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Monthly Archives: March 2011

It’s my turn to take the helm of our Ask the Experts column, and today I’ll be answering three questions from three lovely readers!

First up is Allie, who wrote:

“I absolutely loved your blog post on cowboy boots! I am from Indiana and am getting married this October on an old historic farm. So my question is what do you or your readers think of using hay bales as seating for the ceremony? It will be taking place on the front lawn of the old farm house with the reception in the barn. We are trying to keep things very rustic and casual.”

Image credits, from top to bottom: Love Me Do Photography via Green Wedding Shoes, Tec Petaja, and W. Scott Chester via Southern Weddings

Allie, we are all for using hay bales as seating — how perfect for the farm fresh wedding you’re planning! There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind:

— Nice hay bales can actually be expensive (they are food, after all!), so I’d inquire with a local horse farm to see whether they’d be willing to lend you a few bales for the day rather than buying them. You might have to pay a bit more to have the farmer cart the bales to your site and then haul them away afterward, but I’d say that would be money well spent.
— Hay is stiff and itchy, and can be uncomfortable to sit on. To ensure guest comfort, I’d recommend accessorizing the bales with quilts or blankets (something with some heft). You can go super casual and simply drape the fabric, or tie it off at each end for a more polished look. We’ve also seen long boards laid across the tops of bales, which might not be the most comfortable option for a long ceremony or reception, but would cut down on poking hay.
— Keep in mind that some of your guests might either be allergic to hay, or have back problems. It would be a nice gesture to offer some alternative seating — a folding chair or two at the end of each row should do the trick.

Readers, if you’ve been to a wedding with hay bale seating, we’d love to hear about it in the comments! How did it go?

Our next question comes from Robin. She writes:

“Hi ladies! I love the website and have been using it constantly while planning my wedding. Something that has been on my mind lately is escort cards. Should I do one per couple or one per guest, and do I need to do them for the wedding party, as well?”

Image credit: Cooper Carras Photography

Hi, Robin! In my opinion, you can absolutely use one escort card per couple! Not a problem at all. Whether you do cards for the wedding party is up to you, but I would say that you should — I’m sure your guys and girls will be able to figure out that they’re supposed to be up front, but adding in a few extra cards for them requires minimal work and expense on your part and could cut down on questions and confusion at the reception! Plus, some people (most likely the girls!) like to save things like escort cards as a souvenir, particularly if they have their name written out in beautiful calligraphy.

Our last question comes from Erin, who writes:

“I was wondering if there are any current traditions on the first homemade meal a bride makes for her new groom? This may seem a little old school, but I LOVE to cook–and despite how much my fiance likes to cook, I have been widely known to go Betty Draper on him, kicking him out of the kitchen, giving him a beer, and telling him to watch everything he’s missed on the DVR. Anyway, I’m getting courthouse married in just under three weeks, before the fiance deploys, but we’re having a ceremony/reception in September 2012 as well. I was wondering if anyone had ideas, tips, or “been-there, done-that” stories about the first homemade meals they’ve made for their new husbands so I can get pointed in the right direction for my less-than-three-weeks-away wedding!”

Image credit: Smitten Kitchen, a veritable treasure trove of delicious recipes!

Readers, I’ll largely leave this one up to you! What’s your favorite meal or dessert to enjoy with your hubby or fiance? Leave a link or comment below! I have to admit that I don’t do much of the cooking in my house — John loves to cook, so I simply get to enjoy most of the time! I will say that my favorite meal he makes is Giada de Laurentis’ Chicken Piccata with Jacques Pepin’s green beans. How about y’all — any advice for Miss Erin?

That’s it for this week’s installment of Ask the Expert! As always, feel free to email your editors a question at any time.

emily Written with love by Emily
9 Comments
  1. avatar Erin reply

    Yay my question was featured! Yeah, I’m not sure WHAT to make the fiance–and now the courthouse wedding is in one week! Eek!

    • avatar Sydney Dawn reply

      Erin,
      Have you thought about asking his mom or grandma what his favorite dish is? They might can give you some ideas. Or, you can always try something new and start a tradition between the two of you that you always cook on y’alls anniversary. Test it out on your girls a few nights before and even If it doesn’t turn out perfect, who cares? Something y’all can laugh about in the future… :)

      Congratulations!

    • avatar Emily reply

      Sydney, what fantastic suggestions! I love the idea of asking his parents for a favorite, or even trying something new and making it a tradition! Thanks so much for chiming in!

    • avatar Erin reply

      Sydney Dawn: Thanks so much for the response! I guess this question really stemmed from my dad’s sourthern traditions–every New Year’s we have to have ham and black eyed peas for good luck. I just thought there might be something for a wedding, too!

  2. avatar Allie reply

    Love the ideas! Thank you so much for the help! We had planned on either borrowing quilts [my mom is a quilter] or having her help to make some runners to cover them. The first image is beautiful! Would love to hear others experiences as a guest if there are any!

    Thanks for the continued inspiration!

  3. avatar Melissa W reply

    I would definitely go with a meal that has some sentiment behind it. Maybe one of your first meals together. If it was at a restaurant, you can google the recipe and put your own twist on it. Congratulations and good luck on your meal:)

  4. avatar Julie Blanner reply

    I designed a wedding with hay bales and unfortunately, there were several guests who appeared uncomfortable with their allergies. Be prepared and have allergy medication on hand.

    • avatar Morgan reply

      Julie Blanner: Unfortunately I would be one of those guests as well :( I absolutely love the idea of using hay/straw, but my allergies simply couldn’t take it. I went to a wedding last summer that used hay bales for seating and had to leave. And this was even with the bales completely covered in quilts. And I was one of several.

      It’s such a cute idea, but a lot of people have allergies. It’s the same concept as not adding nuts to a lot of your food out of concern for those who might be allergic.

  5. avatar Stephanie reply

    How adorable is the hay-bale seating idea?! Here is a suggestion though (I show horses for a living!) Use STRAW, not hay…
    First of all, it will be cheaper (it isn’t food, it is used as bedding for stalls).
    Second of all, it is much prettier (think bright yellow, not brown/green, like hay is).
    Third, it is more compact, so you are less likely to have bales fall apart on you.
    Fourth, they are less likely to cause allergies.
    Hope that helps!!

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Engle + Brian’s reception at the Harbourside Pavilion on Bald Head Island is yellow and blue and sunny all over! The couple’s seaside portraits from Kristin Byrum Photography are making us crave longer days (three cheers for Daylight Savings!) and warmer months. My favorite detail of this North Carolina wedding, though? The nautical masterpiece that was the couple’s wedding cake, courtesy of the talented team at Crumb de la Crumb.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress: My Mom, sister and I went dress shopping over Labor Day weekend, and visited the three major bridal salons in the Charlotte area. My last stop was at J. Majors. I tried on about 15 dresses at each of the three stores. The last dress I tried on at J Majors was the one! I walked out of the dressing room and I saw my sister look over to my Mom and say, “This is definitely IT!” And so it was. One day of dress shopping and I saved the best for last!
Describe your wedding flowers: One word: STUNNING! Kim Fisher does an amazing job of getting to know her couples, and really searches for the flowers that reflect their individual style. I carried a hand-tied bouquet of creamy white David Austin garden roses and phaleonopsis orchid blossoms. And the boutonnieres were so unique: yellow billy balls and blackberries. Our guests still talk to me about our flowers!
Describe your wedding cake: I love butter cream, so I asked for plenty of it! We had three layers, and kept the top layer for our one year anniversary. The bottom and top layers were Petron-infused and the middle was Key Lime-infused.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Entering the chapel, for sure. I remember standing in the back of the church and hearing the organ pipes start playing the “Bridal Chorus.” I was so overcome with emotion. When I turned the corner, I saw Brian mouth, “Wow.” No one was in the church but me and Brian, or so it felt. Right after my Dad gave me away, Brian whispered, “You look beautiful. You are my angel.” I remember everything about our ceremony.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We look forward to officially starting our life together and making a life of our own. We purchased a home before the wedding and just started decorating the house. The next “married” task: organizing our wedding photos from the amazing Kristin Byrum Photography and hanging them on our walls! I simply cannot wait to display our wedding images.

Written with love by Katharine
1 Comment
  1. avatar Bridal Source reply

    I love the combination of blue and yellow for this beachy feel wedding! So pretty.

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Since we’re based in Chapel Hill, we have a soft spot (not surprisingly) for North Carolina weddings, and Engle + Brian’s Bald Head Island celebration did not disappoint. The bride wore a crisp Lee-Ann Belter drop-waist gown, and dressed her maids in chic navy frocks from J. Crew. (Seems like navy is this year’s “it” color, wouldn’t you say?) Engle confessed that her flowers, styled by Kim Fisher Designs, was one of her – and her guests! – favorite details from her wedding, and we can see why! Yes, the boutonnières are just as cute as she promised! Special thanks to Kristin Byrum Photography for sharing!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Brian and I both went to NC State University. Looking back, we crossed paths many times in college and would run into each other at various social functions. However, it wasn’t until December 29, 2007 that we officially met. I had gone to my hometown of Mt. Airy, NC to visit my family for Christmas. I decided to drive back to Charlotte a little earlier than planned so that I could get settled before having to go back to work. On my way back to Charlotte I caught up with a friend I hadn’t seen in a while. We decided to grab some appetizers that evening, and then head to her boyfriend’s house for a small cookout. When I walked in the door to the cookout, Brian was standing in the kitchen and we recognized one another instantly. Brian’s best friend was hosting the cookout and sure enough, the hosts’ girlfriend and I were friends. After a night of good food, great friends and shag dancing to beach music, we spent the entire night talking, laughing and reminiscing about how we never actually “met” in college.
Describe the proposal. Brian and I had decided to take our summer vacation to Bald Head Island, NC. We packed the car and left Charlotte to head to Southport, NC. From there, we unloaded our luggage and fishing rods, Brian holding tightly to his tackle box full of new hooks and bait, and we climbed aboard the ferry to head across the water to BHI. Once we arrived in the marina, we collected our luggage and shuttled on over to check into our crofter. The weather was simply perfect when we arrived so we headed to the beach to spend some time in the sun. After the beach we headed back to the crofter to get ready for dinner. That night we went to Eb & Flo’s Steam Bar on the island and had the infamous steam pot while sitting on the deck overlooking the marina. It was one of those days where everything was perfect! After dinner we decided to take a walk on the beach. Instead, Brian steered our golf cart in the direction of the Bald Head Island Village Chapel. Brian proceeded to say that we should take a look inside while no one was there. The chapel was absolutely stunning! Eventually we went to the front of the chapel that overlooked the marsh and plopped ourselves in front of the live oak tree, where we sat and reflected about how great life had been since we met one another. As I started to get up to head back to the golf cart, Brian grabbed my hand. I turned around and he was on one knee: “Engle Nicole York, Will you marry me?” All day long, my ring had been hiding out in the tackle box!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Every single detail! We worked so hard to find vendors and come up with ideas that would represent us and our relationship in some way. Because we got engaged under the beautiful oak tree in front of the chapel, we decided to carry the BHI location and the tree throughout the wedding as our theme. We selected BHI for the location because it is our favorite vacation spot and where we got engaged.

Written with love by Katharine
17 Comments
  1. avatar Kelly Sauer reply

    You’re so right about the flowers, and that little chapel??? HOW sweet is that? What a lovely wedding!

  2. avatar Caroline reply

    Do you know where she got the invitations? Thanks!

    • avatar Katharine reply

      Hi Caroline! Engle + Brian’s invitations came from Reaves Engraving: http://www.reavesengraving.com. Happy planning!

  3. avatar Kim Fisher Designs reply

    Thank you SWM blog ! This was a very special couple and we think that Kristin Byrum captured that beautifully!

  4. avatar Anne Markey- Charlotte Wedding Planner reply

    Ah- I LOVE Kristin Byrum! Great work as always :)

  5. avatar Sonia A. reply

    Beautiful wedding! Could you tell me where the Groom’s tie is from(I haven’t been able to find one like that!) and her flowers…they are tea rose?

  6. avatar Lauren reply

    I second Sonia! My fiance has also been searching for a yellow/white striped tie and they are nowhere to be found!!!!

    Please please PLEASE PLEASE tell us where it came from. Pretty Please?

    With sugar on top?

    :)
    Lauren

    • avatar Emily reply

      Hi Lauren! Engle didn’t say where Brian’s tie came from, but I found a few other options for you: http://tinyurl.com/4n3eezx or http://tinyurl.com/4898kbg or http://tinyurl.com/49mf5qr or http://tinyurl.com/4ef5rfs. Hope that helps!!

    • avatar Emily reply

      Hi Sonia! I’m no florist, but those look more like garden or cabbage roses, or possibly peonies, than they do tea roses, to me. I hope that helps!

  7. avatar Sonia A. reply

    THANK YOU Emily! http://tinyurl.com/4n3eezx is the PERFECT color that I’m looking for!

  8. avatar Lovely: Bridal Fashion Inspiration – Arriving In Style reply

    […] via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5   Share: Add to Kirtsy StumbleUpon Facebook Twitter […]

  9. avatar Monthly Round-Up :: March 2011 « Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] blooms are certainly NOT in short supply on the SW blog. Nicole and I went completely ga-ga for Engle’s bouquet, designed by Kim Fisher, while Katharine was all over Dana’s white blooms, courtesy of Dottie […]

  10. avatar Best of 2011 :: Bouquets « Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] succulent, and orchid bouquet by Kim Fisher Designs (photo by Kristin Byrum, and originally seen here). Rose, garden rose, and snapdragon bouquet by Delma’s (photo by Tina Bass, and originally […]

  11. avatar Berry Bouquets | Polka Dot Bride reply

    […] Photography 5. Photo by Sedona Bride via Style Me Pretty 6. Photo by Kristin Byrum Photography via Southern Weddings Magazine 7. Bouquet from Blond Flores 8. White snowberries from Martha Stewart Weddings 9. Photo by Lili […]

  12. avatar Wedding venues – think outside the box… | fizzybunting reply

    […] Photography via Whimsical Wonderland Weddings, Golf Club Kristin Byrum Photography via Southern Weddings, beach wedding Timeless Pixx Photographers via Off Beat Bride, stadium wedding Sweet Little […]

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

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