Southern Weddings

Hey y’all!  Isn’t it wonderful that it’s Friday?  I’m taking over Katharine’s usual job of introducing our weddings to you because Jessica + Jason’s celebration caught my attention from the moment it landed in my inbox.  There are all sorts of reasons why we pick a certain wedding as a Southern Wedding of the Week, but this week, it’s all about the fashion: girly, fabulous, flirty, fun fashion.  I love it!  Because we know you’ll want all the details, Jessica’s dress is by Kenneth Pool, the feathery florals were put together by Wayne Easterly for In Bloom Again, and Events by Ashley & Company was the mastermind behind the details.  Jessica + Jason’s ceremony and reception were held at the historic Gardencourt and the Olmested, both in Louisville.  And the talented photographer that produced these images?  None other than our favorite Todd Pellowe.  See more of Jessica + Jason’s wedding on his blog and stay tuned for part II!  We are in love!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Jason and I met in college during my first semester. Fortunately, Jason had decided to stick around for an extra year to earn a minor. I was a member of the University of Louisville Ladybirds dance team, and he was the Cardinal Bird mascot! Need I say more?

What was the design inspiration for your wedding? I would have to say that I was inspired by ‘nature.’ Jason and I wanted the entire day to be focused around the beautiful setting at The Gardencourt. I was set on not adding any additional décor to the ceremony location except for one large floral arrangement we placed over a sundial in the middle of the garden.

Favorite design element of your big day: I would though have to say that I really, really loved my bridesmaids in their gowns. I had originally chosen one gown for all of the girls, and then my wedding coordinator suggested a different dress for each girl. Instead of looking for one designer who offered essentially the same dress in several different styles, I decided to take it a step further! I spent about two months searching for dresses in earthy shades of brown, ivory and champagne. I kept all of the girls in mind when picking out their individual dresses. The end result was just amazing. When you start getting compliments on the bridesmaids from your father, husband, and other male wedding guests, you know you did a good job! The girls looked so incredibly beautiful, and I was so happy they all had unique dresses they could truly wear again.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I began (and ended) my dress hunt at Bridal and Formal in Cincinnati, OH I knew from the beginning that instead of searching at several small boutiques, I wanted to go to one store with a massive selection to make certain I found something that day. It wasn’t two seconds after I had walked into the lobby that I came face-to-face with a breathtaking Kenneth Pool strapless trumpet gown. Who knew dress shopping could be that easy?!

Describe your wedding flowers: Not knowing much about flowers, all I knew is that we both wanted something unique. I told my florist the ‘vision’ and then basically let him go wild! I had seen his work and knew he was perfectly capable of creating spectacular pieces. I carried a bouquet filled with ivory mini calla lilies, Sahara roses, hydrangeas and white feathers. The bridesmaids carried small gathered bouquets of rust-brown cymbidium orchids, pheasant feathers, small reverse magnolia leaves and brown berries.