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Author: Marissa

Bride Cathleen shares a look at her classic, magnolia-leaf wedding at the Charlotte Country Club.

I’m excited to introduce y’all to today’s darling bride, Cathleen! Her classic wedding to Thomas at Charlotte Country Club is not only beautiful, but the way they honored their families is so very sweet.

Cathleen was the fifth person in her family to wear a dress that was originally purchased by her grandmother in 1953 (!) — the monogram of each bride who has worn the gown is stitched on the skirt. “My aunt wore the dress next in 1983, and then my mom in 1984. My cousin Catherine was the first in our generation to wear the dress, and lastly, I was able to walk down the aisle in the dress this past October,” she says. “My grandmother is no longer with us, which made the chance to wear her wedding dress even more special.” What a remarkable piece of family history!

Keep reading for Cathleen’s favorite wedding details, how she worked with her parents to stay on budget, and lots more about their big day! Thanks to Caroline Lima for sharing this North Carolina wedding wth us!

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? My cousin Catherine who also wore the same wedding dress that I did owns her own invitation company, Catherine Kraft Designs out of Atlanta, GA. She branded our entire weekend started with our hand painted save the dates, custom hand painted map used in the welcome packet, stunning welcome bags, and custom dinner menus to name a few!

On the skirt of my wedding dress every person in my family who had worn the dress had their maiden name monogram in a pale blue.

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? People! We both come from large families and have lots of friends – if it was up to my husband we would have invited the world. My parents were beyond generous with the number we invited but having to narrow down our lists was probably the biggest challenge.

There were so many traditions and details but one that sticks out is my husband is from South Carolina and really wanted to tie in his heritage during our wedding day so one of his groomsmen gifts were navy blue socks with the South Carolina Palmetto tree on them.

What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? My parents asked us to make a list of what was most important to us to least important. For instance the photographer and videographer we choose were very important to us but the cake not as much. By doing this we were able to allocate our budget based on importance… This made the process so much smoother and made it easier to cut costs and see the bigger pictures.

My husband honestly didn’t care about many things during the wedding process but a first look was one of them. From the day we got engaged he made it very known that he did not want to see me until I walked down the aisle. He felt that you could not take away the feeling when the church doors open for the first time and you see your bride walking down the aisle towards you.

While I grew up only 30 minutes away and attended the same church my whole life we really wanted to get married where we would grow as a family. It was very important to us that we get married where we saw our children being baptized and so on.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. So when I said my husband didn’t really have an opinion about much the only other thing he was dead set on was a bagpipe player playing Highland Cathedral as I walked down the aisle. Throughout the whole wedding process, he kept saying “I promise when those doors open and highland cathedral is being played by the bagpipe player there will not be a dry eye in the house.”

The country club has amazing hardwood floors throughout but I really wanted to define the dinner area and the dancing area so we did a large black and white dance floor.

Describe your wedding flowers. I wanted all white everything mixed in with greenery. Jay from InBloom has worked with my mother for years as well as our wedding planner so when they both heard that was my vision they both immediately said we need to call Jay. He used a mix of vintage silver pieces like champagne buckets, candelabras, and mint julep cups to mix in the white flowers and the greenery. One of my favorite things was the magnolia garland surrounding the entrance to the church which was very inviting for guests and served as a beautiful backdrop for photos.

As a surprise to my stepfather my husband and I hired a cigar roller to hand roll cigars in the bar of the Country Club – we also had custom cigar matches made with our initials and wedding date.

The table where the cake was displayed was very special to us – on the table the champagne bucket that was used was my husbands grandmothers that his father gave to us when we bought our first home, along with a cake knife my mother gave us in our silver pattern our first Christmas we were engaged, and champagne flutes in our crystal pattern. We will always look back on these items and have such special memories!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. It was the end of the summer of 2013 when all of my girlfriends went over to a friends house to watch Georgia play South Carolina in football. Quickly after we arrived Thomas, who I had never met, approached me. He asked me your typical “get to know you” questions like what is your name, where did you go to college, where are you from? When he learned I grew up in Gastonia, NC he quickly mentioned a fraternity brother of his was from Gastonia. The funny part about this was he was referring to my stepbrother. Once we made that connection we went our separate ways that night (if you ask him I really didn’t give him the time of day). I remember the next morning telling my roommate what do you know about that Thomas Hipp guy he was pretty cute. I ran into him again two weeks later on a Saturday night and he quickly approached me. He said “I have had a crush on you since I met you could I take you to dinner?” How do you say no to that? That Thursday we went on our first date and have been inseparable ever since
Tell us all about the proposal! I swear Thomas’ main goal was to made me as mad as possible before he popped the question! He tricked me into thinking we had his work Christmas party on our one Friday night we were home in December so it didn’t start off on the best note. He then said just come over to my apartment and we will head uptown to the party. Immediately I was upset we were going to HIS Christmas Party he could pick me up! He of course did not and told me to just “take an uber” and hung up on me. For some reason when I went to call an uber there was a 7x surcharge so I called a yellow cab. Upon arriving outside his building I called him 3 times for him to come down but he never answered. At this point I was really mad my poor cab driver probably thought I was a crazy person! I marched up his apartment stairs and whipped open his door and immediately started sobbing. He had covered his apartment with flowers, champagne, and the song we had always joked would be our first dance was playing. It could not have been more perfect! I of course wanted to call everyone but he would not let me because my mom and stepfather were “on a plane to California and he didn’t want her feelings hurt if she didn’t find out first.” Let me tell you my entire family as well as his was in on the surprise! Thomas told me we had dinner reservations at one of our favorite uptown restaurants and once we finished dinner my parents would have landed so we could call everyone. Once again he tricked me! I walked into the restaurant and our ENTIRE families were waiting to surprise us. Two of Thomas’ siblings flew in from Texas to surprise us – it truly could not have been more perfect. Come to find out his whole family had been in Charlotte all day, he had ditched worked and they had been celebrating early. We spent the rest of the weekend with family. It was one of the best!
When did y’all get married? October 15, 2016
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Our weekend was truly amazing but if I had to give one piece of advice it would did it would be to hire our wedding planners Sara and Elizabeth. I know full service wedding planners are not in everyone’s budget but I would look into planners that offer month of or even day of. We cannot even begin to describe how truly amazing they were – we both come from big blended families which gave us a bit of anxiety during the planning process but this team could not have made the entire planning and weekend of run any smoother! They helped us choose the best vendors who made it just as special and I cannot imagine our weekend without them. Having planners or coordinators will make sure that you enjoy your day and you are not worrying over the small stuff.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We have purchased our first home together and renovated it so we are excited to move in and get settled.

Photographer: Caroline Lima Photography | Videographer: Reel Weddings | Planner: Hall & Webb Event Design | Ceremony Venue: Christ Church | Reception Venue, Caterer, and Wedding Cake: Charlotte Country Club | Florist: InBloom | Rentals: Party Reflections | Band: Sol Fusion via East Coast Entertainment | Paper Products: Catherine Kraft Designs | Bride’s Gown and Veil: Family heirlooms | Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist: Who’s the Fairest | Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Sung via Bella Bridesmaids Atlanta | Groom’s Attire: Vera Wang Black | Groomsmen Socks: Southern Socks | Calligrapher: Calligraphy by Kim P | Bagpiper: Dave McKenzie | Boxwood Wall: AFR | Draping: Party Tables | Escort Card Prints: Sealed Design Studio | Formal Wedding Invitations: Hive Design | Transportation: CLT Express | Trolley: Sunway Charters | Getaway Car: English Carriage Company | Cigar Roller: Salem Cigar Factory

East Coast Entertainment is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
1 Comment
  1. avatar Erin McLean reply

    This is so gorgeous!! Her gown is phenomenal!! Makes me want to go make sure mine is preserved!

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When Emily told me we were considering an editorial shoot for our tenth-anniversary issue in Mobile, Alabama, I knew I simply HAD to be there! You see, I grew up in Mobile, and it will always hold such a special place in my heart. And when I found out we would be staying at Fort Condé Inn, I was even more excited.

Fort Condé Inn is located in a secluded enclave of brick-paved streets in the heart of downtown Mobile (just a couple blocks from the church I grew up attending!) and could not have been a more perfect way to introduce my fellow SW gals to the history and beauty of my hometown. Mobile’s second-oldest home, Fort Condé Inn was built in 1836 and then meticulously restored in 2011 to a boutique hotel. It now serves as the centerpiece of Fort Conde Village which includes two courtyards, a veranda, and adorable cottages — including the Blakely, where we had the pleasure of staying.

Y’all, the Blakely cottage was everything I had hoped for when imagining our trip! It was spacious, including three beautifully decorated bedrooms with large wood armoires, high ceilings, and perfectly restored original character. I was in Southern heaven! Especially when I walked past the sweetest smell from my childhood, the honeysuckle bushes that flanked the walk from our cottage to the front of the Inn. And let me tell you, with all the back-and-forth we do on shoot days, I walked by the bushes a LOT.

Oh, and breakfast! This was so fun, y’all! Each morning, we were greeted in the main dining room by the kindest gentleman who would bring us fresh fruit, biscuits, muffins, and our choice of coffee or juice while we waited for our breakfast. We were then served some of the yummiest Southern food made fresh just for each of us based on their daily menu at a large estate table. Let’s just say that there may have been double orders of the pecan pancakes, cheese grits, and crispy bacon!

Throughout our entire stay, we continually spoke about how much fun the cottage would be for a girls’ weekend, or as a getting ready spot for a bridal party. Though you WILL need a few brave gals in your squad, as rumor has it the Inn and cottages are haunted ;) And I’ll be the first to say that I absolutely believe it – but eek, that’s a whole other story!

And of course, we couldn’t share a post about our trip for an editorial shoot without a little behind-the-scenes goodness. Can you spot the never-before-seen photo below?

That’s my favorite honeysuckle wall right there behind our darling Emily. I wish you could smell it right now!

On a scale from 1 to 10, how excited are you for our tenth-anniversary issue? I’ll go first: 12!!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
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Abigail and Leonardo’s backyard celebration is beautiful and filled with so much joy! I love hearing why they chose to marry in her family’s backyard and how they used the space to not only stay within their budget but create a wedding filled with so much charm. I’ll let Abigail give you a little more insight into their wedding planning and sweet day!

Special thanks to Nikki Neswick for capturing their day!

How did y’all meet? I was at dinner with my family while he was at the next table over having dinner with his family. Neither one of us introduced ourselves, but as fate would have it, we saw each other later that night at a mutual friend’s party and didn’t introduce ourselves! Thankfully, we saw each other again the following night and this time, Leo did his best to make an impression on me – he made sure he introduced himself and he basically swept me off my feet at that moment.

Tell me about finding your wedding dress. Willowby by Watters designed my dress, it was actually the first dress I ever tried on. It stuck out to me because of the details and how wonderful I felt wearing it.

I love greenery, ferns, and vines. I love flowers and I appreciate their beauty, but I wanted our bouquets to look very natural with the backyard. Leo’s godmother made them for us; they were full of lush green eucalyptus, stock flower, green hydrangea, and baby’s breath.

We got married in my parents’ backyard – I have lived in that house since I was five years old. We shared many memories there together as a couple and with our families and our friends. Their backyard is amazing, backing up to a forest of massive old oak trees and pines.

We did not have a first look. We ended up deciding to share that intimate moment of me walking down the aisle with our families and loved ones.

Never in my life have I felt so beautiful, loved, and appreciated. He is the kindest and most selfless person I know.

What range did your wedding budget fall into? Less than $10,000
What was one way you saved money at your wedding? Getting married in my mom and dad’s backyard was a huge budget saver!

I know this will sound so cliche, but the whole day/evening was amazing and our photographer captured the moments in such a beautiful way!

Tell us all about the proposal! The most amazing and romantic thing that has ever happened! My family members are so important to me – Leo knows this and took that into account for our engagement. For years, I have traveled to Central America with my family and I have the most wonderful memories in Nicaragua. I thought this was going to be just a trip, a wonderful trip nonetheless, but I could never have imagined how wonderful it was going to be! Leo planned the whole trip behind my back for months, made sure all my immediate family was able to fly down, and took off a week of work. The second day into the trip, we are all at the pool overlooking the ocean, and Leo pulls me aside – I did not suspect anything until this moment. He brought me out to this point on the side of a tiny cliff facing out to the ocean. He begins to reassure everything I already knew about how much he loves me and cares for our relationship – obviously I’m crying like a baby.
When did y’all get married? March 11, 2017
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 125
Did you write your own vows? Yes, we wrote our own vows.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? We had Leo’s mother read a bible verse in Spanish and English – 1 Corinthians 13:4-13. My brother also read a bible verse for us.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We actually had a small cake that Leo and I cut, but for our guests, we went with gourmet donuts because they are so amazing! We got our donuts from Jupiter Donut Factory in Stuart, Fl.
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I wore a necklace that my mom bought for my sister for her to wear at her wedding. I also wore an old emerald bracelet from my mother, and my best friend loaned me her blue opal ring that her grandmother gave to her.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We incorporated native Floridian plants in our wedding decor: air plants, orchids, and ferns. My dad works in the citrus industry and my parents have orange trees in their yard, and the orange blossoms were in full bloom – it smelt like heaven.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? Leo and I went to marriage counseling which was super helpful and gave us a great template and outline on how we want to handle our marriage.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? We had to decide and remember that we need to focus on each other and the love we share, that the wedding, the guests, and the food were all just background noise. Not getting caught up in the extra things was important to remember – as long as we got married is all that counted to us.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? True Love Vintage Decor from Stuart, FL. This company rented all of our decor for our wedding, and they totally nailed the whole shabby chic/enchanted/whimsical look we were going for! Our photographer Nikki Neswick did an amazing job coordinating all of the moving parts and massive families that we have.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Breathe! You will be married by the end of the night so that is what is important.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We are living together (finally!) and planning our next trip to Nicaragua! We are so excited that our wedding went as planned – it was honestly a dream and we are on cloud nine!

Photographer: Nikki Neswick | Venue: Family Home | Dessert Baker: Jupiter Donuts | Caterer: Caracas Italian Grill | Rentals and Lighting: True Love Decor | Ceremony Music: Josh Mullen and Elizier Lancelot | Paper Products: Wedding Paper Divas | Bride’s Gown: Willowby by Watters | Hair Stylist: Amanda Wilson | Makeup Artist: Makeup by Danielle Nicole | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Lulus | Men’s Attire: H&M

marissa Written with love by Marissa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Bran reply

    Where did you get the bridesmaid dresses? I love them!

    • avatar Marissa reply

      Hi Bran! The lovely bridesmaid dresses are from Lulus. https://www.lulus.com xo!

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