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For our tenth anniversary issue, we chose to do something we’d never done before: stage and shoot an editorial themed around an anniversary instead of a wedding day. Though we’d never done it before, few things could be closer to our heart: after all, we’re always reminding you that planning for a wedding is about more than just planning to walk down the aisle, and that the best is yet to come!

For this piece, we imagined a couple gathering their nearest and dearest to celebrate ten years of growing together. Our friend Rhiannon Bosse, a consummate celebrator, was the perfect person to pull the details together and infuse them with heart. She also wrote a short essay for the magazine sharing why celebrations of all stripes are important, so do pick up a copy to read that!

Thanks to Jake + Heather for capturing this evening to perfection, and to all of the vendors who brought this look to life!

Stunning in its simplicity, this suite by A Fine Press is one of my favorites we’ve ever featured in the magazine. I love how the X design subtly references ten years!

Maybe you’d wear your wedding dress again in a heartbeat, or maybe you’re confused why you ever chose it — either way, an anniversary celebration is another happy opportunity to wear a white dress, if you’d like! Rock a poufy tulle skirt if that’s your style, or opt for a sleek, chic lace number like this Watters dress.

Isn’t this pocket square boutonniere stunning? I’d never seen one before this shoot! That Rhi — always innovating :)

While a city location is different from our usual fare at Southern Weddings, cities are a part of the South’s landscape, too! I love that we were able to show off the beautiful skyline of Raleigh with this celebration.

Yep, that’s our beautiful Editor-in-Chief Kristin and her sweet husband Kyle! We couldn’t think of anyone better to stand in for our couple celebrating many happy years of marriage :)

Y’all, the food at this shoot. SO GOOD. Belle’s Catering blew us (and our guests!) away with their modern interpretations of Southern classics. The menu included Dixie Poutine and Sriracha fried chicken and pickle biscuit sliders to start, pickled shrimp salad, and plates of braised short ribs, chicken and waffle skewers, and hoppin’ John blackeyed pea cakes to pass family style.

This is one of my favorite ideas we featured, for an anniversary party or any other special sit-down meal. Lead your guests to their seats with personal notes enclosed in glassine envelopes. Use it as an opportunity to tell them how much they mean to you — you can never hear or say those words enough!

Totally dreamy!

In honor of ten years, Ashley Cakes whipped up ten petite cakes, each with a different white-on-white look. We displayed them beautifully on a piece from Cottage Luxe, whose aesthetic is a perfect fit for this editorial!

See more from this editorial in Southern Weddings 10, in our shop and on newsstands now!

Planner, Stylist, and Florals: Rhiannon Bosse Celebrations | Photography: Jake + Heather | Film Processing: PhotoVision | Venue: SkyHouse Raleigh | Stationery: A Fine Press | Caterer: Belle’s Catering | Cakes: Ashley Cakes | Rentals: Cottage Luxe | Linens: La Tavola Linen | Hair and Makeup: LULA Hair + Makeup | Bride’s Dress: “Lenora” by Watters | Clutch and Shoes: BHLDN | Jewelry: Bailey Banks & Biddle | Groom’s Attire: Bonobos

Rhiannon Bosse Celebrations, Ashley Cakes, Cottage Luxe, and LULA Hair + Makeup are lovely members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor directory!

emily Written with love by Emily
9 Comments
  1. avatar Rhiannon reply

    It was an absolute honor and pleasure spearheading this project with you, Emily and team SW! What a beautiful end result, and perfect way to celebrate a gorgeous 10th anniversary issue!

    • avatar Catherine reply

      We couldn’t love your work more, Rhi! Thanks for being an SW gal with us. :)

  2. avatar On Cloud Ten :: Rhiannon Bosse reply

    […] concept behind our efforts? A tenth year anniversary vow renewal with a couple that more than anything values marriage, tradition, celebration, and legacy. The […]

  3. avatar Shana Adams reply

    This is incredible!! Bravo Southern Weddings!

  4. avatar Stephanie Shaul reply

    What a breath of fresh air this editorial is! The celebration of marriage is simply beautiful, and I adore all of the subtle nods incorporated throughout. You can tell each and every detail is so thoughtfully curated and meaningfully chosen… and what really shines through is the JOY and focus on love + community. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!

    • avatar Catherine reply

      Thank you so much, Stephanie! This is beautifully articulated. This is what we aim to achieve in everything we do! We’re so thankful to have you in the SW family. :)

  5. avatar Au Revoir 2017 :: Rhiannon Bosse reply

    […] brought the release of the 10th issue of Southern Weddings Magazine! And I was very honored to have our editorial featured in a special back of the book piece […]

  6. avatar 9 Reflections on The Royal Wedding :: Rhiannon Bosse reply

    […] the photos shown here are obviously not from the Royal wedding but instead are from this Southern Weddings editorial I had the pleasure of planning and designing in 2017. The bouquet I created entirely out of lily of […]

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I firmly believe in love at first sight. I knew the very moment I met BDK that he was the one I wanted to marry, so I can completely understand why Ellen jokingly asked Robert to marry her on the night they met! Though he turned down that “proposal” in lieu of his super sweet one just a few years later, I’m sure Ellen was completely fine with that, especially since Robert included their family in such a momentous occasion. For Ellen and Robert, their family and a sense of community also played an important role in their wedding design, from the rows of estate tables to a total of twenty wedding cakes in three different flavors to encourage sampling and mingling. Ellen and Robert celebrated their wedding day in true Southern fashion, surrounded by those they love!

We’re sure glad Matt & Julie were there to photograph such a lovely day!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted: a lace, fit-and-flare gown with delicate sleeves. My mom, sister-in-law, and I went to the original Neiman Marcus in downtown Dallas, and my dress happened to be the first I tried on. After trying on a few more, I kept going back to it and knew it was the one. I added a crystal and pearl belt, and had a fingertip-length drop veil made with Alencon lace edging to match my dress. The veil was incredibly important to me, because I have been obsessed with drop veils since Kate Middleton’s wedding. I also had my mother’s wedding dress altered (no more poofy sleeves!) and used it as my getaway dress.

We used garden roses for the bouquets, plus LOTS of greenery. We had three of the prettiest vintage pink and cream ribbons hanging from each bouquet. At the reception, we decided to forgo traditional floral arrangements and put individual garden roses on the 19 cakes that were used as centerpieces. We used garlands made of salal, podocarpus, and eucalyptus greens that extended the lengths of the tables–it looked gorgeous and smelled amazing. Our altar flowers were made up of white hydrangeas and lilies.

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? Last minute, yes. Robert had originally wanted to wait, but after talking to the photographers, we knew it was the best option and we are so glad we did it. Not only were the photographers able to capture such a sweet moment, it definitely calmed our nerves before and during the ceremony.

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? No, we did not. We had a very traditional Episcopalian ceremony.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Given the formality of the church and ceremony, we chose traditional songs played on the church organ. My dad and I walked down the aisle to Clarke’s “Trumpet Voluntary” and we recessed to “Hornpipe” by Handel.

I had always known I wanted to be married at my family’s church, so that was never a question. The reception venue proved to be a little harder, but as soon as we saw it, that decision became easy, too! Robert and I met, dated, got engaged, and bought our first home together in Dallas, so the Downtown/Uptown area is such a big part of our relationship. After researching and visiting several venues, we came across the 42nd floor at Cityplace Tower, which happened to be across the street from our church. We were blown away by the views of city and I loved its urban, lofty vibe. The giant windows let in so much natural light, but without the 100 degree August heat.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Our cakes were amazing. Instead of getting a bride and groom’s cake, we decided to give every table their own. We chose to make our cake cutting participatory, and we all cut the cakes together. There were eighteen one-tier cakes, plus a two-tiered cake for the wedding party. Heidi from Sugar Bee Sweets did a fantastic job designing the cakes, which incorporated all of our wedding colors: blush, gold, emerald, and mint. We offered three flavors, so people walked around sampling the different varieties, which encouraged mingling.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The long rectangular tables with the gold sequin tablecloths, garland, and cakes looked so beautiful in the room as the sun set. I love the look of rectangular tables, so we used three super-long tables that expanded the length of the room. It created such a grand statement when you walked through the door!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We formally met at the beginning of 2012 at a mutual friend’s birthday party. We had seen each other around prior, but had never actually spoken. At the time, I was living in Spain teaching English and was home for the holidays. I was supposed to go back in March, but that was not meant to be! I didn’t even want to leave the house on that particular night, so I know it was fate when we met. Robert came up to me, introduced himself, and immediately started dancing. I knew there was something different about him, and he said the same about me. I thought he was funny, and jokingly, I even asked him to marry me! We stayed up talking and joking about how our “grandchildren” would laugh that I proposed to him the night we met. We went on our first date the next week, and when I got home that night, I cancelled my flight and wrote down that I had finally met the man I was going to marry!
Tell us all about the proposal! For Robert’s 30th birthday, I had planned a big party on a vintage trolley that would take us and our friends around town while we celebrated. Before the party, Robert and I had a “scooter date”–one of our frequent trips together on his scooter–and went to dinner at our favorite local pizza place. Robert was acting a bit strange, and I was slightly upset because I thought he was mad at me. As soon as we got home, I saw both our families standing in the living room. When I turned around, Robert was on one knee. It was all a blur, but I do remember him saying I was the only thing he wanted for his birthday and for the rest of his life. We then joined our friends on the trolley and celebrated his birthday/our engagement for the rest of the night!
When did y’all get married? August 1, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 165
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We had a special monogram created of our initials printed on our save the dates, invitations, cocktail napkins, cups, and cake boxes! Robert gave his groomsmen monogrammed leather flasks, and they all wore paisley print bow ties! We both had very large wedding parties (eight for me, twelve for him), which I think is definitely more popular in the South.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? We went to a couples’ weekend at our church, which was extremely beneficial. If your church offers one, I highly recommend it! Each couple was given a mentor couple and ours was such a blessing. They gave us great marriage advice, as well as helped us work through the challenges we had already faced as a couple.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Making sure everything came together! My sister-in-law and I planned the wedding. We have our own event planning business, E+Mc², and our resources were a huge help. At the same time, as the bride, staying calm and not stressing over every detail (while in charge of it all) had its challenges.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Planning a wedding can put stress on your relationship at times, but don’t lose sight of what the day is about. Remember that it is just the beginning of your life together, and that is the most exciting part. Also, have your budget figured out before you buy/decide on ANYTHING!
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We are currently living in Louisiana for Robert’s job, so we are concentrating on settling into our new home, making friends, and having fun as a newlyweds! We love to travel and want to take a few extended trips abroad before we start a family.

Photographer: Matt & Julie Weddings / Planner: E+Mc² / Ceremony Venue: Church of the Incarnation / Reception Venue: 42nd Floor Loft at Cityplace Tower / Florist: HEB Blooms / Cake Baker: Sugar Bee Sweets / Caterer: Andrew Ormsby Catering / DJ: Jeff Burris / Special Details: Garland / Paper Products: Studio3eleven / Bride’s Gown: Liancarlo / Veil: Toni Federici / Hair Stylist: Tovah Prue and Savanah King / Makeup Artist: Taylor Frettoloso / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Joanna August, Erin Fetherston, and Jill Stuart / Bow Ties: The Tie Bar / Flower Girl Dress, Shoes, and Flower Crown: Playful & Posh

Sugar Bee Sweets is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
3 Comments
  1. avatar Studio 3 Eleven reply

    Yay! This wedding is beautiful! It was so much fun pressing Ellen’s custom Save the Dates and wedding invitations. She was such a great bride to work with!

  2. avatar Sarah Walters reply

    Where is that gorgeous ring from?!

  3. avatar Elegant Dallas Wedding by Matt & Julie Weddings – Southern Weddings | Salam Alikoum reply

    […] Voir le site […]

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In many parts of the country, a “Southern” wedding is synonymous with barns, lace, and mason jars. While all of those things are near and dear to our hearts, Lauren and Leigh’s wedding is beautiful proof that Southern doesn’t need to mean rustic. Their downtown Atlanta celebration was urban and undeniably elegant–a perfect combination for this chic bride and her football player groom! We fell in love with the unique color palette Lauren and Leigh chose for their big day (those buttery yellow blooms, y’all!), their darling ring bearers, and the sweet community that so clearly surrounds them, and we knew we had to include it in V7!

Thank you so much to Amy Arrington and EllyB Events for sharing this special day with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. My gown and veil were both by Rivini. I loved the way it fit me like a glove! It was sooooo beautiful, and I wish I could wear it again and again! I loved everything about it.

I really wanted to be sure that the ladies would be comfortable and that the dresses would flatter everyone. I chose gray to accent the yellow bouquets that they carried and the navy tuxedos the groomsmen wore.

Bride’s favorite detail of the wedding: The ombré rose petal aisle.
Groom’s favorite detail of the wedding: Being able to pull off the outdoor wedding my bride dreamed of.

We chose to get married in July so that all of Leigh’s friends could attend before training camp began. I have always envisioned myself getting married outdoors, so we looked at a variety of outdoor venues before ultimately choosing Park Tavern in Piedmont Park. Park Tavern has a magnificent view of the city and plenty of room to accommodate our 250+ guests. We chose the evening in hopes that it would be cooler, given we were getting married in July in Atlanta!

What was your reception like? It was a huge party in an air-conditioned tent, decorated with dramatic centerpieces, including an amazing twinkle dance floor!

Blue is our favorite color, so we knew right away that we wanted to use navy in our wedding. We thought that yellow, gold, and grey were great accent colors. We both enjoy modern design, so our wedding had a bit of a GQ feel.

What advice would you give to someone currently planning his or her wedding? It sounds so simple, but it’s true–HAVE FUN!!!

When did y’all get married? July 5, 2014
How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We met through some mutual friends on June 19, 2012 at the Hudson Grille in Midtown Atlanta. The two of us sparked a conversation that evening, started dating soon after, and we have been together ever since.
Describe the proposal: Leigh planned a winter date night to the Botanical Gardens’ Festival of Lights during the Christmas season. I had been begging him to go. As we were making our way around the different exhibits, Leigh stopped to take a seat on a bench to get a “rock” out of his shoe. We sat down, I turned my head, and to my surprise, when I looked back, Leigh proposed to me. It was a beautiful moment, and Leigh had even hired a photographer who was standing off just to the side, taking photos and video. We celebrated that night with family and friends at the Torrence’s Christmas party.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Marvelous, breathtaking, beautiful
What was the weather like on your big day? We were extremely blessed in the weather department. The entire weekend was so beautiful for July in Atlanta. There was a breeze and no humidity.
How many guests attended your wedding? Over 250
Briefly describe your wedding flowers: Our flowers were all different shades of yellow and white spray roses, garden roses, snap dragons, lilies, and orchids. We had a beautiful ombré rose petal aisle that was made with over 400 roses. The centerpieces for the reception were glass trumpet vases, with yellow orchid blooms hung in the center of each vase.
How did you spend the morning or afternoon before your ceremony? The groomsmen relaxed in our suite at the W Midtown, watching Word Cup soccer. The bridesmaids and I had our hair and makeup done while having brunch and sipping mimosas!
Who participated in your ceremony? Our parents lit symbolic Williams and Torrence family candles.
Tell us about your grand exit. We had everyone line the stairwell holding sparklers as we exited the venue!
Best advice or most memorable comment someone made to you during the wedding celebration: One evening, when we were still engaged, we were gathering with some friends and family members. A man who neither of us had met before was told that we were getting married. He then proceeded to point two fingers at us and said, “Till death do you part.” It was such an intense moment and we all laughed, but later, Leigh and I realized how real that statement was and how important it is for us to stay committed to our marriage vows.

Photographer: Amy Arrington Photography / Wedding planner and linens: Elly B. Events / Designer and florals: Andy Beach / Venue: Park Tavern / Cake baker: Sweet Caroline’s Cakes / Bride’s gown: Rivini / Bride’s shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaid dresses: Donna Morgan / Hair stylist: Kevin Styles / Makeup artist: Noor Farooq / Groom’s attire: Burberry / Groom’s shoes and tie: Louis Vuitton / Groomsmen attire: Black Tie by Lori / Paper products: Paper Parfait / Transportation: Georgia Trolley Services / Lighting: Indaglow Productions

lisa Written with love by Lisa
3 Comments
  1. avatar Allister Freeman reply

    These images a great, wedding looked really fun

  2. avatar Anastasia Kristina reply

    I LOVE THIS! I especially love the ombre yellow rose aisle. So unique and perfect. Everything and everyone was so gorgeous!

  3. avatar Park Tavern Wedding : Leigh + Lauren reply

    […] you SOUTHERN WEDDINGS for featuring their […]

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