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If you have a little bit of “wedding nerd” in you, the idea of these four things together just might give you butterflies: Alabama, Christmas, Vera Wang, A Bryan Photo. Sure enough, Sally and Steven’s wedding struck the perfect balance between classic, festive, and Southern, and I can’t think of a prettier way to get excited for Christmas than by admiring their gorgeous pictures! Sally’s bouquet was particularly special–all of her favorite flowers, which she had always wanted in her wedding, were lovingly arranged by her talented aunt, who made the same bouquet for Steven to use during his proposal. I can only imagine how special these blooms will continue to be to this sweet couple for years to come!

A big SW thank you to A Bryan Photo for sharing Sally and Steven’s wedding with us!

My aunt, Sybil Sylvester, is an incredible florist, so she was in charge of all the wedding flowers. My flowers were predominately white, accented with green. My bouquet was made of peonies, gardenias, ranunculus, garden roses, thistle, and dusty miller. The church was decorated with garland and wreaths made of baby’s breath, along with Christmas greenery and candles. The Country Club was decorated with swags of greenery, tufts of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling, gold mirrors, and more beautiful flower arrangements. Call me cliché, but my inspiration was a Downton Abbey aesthetic: a Christmas wedding that felt like a traditional Southern wedding with an old English flair.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. My mom and dad came to New York and took me to the Vera Wang wedding boutique. Every dress in that store is gorgeous. I tried on lots of dresses and narrowed it down to two. Once I tried on the Eliza gown with the sash and the veil, I knew it was the one for me.

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? 
Our readings were passages from the Old and New Testaments: Jeremiah 29:11-14 and Philippians 1:27-2:11.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. 
I walked down the aisle to “Highland Cathedral” played on bagpipes. We sang “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” during the ceremony and then Steven and I processed out to “Joy to the World.” Our first dance was to “Make You Feel My Love.”

What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? 
My photographer. You spend so much time with your photographer on your wedding day, and you will forever remember your wedding through their lens. Bryan and his team take gorgeous pictures and their laid-back personalities make the picture-taking fun, not stressful.

My wedding cake was Frank Stitt’s fabulous coconut cake that I’ve grown up eating at Bottega. Steven’s groom’s cake was red velvet baby bites from Pastry Art, surrounding a small red velvet cake decorated with an orange “T,” for his alma mater, the University of Tennessee.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? 
Our reception food was quintessential Southern fare, including fried chicken, lobster mac and cheese, and short ribs. We had a bourbon bar, and later in the night, we served Mississippi Muds. We used family silver to serve our cakes. Also very Southern: my Alabama football-loving family had to endure my University of Tennessee husband and his friends singing “Rocky Top” with the band.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. 
Steven and I met at Alpine Camp. We had both worked there before and were friends, but in the summer of 2011, Steven asked me out on a date. After that, we spent every night off together for the rest of the summer. The rest is history.
Describe the proposal. 
I flew home from New York to spend Easter with Steven and my family. On Saturday evening, Steven and I walked up to where we could see the sunset over Birmingham. When we got back to my house, I saw that the tea candles in the trees in our garden were lit and I realized something was up. Steven grabbed my hand and led me to the garden and said, “I have a few things to tell you.” The path to the garden was covered in white flower petals, and strands of orchids were hanging from the trees. At the end of the path, I saw a bouquet that I knew my aunt had made with all my favorite flowers, which I had always wanted for my own wedding. Steven got down on his knee and asked me to marry him. Afterwards, we celebrated with champagne, family, and friends.
In what month did you get married? 
December
How many guests attended your wedding? 
500
Did you decide to do a “first look”? We did not. Our photographer, Bryan Johnson, had already done our engagement photos, and we knew we could trust him to get great pictures done without taking over the day. Also, we wanted to see each other for the first time as I was walking down the aisle and we are glad we did it that way.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: 
All the details came together so perfectly, I can’t choose just one. I am so glad I had my aunt and my wedding planners at Mariée Ami to worry about the details so that I could enjoy the big picture!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
Right after the ceremony, Steven and I had a few moments to ourselves to talk, dance, and just let it sink in that we were married.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
Just relax and enjoy the week of your wedding. Once you’ve finished the planning, you should sit back, take it all in, and enjoy the people there. The important thing is that you’re married at the end of the day.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
Who knows! We’re happy to be married and figuring out life together with our new golden doodle puppy.

lisa Written with love by Lisa
7 Comments
  1. avatar Emily reply

    I love that their wedding cake was a favorite from the bride’s childhood! Coconut cake is always a winner in my book!

  2. avatar Naia reply

    What a romantic wedding!! Loved that cake <3 Congratulations to Sally and Steven.

  3. avatar Ashley S reply

    I follow them on instagram

  4. avatar Dana reply

    such a beautiful proposal story

  5. avatar Gorgeous getaway car garland | A Bryan Photo | weddingfunz.com reply

    […] Source […]

  6. avatar Best of 2013: Reception Details – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] car garland | Sally + Steven | A Bryan […]

  7. avatar Inspiration No. 2 (Gold and Forest Green) reply

    […] from Bottom to Top: Christmas Jingle Bells, Golden Mirror, Candlelit Fireplace, Ornamental Wedding Couple, Candlelit Fireplace, Greenery Photo Frames, […]

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Many of you may not know that I used to work for a country music station. A live feed of the station was played over a loudspeaker throughout our entire offices, so I may even be able to rival Miss Emily when it comes to country music trivia! One of my favorite songs became Lee Brice’s Love Like Crazy, because in the song, Lee encourages couples to “overuse ‘I love you.'” To me, those simple words are such an important aspect of marriage, sometimes being the only thing to say in a circumstance. So, when I read that Lauren + Adam’s reverend had them begin their traditional vows by just telling each other “I love you,” my heart leapt! Lauren also said that with these three simple words, all their nerves were gone. I imagine this was such a wonderful moment to witness.

Big hugs to Robyn Van Dyke, one of our darling Blue Ribbon Vendors, for sharing their big day with us!

One of my absolute favorite moments happened during the ceremony. Reverend Motley asked everyone to bow his or her head as he prayed for our marriage, and as he was ending the prayer, Adam pulled me in and kissed me on the forehead. I love that moment in particular because it felt like it was just the two of us up there together, even when there were 200 sets of eyes watching us. Another favorite moment was the time spent with my bridesmaids before the ceremony. We all wore oversized button-up shirts, which included monogrammed pockets (a DIY by my sister/MOH) and enjoyed sipping our champagne through straws and mason jars from Shop Sweet Lulu. That morning, I also received notes of encouragement and sweet wishes from all of the girls in my college sorority. These little moments brought me so much peace and joy and that I will always treasure.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. To my surprise, finding my dress was the very first check off of our wedding to-do list. My mother and now mother-in-law decided on a whim to take me to Victorian Rose Bridals in Raleigh to try on a few dresses. Knowing it was still very early in the wedding planning process, I had little expectation of finding “the one” already, but it just so happened that the second dress I tried on was everything I wanted. It had ivory alencon lace over champagne charmeuse, an exposed back, and a sweeping train–it was perfect!

While all the grooms we feature are quite dapper, I am dying over this polka dot tie! Too much fun!

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Genesis 2:7, 18, 21-24 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them.
The music for our ceremony was soft and elegant. We hired a violinist and kept to wedding ceremony classics. Adam and I knew from the very beginning that we wanted The Craig Woolard Band for the reception. The band is not only the perfect combination of beach music, Motown, and country, but they are also the band that entertained several of our first date nights. For our first dance, we danced to “Nothing Can Change This Love” by Sam Cook and for the daddy/daughter dance, we danced to “My Girl” by the Temptations.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? Adam and I decided not to do a first look, because we both liked the idea of keeping it traditional. I will never forget what an amazing feeling it was to see his reaction as I walked down the aisle!
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Although we did not write our own vows, I loved that our Reverend had us begin our vows by just telling each other “I love you.” It took all my nerves away!

Our reception menu was Southern-inspired all the way! We served chicken and biscuits, BBQ sliders with coleslaw, green beans, sweet potato mash, sweet tea (of course!), and several other traditional Southern favorites. I also loved how our favors came out–we gave our guests navy koozies with bow ties on them–and I love that Adam wore the needlepoint belt I made for him.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Adam and I are just about as different as they come. He’s from the country; I grew up in the city. He’s the youngest of three boys; I’m the oldest of three girls. He loves being in the spotlight; I’m perfectly content standing in the back. But opposites attract, right? We first met while attending a summer camp called Camp Willow Run, where we were introduced by my counselor. We kept in touch here and there and eventually ended up going to the same college. We also both worked as summer staff at the same camp where we met as campers. Adam hardly talked to me all summer, so it completely took me by surprise when he asked me to be his date to his brother’s wedding on the last day of camp. Ironically enough, Adam’s brother was marrying the very same counselor who had originally introduced us. Small world!
Tell us all about the proposal! Adam once told me that no one expects to get engaged in the morning and he was most definitely correct. I woke up on a Thursday morning in January to a surprise breakfast delivery from Adam. Along with breakfast came a letter. As I began reading the letter, I realized that this was a little more than just the average morning date. Before I could even begin to question what was going on, he was down on one knee asking me to marry him. It was a pretty great way to start the day!
When did y’all get married? March 23, 2013
How many friends, family, and loved ones attended your wedding? 200
Describe your wedding flowers. The Sutherland’s natural beauty and rustic walled-garden inspired us to keep the ceremony simple, casual, and intimate. We selected baby’s breath, roses, and hydrangeas for floral arrangements, and kept to soft shades of ivory and blush for the décor.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We decided to choose a cupcake stand over a wedding cake for our dessert. The stand included a 6” spice cake on top and 18 dozen mini cupcakes in four different flavors: Simply Cinnamon, Wedding Cake, Lemon Zest, and Red Velvet. We liked the idea of giving our guests multiple flavor options while still being able to partake in the traditional couple cake cutting.
Did you have something borrowed, something blue, and something new? If so, do tell! While my mom was zipping up my gown, she showed me a piece of her wedding dress that she had sewn into mine as my something old. I love that she surprised me with that! My navy heels were my something blue. My grandmother’s wedding band was my something borrowed, and my sisters gave me a gorgeous engraved bracelet as my something new.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Figuring out how to seat 200 people in a ballroom that seats 175!
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: We still laugh so hard when we look back at the pictures from our photo booth! Also, Our venue gave us a complementary ice sculpture. Typically, couples choose to have their monogram carved into the ice, but instead, Adam and I decided to use it as an opportunity to proudly display our favorite college football team, the East Carolina Pirates!
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Our photographer was absolutely incredible! I love that it was a husband and wife duo that could tag team during the ceremony and reception in order to capture all of the day’s festivities. I also felt really blessed to walk away from my wedding experience with pictures that so clearly depicted the emotions felt that day. Robyn was so patient and willing to go the extra mile for us, and I am extremely grateful for that!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Have fun on your wedding day!! I can honestly say that my wedding day was the best day ever, and I think every bride should feel that way about her special day.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We want to travel! I’m most excited to continue “growing up” with Adam and to experience life with him–I’m lucky to have a husband who is also my best friend and spiritual leader.

Robyn Van Dyke is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
6 Comments
  1. avatar Emily reply

    Love Lauren’s veil + love the gents’ handsome dotted ties!

  2. avatar featured: southern weddings » Robyn Van Dyke Photography Blog reply

    […] so incredibly grateful & excited to have Lauren & Adam‘s gorgeous wedding featured on Southern Weddings today!! A big, heartfelt thank you to all the lovely ladies at Southern Weddings and […]

  3. avatar Robyn Van Dyke reply

    Thank you so much for the beautiful feature, ladies!! xoxo! We can’t wait to see y’all tomorrow!!!

  4. avatar Madi Reid Sanders reply

    Oh man… If I could wed again! (Still to my husband, of course!) I love everything about this wedding!

  5. avatar Southern Weddings Weekly Round-Up | Southern Weddings reply

    […] The pastor at Lauren and Adam’s beautiful winter wedding told them to just say “I love you” to each other before saying their vows. Our hearts just about burst over this sweet moment! See it here. […]

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Aside from your wedding dress, accessories are potentially the most fun parts of your wedding day ensemble to pick out. We love that our favorites from 2012 show off the bold, the fun and the personalized.

Sweet monogrammed handkerchiefs: photo by Divine Light Photography from Darcy + John’s wedding.

A dramatic cathedral veil: photo by Vitalic Photo from Gabrielle + Paul’s wedding.

Sunny yellow shawls: photo by Katelyn James from Beverly + Craig’s wedding.

Yep, monogrammed cowboy boots. A favorite this year and all over Pinterest! Photo by Kelly Hornberger from Lindsay + Jonathan’s wedding.

A short veil dotted with crystals: photo by KT Merry from Cee Cee + Chad’s wedding.

Sparkly copper flats (also a Pinterest favorite!): photo by The Nichols from Stacey + Adam’s wedding.

A romantic pink feather fascinator: photo by Ali Harper from Kim + Mark’s wedding.

A stunning monogrammed veil: photo by Katelyn James from this Southern Spotting post.

A chic puffy veil (can you tell we love veils??): photo by Justin DeMutiis from Jessica + Derek’s wedding.

And finally, a monogrammed vintage fur: photo by Mark Williams Studio from Marielle + Michael’s wedding.

KT Merry, Ali Harper, and Justin DeMutiis are all fabulous members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

nicoleyang Written with love by Nicole
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