Southern Weddings

I’m more of a black + white girl myself, but the rainbow of colors in Rachel + Ross’ Louisiana wedding are making me unseasonably happy today.  (Probably a sign I am ready for warmer weather, right?)  The black dessert cards by Paperglaze Calligraphy are a perfect counterpoint to all the color, I think.  Brandi Brownlee Howard planned and designed this fun, do-it-yourself shindig, and Social Bites of Ruston coordinated the drool-worthy dessert bar.  My favorite detail?  The delicate button detailing on the back of the bride’s vintage Henry Bendall ruffled frock – proof incredible wedding treasures are just waiting to be found on eBay.  We like to joke that Emily is actually a transplant from the 1950’s, so I guess it’s no surprise she hearts the bride’s birdcage veil from Etsy’s Bella Donna by Katie May.  A lot.  We’re sure you love the photography as much as we did, so be sure to visit Kelly Moore Clark’s original blog post here.  P.S.  Judy Moore, the photographer’s mother and owner of Moore Cake Please, designed and made the newlyweds’ peacock-inspired wedding cake.  Talk about a family affair!

Describe your wedding flowers: I really wanted to go with mismatched wild flowers to carry out the eclectic feeling of the wedding.  We ended up putting the wedding together in less than a month and I ran out of time to order flowers.   The day before the wedding, we purchased a cart full of spring bouquets from the local Wal-Mart, and the flowers ended up working perfectly!  I also loved the bunches of white daisies in my bouquet; they really added to the whimsical, simple feeling of the day.  My future sister-in-law and photographer, Kelly Moore Clark, actually made my bouquet a half-an-hour before the wedding!   She is a rock star!
Describe your wedding cake: I looked at hundreds of pictures of wedding cakes online and in magazines, but nothing caught my eye except for a big blue metallic peacock design.  Ross’ mom makes wedding cakes and executed the design.  I was in love with the finished product, especially the strawberry cake in the center… ‘mmm!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? My favorite moment was getting out of the car and hearing the faint strains of an acoustic guitar playing one of my favorite songs, “Something in the Way” by the Beatles.  As I walked down the aisle, I could see Ross at the bottom of the stairs.  At that moment I really felt like a bride, and my heart just ballooned with happiness.   Ross’ favorite moment of the day was seeing the crowd of guests part, revealing his future wife.  He says words couldn’t begin to describe that moment.
Did you write your own vows?  If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? The officiant delivered a short sermon and our vows were very traditional.  We felt the classic vows fit with the feel of the day.   It was short and sweet but very beautiful.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We are both looking forward to finishing our degrees, spending time with the girls and spending time together.   A wedding day is beautiful, but it’s only a moment, only a beginning.   The real beauty lies in living and experiencing all of the small moments that make up a life together.  We’re really looking forward to that, to all the mundane things that are going to be better because we get to do them together.

Congratulations to Rachel, Ross + their adorable daughters!  We wish the four of you a lifetime of love.

They may not be the Rachel + Ross (Friends flashback, anyone?), but we think this twosome is just as sweet… and Southern, to boot!  The talented Kelly Moore Clark was on hand to document the Louisiana nuptials at the Lincoln Parish Park.  Ruffles gave the bride’s vintage sheath (an eBay treasure) an updated look, and we’re still impressed Rachel and her photographer and now sister-in-law (with the help of Wal-Mart blooms) designed the floral arrangements themselves an hour before the ceremony.  (There’s DIY in action, ladies!)  Next to the intimate couple shots, Emily’s favorite detail is the fun burst of summery colors in everything from the flowers to the fabric wall treatments.  I have to agree: let’s skip spring and go straight to summer!

How did the two of you meet?  Tell us your story.  Ross and I met through mutual friends at a dinner party. We got along well and stayed in touch but were not looking for anything romantic, as we were both involved with other people at the time.  After those relationships ended, we realized we had the potential to become so much more than what we were, and felt that we belonged together.  Our relationship took a lot of sacrifice from both of us, namely a cross country move for myself and my two young children.  The girls and I are still adjusting to the culture shock of living in the South, but could not be happier with the family we have joined.  Ross and I believe that God has brought us together to heal the parts of our souls that were broken and to bring joy to ourselves and everyone around us for the rest of our lives.
Describe the proposal:  I was fresh off the plane from Las Vegas and had only been living in Louisiana for three weeks.  Ross and I knew that we were going to be married and were making plans for the wedding and our life together, but I still didn’t have my ring.  Ross  had commissioned a custom sapphire and diamond ring that I knew was on the way but had no idea when it was going to arrive.  One night, we were standing in the kitchen making dinner together.  Ross, who wears one of my gold rings on his pinky to remember me by, turned to me and said, “You know how much I love you, right?  I was thinking you could wear this ring until your ring arrives.”  He then pulled the ring off his pinky and crossed the kitchen to place it on my ring finger.  As soon as he got close, however, I could see the ring he was holding was not the plain gold band I had given him, but my beautiful engagement ring.   Once the shock and surprise wore off (and I stopped dancing around the room) he held the ring out and said, “So you want to marry me?”   The whole proposal was very personal and low key, and very fitting for our personalities.  He was able to surprise me in a very sweet and way, which was just what I was hoping for: magic.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Whimsical, vintage and homemade.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was:  Everything turned out more beautiful than we ever expected, but I would have to say our favorite detail was the quilt on the cake table.  It was made by Ross’ great grandmother and i’s bright pattern and bold colors fit perfectly into the theme of the day.  It was amazing to think that a piece of family history made so many years ago would fit into our wedding day so perfectly all these years later.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress:  I knew that I wanted a vintage dress, but wasn’t sure that the tea length A line skirt was the way to go. I  found my dress on Ebay of all places and fell in love with it. I purchased it for the low price of $200 and Ross’ mom let the seam out on the side for me.  It fit like a glove!   After a $30 cleaning and steaming, it was good as new and ready to walk me down the aisle.  I loved the neckline and simple, elegant feel of the gown.  I know it’s not the typical choice of most brides, but I love the way that dress made me feel.