Southern Weddings

K + C enjoyed a lake-front reception with family and friends at Crisp’s family plantation, Thronateeska Bluffs, and we can’t think of a better setting for an outdoor celebration.  The couple’s four-tier round wedding cake is elegant and traditional, but take a look at that chocolate groom’s cake!  Turkey feathers and shoot gun shells?  A-mazing.  I was hoping for a few more shots of the bride in her stunning Amsale gown, but luckily Katie’s short Lela Rose reception frock is retro, chic and all kinds of fun.  Victory!  BIG, big thanks to 509 Photo for sharing their classic, timeless shots of the big day.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress: Drama! Like most girls, I had been dreaming of a wedding my whole life, but the dress eluded me! I looked through all kinds of magazines and scoured the internet, but just didn’t find the one.  My mother and I visited almost every bridal store in Atlanta, but I wasn’t having any luck on finding “the one.”  On the last day, we went to Bridals by Lori, where they were having an Amsale trunk show.  I narrowed it down to two dresses I liked and thought could be my wedding dress.  I ordered one of the dresses, and six months later it arrived, but was ALL WRONG!   The designer had changed some of the design elements that had been part of the runway dress I had originally tried on at the trunk show. It was a mess!  After a lot of help from one of the managers, Amsale sent me a new dress in 1 week!  And at the end of the day, I loved my dress!  It was stunning and classic.  My nightmare must have made for a good storyline, because they asked me to film an episode for the new season of “Say Yes to the Dress!”
Describe your wedding flowers: I carried a hand-tied bouquet of white cymbidium and dendrobium orchids, white hydrangea, caramel antique garden roses with accents of turkey feather tips and seeded willow eucalyptus.  I wanted all neutral colors: soft whites, champagnes and greens… simple!
Describe your wedding cake: Simple and delicious! You can’t go wrong with pound cake.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The guest list! Crisp and I are both are from small towns, and it’s hard not to invite everyone!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? I would say our exit from the ceremony! In true Southern style, after we said our I Dos and were presented as Mr. & Mrs. Gatewood, we surprised guests with the Mule Drawn-Quail Hunting Wagon that drove us away. We left waving to family and friends and enjoyed a short romantic ride down an oak-lined drive. We spent about 30 minutes taking those memorable “We’re married!” pictures.  I loved those first few moments as husband and wife!
What’s next for you as a couple?  What are you looking forward to in the future? We are finally getting settled into our new house! We have done a little remodeling, and everything is starting to come together. I need to learn how to cook, even though Crisp does a great job, and only have about 100 more thank-you notes to write.  We are loving every minute of married life!