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Fancy details certainly have their place in the wedding world, but there’s also something so special about simplicity. For their Alabama summer wedding, Meagan and Josh didn’t feel the need to include anything too over-the-top or complicated–they just wanted their family and friends to join them at one of their favorite places to celebrate their love, and nothing took the focus away from that! Along with their commitment to preparing for their marriage, not just their wedding day, I’m sure this is the reason Meagan remembers her engagement as mostly stress-free. As a bride-to-be myself, I’m taking a few notes from this gal in the hopes that I can follow her example!

Thank you so much to Mandy Busby for sharing Meagan and Josh’s wedding with us!

We knew that we wanted to get married outside at the lake and have a pretty casual wedding. We chose The Stables at Russell Lands on Lake Martin for our reception. It also allowed for lots of lights and our band to be outside, which I loved. We originally planned to have our ceremony on a lawn near The Stables. About a month before the wedding, we found out about a big oak tree in Russell Lands near The Stables. We decided to change our ceremony venue to under the big oak tree! Our venues were not on the lake, but you could see the lake from the field under the oak tree.

We decided to have a first look for many reasons. One reason was that we wanted to have plenty of time to take pictures. Our wedding was outside in August, so we wanted to have it as late as possible so people wouldn’t be too hot. The wedding started at 7 p.m. and since the sun was going to set soon after the ceremony, it would not leave us much time to take pictures in the daylight. We did not want to see each other for the first time in front of 350 people–we wanted to be able to talk and celebrate with each other and not have to wait until the ceremony was over. It also allowed us to get to the reception right after everyone arrived. We were so thankful that we had a first look because it allowed us to process the day a little bit and talk about all of our excitement. I love the pictures that we have and it did not take away from how special the ceremony was.

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? I guess you could say that we wrote our vows, but we did not write them from scratch. We took several different vows that we had either heard or seen and combined them to make something that we liked and that fit us. My favorite line from Josh’s vows would be “I will love you and cherish you as Christ loves the church, giving my life for yours. I will lead and protect you as we are living testimonies of the grace of our God, who gave us one another.”
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? We did not have any readings at our wedding, but Josh did speak. We wanted to make sure that the Gospel was shared that day. We had everyone that we loved there and wanted to share with them the most important thing to us.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We had Jim ‘N Nicks BBQ, sweet tea, and lemonade. We served the sweet tea and lemonade in mason jars. We were married under a big old oak tree. We had mason jars with baby’s breath on the chairs of the aisle at the ceremony. Our band was a folk band, which was fun and very Southern! We had our guests sign quilt squares to make a guestbook quilt.

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? I loved our band. We had Act of Congress play and they were great! Josh and I had heard them play when we were in high school and loved them. We had their CDs and everything. We loved how they sounded and it definitely added to the night!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Josh and I met our freshman year of high school, but did not start dating until the end of our junior year. We had not spoken much, but during the spring semester, he randomly decided to ask me to prom. We had the best time at prom and decided to date soon after that! We dated for the rest of high school and then both decided to attend Auburn University. We dated all four years at Auburn and got engaged the fall semester of our senior year.
Tell us all about the proposal! My family has a lake house on Lake Martin, which is my favorite place to go. Josh and I have had some of our best memories out there since it so close to Auburn. During the fall of our senior year, we had gone to the away game at Mississippi State, and on our way back to school, my parents asked us to stop by the lake to drop something off for them. When we got to the lake house and walked around the back, I noticed that the boardwalk was lined with pictures. There were 20 or so pictures in chronological order from when Josh and I first started dating, leading to a bench surrounded by candles. We went and sat down and started talking. I wish I remembered all that happened, but I was so in shock, I really am not sure what was said! Thankfully, Josh gave me a letter that recapped everything that he wanted to say. The letter explained how he had spoken with my dad and how he thought the Lord had used me in his life. After reading over the letter, Josh got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I obviously said yes! Josh and his grandfather had built the bench we were sitting on out of wood that was over 100 years old that his grandfather had from an old house. On the back of the bench was engraved our names and the date of our engagement. My sister and Josh’s best friend were on the other side of the cove that our lake house is on and photographed the entire thing. I am so thankful for those sweet pictures! We left the lake and headed back to Auburn, where all of our friends and family were to help us celebrate.
When did y’all get married? August 3, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 350
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I first thought that I wanted to have a wedding dress made, but realized that it would be a little more difficult than I thought. One day, I randomly decided to go to Diane’s Formal Wear in Jasper, Alabama with my mom. I originally wanted a full lace dress, but soon realized that they didn’t feel like me. All together, I tried on six lace dresses and one silk taffeta dress. I ended up going with the silk taffeta dress and loved it!
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. The bridal party walked down the aisle to “Come Thou Fount” because I’ve always loved the song. I came down the aisle to “My Beloved” by Kari Jobe. After Josh shared the Gospel, we had a time for everyone to pray while “To The Cross I Cling” played. We chose this song because it went so perfectly with what Josh had just shared. We all left the ceremony to “White Dress” by Ben Rector played on a keyboard, because it was fun and upbeat! Our first dance was to “Hung the Moon” by Drew and Ellie Holcombe. We have seen Drew and Ellie in concert and love their music. Another fun part of the evening was when Josh sang “Loving You Is Easy” by Ben Rector with our band. It was such a great surprise and something I will cherish for a long time!
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Like everything else, my cake was simple. It was a five-tier vanilla cake with white buttercream frosting. Nothing too exciting, but I loved how it turned out. We also sent our guests home with a bottled Coke and a chocolate chip cookie for their rides home!
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! My something borrowed was a gold bracelet of my mom’s from Italy. My something blue was my underwear. My something old was a handkerchief that belonged to my great grandmother, which I wrapped around my bouquet. My something new was my dress!
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Our first look was so special and beyond exciting! We could not believe our wedding day was finally here! There was so much joy and love in that moment, and it is something I will never forget.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Just relax! Enjoy planning your wedding and know that your engagement is about more than just getting ready for that one day. Take advantage of your engagement to prepare for your marriage. It is easy to get wrapped up in planning for that big day, but when it is all said and done, it is just that–one day. Your marriage is forever and something that should be prayed over and talked about before you get married.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We have moved to Homewood, Alabama and are loving it! We go for walks with our dog together almost every day and just enjoy one another! We look forward to getting to know each other even better and pursuing the Lord together in marriage. We love all the time we get to spend with each other and the opportunity to do life together.

Photographer and Videographer: Mandy Busby / Venue: Russell Lands on Lake Martin / Florist: Grace’s Florist / Wedding Cake: Catherine’s Market at Russell Lands on Lake Martin / Caterer: Jim ‘N Nicks / Rentals and Lighting: Brendle Rentals / Band: Act of Congress / Bride’s Gown: “Mimi” by Watters / Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist: Morgan Ashley Salon / Bride’s Sandals: Frye / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Eshakti / Men’s Attire: Jos. A. Bank / Paper Products: Val Marie Paper

lisa Written with love by Lisa
10 Comments
  1. avatar Anastasia Arrigo reply

    So beautiful!!!

  2. avatar Jillian Anderson reply

    Beautiful wedding! I love her dress and the simplicity of the wedding. It looks so beautiful. And I love how the groom presented the Gospel at the ceremony. Congratulations!

  3. avatar Chevin Woodruff reply

    I love that while Meagan & Josh were getting married the love of God helped them to share something even more important as Josh shared the Gospel. No doubt by this humble act God will bless their love and marriage beyond their understanding. The photos are absolutely lovely. And catch the spirit of the day.

  4. avatar Mandy Busby reply

    What a pleasure to be featured on Southern Weddings! Also love how they got the bride to share some advice on planning a wedding. Meagan was such a gracious bride and they really allowed her to show that in the Q&A.

  5. avatar crystal reply

    Great article and photos! Loved the wedding ideas and planning tips you have on this blog!

  6. avatar Dana reply

    I LOVE her wedding dress!

  7. avatar Valerie reply

    So happy to see this couple’s big day!! Meagan was one of the sweetest brides I’ve had the pleasure of working with!!

  8. avatar Meagan and Josh Wedding » The Creative Work of Mandy Busby reply

    […] simple Alabama barn wedding was featured at Southern Weddings. Thanks to them for allowing me to share […]

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    […] Consulter les sources : Green Wedding Shoes / Sand Rock Farm / Green Wedding Shoes / A well traveled woman / Style Me Pretty / Southern Weddings […]

  10. avatar Colleen Berg reply

    Can you tell me where you got the stickers for the bags printed? Thank you!

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It may not have been love at first sight when Ann Carlisle and Ryan met, but when we first saw their wedding, it definitely was! These college sweethearts said “I do” at a working horse ranch in Virginia, and we love the way their fall-inspired wedding colors enhanced the natural beauty of the venue. Those bright garnet blooms at the ceremony are especially lovely, and Ryan’s dapper bow tie is the perfect accessory for a Southern groom!

Thank you so much to Katie Nesbitt for sharing Ann Carlisle and Ryan’s wedding with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I had a hard time finding my dress! I probably tried on at least 30 or so from different shops around Virginia. I really liked a lot of the dresses I was trying on, but I never got “that feeling” that everyone always talks about. But, it did finally happen, and after months and months of searching, I found THE dress. I fell in love with it instantly. I keep searching for reasons to wear it again!

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Yes, we wrote our own vows. We promised to try and keep them within 150 words or less. Ryan tends to be a very flowery speaker, and can prolong a story that in reality can be told in five minutes (we love him for that). Sharing our personal vows to one another was our favorite part of the ceremony. Looking at each other while sharing our hearts made it feel like there was no one else in the room. There were definitely lots of tears shed!

What was Southern about your wedding? We got married on a working horse farm. How much more Southern can you get?

We were so lucky to work with AMAZING vendors. Our wedding day truly would not have been the same without them! From the food, to the flowers, to the photography, our day was absolutely beautiful and we are so thankful to each one of our vendors for making the day spectacular!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Honestly, the most memorable moment of our wedding day was when Ryan and his groomsmen serenaded me with a Justin Timberlake mash-up. Ryan created the playlist and the songs were arranged in a very creative way that expressed our relationship. It was amazing and absolutely priceless! Besides marrying me, I know that was probably Ryan’s finest hour. Shoutout to JT!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Ryan and I met in college while working at Red Robin. It would be a true fairy tale to say that it was love at first sight, but unfortunately, this was not the case. After a failed attempt on Ryan’s behalf to get my number, it took a whole year and a random birthday night for the two of us to hang out for the first time. Ever since that night, I knew I should have given Ryan my number the first time he asked for it a year ago. We are true college sweethearts.
Tell us all about the proposal! We were vacationing in the Outer Banks with Ryan’s family. It was the first full day at the beach, and I had just started reading the first book of the Hunger Games trilogy. I was so engrossed with the book the entire day that I had no idea what Ryan had up his sleeve! Throughout the day, Ryan kept insisting what we take a walk on the beach right before sunset. After dinner, when it came time for the walk, I was almost finished with my book and tried to talk Ryan into going for a walk another night. After many pleas from Ryan, I finally gave in and we started walking. I was so sidetracked telling Ryan all about the book, that I had no idea what was about to happen!
When did y’all get married? 10/05/13
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? About 150
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? Yes, we decided to do a first look. At first, Ryan was very adamant that he did not want to see me before the wedding, but after lots of convincing and bribery, I convinced him that it would be a very special and intimate moment between the two of us, and it would free up more time to enjoy the reception and spend with our guests. We absolutely LOVE our photos from out first look, and we are so happy that we decided to go with it!
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? BREATHE! It will all come together. I wish I could say that wedding planning was extremely easy, but there were definitely times when I had minor freak outs. But in the end, all of your hard work really does come together, so enjoy it! And try not to second guess your decisions. You initially made them for a reason, so trust yourself!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Since we got married, lots of things have happened! Ryan got a new job, went off to training, and now we are relocating to a new city. We will both be starting new jobs and settling into a new area, and we are SO excited to embark on this new journey together as husband and wife. And hopefully we will have a new addition to the family soon… no, silly, another corgi!!

Photographer: Katie Nesbitt / Videographer: Paul Hairston Cinematography / Day-Of Coordination: Amanda Gray and Emily Strauss of Ashley Baber Weddings / Venue: Hermitage Hill Farm and Stables / Florist: Honey Bee’s Florist / Cake Baker: Buttercream Dreams, LLC / Caterer: Hanks Smokehouse / Rentals: CVR Rentals / Band or DJ: King Studios (Nathan King) / Special Details: Amanda Burnette, Into it Events / Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas / Hair Stylist: Jane Campbell / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mishka / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Nordstrom, Macy’s, Francesca’s, Talbots / Men’s Attire: Express

Katie Nesbitt is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
12 Comments
  1. avatar Angela Newton Roy reply

    Beautiful wedding! Love the colors and Katie did a wonderful job telling their story!

  2. avatar Katie reply

    Yay! Thank you so much for featuring these two! They are truly a special couple, and their whole day reflected that. We were so thankful to have been a part of their wedding!!

  3. avatar Ermenegildo Conte reply

    Wow! Nice pictures!
    I really love the ideas of the colored bands.
    This is an idea that i will pass on as a wedding photographer, whenever I meet brides that enjoy horseback riding. Keep it up!

  4. avatar Corinna Hoffman reply

    Florida State University colors!! Love it :) Beautiful wedding!

  5. avatar Wedding Rental Supplies reply

    Beautiful wedding! Loved the pretty color combinations for the theme. Also the wedding venue is so pretty.

  6. avatar Kyla F reply

    Her dress is stunning, especially the neckline! I adore the photo right before their first kiss. It captures their elation perfectly – it melted my heart for a moment.

  7. avatar Dana reply

    this wedding made me smile! so sweet!

  8. avatar Kellye reply

    May I ask where the wedding bands are from please?

  9. avatar ERIN reply

    Hello, Can you tell me where these wedding bands were purchased? They are just beautiful and I would like to find out because I want them. Thank you! -Erin

  10. avatar Brianna reply

    Where are those amazing wedding bands from?!

  11. avatar Abbey reply

    Yes..Please do tell where you found your wedding bands. They are perfect! <3

  12. avatar candace mossip reply

    I am in love with the wedding bands, please tell me where they are from

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While I do believe that love can grow from friendship, I am always so tickled to hear from our sweet couples with love-at-first-sight stories. Since I felt the same way about BDK that Jenna felt the first time she saw Cole, I can be a little partial, but there is just something so magical about that moment! Jenna and Cole’s love has continued to grow, and as much as I appreciate how they incorporated college football into their big day, my favorite part has to be their personal vows to each other. While Cole promised to clean up Jenna’s “tornadoes,” Jenna promised to remember that she can be wrong “occasionally.” I love that!

Big thanks to Leah Jean Photography for sharing their big day!

I borrowed the gold pendant that was placed on my bouquet from my great grandmother. My something blue was my Gator garter. I wrapped my bouquet in lace from Cole’s mother’s wedding gown and I wore my grandmother’s pearl ring for my something old. My something new was my rustic cream cowboy boots!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I never really put much thought into my wedding dress prior to getting engaged. However, I did know that I wanted it to be simply elegant with a little special touch. I tried on a few dresses, and honestly, I liked most of them. I ended up with the dress I chose because I fell in love with the back detail.

Describe your wedding flowers. Our dear family friends and amazing floral designers, Trish and Ashlee from Simply Roses, created the most gorgeous wedding florals for us. Since we were having a rustic chic orange and blue wedding, they created three variations of centerpieces using curly willow, burlap-wrapped bottles, and mason jars full of orange garden roses, orange star of Bethlehem, orange thistle, Gomphrena, orange ranunculus, and more.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We did do a first look and it was one of the best decisions we have ever made. We really wanted to make sure we had enough time for all the photos we could possibly want, but we also did not want to miss a single moment of the cocktail party and reception. We both love to dance, so a first look was the only way to accomplish everything.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Our favorite detail of our wedding was the incorporation of our favorite football team, the Florida Gators, into our wedding. We had orange and blue incorporated into hand-printed cloth wedding napkins, the flowers, koozies, handmade menu cards, parting gifts, place cards, and wedding programs. The Gator fight song was also played when we were announced at the reception.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I walked down the aisle to “Over the Rainbow” (the Jason Castro version), sung by the Tom Sartori Band. We walked back up the aisle to “If I Could Make a Living Out of Loving You” by Clay Walker, which we chose because it showed our roots of growing up in a small Florida town. Our first dance was to “Love Your Love the Most” by Eric Church, sung by the Tom Sartori Band. We picked this song because of the lyrics “And I love college football games…but I love your love the most.” We both are HUGE Florida Gator fans, so these lyrics were perfect for us.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. It was love at first sight for us. We met at a mutual friends’ wedding. I saw Cole across the room and told each of my girlfriends that I was “going to marry that man!”
Tell us all about the proposal! Cole planned a weekend in one of my favorite places on earth–Highlands, North Carolina. On our first night there, Cole proposed while we were enjoying a glass of wine by the outdoor fireplace. Of course, I said yes! I thought my evening couldn’t get any better, but it did. Cole had arranged for my closet group of girlfriends, who are really more like sisters, to arrive with champagne to celebrate with us for the whole weekend. It was simply perfect!
When did y’all get married? October 13, 2012
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 225
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Yes, we did. My favorite phrase from Cole’s vows was “I promise to clean up your tornadoes and to make you coffee every day.” Cole’s favorite phrases from my vows was “I promise to continue to make dinner time a priority for us and to remember that I can be wrong occasionally.”
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We decided to have a dessert table, which included old-fashioned banana pudding served in shot glasses, key lime tartlets, chocolate cake petite squares, and a red velvet cake topper.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We served shrimp and grits and sent each guest home with a bag of grits, along with a family recipe for shrimp and grits. We also served three variations of sweet tea, pulled pork on cornbread medallions, and Southern succotash at the reception.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Blending both of our families’ ideas on what our wedding should be, while still staying true to what we wanted.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $50,000-$75,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? My favorite detail of our wedding was that so many of our close family and friends traveled to be part of our special day–our guests traveled from Florida, Boston, Georgia, Louisiana, and numerous other locations to celebrate with us.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? When I saw Cole on the bridge for our first look. He looked so handsome that I literally had to stop for moment and catch my breath.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Just breathe and try to enjoy every moment, because before you know it, your day has come and gone. And have a glass of wine when the stress becomes too much. :)
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We just purchased a new home and are starting all the interior and exterior remodeling. We love projects!

Photographer: Leah Jean Photography / Day-Of Coordinator: Christine Faust Events / Venue and Catering: Timberock at Hopkins Farm / Florist: Simply Roses Florist / Cake Baker: Michal from Soby’s / Rentals: Professional Party Rentals / Band: Tom Sartori Band / Bride’s Gown: David’s Bridal / Jewelry: Bloomingdale’s / Hair Stylist: Hair by Franci / Makeup Artist: Nails by Nancy / Bridesmaid Dresses and Shoes: Their own / Men’s Attire: Jos A. Bank /

marissa Written with love by Marissa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Southern Weddings Weekly Round-Up – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] It was love at first sight when Jenna and Cole met, and it was love at first sight for us when we saw their fall farm wedding! See it here. […]

  2. avatar how to choose your wedding date – the johnsons plus dog reply

    […] will this date affect our future anniversaries? if you are planning on that beautiful fall wedding, keep in the mind if you choose something in mid to end of november, it could fall on thanksgiving […]

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