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Today’s bride Debby is a wedding photographer herself, so planning her wedding to Richard was a joy… and a challenge! She said, “Being a wedding photographer, I knew what I wanted and what I didn’t. And while she had joked that she did wanted a courthouse wedding, her sweet husband-to-be knew she actually wanted a full celebration. So in front of 40 of their closest family and friends, these two said “I do” in their favorite oak tree-filled park in Richard (and mine, by the way!) hometown of Mobile! Y’all know I’m always partial to weddings in Mobile, but Debby and Richard’s does not even need my favoritism, its sweetness speaks for itself.

And while they opted out of that courthouse wedding, be sure to keep reading because Richard gave Debby a courthouse proposal instead!

Thanks to Elizabeth Gelineau for sharing!

What was your favorite detail from your wedding? One was my rings. Richard purchased the center oval stone for my engagement ring then paired it with diamonds that my dad gave my mom and some of my grandmother’s, as well. I love having a unique and timeless piece of jewelry that includes generations of love stories. I also loved my bouquet. I’ve made florals for all my best friends’ weddings, but knew when it came down to my day I needed to trust someone else. My bouquet was also wrapped in my dad’s shirt — although he couldn’t be there to walk me down the aisle, he was holding my hand every step of the way.

Did you decide to do a first look? YES! I am a wedding photographer, so this was a no brainer for me. Not only did I want more portrait time with my groom, but I also wanted to enjoy the day with him versus apart. I also had a first look with my bridesmaids, because I kept my dress a secret from them for months. And it was totally worth it. I mean, my matron of honor was completely in the air! And my first look with my stepdad was special. He’s been with me since I was 12, so I am his little girl, too.

What was your most memorable moment from your wedding day? All morning I waited anxiously until it was time to see my groom. Our first look took place on the porch of our venue. In the moment before he turned around, I just couldn’t help but cry at the fulfillment of a promise. God knows our every need and when we need them. Richard before me was that fulfillment: my husband, the one I would spend forever with.

What were some of the most meaningful or special parts of your ceremony? Richard and I exchanged our own vows during our first look. In my vows, I wrote, “You are the strongest yet gentlest man I know. Your kind eyes reassure my soul that I am home…. May the dessert and road trips to new places never cease. I look forward to raising all the pups and maybe a couple of adorable kids together, too. And I hope that fifty years from now this smile you’ve given me remains and laughter fills our home.” He wrote, “I can, in fact, say I have found my person. The person who loves me for the nerdy, perfectionist, goofy, brunch-loving, night owl that I am…. The person who’s smiles after a kiss makes me melt EVERY SINGLE TIME.” We also kept our ceremony small and intimate. Our parents, siblings, and bridal party were the only ones in attendance. My brother walked me down the aisle, and I was given away by my mom, stepdad, and brother.

What was Southern about your wedding? We buried bourbon at our ceremony site because we certainly didn’t need it to rain — and it didn’t! We had brunch food at our wedding (hello, biscuit bar!) because our first date was brunch in downtown Mobile, and our late-night pass was milk and Chick-fil-a cookies. Finally, my girls prayed over me before the ceremony. For so many years we’ve prayed over each other and the men that we’d marry, so to have that moment of promise fulfilled was overwhelming and so special.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Washington Square Park is my favorite park in Mobile, where Richard grew up and I came here for college and never left. The oak trees that scatter the park are so dreamy, and it’s nestled in the Oakleigh District, which is a beautiful area of the city.

What did you serve for your wedding cake or dessert? I often joke that the main reason I photograph weddings is for the cake! So when it came time for my own, I knew I wanted Cakes by Judi, who is the best! We chose three different flavors, because why not?! White almond with raspberry filling, chocolate, and strawberry, all with cream cheese icing.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I walked down the aisle to Kari Jobe’s “My Beloved.” We recessed from the ceremony to John Mayer’s “Wildfire” because Richard said it reminded him of our summertime romance from last year :) Our first dance was to Arctic Monkey’s “Baby, I’m Yours,” a fun, sweet song. Richard danced with his mom to “Bridge over Troubled Water,” one of his mom’s favorites.

Tell us your love story in one sentence. Completely unexpected, yet our greatest adventure thus far.
Tell us all about the proposal! I always joked that I wanted to have a courthouse wedding, but Richard knew that deep down I would want a full celebration. So he gave me a courthouse proposal! We were on a walk around the square in Opelika, Alabama, when he said he had something to show me. He had prepared a small journal of blessings for me to read from my parents and brother and even my pup along with his handwritten proposal. At first I said, “Are you serious??? Is this really happening?!” Followed by, “Yes! Of course!” He had designed the most gorgeous ring with the help of Lou’s Jewelry in Mobile, Alabama. My photographer friend, Anna Robbins, was there to capture the whole scene. AND then our parents arrived to surprise me! Goodness, I cried.
When did y’all get married? April 28th, 2018
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 40 of our closest family and friends attended our ceremony, and then 150 joined us for our reception
Tell us the highlights of finding your wedding dress. POCKETS for handkerchiefs! My husband is a paraplegic, so I knew that I would need to be able to sit down and move around easily in my dress, but also be able to dance in it, too!
What was your favorite thing about wedding planning? My favorite challenge was making it my own day, not something seen on Pinterest. Being a wedding photographer, I knew what I wanted and what I didn’t.
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 opted for a DJ versus a band, and allowed our bridal party to purchase their own dresses from different stores.
What advice would you give to someone currently planning a wedding? Keep a short engagement. Make it your own day, not what everyone else wants. If you want a small ceremony, have a small ceremony. If you want a big party, have a big party. Find someone you trust to take care of the details so that you and your mom especially can enjoy the day — after all, she’s waited for this day probably longer than you have! And set aside a day the week of the wedding for just the two of you, because when your friends start to arrive, you’ll get busy and not be able to focus on that relationship as much.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your wedding? My dad passed away eight years ago, and I wanted to be intentional about including him in my wedding day. I had my brother and stepdad wear two of my dad’s ties. I also used one of my dad’s shirts for the ring bearer pillows and to wrap my bouquet in. (We displayed family photos, including a picture of my dad in the shirt I used for my bouquet, in a hutch at our reception to help guests make that connection.) We also had a special dance at the reception where I invited all dads and their daughters to the dance floor to dance to the Temptations’ “My Girl.”

Photographer: Elizabeth Gelineau | Videographer: Lifehouse Films | Planner: Heather Pfefferkorn with Classic Events | Ceremony Venue: Washington Square Park | Reception Venue: The Pillars | Florist: Sarah Beth’s Florist | Wedding Cakes: Cakes by Judi | Caterer: Chef Rob | Rentals: SOHO | DJ: DJs by the Bay | Bride’s gown and accessories: Bella’s Bridal & Formal | Hair stylist: Mallory Gleason with Root 43 Salon | Makeup artist: Courtney Matthews | Bride’s shoes: Kate Spade Keds | Bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen attire: Purchased individually | Groom’s attire: Samuelsohn from Oak Hall | Rings: Lou’s Jewelry | Invitations: Minted | Koozies: SipHip Hooray | Watercolor of bride and father dancing: Melissa Munger

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

    Ah! Thank you so much for sharing our love story. Our wedding day was the best day ever! Hope this inspires many more Southern brides as they plan their big day.

  2. avatar Tessa Berg reply

    I love an intimate, elegant ceremony. What a beautiful celebration!

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Southern weddings can come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, from big ballroom weddings to kisses on the courthouse steps. It’s not the details that make a wedding Southern, but the people: their hospitality and their hearts. Throughout their wedding planning, Weldon and Dickie constantly reminded themselves that their wedding day was, most importantly, about their marriage. They chose a family friend’s beautiful navy barn to say their vows, and then forwent the traditional reception to celebrate their love with a BBQ dinner with their family and friends instead. To help keep costs down, they also enlisted friends and family to help with decor, borrowing plates and chairs after scouring yard sales and thrift shops. I’m sure what started as a money-saving idea turned into a sweet way to honor those around them!

Thanks to Love Be Photography for sharing this pretty day with us!

We got engaged on a very cold day in February. We went on the zip lining course at Red Mountain Park and were the only ones in the whole park (probably because of the frigid temperature!). On the last leg of the course, as I was in mid-air, I saw him on one knee and thought to myself, “Why are our guides going to make us get down on a knee?” Once I realized what was ACTUALLY happening, I was a little in shock (and a little numb from the cold), but of course, I said yes!

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? We did. I was the one who wanted to see him before the ceremony, mainly because I knew I wouldn’t be able to go that long without seeing him on such an exciting day!

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We chose to have our ceremony at a family friend’s barn. They have been friends of ours forever and were so gracious to open up their home to us. Their navy barn was an ideal venue for our ceremony and dinner.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I chose a variety of songs for our ceremony to represent what we like and to honor my family. I walked down the aisle to “Songbird” by Fleetwood Mac. Some other artists that made their way into the ceremony were Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond, and Mumford and Sons.

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! Of course! Since we decided to only have a maid of honor and best man, I wanted to honor another dear friend of mine in some way, so I asked her to bring me something of hers to borrow. I ended up wearing one of her necklaces. My something blue was a heart sewn into my dress from a shirt of my husband’s sweet grandfather, who passed away a year before we got married. My something old was a penny I wore in my shoe that all brides in my family have walked down the aisle with. My something new was my super fancy Frye boots!

What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? I had so many images and ideas of what I wanted our wedding to look like, and I knew I had to communicate them clearly to my mom because she is SUPER thrifty. I wanted a collection of old chairs and plates at dinner, so we used what we had, asked friends, and searched yard sales and thrift stores! Saving money can be easy–you just have to get a little creative.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Dickie and I worked together at an Italian restaurant in Opelika. He was a kitchen manager and I was a hostess. We were celebrating a friend’s birthday one night and there happened to be karaoke. I sang some Backstreet Boys song with a group of girls and the rest is history.
When did y’all get married? September 21, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 40
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I found my perfect dress at Bustle in Homewood. Meredith Carter consigns designer wedding gowns and helped me find a dress I typically would have turned my nose up to. My dress was a blush-colored tulle gown by Ivy and Aster.
Describe your wedding flowers. Perfect! The flowers were in the hands of my mom and maid of honor–I sent them a few pictures, and they created arrangements that were everything I had dreamed of.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Our cake was from Edgar’s Bakery. We went with strawberry AND red velvet cakes–we couldn’t decide, so we chose both!
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We didn’t have a traditional reception. Instead, we decided to celebrate with a BBQ dinner with our family and friends.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? We did premarital counseling with a couple who is very near and dear to our hearts for a couple of months prior to the wedding day. We also constantly prayed for one another and our marriage.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Reminding myself that while a wedding can be so beautiful, it is all about the marriage. I constantly had to remind myself of that while planning (especially when Dickie didn’t agree with me on details). Everything comes together!
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? Less than $10,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? PEWS! They were SO easy to work with and the pews were absolutely beautiful. They helped tie everything together.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Marrying the sweetest man and having the best people in the world there with us celebrating.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Don’t forget that it is your husband’s day too. He gets an opinion and it counts just as much as yours.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Growing together. Every single day, we learn something new about each other.

Photographer: Love Be Photography / Cake Baker: Edgar’s Bakery / Band: Cooper Trent / Pews: P.E.W.S. / Bride’s Gown: Ivy and Aster / Bridal Salon: Bustle / Bride’s Accessories: Shalla Wista Studio / Hair and Makeup Artist: Kerri Bunn / Bride’s Shoes: Frye

marissa Written with love by Marissa
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We have something so fun to share with y’all today! Megan and Brandon’s wedding has such a unique story, and is a beautiful display of a community coming together in celebration. Megan and photographer Catrina Earls can explain this day better than I could, so I’ll let them take it away!

From Megan:

After getting engaged, we had gone back and forth on wedding plans. Our families were very spread out, so we weren’t quite sure how we would get everyone in one place and, to be honest, it was all very overwhelming. In a very quick decision, we decided that we’d just get married there that day and then plan something later. We were married in Raleigh at the Courthouse while Ace sat and watched. We found complete strangers to be our witnesses and, after we were done, we headed to the state fair! A few months ago, Catrina contacted me about doing a styled wedding shoot with her. We went to high school together, but hadn’t seen each other since, although we kept in touch through social media. Brandon and I both thought it would be fun, plus it would give us wedding pictures that we never had. We agreed and had set the bar low in terms of our expectation–we knew that, at the end of the day, this was Catrina’s shoot, so everything would go according to her vision. I was surprised when she would message me questions about what I would’ve wanted for my own dream wedding, and she sold it well as “Well, the models look the most comfortable when they’re happy.” I went along with it, explaining that I had always imagined a very ethereal, woodsy, elegant look. All we had to do was show up on March 29!

I drove to Charlotte to try on dresses with Catrina. We needed something that needed no alterations whatsoever, that I could literally just wear off the rack for the photo shoot. Our fingers were crossed that it would go with the vision. The dress fit like it was made for me, and looking at the pictures, I cannot imagine a better dress for that venue and entire vision. It was the one word I had repeatedly used to describe my dream wedding: ethereal. It was one of those meant-to-be moments.

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? From Catrina: Since Megan had no idea about this day being an actual wedding day, I wanted her to have all the fun experiences that a bride has on her actual wedding day. To give them a little something fun to enjoy, I informed Megan we would do a first look to start off their photos! It was the sweetest moment. Brandon was standing under an oak tree by the hanging moss when Megan came around the corner of the house. Their three-year-old son Ace saw his mom and couldn’t hold back the awe. You could see the excitement in her eyes, even though she thought that it was just a styled shoot. When Brandon turned around and saw Megan his mouth dropped. He was just in complete awe of her, she was radiant! It was such a sweet moment.

After some portraits during the first part of the day, we took an afternoon break to eat lunch and thaw out (it was an unusually cold day), and then we were getting ready to do the “ceremony” pictures. I stepped outside to see my parents on the front porch (I’m getting teary eyed just typing this!)–they had come from New Jersey to be there for my special day. We walked down to the pews and I saw that, not only were Brandon’s parents also there from Maryland, but we were going to have our vows renewed. Catrina, Candace, and the rest of the vendors had, indeed, pulled off a very, very surprise wedding. We had our vows renewed, had our first dance, and then walked back to the table to have a sit-down lunch!

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? From Catrina: Megan had always envisioned her dream wedding in a location that offered tons of large oak trees. We reached out to Sarah, the owner of Wingate Plantation, and when they agreed, we were over the moon. When Megan got there, her first words were, “I know I said oak trees and wow, you gave me trees!”

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? You know, I was one of those people who thought weddings were just a formality. A “great-to-have” type of thing, but that’s it. Our wedding has really changed us. We finally got to celebrate ourselves as a couple, the journey we have taken together, and the path that lies before us. We have enjoyed each other and our marriage more than ever since our “wedding 2.0.” We were blessed enough to have been sent on a honeymoon to Mexico two weeks after the ceremony, and since then, we have settled back into life, our sweet family of three. It is amazing the peace that comes from realizing you have found the person to spend your life with.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: My favorite detail of the wedding was ALL of the details. There were so many personal touches throughout the entire day, thanks to Catrina and Candace. Monogrammed napkins, a hand-painted cake…even down to picnic boxes with quotes on them, some of which Catrina had pulled from my own Instagram posts! Every single detail was there and it was all so, so beautiful.

Rhiannon from Sweet Rhi created a delicious two-tiered cake, and a local artist, Blakely Made, hand-painted one of her beautiful Charleston landscapes on it. It was also adorned with florals provided by Stephanie from Sweet Grass. Rhiannon also provided delicious mini pies, two which were detailed with “Mr” and “Mrs.” Candace from Mingle provided vanilla ice cream in little mason jars.

We were finishing up for the rest of the afternoon and I couldn’t figure out why we were all waiting around outside when Catrina casually mentioned we were doing “a cool exit or something.” Just when I thought the day was over and all the surprises were through, we ended up leaving on a helicopter. (As an avid fan of The Bachelor, you can only imagine my excitement). As we were flying over the venue and everyone was waving goodbye, I just thought, “I cannot believe this is my life right now. I can’t believe the kindness of friends and strangers.”

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met five years ago on Match.com. We were both living in Baltimore and had joined as a way to meet people outside of our circles of friends. We went on our first date shortly after I joined and realized, of course, that we had mutual friends! Our first date was very casual and low-pressure. We sat and had drinks at Hudson Street Stackhouse and just talked each other’s’ ears off. We both knew right away that this was something very special. We still refer to it as the BDE–best date ever! Our love story is not a traditional one, but it is so very much ours. We met that February and I gave birth to our beautiful son the next year. We have had ups and downs, but ultimately, couldn’t picture our lives without each other. I am a big believer that not all love is effortless. In fact, I am a bigger believer in “messy love”–love that is flawed, sometimes broken, and requires work, but is irrevocable. You work at it because you know this love was meant for the two of you.
Tell us all about the proposal! Brandon proposed to me in late August 2013. We had dinner in downtown Annapolis, and the entire time, Brandon was fussing about the weather. It was a beautiful summer night, albeit a bit cloudy. Never in my life had I heard him utter a word about the weather, so I had no idea what he was so worked up about. As it turns out, he had planned on proposing as the sun set by the water, but it was totally covered by clouds! Plan B: we walked around the city, took the ferry across the water, and just really enjoyed the time with each other. Keep in mind, we had a 2-year-old at home, so any time we got to go on a date alone was special in itself! At the end of the night, he proposed.
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! Well, technically, everything was borrowed! I wore blue earrings for part of the shoot from the stylist, Brooke. My parents gave me a beautiful new embroidered handkerchief to wrap around my flowers. Most importantly, my “old” was a heart ring made up of the stones from my grandmother’s wedding ring, that I wore on my right hand. It made me feel like a part of her was there that day.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your wedding? Brandon and I continue to be completely overwhelmed with gratitude for the amount of time, effort, and talent that went into this day. We have wracked our brains trying to figure out how to repay all of these people–or even how to thank them, but truthfully, there are no words to fully express our feelings regarding our wedding 2.0. Catrina told me afterwards, “I just feel like every girl deserves their special day.” I think she, ultimately, made a lot more people believe in the power of love.

Photographer: Catrina Earls Photography / Videographer: Whitewash Films / Planner: Candace Hightower of Mingle Events and Vintage Rentals / Venue: Wingate Plantation / Florist: Sweet Grass Events by Stephanie Gibbs / Cake Baker: Sweet Rhi / Caterer: Catering by Corey / Rentals: Event Haus / Band: Chris Crosby Band / Paper Products: Kristen Henderson Calligraphy / Bride’s Gown: “Jacinda Gown” by Watters / Bride’s Hair Accessories: “Downton” Headpiece by Carol Hannah / Bride’s Jewelry: Adriana Orsini / Hair and Makeup: Paper Dolls Hair + Makeup / Bride’s Shoes: “Kelsey Metallic Sandal” by Jimmy Choo / Menswear: Men’s Wearhouse / Stylist: Brooke Williams / Artist: Blakely Made / Minister: Kate Perry / Catering Props: Leboxboutique / Hangers and Thank You Banner: Black Label Decor / Welcome Sign: Buffy Weddings / “To Have And To Hold” Print: Paper and Honey Shop / Helicopter: Lowcountry Helicopters

lisa Written with love by Lisa
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  1. avatar How To Get Your Wedding Photos Published | Engaged Asheville reply

    […] Films’ breathtaking video of Brandon and Megan’s surprise (yes, the bride had no idea!) Charleston wedding vow renewal!  Tissues highly […]

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