitchell was up to the task. Photos of Megan and Bret in the vintage glider, a bicycle for two, and Cedarwood barn are among our favorite wedding day portraits. Leslee even managed to catch a shot of bird houses by the property’s vintage Airstream — a decor theme complimented with Megan’s bird house ‘churches’ that adorned the program table and stone wall.

Instead of a traditional guest book, Megan had friends take Polaroid photos of arriving guests and invited them to leave comments in a wedding photo album. Framed family photos carried out the photo welcome theme, and even included a framed original of Megan’s great grand parents Germany marriage certificate – from 1904!

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Cedarwood, Nashville / Planning, flowers and decor: Cedarwood / Styling, handmades and DYI details: Megan Powell and parents, Suzie and Richard Powell / Photography: Leslee Mitchell / Video: Jeremy Mitchell / Invitations: Lucky Luxe / Cake: Patty Cakes / Catering: A Dream Come True Catering and Maggie Moos / Music: Rob Higginbotham (guitar) and Rebecca Baumach (violin) / Wedding gown: Jasmine from The White Room, Lebanon, Tennessee / Reception gown: Amsale from The Bride Room, Nashville, Tennessee / Bridesmaids dresses: The Dessy Collection from Arzelle’s, Nashville, Tennessee / Groom and Groomens’ suits: Brooks Brothers / Hair: Brooklyn of Tangerine Hair Salon and Spa / Jewelry: Earrings by Paris from The Bride Room, Bracelet by Homa from Arzelle’s and reception earrings from Anthropologie / Honeymoon destination: San Francisco

For anyone that reads SMP daily, you know that I loooove me some Nashville. I spent four years in the city during college and I still consider the town my home away from home. So most of the Nashville weddings that come across our desks tug at my heartstrings a little bit. And this one, photographed beautifully by Michael Howard with flowers by my favorite nashvegas stylisto (totally made that word up), Chase Rivers, is just about as “Nashville” as they get. Click here to see the full shebang.

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

When my husband and I got engaged, we knew immediately we would host our wedding celebration in Nashville, beginning with our Hatch Show Print Save the Dates! We wanted to feature all that Nashville has to offer–great southern food, hospitality, and music. For our venues, we wanted to use Nashville “landmarks.”Our ceremony was held in a chapel at Scarritt-Bennett, with its beautiful 85-year old Collegiate Gothic style architecture. The ceremony was a mix of traditional vows with some of our own written vows and a lovely guitar duet by two local musicians. We also provided our guests an opportunity to help us give back by having donation jars and tokens for the guest to distribute among 3 charities that were meaningful to our families. My husband and I then made donations to each of the charities in honor of our guests. The most memorable moment of the day was when my father and I were waiting at the back of the chapel to walk down the aisle and the doors to the chapel opened and for an instant, before everyone turned around I looked out over all the guests and could see my husband standing at alter waiting for me! It was a magical day.

For the reception we chose the Country Music Hall of Fame, a stunning new building in downtown Nashville, with a glass ceiling that showcases the Nashville skyline. We also highlighted Tennessee products by serving wine from a local vineyard and beer from a local brewery, Jack Daniels inspired drinks, macaroni and cheese in martini glasses, and having our guests sign Spirit of Nashville prints in lieu of a guest book. The food, catered by the Country Music Hall of Fame, was delicious and the epitome of elegant Southern cuisine. The band, Billy Lockridge and Inception, were a big hit as they kept our guests entertained and dancing throughout the night!

Our colors were a deep peacock blue (bridesmaid dresses), lime greens, and warm yellows. My wedding style was what I would refer to as “whimsical Southern elegance.” From the small lanterns hanging from our floral arrangements at the reception and the monogrammed wreaths on the chapel doors to the colorful candy bar and the Lynchburg Lemonades served in mason jars!

The invitations and ceremony programs were designed by a local calligrapher, and foil stamped, white script on sunny yellow paper. We also purchased personalized hand painted cake toppers from Etsy, which we look forward to turning into Christmas ornaments! Our out of town guests received gift boxes with Nashville products, including Moon Pies, Goo Goo Clusters, and a guitar shaped fly swatter. The small details were important to us in personalizing our wedding and many of our guests later told us that they could really see my husband and I personified in these touches. Our farewell at the end of the evening was unique—our guests waved green and blue glow sticks while a trumpeter played “Oh When the Saints Go Marching In.” Such great memories with our loved ones that we will cherish forever!

Wedding Ceremony Site: Wightman Chapel at Scarritt Bennett Center / Ceremony Music: Nashville String Quartet, Wedding Musicians Company / Ceremony Sololist: Michael Kelsh / Save the Dates: Hatch Show Print / Invitations and Programs: Hand Calligraphy Design by Val Cole and The Paper Place / Wedding Dress: Christos from Bridals by Lori / Veil: Toni Frederici / Bridesmaid Dresses: Priscilla of Boston from Bella Bridesmaid / Tuxedos: Street Tuxedo / Handmade Ties: Otis James / Reception Venue: Country Music Hall of Fame / Catering: Two Twenty Two Grill and Catering, Country Music Hall of Fame / Planner: Weddings by Helen / Band: Billy Lockridge & Inception / Flowers: “Chase Rivers Flair” by Chase Rivers / Photographer: Howard Photography, Michael Howard / Videographer: Howard Photography, Andy Duensing / Cake: Dessert Designs / Cupcakes: Gigi’s Cupcakes / Transportation: Matchless Limousine

Little known tidbit. A lot of the inspiration shoots that we feature come from photography workshops. Where some of the best photographers in the world essentially re-create a wedding so that they can impart their words of wedding wisdom to up and comers. It’s pretty genius if you ask me. Photographers get to learn how to snap all of the little details that make a wedding so swoon worthy…and WE get to eat up all of the eye candy! Well, some of the best photography workshops come from the fabulous team that is Justin and Mary Marantz. My sweet friends and two of the best photographers I know. And this one, made especially for you Southern girls out there, just might take the cake. Click here to see even more!

click here to see all of the gorgeousness!

From Justin & Mary Marantz…Ever since we took Justin & Mary’s “Spread The Love” Tour through Nashville, TN last February, we have been looking for a reason to go back to the city. Then, when J&M worked on the Style Me Pretty wedding with Chase Rivers and Sarah True this Spring that sealed the deal:  The next “Walk Through a Wedding” workshop HAD to be in music city!! And it HAD to feature biscuits from Loveless Cafe.  We started our design board with biscuits in mind and after brainstorming a few more ideas, Mary had an epiphany.  In the movie, Stranger Than Fiction, Mr. Crick (an IRS agent) brings Ms. Pascal (the baker)…  flours.  And our theme was born!!  I mean come on, how cute is that?  He brought her FLOURS!  A design board quickly followed (click here to see).

We had an awesome time putting together our DIY projects for this one and styling everything for the shoot.  We sat around the office throwing around other play on words that we could bring into the mix.  Pun totally intended!  :)   “Get whisked away” and “Pick a Flour” eventually made the cut!

We love a detail oriented weddings, so we made sure to plan out place cards (whisks!), favors (flours!), desserts (cherry cobbler in jars!), good night favors (jams!), and decorations (cookie cutters, aged recipe cards, biscuits, etc etc) that went along with the theme. We thought our theme was coming together pretty nicely and were pretty psyched for our workshop.  And then, the first day we were in Nashville, we stopped by Cedarwood Mansion. All three of us walked around gasping, pointing, and just about fainting, because Cedarwood…is perfection personified.

To keep the vintage vibe flowing and have a little fun with our bridal party, we put together a photo booth that we like to call the Plates and Plates photo booth.  To make sure we kept the entire bridal party busy, we also set up a table near our photobooth that we could have some fun with! And just because Cedarwood is so awesome, they already had a vintage pickup truck just sitting in the field!  So of course we took full advantage! In order to keep the portraits interesting we also added in a mixing bowl, vintage books, a utensil bouquet, and some fun vintage suitcases.  Mary also came up with the AWESOME idea of having all of our bridesmaids wearing Anthropologie-esque aprons.  It looked fabulous! :)

We really do enjoy doing most of the styling ourselves but we can’t do it alone. Amy and Matt of Invitations Ink, put together our stationery suite with two days notice!! Chase Rivers rocked the head table flowers and cooked up a scrumptious buffet including coconut fried chicken and a cherry plum slaw!  Linda, Karen, and the crew at Cedarwood did a phenomenal job helping to put the finishing touches on all of our ideas and pitching in and helping with some extra details like pops of hydrangea, vintage china, a mason jar covered altar for our ceremony, antique crates… the list goes on and on and on.

We also owe a very big thank you to The Bride Room for loaning us a stunning lace dress and Renee Fisher, who went above and beyond and rocked out the makeup in 100 degree heat!  And to Eugene & Heather of 2Duce2 Videography for rocking out video for us!

Our step by step DIYs can be found here: Strawberry Jam, Cherry Cobbler, Raspberry Infused Sweet Tea, Aged Recipes, Flour Favors and Recipe Garland

Location: Cedarwood Nashville, TN  / Photography: Justin and Mary Marantz / Bride’s Dress: Target and The Bride Room / Paper Suite: Invitations Ink, Manasquan, NJ  / Make up: Renee Fisher Head Table Flowers & Buffet dinner:  Chase Rivers / Floral Accents: Karen Wright / Videographer: Eugene & Heather / Models (all fellow photographers!): Tiffany & Jonathan Zajas / Zach & Jody Gray / Sara Renee

Great, right? I mean the favor ideas alone are kind of awesome, although I now have this terrible hankering for biscuits from Loveless Cafe. If you haven’t been, you HAVE to put it on your bucket list. Okay, so before we let Justin and Mary go, we wanted to share this absolutely awesome promo video…not as an advertisement…but to show you how freaking cool this photography duo is. And why we love them so. Just make sure to grab a tissue before you start. You will definitely need it.

Cinema by StillMotion. Thank you J & M! We can’t wait to see what you two crazy kids come up with next! xoxo

Our next wedding is a gorgeous gem straight from the hills of Tennessee. Sent to us by J.Malahy Photography, we love this darling couple and the perfect woodsy decor (Gorgeous photographs and effortless style don’t hurt either). And how about this for making your heart melt… with a few alterations, the bride wore her great-grandmother’s ninety-nine year old wedding dress for her big day. Planned by Elegant Weddings by Angela, this little number is Just too sweet for us to resist. Check out the gallery to see the rest of the pretty little details.

{Click here to see even more rustic perfection in the galleries}

From the bride…

After good advice and help from family, Andrew and I decided to move our wedding up by a year (getting married right before taking the Bar exam would have been a bit much). That decision came about 6 months before our new date, which put a fire under us! As soon as we confirmed Myers Point and Natural Bridge Catering, we knew we could make this happen.

For my dress, I wore my great-grandmother’s, which she made for her wedding ninety-nine years ago, and my grandmother and mother wore for their weddings. With my family’s blessing, I found Sleigh Custom Dresses to create a new top for the dress, while preserving all of the original skirt. I was amazed with the end result and thrilled to have that part of my family’s history.

My incredibly talented sister offered to help with the wedding favors. She hand embroidered ribbon with our initials and attached them to mason jars for guests to use during the reception and take home. Along with that project, she also made more than 300 mini pecan and lemon meringue pies for our ‘cake.’ They were beautiful and delicious! A few of the other special elements in the wedding were the hand-made invitations I made, the flowers that my mother, sister, and I planted and gave away to friends at the end of the night, and the chuppah Andrew and I made to incorporate his Jewish family traditions.

While we had planned to have the ceremony outside, overlooking a beautiful Tennessee valley, with the reception around a fantastic barn, the weather had other plans. As soon as our guests were shuttled to the ceremony site, the rain started. Andrew was quick to look up a weather report and see if it would pass. Lo and behold there was a large system headed straight to us. Thankfully we had an amazing wedding planner who told us to stay put in our cars at the site, the guests were back on the shuttle to the barn, and 15 minutes later had transformed the barn into the perfect ceremony site with the help of some of our friends and the catering staff.

There were a few times when thunder interrupted our vows, but by the time we were done with the ceremony and pictures, the rain cleared. The dining tables were moved into the stalls of the barn, along with a photo booth/guest book where people wrote messages on a chalk board to include in their picture. The evening was full of great food, friends, family, and dancing. The day didn’t go exactly as planned, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

Photography: J.Malahy Photography / Event Design & Flowers: the Bride /  Event Planning: Elegant Weddings by Angela / Venue: Myers Point, Sewanee, TN /  Dress: Sleigh Custom Dresses  / Catering: Natural Bridge Catering

What happens if your venue gets flooded weeks before your wedding? Well if you’re this couple, you stay calm and carry on and manage to have one rockin backyard shindig despite the circumstances. Rain on (or around) your wedding day is good luck after all, isn’t that the way the story goes? It must be, because this day is brimming over with love and family and the cutest of touches. Captured by Michael Howard Photography, we are talking Nashville nuptials at their finest. Be sure to check out the gallery for more from this happy, happy day.

{click here for the FULL wedding gallery}

From the Bride:

From day one we all knew the risks involved in planning an outdoor wedding. No one, however, thought that record flooding would hit the Nashville area a mere 3 weeks from our wedding day! Although the house did not incur substantial water damage, the sloping terrain between the plateau and the house was hit hard. A massive mudslide took out 2/3’s of where we had been planning to hold our reception. Time was not on our side and our last minute efforts to re-build the stone retaining wall and lay sod fell short. After getting past the initial devastation and thoughts that our wedding was ruined, we collected ourselves and began lay out our options…this would not be a black-tie affair, but instead a black TOP ceremony…held in the driveway! Luckily, the front of the Bryant’s home was equally as beautiful, and acted as the perfect backdrop. Thus, the show pressed on. We made light of the unfortunate scenario by taking a few pictures alongside the large, unmistakable excavating machine that loomed to the side of the house.

The reception was a time for everyone to enjoy a buffet-style, southern inspired dinner with a flair of the Midwest. We created an outdoor “photo booth” by hanging empty picture frames between trees and instructing our guests to choose from an array of mustaches-on-sticks as they posed for an Instamax, polaroid-style picture…which they then placed in our guestbook.

Towards the end of the evening we wanted to address our friends and family and thank them for their love and support. In honor of our bridal party, we served all of our guests and toasted with homemade pineapple-vodka shooters and sparklers! What a better way to end the evening?!

As if it couldn’t get any better, we have the sweetest little video of the day shot by Focalpoint Cinematic Weddings to share. Grab some popcorn and take a load off. This is the perfect ending to a day of wedding greatness. Congrats Andy and Reagan. From all of us at SMP, we wish you a lifetime of happiness.

Photography: Michael Howard / Design: Culbertson Concepts / Coordination: Classic Events / Catering: Constant Craving / Rentals: Southern Events / Printing: Buchanan Ink / Dress and Veil: The Bride Room / Men’s Ties: Narrow Ties / Tie Bars: Thom Kostura / Reception Band: Scat Springs / Hair/ Makeup/Styling and Accessories: Mark Evans of Trumps Salon / Video: Focalpoint Cinematic Weddings / Lighting: Bradfield

You’re definitely going to need to grab a couple of tissues for this next feature. You know what? Grab the whole box. Libby’s wedding photographs were truly gorgeous but to see the wedding really come to life thru the film is like being there all over again. Elysium did an absolutely beautiful job capturing the spirit of the day, the charm of Libby and Patrick’s personality and the total style that went into every last detail. I’ve literally watched this clip 20 times and every time I do…I cry. It’s just that good. From Julie at Elysium…

I know, right!!! And lucky for us, Julie is starting a new little adventure…documenting real brides and the process of planning a wedding. In little, fun to watch minis that we’ll all be able to enjoy. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with (more info below).

From Julie Hill at Elysium…I’ve always been in awe of the brides whose weddings we film.  They each have a unique vision of how they want their wedding to look and how they want their guests to feel.  I thought it would be so fun to document the REAL process of planning a wedding.  What inspires the bride?  What challenges do they have along the way?  How did they pick their dress, venue, and vendors?  For Libby & Patrick’s wedding, I wasn’t able to film the entire planning process since they live in Nashville and I am in S. Cal but I was able to film the building of all the floral decor the day before as well as all the setup on the wedding day.  Can I just say that I had massive respect for wedding coordinators and designers before I did this, but after?  Let’s just say that they are priceless!!

I am excited to document future couples as they go through the process.  Brides often tell me that they are so inspired by Style Me Pretty (among other things) yet get somewhat stuck at times on how to make their concept a reality.  This series will document the realities, the pitfalls, and the satisfaction and enjoyment of making their wedding dreams come true!  I’m also hoping to document more DIY projects that brides take on that can not only make their wedding more personal & unique, but also a budget saver.

Libby & Patrick’s wedding was an eye opener and so much fun to film behind the scenes.  It turned out so beautifully due to Libby’s great taste and awesome vendors she had on board.  I hope you enjoy this little film of their wedding behind the scenes!Oh and If you are newly engaged and planning a unique wedding based on what you see here on this amazing blog and would be interested in having your wedding planning documented from start to finish, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

COMING UP NEXT…all of the fun DIY projects that went into the day!

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Elysium Productions

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There is so much that I want to tell you about this wedding…about how even though not everything turned out exactly as we envisioned, it was still complete perfection. About how we had to let ideas go to the wayside, we had to comprise, we had to think really creatively…and yet it all still turned out beautiful. But you know what, there is no better way to tell the story than with the photographs that Justin and Mary Marantz SO beautifully captured. Justin and Mary traveled from Connecticut down to Nashville just for you guys, so that they could devote the necessary time to capturing all of the steal worthy details. And the end result, literally took my breath away.

This next little bit of goodness is from Justin and Mary Marantz, who I owe HUGE for the gorgeousness that they delivered from Libby and Patrick’s wedding. Their photographs speak volumes as to just how talented they are and yet snapping these pics wasn’t even remotely all they did…they carried flowers inside and outside so that they could shoot them in the perfect light. They helped us clean up after two huge centerpieces crashed and spilled water all over the head table an hour before guests were set to arrive. They draped tables, tied ribbons and did a million other little things to ensure that we would be able to document the details to perfection. To say they were amazing is putting it so lightly, it’s almost a crime.

Justin & I are all about amazing details. So when we were asked to shoot a wedding designed by the joint powerhouse of talent that is Sarah True and the SMP crew, trust me we were all over it! For us, we believe that there are two things that separate a stand out wedding from your basic paint by numbers formula: raw emotion and killer details. The first we can’t really help you with (you either have it or you don’t!, but when it comes to the details just a little bit of extra effort can make a huge difference. So we put together our top five tips for all you brides to keep in mind when thinking about what details you’d like to include.

1) It doesn’t have to take a huge budget to have amazing details. What I loved the most about this wedding was that so much of it was do it yourself. I think a lot of brides out there get discouraged if money is tight that they won’t be able to have the beautiful wedding that they want. But in reality, there are a ton of details you can put together with just a little bit of money and good old fashioned creativity. Two of my absolute favorite details were the “keep warm” blankets at the lounge areas. Abby & Sarah could have just put out some stacks of blankets for the guests (or not done anything at all), but just that little bit extra effort (plus some ribbon & a cute tag!) really took this wedding to a whole other level. I really believe that it’s those little unexpected touches, like the blankets and those fantastic sparkly pillows, that make your guests feel like they are a part of something special.

2) Pick things that are so YOU as a couple. The whole point of the details is to make your guests feel like they are being taken care of and for them to get a feel for who you are as a couple, even if they only knew one of you before the wedding day. I loved the small cans of champagne that were passed for the toasts. That was something that Libby & Patrick loved, and I think when you share the things you love with your guests it counts for so much more than just your basic cookie cutter details.

3) Presentation is everything! Don’t just think of the details individually (i.e. one place card), think also of how you can display them as a collective to create a wow factor. As photographers, we love to shoot things in rows or in groups of things as part of their environment. So we absolutely fell in love with the flower display on the head table! Separately, each of the peony centerpieces were really pretty & simple, but when pieced together as a collective all of us were blown away with how it turned out.

4) Set up the timeline with your photographer so they have time to get in to shoot the details before the guests get there. We used to have it all the time, where the schedule of the day had us shooting the bridal party 45 minutes away from where the reception was going on. By the time we got there, cocktail hour was nearly over and the details (signature drinks, escort table, custom drink stirrers) were all but gone. Trust me I know from experience, you work so hard thinking up these details and putting them together and come the wedding day you might not even get to see them. So now we work with all of our couples to make sure we have time to get in there and capture everything for them.

5) Don’t be afraid to do something unexpected. I feel like a lot of brides really struggle with what they think they are *supposed* to do and what they really want to do. But often it can be exactly those unusual details, like the silhouette chandeliers and the zebra striped rugs, that make a wedding stand out from all the other weddings the guest have been to. Don’t be afraid to stamp your day with your own style.

Tomorrow, we’ll be tackling some of the DIY projects that went into the day, as well as photographs from the wedding itself! But coming up next, we have the AMAZING Behind the Scenes film that Julie Hill of Elysium shot for you guys. It’s crazy genius.

Thank you so much to all of the vendors that made this day so very magical...

Event Design: Sarah True of True Events / Photography: Justin and Mary Marantz / Cinema: Julie Hill of Elysium / Floral Design: Chase Rivers of Flair / Invitations and Save the Dates: Laura Hooper / Rentals, Furniture, Linens: Classic Party Rentals / Chair covers: Wildflower Linens /Wedding Planning: Jacki Wickersham and Angela Proffitt of Elegant Weddings by Angela / Catering and Noodle Bar: Zumi Sushi / Cake Flower: Estilo Weddings / Mercury Glass: Borrowed from Yumiko at Hana Floral Design / Welcome Bags: Melangerie NYC / Wedding Photography (to be seen tomorrow): Arlund Imagery / Venue: Pinnacle, Nashville

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
For membership information, click here

Elysium Productions

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Hana Floral Design

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