Southern Weddings

Happy Monday, ya’ll!  OK, how beautiful are these flowers?  I am a sucker for lily of the valley… so simple and so lovely!  Special thanks to {Todd Pellowe} for sharing these gorgeous images with us.  To see the entire slide show, click {HERE}.  Also, be sure to check out Todd’s {Blog} for more.  Enjoy!

The weather was: Windy, sunny and hot. Despite a forecast for thunderstorms, the weather turned out fantastic. And the wind was great for the photos.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding?  Our hometowns were very big inspirations for us. The theme was sort of a “North Meets South,” and the wedding even had a destination feel because so many guests had never been to Louisville, KY.  Our save the date stationary included a vintage, black/white map of Louisville from the 1930s and a fleur-de-lis (the symbol of Louisville). The tables at our reception were named after Kentucky Derby winners from 1979-2008. We sat at Barbaro, which is Lauren’s favorite horse. The food was southern style with a Kentucky flare – mini hot-brows, country ham wontons and of course, mint juleps. Patrick is from Chicago so we played Chicago-themed songs (ex: “Go Cubs Go”) during band breaks and we had an authentic Vienna Beef hot dog stand to serve famous Chicago-style dogs, late night.  Instead of a traditional guest books, we asked our guests to sign photo books of Louisville and Chicago, many guests chose to sign pictures of places that held special memories for them.
What colors did you choose?  Sage, green and gold.
Favorite design element of your big day: The fleur-de-lis became the symbol of our wedding.  We put it on anything we could: invitations, programs, gift bags, place cards, thank-you cards, etc.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress:  Finding the dress was harder than expected.  We had been to over 30 weddings together, so I didn’t want something I had seen multiple times.  After a few months of searching (yes, months) I found the perfect Monique Lhuillier gown at Bridal and Formal in Cincinnati, OH.
Describe your wedding flowers: The one thing I knew I wanted was a bouquet of lily of the valley.  It is so simple and elegant, not to mention my favorite flowers.  Patrick even found himself losing focus during church because he couldn’t stop smelling the bouquet! I used big, light, pink peonies for the bridesmaids.  The centerpieces combined peonies, hydrangeas, belles of Ireland.  They had gold “sticks” (to add height) in the center with votives hanging from the sticks.  Patrick and I were overwhelmed when we walked into the reception.  The centerpieces were so unique and breathtaking…our florist couldn’t have done a better job.
How did the two of you meet?  We met at college and began dating a few years after we met (it took Patrick a couple years to ask me out…and it took me a few more to say yes – to a date not a marriage proposal).
Describe your engagement:  We got engaged on top of Cadillac Mountain in Bar Harbor, Maine.  It is the first spot the sun hits the United States.  It could not have been a more beautiful, natural setting.  Much to our surprise Jenna Bush got engaged in the same spot a few weeks after we did. Such a copycat!
What attracted me to my husband was:  His kindness, his ability to stay true to himself, and most of all his sense of humor.
What attracted me to my wife was: Her love of family and her constant loyalty to friends. She makes me feel like the luckiest man alive.
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: There are too many hilarious, embarrassing and romantic ones to single out.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was:  Our band, The Mystics, from Cincinnati, OH.  Lauren planned the wedding date not around the church or venue, but around The Mystics’ availability.  These guys can absolutely jam! And they can draw anyone on the dance floor.  Our favorite part of the reception was seeing our guests let their hair down and dance (or get tossed in the air!).  Hiring The Mystics ensures that your guests will never forget your wedding. 
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding?  Family health issues came up during our engagement, which made the process more emotional but allowed us to value and be grateful for all we’re blessed with.
Were there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? Our wedding mass incorporated numerous Catholic traditions that are important to our families and us.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day?  Our mass.  The church was pristine.  The sun was beaming through the stained glass and the music was so touching.  Our priest, Fr. Nick Rice, conducted the mass with such a personal, welcoming touch, which made the ceremony enjoyable, yet thought-provoking, for an audience of various backgrounds. So many guests complimented us on their experience at The Cathedral of the Assumption.  One guest even described it as “majestic.”
Scariest moment? One hour before the mass when one of Patrick’s groomsman opened his rented tuxedo to find it twice his size and in a completely different style! An usher saved the wedding by driving 25 miles and swapping tuxes, just in the nick of time!
Funniest moment? Patrick and his friend’s have a tradition to “toss” the groom in the air at weddings.  At our wedding this tradition took a surprising turn when I got tossed in the air, and then MY MOM got tossed in the air (I couldn’t believe my eyes).  Not to be outdone, Patrick’s Mom was then tossed in the air.  For a second, I thought they were going to touch the chandeliers because they were tossed so high.
What were your something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue items?  Something old = my grandmother’s wedding ring, something new = the dress, something borrowed = my mom’s earrings, something blue = a ring with an aquamarine stone (a graduation gift from my parents).
Why do you love your husband? On our wedding day my husband gave the most amazing speech.  He thanked my mom and dad and did an impression of my dad that had people crying with laugher.  He then spoke about our relationship and how happy he was.  I felt so proud to be his wife – he couldn’t have given me a better wedding gift.
How was your wedding different than the way you’d always imagined it would be? The amount of genuine support and well-wishes we received from “all the right people” was incredibly comforting. It was a rare feeling that will last a lifetime.
Three adjectives that describe the day are:   Blessed…Amazing…Hilarious.
Did you write your own vows? Yes.
Any do-it-yourself items that you created for your big day?  Too many to name, but we were especially proud of the place cards (it’s surprising what you can do with a fleur-de-lis stamp) and the programs for the mass.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding?  Enjoy being engaged, but keep things in perspective.  You don’t get engaged for a wedding, you get engaged for a marriage.  Accept event planning advice from people, but this is your day, so make it your own. Lastly, make sure your groomsmen check their tuxedos more than one hour before mass!

Congrats to Lauren + Patrick!