Southern Weddings

Since I’ve joined SW, I’ve fallen even more in love with the idea of lace as the key to an ultra-Southern affair and I’m loving how the bride’s capped-sleeve lace gown from Low’s Bridal really does seem to give this Tennessee wedding from a.h.p. photo and designed by Premier W.E.D. an authentic down-home feel.  Betsy + Josh were married in a sweet and intimate ceremony at the groom’s family home before celebrating with an airy, backyard reception complete with plenty of clean white and fresh yellow accents.  The bridesmaids were summer-ready in short mix-and-match yellow frocks they each chose themselves while A Village of Flowers created some of the most wonderfully natural and rustic-looking bouquets and centerpieces we’ve seen in awhile.  (Love the pale yellow and soft green accents sprinkled in the lush white and ivory blooms.)  The four-tiered round cake from Sugar Fix of Jackson was simple, traditional and the perfect complement to the couple’s laidback Southern affair.  P.S.  Check out that dramatic moon-lit shot of the reception tent!

How did the two of you meet?  Tell us your story. Though Josh and I knew of each other in high school, we both headed off to different colleges and spent our twenties in different locations. I had been living in California for five years when I decided to move back to the South to be closer to family.  The day I was pulling out of San Diego, Josh called me. I never knew Josh very well and wondered how he got my number and why he was calling.  I finally called him back a week or so later, and it seemed like he was calling for business reasons. He is in construction and I had just completed a thesis project on green building. When I finally made it back home, I agreed to go out for drinks with him. The evening was pleasant and we spent time catching up on the last ten years and the people we used to know.  I was intrigued and by our second date, Josh had talked me in to staying in Jackson for the next three months. (He knew that was how long it would take for him to charm me.) By the end of the three month trial period, I had a great job opportunity waiting for me in Nashville. It was only two hours away, but I decided that good jobs come along more often that good men and good relationships and begrudgingly declined the job opportunity.  Instead, I decided to stay in my hometown to be with Josh.
Describe the proposal. Less than a year after we had started dating, Josh asked me to call in sick to work. It was a Friday in the middle of the holidays, and I thought his idea was genius! He said he would make brunch, so I sat on the couch flipping through a magazine. When brunch was ready, he told me that it was the “Twelve Days of Christmas”, and I needed to pick a number between one and 12 to receive my gift. I chose two, and he led me outside to my backyard. He had magically transformed my backyard into a gourmet outdoor bistro. The table was dressed with a tablecloth, flowers, fruit bowl, champagne and a menu typed in French. He had built a fire pit and had the water fountain running. It was chilly outside so Josh had put out blankets for me to curl up in. The sun was shining, and even though I should have known things were a little too perfect, I thought he was just being sweet. We savored the moment for an hour or so and then I began to clean up. As I got up to go inside, he stopped me and said some amazing things about our relationship and about how much he loved me.  I could feel him reach into his pocket and the next thing I knew he was on one knee, crying, and placing a beautiful ring he had designed for me on the wrong hand. He was nervous and I was shocked. I tackled him, laughed, cried and asked a zillion questions for the next ten minutes. (I squeezed in a “yes” somewhere in there!) Later that evening, he had arranged for our parents to meet up at the restaurant where we had our first date.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding invitation? I wanted the invitation to reflect a casual outdoor wedding with a modern element.  I chose an invitation that featured a graphic vine with a combination of architectural and elegant fonts.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: My mother and I went to Low’s Bridal in Brinkley, Arkansas.  We tried on several dresses but ultimately I chose the first dress I tried on. I was so excited because I bought it off the rack and it was on sale!  The dress was lace with capped-sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. It also had a keyhole back with a trumpet silhouette and a beautiful chapel train.
Describe your wedding flowers: I wanted the wedding and reception flowers to be very natural with shades of pale green and yellow, white, ivory and brown. There were elements of water lily seedpods and poppy pods mixed in. The bridal bouquet included white hydrangeas and stephanotis with accent flowers in shades of green and gathered with wide white ribbon. Each bridesmaid carried a single peony in full-bloom. The groom wore an orchid and the groomsmen wore fern curls.
Were there any wedding traditions or new ideas you included in the wedding?   We had the pastor read from my late great-grandmother’s bible during the service. At the reception, we used a more interactive guestbook from the Guestbook Store that allowed guests to record memories of the day and of us rather than just signing their names.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Simple, classy and perfect.
What was your favorite design element of your big day? The banquettes used for seating really created a lounge-like feel and helped shape the flow of the tent.  I also loved all of the linens we used.  From the burlap on the dining tables to the elegant fern design on the wedding cake and entrance tables, everything blended together beautifully. Josh and I spent a Sunday afternoon constructing and painting our dance floor.  That was another favorite, since that is where I spent most of my time at the reception!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The gated entrance that welcomed guests into the reception tent was probably our favorite detail.  This was a surprise that I didn’t know about until the day before the wedding. Our wedding coordinator and Josh’s parents had stacked stones, dressed up with flowers, to support two gates that created a feeling that you were entering into a different element, rather than just walking up to a tent! Our wedding menu also combined our favorite foods: Southern goodness fused with California cuisine.  We served fish tacos, fried-green tomatoes and barbeque sandwiches.  It was casual and delicious!
Describe your wedding cake: The wedding cake was a four-tier white cake embellished with squiggly lines on each layer. There were bunches of three fondant rosettes sprinkled throughout the cake. The groom’s cake was a chocolate cigar box with chocolate fondant cigars.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Josh says said his favorite moment was seeing me walk down the aisle… how sweet is he!  I think my favorite part was walking into the reception.  We rode a golf cart from the cocktail hour to the reception tent and then hopped off and ran to the dance floor to have our first dance.
What’s next for you as a couple?  What are you looking forward to in the future?  Babies!  Traveling with our children and getting to be kids again!

Congratulations, Betsy + Josh!  The SW girls can’t wait to see pictures of your children one day soon.