With a wedding as lovely as Elizabeth and Patton’s it’s hard not to get lost in the details…especially the magical florals that Oxford Florals created and the fun yellow front door of the ACRE Restaurant. In fact, said front door set the tone for the entire theme of Elizabeth and Patton’s decor, from the bridesmaid dresses to the cake! They wanted their wedding day to embody that same feeling of “home” that they instantly felt when they visited ACRE for the first time. Looking at their photos, I was already smitten, but after reading their interview, there was so much more that I fell in love with about their wedding. My favorite detail was that Elizabeth grew up picturing her grandfather officiating her wedding. He was not only able to do just that, but he did so in the church she grew up in!
Thanks to Cameron Reynolds for being on hand to capture such a sweet day!
What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? A September wedding was a natural fit for our timeline. Not only was the church available, but my grandfather was also free. My entire life, I had always imagined my grandfather, a retired Presbyterian minister, marrying me in my home church in Memphis, Tennessee. While my ideal reception venue, taste in wedding colors, and dream wedding dress have changed throughout my life, my desire to be married by my grandfather and walk down the aisle of Second Presbyterian Church has always remained a constant. Once the church was set, the rest of the details began to take shape. After exploring many options, we decided to have our wedding reception at ACRE Restaurant. Not only was ACRE conveniently located close to the church, it immediately felt like home. I found the neutral interior colors soothing to my soul. As I walked around to each dining space, I could envision the evening of our wedding reception, and the atmosphere seemed perfect. But my most favorite part of ACRE was the bright yellow front door! The contrast of the yellow door against the dark gray house and lush green landscape set the tone for the entire theme of our wedding. The flowers, wedding paper, bridesmaid dresses, cake, and many other details would soon be created to embody that same touch of home.
Every girl dreams of her perfect wedding dress, and my dress did not disappoint! I knew I wanted a classic lace dress with cap sleeves, but it was not until I put on this dress that I knew I had found my dream dress. I felt beautiful and classy. Since we decided months earlier not to have a first look, I couldn’t wait to see Patton’s face when he saw me for the first time as I walked down the aisle.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Of all the things that brought Patton and I together, the most important thing that holds us together is our faith. Patton and I wanted our wedding to be a worship service, so each song we selected was specially picked for that purpose. A string quartet welcomed our guests, and Patton actually played the prelude since music is one of Patton’s greatest passions. He has enjoyed playing instruments for most of his life, so I knew I wanted to weave that into our day. The mothers and grandmothers walked in to “Be Thou My Vision,” which is a tradition that goes back for three generations in my family. The bridesmaids walked in to “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” one of my favorite hymns! I also gave each of my bridesmaids a framed calligraphy print of this hymn to thank them for being part of our special day. I walked in to “Crown Him with Many Crowns,” and the entire congregation sang “To God be the Glory.” Once Patton and I were announced husband and wife, the congregation rejoiced by singing “The Doxology.”
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! A special pocket was made on the inside of my dress to hold a four-leaf clover that has been worn by many generations of women in my family when they got married. My grandmother, mother, aunts, and sister have all carried this special heirloom on their wedding days. I was honored to carry this good luck charm as my something old and something borrowed on my special day too! My something new was my wedding dress, and I wore a blue diamond-studded ring as my something blue.
I absolutely loved the natural look of ACRE and I wanted our wedding flowers to take on this same look. A simple green and yellow watercolor was the backbone of our paper details, and I wanted the flowers to incorporate this theme. The flowers scattered throughout the wedding and the reception took on the loose, natural look of ACRE, and each flower detail incorporated the butter yellow and green colors of the watercolor we used for our paper details. My favorite flower detail was the flower guitar that adorned the mantle above the groom’s cake.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? While the details are important, the most important detail is the marriage that the wedding represents. That is the true gift! As a bride, I wish I had remembered to take a step back and breathe more. If you are planning a wedding, remember that the perfect day pales in comparison to the gift you will receive in marriage. After all, the wedding details are simply memories. Life will go on… you will be married! However, in the meantime, enjoy the process. The real party has just begun!
Music is one of Patton’s greatest passions. He has enjoyed playing instruments for most of his life, so I knew I wanted to weave this into our day. During the prelude at the ceremony, Patton played the piano, but I also wanted to surprise him with something special at the reception. With the help of both the Flour Garden and Oxford Floral, a room at ACRE was designed just for Patton. He was not only surprised by the groom’s cake that looked exactly like his banjo, but the reaction on his face was priceless when he noticed that the stone mantle above the cake was adorned with flowers made to look like his guitar. We also handed out blow-up banjos and tambourines on the dance floor, so that our guests could actively enjoy the music of the evening with us. Our wedding cake was also beautifully designed by the Flour Garden. It was a simple five-tier white cake. Each layer was either buttercream or coconut cake, and the cake tasted as good as it looked! The cake was adorned with beautiful yellow and green sugar flowers that were made to match the flowers scattered throughout the reception. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought the sugar flowers were real.
How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Patton and I met during out freshman year at Ole Miss. We were friends for the first couple of years of school, but things turned to more than friendship during our junior year.
Tell us all about the proposal! It happened on February 4, 2016 in the parking garage of my office in Birmingham, Alabama. I walked out of work to find Patton on one knee with a ring in his hand. Completely surprised, I was overjoyed to say yes!
When did y’all get married? September 10, 2016
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 350
Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? Patton and I decided not to do a first look. We wanted our wedding to be very traditional, so seeing each other for the first time when the doors of the church swung open seemed fitting. I wanted to see Patton’s genuine reaction as I walked down the aisle towards him. His reaction was perfect!
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? My dear friend Sarah read Ephesians 3:14-21, and my grandfather gave a homily on a passage that has been very special to Patton and me throughout our relationship: Romans 8:1-11.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Guests traveled from near and far to support us, and I wanted each person to have a token of our gratitude. Gift boxes filled with water bottles, caramel corn, and cookies were waiting at the hotels upon their arrival. The cookies were in the shape of Mississippi and Tennessee, and little red hearts were placed over Patton’s hometown of Jackson and my hometown of Memphis.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The perfect ending to the perfect beginning was driving away from our smiling family and friends in a 1957 FORD Thunderbird… I can’t imagine a better way to start my life as a Ford! From getting ready at my childhood home to the ceremony being performed by my grandfather at my home church, September 10th was an absolute dream. As I reflect back on my wedding day, I feel like I have been given the most amazing gift. So many people worked extremely hard to make every detail perfect, and I will forever be thankful.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? Our next chapter is going to be filled with adventure! After dating long distance for the past couple of years, we are thrilled to begin our lives together in Jackson, Mississippi.
Photographer: Cameron Reynolds Photography | Videographer: Caitlin Colcolough Films | Planner: Audrey Hurst Weddings | Ceremony Venue: Second Presbyterian Church | Reception Venue and Caterer: ACRE Restaurant | Florist: Oxford Floral | Wedding Cake: The Flour Garden | Rentals: 12th Table | Lighting: White Door Events | Band: The Soul Shockers | Paper Products: Sue Corral Ink | Bride’s Gown and Veil: Maggie Louise Bridal | Hair Stylist: Annie Shackelford of Juve Salon | Makeup Artist: Makeup by Kendrick | Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: BHLDN | Men’s Attire: Jos. A. Bank
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