Southern Weddings

Becky says that she felt like she and Trevor had been planning for their marriage since long before they officially got engaged. Though BDK and I had not been together quite as long as their six-year courtship when we got married, I completely agree with this sentiment, and I love the thought so much. We talk often around the Southern Weddings office about the value of dating well before the engagement season of life and how important it is to lay the groundwork of a strong relationship. Like planning for their marriage, Becky and Trevor were so thoughtful in crafting a wedding at Veritas Vineyards that was romantic, beautiful, and enjoyable for all their guests. I’m positive the mac and cheese bites and Virginia ham biscuits they served heavily aided in that enjoyment!

Big thanks to our friend and Blue Ribbon Vendor Katelyn James for sharing Becky and Trevor’s wedding with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I looked all over, but ended up buying a dress from a little shop two blocks away from my parents’ house. I knew from the start that I wanted a dress with lace and sleeves, and when I put this one on, I knew it was PERFECT!!

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? Yes–it was the BEST! We had concerns about lighting after the ceremony, but we also wanted to get some of our nerves out beforehand.

We knew that we wanted to get married in Virginia (we are both from there), and we loved the idea of a vineyard venue. When we came across Veritas, we fell in love with it! It is such a romantic and beautiful location, and the team we got to work with was WONDERFUL. They made every detail perfect!

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. The groomsmen processional was the instrumental version of “Stand by Me.” The bridesmaid processional was an instrumental version of “Make You Feel My Love.” My processional was the Glasgow theme song from “Love Actually.” We wanted the processional songs to be soft and have no lyrics, so they weren’t overpowering. Our recessional was a different story–we chose Hall & Oates’ “You Make my Dream Come True” because we wanted to set the tone for the reception and get people ready to have some fun!

Describe your wedding flowers. My flowers were amazing!! We did mostly white with tons of greenery and succulents. We were really going for a soft, romantic feel and our florist nailed it.

We had a dessert bar with a number of different options, including mini cupcakes, cookies, rice krispie treats, and brownies. It was a hit! We also had a little wedding cake for us to cut that was delicious! It was a salted caramel cake, and I honestly wish I could eat it every day…YUM.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met in college at Christopher Newport University!
Tell us all about the proposal! Trevor tricked me into planning his surprise birthday party, which turned out to be a surprise engagement party! He proposed in a park by my house, and then we went back to my parents’ house, where everyone was waiting for us!
When did y’all get married? October 17, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 185
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! Yes! My borrowed item was my mom’s veil (I actually almost forgot to put it on and remembered right before I was supposed to walk down the aisle!). My blue item was a bracelet that my grandmother had given to my mom when she got married. My old item was my wedding band–it was my grandmother’s. My something new was the beautiful bracelets that my maids of honor got me as a wedding gift. I wear them everyday!
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We went for a somewhat rustic, romantic feel for our wedding, and gave our cocktail hour food a Southern feel. We served mac and cheese bites and Virginia ham biscuits!
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? Trevor and I had been together for six years by the time we got married, so I feel like we had been planning for our marriage since long before we got engaged.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Trying to make everyone happy without stepping on any toes! There is so much that goes into planning a wedding and there are always going to be a few bumps along the way, but Trev and I knew that when the wedding day came, it was all going to be worth it.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $50,000-$75,000
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? One of my favorite ways that we cut costs was on our invitations. We used Wedding Paper Divas, but found a promotion on gilt.com for 50% off! That was huge for us!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? That is so difficult! I think my favorite part of the day was right after we were married. The whole wedding party went to the bridal suite for our own little cocktail hour, and we had the best time! I will never forget it.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Don’t get so lost in planning that you forget what you are planning for. Hug your fiancé and try and remember that, at the end of that tunnel, you get to marry your best friend and start your marriage! That thought always made the stress disappear, at least for a little while. :)
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? Right now, we are just enjoying our time together, but we are looking to buy a house!

Photographer: Katelyn James | Venue and Caterer: Veritas Vineyard and Winery | Florist: Blue Ridge Floral Design | Cake and Dessert Baker: Sweethaus | DJ: Dominion Wedding Entertainment | Paper Products: Wedding Paper Divas | Bride’s Gown: Stella York | Bridal Salon: Ellie’s Bridal Boutique | Hair Stylist: Brianna B. Adams | Makeup Artist: Gohar Ayvazyan Makeup | Bride’s Shoes: J Crew | Menswear: Own Only

Written with love by Marissa