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Introducing the V7 Cover!!

by in In The Office, News on

Friends! It is with the fullest heart and incredible joy that we introduce to you… the Southern Weddings V7 cover!!!

She charms the dew right off the honeysuckle, doesn’t she??

As we put together this issue, we kept circling back to a few central ideas. We wanted to celebrate the community that surrounds a bride on the way to her wedding day. We wanted to honor best friends, who do so much to get us down the aisle. And we wanted to empower our couples to be confident as they make decisions throughout their engagement, secure in the knowledge that their wedding is only the beginning, and that they can write the story of their life together, no matter what has come before.

Speaking of writing your own story… we couldn’t be more tickled pink about the fact that our cover photographer, Tec Petaja, was none other than the groom on our very first cover, V1!! Tec and his sweet wife Chelsea have always been an important part of the Southern Weddings family, and it’s so meaningful to us to be able to work with them on a cover. As many of you know, the SW story has added so many chapters since that first issue, and this feels like a beautiful full-circle moment.

We had the joy of working with many other talented folks to bring this image to life, including Rhiannon from Hey Gorgeous Events, who graced us with her floral and styling skills. Kate Bryan of The Small Things blog curled our gorgeous ladies’ locks while Makeup for Your Day gave them peachy cheeks and rosy lips. We couldn’t be more proud to have our bride in the dress of a Southern designer (Anne Barge!) or to shoot on location at one of our favorite places, Fearrington Village.

The results of the fun cover poll our newsletter subscribers took – if you’re not signed up yet, do so now!

And of course, one of the most exciting things about this cover is that it features one of our very own gals – yes, that’s Miss Lisa to the left of our bride!! You may recognize the face all the way to the left, as well – Whitney, recently married, was one of our famous bridesmaids for the polo shoot a few years back!

Though our official release day is Tuesday, if last year is any indication, V7 may be popping up on newsstands around the South as early as today–yeehaw!! Be sure to snap a pic of yourself with your copy and tag #SWV7 on instagram or Twitter – we LOVE seeing your smiling faces!! If you live outside the South, you can always find a copy in our store.

In the meantime, we’re DYING to know: What do y’all think??? Are you as much in love with V7′s cover as we are?

emily Written with love by Emily
13 Comments
  1. avatar Stephanie reply

    Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! It’s absolute perfection – I adore the cover and am SO excited to see the rest of the magazine, too!!

  2. avatar Janna reply

    Love love love!! My sisters and I always look forward to picking up the newest magazine from yall and looking through it together!

  3. avatar Maghon reply

    LOVING all the pink!! So so so excited for the launch!!

  4. avatar Rhiannon reply

    It was beyond a pleasure getting to be a small part of something so much bigger than all of us. Love you guys! I can’t wait to get this beauty in my hands xoxo

  5. avatar Hey Gorgeous, The Blog – Published {Southern Weddings} reply

    […] these words but I am absolutely honored and thrilled to have my florals on the newest cover of Southern Weddings Magazine. The Southern Weddings brand and mission is such a special one and one that no doubt is paving (and […]

  6. avatar Dana reply

    I LOVE IT!!!!!! Can’t wait to get it in my hands!

  7. avatar Stephanie Jo {The Lovely Glass Jar} reply

    Gorgeous cover!!

  8. avatar Southern Weddings Weekly Round-Up – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] finally here–just a few sleeps away from the launch of V7!! We unveiled our beautiful cover yesterday, and we are on the edges of our seats waiting for it to pop up on newsstands all across the South. […]

  9. avatar Kirsti Cook reply

    I LOVE the new cover! I can’t wait to have this “sweet as a peach” sitting on my coffee table, I’m going to preorder my copy now!

  10. avatar Introducing the Southern Weddings Planner! – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] an exciting few days in the Southern Weddings office!! On Friday we revealed the sweet as a peach cover of SWV7, newsstand photos of V7 started to pop up over the weekend on Instagram (!!!), and today, we have […]

  11. avatar Kyla Fetzner reply

    I absolutely love the cover and am looking forward to celebrating with you ladies next week! It’s so special that y’all are celebrating community and friendship, as that is such an important cornerstone of a marriage.

  12. avatar Southern Weddings V7 » Emily March Photography | International Destination Wedding Photographer reply

    […] Southern Weddings V7 is here, and I couldn’t be happier! This post is a bit delayed since the magazine has been on […]

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I’ve recently become very interested in small space living, and couldn’t be more excited that we have a diminutive dwelling to share with y’all today! Kelly and Andrew have packed every inch full of meaningful mementos and inspired finds, and I know you will love taking a peek inside their Birmingham carriage house home. Hugs to Jean Allsopp for sharing these lovely photos!

P.S. Ready for another tiny carriage house? Don’t miss Meg + Josh’s tour!

The couple: Kelly Kinnaird, 25, and Andrew Kinnaird, 25
Years married: One year and three weeks – we made it!
Where you live: Homewood, Alabama
Tell us a little bit about yourselves. Kelly is a graphic designer who recently launched a custom wedding invitation business. She loves dark nail polish, salty foods, and warm socks. Andrew works as a manager in telecommunications, making it possible for you to get cell phone signal at large venues. He loves dabbling in videography, fixing things, and kayaking after a good storm. We were both born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama.

Tell us your love story in one sentence. We fell in love in college over four years of undeniable chemistry, late night Frosties, great music, love letters in Maine, and genuine conversation.
What is your favorite part of being married? We have such a wonderful, deep friendship that began long before we dated. Now that we are married, we love that we get to just hang out with each other every single day, deepening that friendship that brought us to love in the first place.
What has been the most surprising thing about marriage? To truly have a fulfilling, successful marriage, you must completely let go of yourself and your needs and serve your spouse daily. When you become selfless and intentional on a daily basis – not just every once and a while or when it is convenient – needs are met, hearts are filled, and the relationship thrives. It is a choice every day.

Do you rent or own? We are currently renting an adorable carriage house in Homewood, Alabama. It’s a quaint little area that looks straight out of a movie. We walk to the library, the park, coffee shops, stores, restaurants, and more. We are only minutes from downtown Birmingham, which makes it easy to pop downtown for a night out with friends or to visit the market on Saturday morning. We plan to rent here for a while longer while we save for our first house. We are not sure where we will end up in the next few years, but we currently love making Birmingham and our carriage house our home.
Tell us about the process of moving in together. I think we are still trying to figure out how to perfectly mesh our styles. Being a designer, my taste changes constantly, but usually hinges around an eclectic aesthetic with classic basics. Andrew is usually on board, but he believes comfort is most important, so we have to work through finding pieces that fill the house with comfort, but are still well-designed and aesthetically pleasing. We tend to like similar colors and are good at staying within a certain budget, so we always find a compromise.

What is your favorite memory from your wedding? I think we would both agree that the time between our ceremony and reception was our absolute favorite. We didn’t see each other before the ceremony, so directly following it was our first moment to really spend time together. That moment allowed us to fully absorb this idea of being husband and wife. It was incredibly intimate, and it felt as if our photographers weren’t even there. Every time I look at those first photographs of being husband and wife, it still feels as surreal as it did in that moment.
How do you remember your wedding in your home? We have a wall we dedicated to a handful of our favorite wedding photographs. The wall is on the stair landing between our first and second floor, so we pass by our favorite memories multiple times each day. We also have a few film shots scattered throughout our home.

What most makes your house feel like home? We feel very attached to our carriage house and sometimes wonder why we would ever leave. It is just so quaint and makes all gatherings feel intimate and personal, which in turn makes our four walls a home. I would also say our dog Reagan, who brings noise and unconditional love, our candles that bring warmth and light, and our plants that bring fresh air and color.
Where do you splurge and where do you save when decorating? We splurge on quality pieces we hope to pass down to our children, like our solid wooden dresser or antique sitting chairs. However, we buy those pieces secondhand to save a little, while also ensuring better quality. We seek out pieces at estate sales, thrift stores, and on Craigslist that we recover or finish to bring them up to date. For the trendier or more modern pieces, we are regulars at Target, Home Goods, and Ikea.

Which items from your wedding registry do you use the most often? We use most of the items on a weekly basis. I would have to say either our beloved silicone utensils (I don’t know how I lived without them), our cast iron skillets (yes, multiple – we are from the South, after all), or our gray quilt (by day, it is a throw for our bed, but by night, it is a giant blanket for living room hangouts).
Who cooks dinner? I gladly do! I love to cook. I have been slowly building my knowledge over the years and love the sense of satisfaction and community a good meal can provide. I look forward to the day where I have perfected enough homemade dishes to pass a recipe book on to my children.
What is your go-to weeknight meal? Weekend meal? We could live off of Mexican and Thai food. If we are looking for a quick weeknight meal, you can bet it will be a Mexican-inspired dish. Usually, it involves seasoned slow-cooked chicken, black beans, cheese, corn, avocados, roasted vegetables, and a homemade zesty Greek yogurt topping. On the weekend, you may catch us going to our favorite Thai restaurant to get our respective favorite dishes. The Thai restaurant is where our relationship began six years ago, so it holds a special place in our hearts (and our tummies!).
What’s your favorite place to find recipes? I love collecting old family recipes and tweaking them to our personal tastes. I also love coming across fresh, modern blogs such as Minimalist Baker, A Couple Cooks, and Half Baked Harvest, as well as the classics such as Martha Stewart and Southern Living.

How does your family handle finances? Do you use a set budget? We are self-proclaimed penny pinchers. We are known to only go out to eat if we split a meal or have a coupon, but we are okay with that! Andrew and I agree wholeheartedly on how we handle our finances – we set a strict budget, pay everything in cash (except basic online bills), and save aggressively. I personally handle our finances, but at the end of the month, we sit down together to look over our spending, savings, and financial goals. However, we do factor in some leisure money within that budget for the occasional concert, pair of shoes, or nail salon visit :)
Do you have a favorite date night idea to share? Our favorite date night involves a good movie marathon. We walk down to the library and check out a handful of movies. We then make a palette out of an air mattress and lots of blankets, and cuddle up for a night full of movies and popcorn.

What is one small way you love or serve your spouse? Andrew has a gift of loving people well. How I got so blessed that he chooses to selflessly love me every day is beyond me. He is eager to help, always putting my interests before his. I try to best serve him through taking care of all the business of the house. I work from home, so I try to clean regularly, pay the bills, grocery shop, and cook, so that when he comes home from work, we spend our time having genuine conversations and experiences rather than adding worries or chores onto his busy work day.
Do you have children? Our furbaby Reagan is just perfect for us now. We are recently married and want to spend the next few years soaking up new places and spaces. We love to travel and want to take advantage of that while we can. But, we feel very called to have our fair share of children (we are hoping for four!) and we look forward to that season when it arrives. We know the Lord’s plans are perfect and we can’t wait to see how He will shape our little family over the years.

Before getting married, I wish someone had told me… how incredibly rewarding it is. Yes, it is work. Yes, it is challenging. However, the reward is greater than anything I would have ever imagined. How it is possible to feel so fulfilled, loved, and cared for by another human is beyond me.
This year, our family is most excited about… enjoying the nest we have been building over the last year. We have finally finished up all the side projects within our house and are thankful to be able to spend the next year reaping the benefits of the home we have built together.

We’re so grateful to Kelly and Andrew for sharing their hearts and home with us! Be sure to follow along with them:
Deliver Paper Studio
Kelly’s instagram
Deliver’s instagram
Andrew’s instagram

P.S. We’d love to hear from you! Our hope is to feature REAL couples in the South – your inspiring friend, super talented cousin, or neighbor with the cutest house – the kind of person everyone would love to “e-meet.” If that sounds like you or someone you know, take a peek at our Southern Newlywed submission page and shoot us an email!

emily Written with love by Emily
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Oh friends, this wedding is so close to our hearts! You may remember the beautiful Meredith and Beau from Meredith’s guests posts a few months ago–as former nanny to Lara’s little Grace, Meredith is an honorary SW gal, and we sure miss her around the office! Every step of their engagement, Meredith and Beau were so focused on creating a truly meaningful celebration, right in the heart of their favorite place. After this beautiful July day, they moved a few miles down the road from their venue to begin newlywed life–I can think of no sweeter way for them to be continually reminded of their vows and joy!

We’re so grateful to Shelby Peaden for bringing Meredith and Beau’s wedding day vision to life and to Lauren Kinsey for capturing it so beautifully!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. On December 28 (my birthday, yay!), my mom, sister, sister-in-law, baby niece, and I all headed up to the city to find my “perfect” dress. I was pretty open to anything! After trying on what seemed like every dress in the store, I had narrowed my favorites down to five, and decided to sleep on it. On our second trip, I tried on the five dresses again, and was quickly able to narrow them down by answering two questions: “Is this dress ‘me’?”, and “Is this what I picture myself in when I walk down the aisle to meet my future husband?” The dress we all fell in love with was simple, elegant, soft, and sweet–we were sold on everything…except the price! As I was driving home from the city with my mom, I searched the dress name and designer, and happened to find the exact dress we needed, in the exact size, height, and dimensions for sale (for less than half the price) on OnceWed! It was a pretty easy decision after that!

We were both a little uncertain about a first look at first, worried that we would lose some of the sweetness of the moment we saw each other, but as we thought about it more, we decided to go with a first look.This option allowed us to take a moment away from any built-up nerves. We took time to pray together, and I instantly felt a wave of peace come over me–such a special moment! A first look is not for everyone, but for Beau and I, that moment was just what we needed–not a special moment was “lost” from our first look, as we worried about in the beginning–rather, a special moment was gained!

Choosing the Town Hall as our ceremony site was probably the easiest decision we made throughout the entire planning process. Rosemary Beach is our place. Being in a long distance relationship and traveling back and forth between states throughout the years, this was always the one place that was constant in our relationship. We quickly (and easily) decided that the Rosemary Beach Town Hall would make the perfect location to celebrate together with our two “separate worlds” in our most favorite place!

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? My brother was the officiant at our wedding, and knowing him as a man who is passionate about the message of a Christ-centered marriage, I knew that he would be diving deep into the passage of Ephesians for our ceremony. After discussing our ceremony timeline with him the month before the wedding, I knew that what he had to say was exactly what was needed to be said–nothing more, nothing less.

What a joy it was for so many SW gals to have a small part in this sweet day! Morgan designed the paper products, Emily created the tinsel stirrers below, and of course, Lara and Ari were in attendance as Grace carried out her flower girl duties!

Brian of Myrtie Blue was my amazing florist. I mentioned to him I wanted soft, fluffy florals with a little loose foliage, giving them a slightly wild, garden-y feel. We decided on creams, soft pinks, and peaches, as well as the soft light green lamb’s ear to echo the beautiful ribbons that would wrap around the bouquets: pastel velvet!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: There were so many beautiful details, but I would have to say that the backdrop for the ceremony and cake table was my favorite that night. We had our wedding verse, Ruth 1:16, written in gold on a large canvas backdrop that we stood in front of for the ceremony, and it then doubled as a backdrop behind our cake during the reception! The cake table also had an amazing gold sequined tablecloth that popped nicely against all the soft blues in our reception space. We were able to keep our personalized canvas at the end of the day, and I am excited to have it for the rest of our lives!

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? About two months before our big day, I was sitting at a wedding with my future in-laws. When our friend’s ceremony had ended, and the new couple had exited the venue, all I could think about was how special their vows were and how happy they looked…that’s when it all clicked! I had been worrying about what song would be played when, and what decor would be used where, but at the end of the day, I couldn’t tell you what songs were played at her wedding, or even what flowers were in her bouquet. When your wedding day has come and gone, all that you take with you are the memories made, the words spoken, and the promises kept. Every bride hears it when they begin planning a wedding, and it is much easier said than done, but try to focus on the bigger picture. You are planning a wedding, yes, but more importantly, you are preparing for a marriage with your best friend–and that is a thing to be celebrated!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Beau and I both grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, so we had known each other for years prior to our official meeting. We attended the same high school, where I knew him as the handsome and talented football star. Fast forward three years, and that same cutie happened to be in my Library Aide class fall semester of our senior year. Considering the fact that our “class” consisted of four students, there was plenty of time for Beau and I to really get to know one another. To my surprise, that guy that I had known of for my entire life, but had yet to get to know, ended up being one of the most genuine, precious, and God-fearing leaders I had ever met. We dated throughout our senior year of high school, persevered through some of the hardships of long distance dating through college, and finally got engaged five years later on December 11, 2013. I’ve told him time and time again that finding him in 2008 changed my life, and I am forever grateful!
Tell us all about the proposal! I was Grace’s nanny last year, and as someone who is in the same house as the SW gals every day, you see a few photographers popping in every now and then. When Lara had mentioned to me that there would be a photographer coming to the house to take some holiday family pics for them, and that I should wear “holiday party-appropriate” attire, I did not think anything of it! Come Wednesday morning, I arrived to work (clueless as ever) feeling good about myself because I had actually put makeup on and fixed my hair…thank goodness! After the mini photo session was almost complete, Lara mentioned that we would be heading over to her church to take some final pictures in front of all their Christmas decor. Beau lived in Ohio, and was supposedly at football practice just hours before, so I was shocked when my Beau greeted me at the front entrance of the church with a bundle of roses. He walked me down a candlelit aisle, and seated me in a chair up on the stage. He then washed my feet, all while sharing with me the importance of serving and loving me like Christ loved the church. In typical McKinney fashion, I just lost it. Beau handed me a gift before he popped the question I had been waiting for since I was a little girl: a bible with my future name engraved on it “Meredith A. Blankenship.” We hugged, rejoiced, laughed, and cried.
When did y’all get married? Friday, July 11, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 125
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Beau and I considered writing our own vows, but as the wedding grew closer, we decided to go with traditional vows. Although I think unique vows are absolutely precious, Beau and I were content to use the same words that our siblings, parents, and grandparents had all shared on their special days, too!
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Delicious! Seriously, Rhonda, the owner at Confections On The Coast, is out-of-this-world amazing at what she does–both on the exterior and the interior of her cakes. On the outside, I wanted my cake to be simple, clean, and to have a little pop of sparkle. I love polka dots, so there were gold swiss dots on every other tier, and a few soft, pink flowers on the top. On the inside, there were four different types of cake: strawberry, coconut, chocolate peanut butter, and french vanilla. Yum!
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I thought of my “borrowed” as two things: the diamond on my engagement ring from my mother, that was once my grandmother’s, and that can hopefully go to my future daughter someday, and my grandpa’s Purple Heart that I attached onto my bouquet. My something blue was my perfume, Something Blue by Oscar de la Renta. My something old was my pre-owned wedding dress (what a great deal!), and finally, my something new was my shoes.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We were able to save money in a few areas, one of the main ones being our wedding attire. My dress was bought used from OnceWed and my bridesmaid dresses were on super sale from Anthropologie. Our men’s clothing from J. Crew was ordered through Ebates using a J.Crew card, and purchased through their wedding associate, all to receive a greater discount. The second area we saved in was our bar menu, where we had a limited menu instead of an open bar.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? What’s next? Oh goodness, Beau and I are currently in the middle of our, what I like to call, “adventure year!” Life has been so much fun since we said “I do!” One exciting thing is we are currently living about eight miles down the road from where we got married, in a little beachside condo we adore! As for married life, we are just enjoying being together after so many years of distance. The little things are what bring us joy: coffee together in the morning, praying together each day, planting ourselves in an amazing church, and creating friendships in the same friend group (not seven states away from each other). Marriage is such a gift. We are thankful!

Photographer: Lauren Kinsey / Videographer: Uhles Videography / Planner: Shelby Peaden Events / Venue: The Town Hall in Rosemary Beach, FL / Florist and Lighting: Myrtie Blue / Cake Baker: Confections On The Coast / Caterer and Rentals: Townsend Catering / Band or DJ: Rock The House / Paper Products: Morgan Moore / Tinsel Stir Sticks: Em for Marvelous / Bride’s Gown: “Emotion” by Monique Lhuillier / Veil: Veiled Beauty / Belt: Camilla Christine / Hair and Makeup: Lanna Bloodworth / Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Sugarberry Dress” by Anthropologie / Men’s Suits: J. Crew / Bow Ties: Lumina Clothing / Men’s Shoes: WSS

Myrtie Blue and Shelby Peaden are delightful members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
8 Comments
  1. avatar shelby peaden reply

    Yay! So happy to see Mere + Beau up on the blog today. Such a beautiful, kind, loving family! Happy to have been a part of their wedding!

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  3. avatar Lover.ly reply

    What a sweet story from an amazing couple! Love all the personal and heartfelt details of this wedding.

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  8. avatar Amanda reply

    What a lovely wedding story. I love gold and your color scheme was beautiful. I especially loved seeing all the joy and love on everyone’s faces throughout!

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