Southern Weddings

OK, y’all know how much I love string lights. Alli + Chad’s wedding is proof that the sparkly, hanging lights make the most beautiful spaces even more magical. With guests dining under a canopy of tree limbs, the lights were a special way to light up the area and infuse the event with some romance and fun. The vibe was only helped by an abundance of vintage finds, including an entire comfy lounge scene. Among our other favorite details are the mason jar punch cups, gorgeous cake, and shiny convertible! Thank you, Anahi Navarro for sharing this wedding with us!

See all the photos from Alli + Chad’s wedding in their Real Wedding Gallery!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? The menu was entirely Southern. The guests were served hors d’oeuvres of fried pickles and fried sweet potato sticks presented in paper cone cups while enjoying a signature cocktail of basil lime mojitos. Several food stations offered Southern selections of comfort food, including chicken fried steak and cream gravy, shrimp and grits, gourmet mac and cheese and an assortment of country salads and veggies. Blackboards and hand-painted flower pots posted the menu selections. As guests mingled around the pool waiting for time to be seated for the ceremony, my nephew pulled the cord on a huge old church bell that was hung from a mesquite tree to alert the guests that it was time to be seated. The ceremony took place in a meadow behind my grandfather’s back yard. My mom had three 10-foot church windows constructed and distressed to appear as though they came from an old church and placed them in the meadow to create a façade of a country church. Through the windows, guests could see pink and crimson bougainvillea’s filling the back of the meadow. The windows were flanked by vintage baskets filled with hydrangeas, roses, Queen Anne’s lace and ferns. A harpist was positioned among the trees and accompanied the wedding procession.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert: The bride’s cake was a traditional four-tiered white cake with pale pink fans of sugar. The groom’s cake was chocolate, topped with a pyramid of white chocolate golf balls.
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? My pale pink Jimmy Choo heels!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Having the wedding in my grandparents’ backyard with all of our family and closest of friends! It was a very special evening.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? After working so hard to make the night special, take time to stand back and embrace it all! Find a quiet spot to stand alone and observe all the special details, friends and family that gathered together. Oh, and make sure you get to eat the delicious food! Everything happens so fast, the night is over before you know it!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Neither one of us is a planner, but we intend to travel, enjoy life, and start a family! We don’t have a timeline to follow!

Photographer: Anahi Navarro and Aga Images // Planner: Donna Liston // Rentals: Dream Weddings by All Party Rentals // Flowers: Bloomer’s // Cake: Cynthia’s Cakes // Catering: Wray & Co. Catering // Bride’s Dress: Lela Rose “The Pond” // Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil: Custom made by Stanley Korshak Dallas // Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale // Accessories: Earring by Azaara

Love this wedding? Maybe you’ll love these, too:
Jamie + Dan’s intimate Southern wedding here and here.
Our Neutral Wedding Details Pinterest board.

Written with love by Nicole