Southern Weddings

Emily’s told me a bit about her love for outdoor weddings – outdoor, as in no tent, no coverings, no nothing – and after seeing Nicki + Mike’s reception pictures from Pure 7 Studios, I have to agree there’s something really magical about a truly outdoor celebration.  And the Eden Gardens couldn’t have offered a more perfect backdrop for the newlyweds’ authentic Southern soiree, right?  Nouveau Flowers styled the bright, summery blooms, and Confections on the Coast designed the couple’s elegant four-tier cake.  More?  Visit Pure 7 Studios’ blog post here!

Describe your wedding flowers: My bouquet and the bridesmaid’s bouquets were a mixture of rosette succulents, white anemones, coral dahlias, coral garden roses and double yellow tulips accented with artesian foliage and wrapped in lace.  The flower girls wore an adorable halo designed with coral sweetheart roses and white anemones, accented with artesian foliage.  They carried fern wands designed with ribbon streamers and complimenting flowers.  The Groom, groomsmen, ushers and ring bearer wore a unique boutonniere made from small succulents with a curly willow accent.
Describe your wedding cake: White Garden Roses. My favorite part was that every layer was a different flavor. The first layer was French vanilla with mascarpone cheese and white chocolate filling, the second layer was Fresh strawberry with cream cheese filling, the third layer was Grand Marnier butter cake with blackberry filling and the top layer was Lemon poppy seed with lemon curd filling.  The Grooms cake, the ole’ ball and chain, was Viennese Chocolate with chocolate butter cream.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? We live in Mississippi but wanted to get married in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.  However, this was not so much a challenge, thanks to Shelby Peaden Events.  Jenny, my mother in law, and I went to Santa Rosa Beach one weekend to meet with Shelby and her recommended vendors.  We hammered it all out in one weekend.  There was an instant trust built with Shelby that weekend…and WOW…you see the results! 
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Mike’s father announcing us as Mr. and Mrs. Michael Christopher Gatling for the first time.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future?  We have both moved to Madison, Mississippi where we will start building our lives together. We’re looking forward to children!  We are both settled in our careers and Joe needs siblings.

Congratulations, Nicki + Mike!  Wishing you a lifetime of laughs and happiness.

I swoon for glitzy affairs, but Nicki + Mike’s sweet wedding at the Eden Gardens reminds me what Southern weddings are all about – starting with the gents’ robin’s egg blue seersucker suits.  Add a real life Spanish moss-draped oak and hand-selected navy bridesmaid frocks, and you’ve got a good old-fashioned Dixie celebration.  (I’ll also be happy to borrow that pint-sized ring bearer for my own wedding if no one minds…)  Pure 7 Studios photographed the Florida wedding, and Shelby Peaden Events handled planning and design.  Come back soon for the reception pics, ya hear?

How did the two of you meet? Mike and I met at a party thrown by mutual friends.  Immediately, he grabbed my interest.  I have never met anyone quite like Mike.  He has an insatiable appetite for life…I was intrigued.  It was a slow start because he was clocking some pretty mean hours at his firm while working towards his MBA at night and I had to relocate to Oxford for my job.  We agreed to see where it went and saw each other on the weekends.  Long distance relationships are the pits, but weekends were better than no Mike at all…  So glad we gave it a whirl!
Describe the proposal. It was Mike’s turn to make the haul to Oxford.  I was in the kitchen cooking red beans and rice with my six-year-old, Joe.  I’m pretty sure the ring was burning a hole in Mike’s pocket.  As I was stirring the beans, I saw him moving behind me, when I turned around he was on one knee asking me to be his wife.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Beautiful, Relaxed, and HOT!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Definitely Pure 7 Studio’s Fun Booth…  The guests had a blast playing with the different props and taking wacky photos.  It was a great way to include everyone in the fun! 
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration?  What was Southern about your wedding? Everything!  I wanted a truly Southern garden wedding.  For starters, the ceremony site was under a 600 year old live oak with Spanish moss draping down.  The groom and his groomsmen wore seersucker suits which is traditional attire for the Southern lawyer. (i.e. Matlock) The décor consisted of lace, burlap, vintage mason jars and Wolfe studio birds -a must collection for any southern girl. The guests were greeted at the reception with our signature Southern cocktails of lemonade and firefly sweet tea served, of course, in mason jars.   Townsend Catering served Southern food with flair.  There was a wishing tree where guests could write wishes for the future or share advice for a happy marriage.  My something old was my great grandmother’s wedding band.  It was attached to my bouquet so she could escort me down the aisle…4 generations of steel magnolias and 122 years old…now that’s old! My something new is the Sorrelli bracelet that Mike bought me.  Sorelli’s are designed to become heirlooms, handed down through generations. My something borrowed was the cake knife.  Mike’s parents used it at their wedding, 37 years ago! And my something blue were my bridesmaid’s dresses and a very cheesy garter belt!