Southern Weddings

Though off-the-beaten-path venues for weddings and parties require more advance planning and logistics, they can result in some of the most magical experiences. At a wedding, an inspired setting can help underscore the importance and set-apart nature of your celebration, helping your guests to stay present and participate wholeheartedly! The peach orchard setting was what first caught my eye with this lovely inspiration from Erin Wilson, and her story about what this very Southern fruit means to her and the band of vendors she pulled together convinced me I had to share it. I hope y’all agree it’s perfect for savoring the last few weeks of summer!

From Erin:
When I first met my husband (a small town Arkansas native) he was wearing a tattered blue ‘Johnson County Peach Festival’ tee that perfectly matched his blue eyes. The tee was one of his most treasured pieces of clothing because he found it deep in his Dad’s dresser from when his Dad ran the peach festival marathon back in 1983. You see, the peach festival is a HUGE deal in my tiny town of Clarksville, Arkansas. Each summer, we host a festival in the downtown square right around the time our favorite peach orchard’s peaches are ripe. It’s the highlight of the summer and everyone in our town lives for it. So when this Texas girl married her Arkansas boy and he finally convinced her to move to his teeny tiny Southern town, I was looking forward to my first festival. I finally experienced it for myself last summer, and also picked the yummiest peaches from the local orchard (and made a pie!). As I grew my business and got to know my local wedding vendors, I had this idea brewing for months. I invited all the best local vendors in our town to collaborate on a shoot in our very own peach orchard. We wanted to inspire our clients and future clients to embrace a lush, romantic, outdoor dinner party vibe. We made peach sangria and paired it with peach crostini appetizers, peach cheesecake, and peach pies. Our beautiful bridal party laughed and had a good time (the bride and groom were newly engaged and perfectly in love, which set the best tone for our shoot!). We are so happy with how everything turned out and so excited to share images with our little town, because this weekend is the 2015 Johnson County Peach Festival!

Flowers: Clarksville Florist | Gowns and tuxes: Danielle’s Bridal Photography: Erin Wilson Photography | Catering: Fat Dawgs BBQ | Venue: Peach Pickin’ Paradise Peach Orchard | Cakes: Candy Dunaway | Hair and makeup: Kaylee Nicole | Styling: Gina Taverner and Erin Wilson

Written with love by Emily