Southern Weddings

Molly Gee is not only a Southern Weddings fan, she’s a Southern Weddings vendor! It’s always fun to see how someone who works in weddings goes about planning her special day, so I hope you enjoy this month’s interview!

Hi! What’s your name?
Molly Gee

What’s your fiancé’s name?
Justin

A fun shot from Molly Gee and Justin’s engagement session by Beth Morgan!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story.
We met a few times in and after college through mutual friends, but we didn’t really make the effort to get to know each other until the summer of 2010. Separately, we had set big plans for our lives outside of Mississippi, but in the end, the Lord led us back to our hometowns to follow a different path together.

What did you do on your first date together?
Both of us were on tight budgets, so when Justin said he wanted to take me out on a date but couldn’t afford an expensive dinner, I suggested milkshakes and popcorn with a rented movie. We watched Young Guns (not really sure how we came to that choice!?). A few weeks later, I asked him to be my date for filming a friend’s music video. We showed up to the shooting location (a cabin in Mississippi!) and had to dress in 1920’s fashion and pretend to play instruments.

Now tell us alllll about the proposal.
Justin and I first talked about marriage in the spring of 2011. We knew we loved each other very much, but also wanted to be sure we were established in our professions before making such a big decision. Looking back, I now know that Justin wanted his main surprise to be the timing of the proposal. So, when he said sometime in 2012, I believed him!

On December 23, 2011, my sister called to say she needed me to babysit my nieces while she finished last minute Christmas errands. She seemed flustered, but I figured it was just stress from a long ‘to do’ list. I called Justin to tell him my plans, and he mentioned taking me out to dinner that night, and we decided he would pick me up at my house once I was done sitting.

I take my dog, Fern, with me most places. So after babysitting, I parked in my garage, unloaded Fern and my other belongings, and headed inside. My first reaction? “Oh no! My Christmas tree lights exploded everywhere!” Fern tore through the foyer ahead of me, sliding on the dozens of candles that were set up and generally making a mess. I dropped my bags and just stared at Justin (who was on one knee) from across the room. He had to ask The Question from a distance, and finally said, “Can you please walk over here?” I, of course, said yes!

It’s fun to find out the little details afterward, isn’t it? Justin requested my sister’s help in getting me out of the house for two hours, but in the end, only needed about 30 minutes to get everything set up! (He watched Christmas Vacation on my TV while waiting with his car parked down the street!) My sister relaxed at my parents’ house while baking Christmas dishes… not running errands!

Molly Gee, Justin, and Miss Fern! (Photo by Beth Morgan)

When’s the big day?
Friday, October 12, 2012

Where might you two be tying the knot?
The ceremony and reception will be held at The South, a refurbished warehouse in Jackson, MS, owned by the talented Wendy Putt of Fresh Cut Catering and Floral. Justin and I love the space and its endless possibilities. It is definitely a blank canvas and we have access to so many great antique furniture pieces stored in the building.

Who or what has been most inspiring in the wedding planning process?
If Pinterest were a person, I would hug her! I have to admit, when I was first engaged, one of my first thoughts was, Yay! It’s now definitely acceptable to start pinning the heck out of wedding photos! Also, thank you, thank you to Southern Weddings for your ultimate wedding planning checklist in V4! I have notes and check marks covering the pages!

Has your vision for your wedding changed or evolved over the course of your engagement? If so, how?
Since I work in the wedding business, I have always tried to stay very neutral with my personal wedding preferences, although it’s hard not to have an idea of what you want and don’t want. I have stayed with a vision of mostly neutrals, complemented by small pops of color. I love both rustic and modern styles, so we have tried to find a happy medium throughout the planning process.

Molly Gee’s inspiration board!

We’re guessing you’re planning to make your own wedding accessories. True?
Of course! I plan to wear the Daisy (a tulle birdcage veil), the Delphinium (a braided rhinestone sash), and for the reception, possibly the Wisteria (a tulle flower hairpiece). The bridesmaids will wear a mix of hairpieces, necklaces, and sashes. Even Justin and his groomsmen will wear a mix of MollyGee designs bow ties and ties!

What are you most looking forward to on your wedding day?
I’m looking forward to marrying this wonderful man and celebrating with all of our family and friends! On my wedding day, I want to put all the headaches of planning aside and just enjoy! Justin is also VERY excited about his groom’s cake! He is Arsenal’s number one fan, and the cake will be in the shape of the team’s crest.

Two awesome groom cakes we’ve featured in the past: an alligator (photo by Stephen DeVries) and a ham (photo by Oh, Darling!)

Any advice you’d like to pass along to fellow brides?
We all want our day to be perfect and it’s understandable to focus on making that happen! Even through all of the planning and decisions, remember it is only one day of your life. If the wedding doesn’t flow exactly as you planned, you are still marrying the one person you care the most about!

Thank you so much for playing along, Molly Gee! Readers, if you’d like to apply to be a Southern Bride of the Month, check out this post for all the details! If you’ve already emailed me, you’re still in the running for future months!

Stephen DeVries is a fabulous member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Written with love by Emily